Update: In an email to 9to5Mac, Twist says that “the app works fine and the cloud services are paid for and covered for a long while.”

Two years ago, we reported on Twist, a new smart home accessory maker aiming to take a different approach to smart home lighting. At the time, the company debuted an AirPlay-connected lightbulb and speaker system combo, but it now appears that those efforts didn’t catch on like Twist had hoped…

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This week, Twist CEO Shaun Springer began sending out emails to customers saying that, due to funding difficulties, the company is shutting down immediately. The email to customers comes after growing complaints on Twitter regarding unfulfilled orders and silence from customer support.

The email explains that Twist was unable to get the capital needed to “invest in our next round of inventory, as well as the next phase of the business.”

It is with a heavy heart that I have to share the news that Twist will be shutting down the business as of today. We have spent the past several months trying to raise a round of funding necessary to invest in our next round of inventory, as well as the next phase of the business, but were unsuccessful in getting the capital needed.

Most notably, however, the email says that anyone who has placed an order directly from Twist Home will not have their order fulfilled, nor will they be eligible for a refund. This essentially means that anyone still waiting on their order has lost the money they paid. Those who ordered from a third-party, Twist says, will be covered by the merchant’s return policy.

Will I still receive my order?

We are unable to fulfill any more pre-orders at this time, but are still working on finding a solution that could make that possible.

Will I get a refund?

If you purchased directly from Twist Home, you we will not be able to refund. If you purchased from a third party, you will be covered by their individual return policy.

Furthermore, Twist users on Twitter say that the Twist app is no longer functional, meaning they can’t control the smart lights they purchased and set up in their home. One user writes:

What is going on with my light bulbs? Website disappeared and app is now dead. No way to control Lights. I hold you accountable. All of your customers will soon be figuring this out shortly. Please do something.

Another one:

I take it twist is dead? The http://hellotwist.com  site is gone, and the app no longer works (I can’t turn in my lights anymore). If so, while I empathize with the startup thing not working out, an email to your customers would be appreciated.

Regardless of how you look at it, this reflects incredibly poorly on both Twist and its CEO Shaun Springer. While startups try and fail all of the time, it’s reprehesible that Twist would render all current products useless and fail to return money to those customers still waiting on an order.

Were you a Twist customer or someone waiting on a Twist order to arrive? Sound off down in the comments.

Three years ago we set out to approach the smart home market
differently. To build an obsessively simple, but brilliantly
engineered connected light bulb that anyone could install and control
without also needing an engineering degree. I’m proud to say we
accomplished this goal and brought two best in class products to
market.

Unfortunately, despite reaching this amazing milestone, it is with a
heavy heart that I have to share the news that Twist will be shutting
down the business as of today. We have spent the past several months
trying to raise a round of funding necessary to invest in our next
round of inventory, as well as the next phase of the business, but
were unsuccessful in getting the capital needed. We are still pursuing
other potential opportunities to find Twist a home, and if we are
successful in such an outcome I’ll be sure to provide an update as
soon as I’m able.

I know many of you will be disappointed to receive this news — for
that I am extremely sorry. Twist meant everything to me and our team
worked really hard to build a product and company that would change
the way we thought about light. From the bottom of my heart, thank you
for your support through our journey that ended too soon.

Shaun and the Twist Home Team

Will I still receive my order?

We are unable to fulfill any more pre-orders at this time, but are
still working on finding a solution that could make that possible.

Will I get a refund?

If you purchased directly from Twist Home, you we will not be able to
refund. If you purchased from a third party, you will be covered by
their individual return policy.

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