Trade groups told the FTC a simple “Click-to Cancel” proposal to easily quit subscriptions could actually lead customers to miss out on hot new deals.
I mean… they’re not wrong.
But it is the right way to do business.
If a company makes it hard for me to cancel I won’t mess around with them I’ll just cancel the direct debit on my side and they can deal with it.
I will try and cancel using the approved method but really it’s their responsibility to let you terminate the contract. After all what are they going to do, not let me open the contract again later on, of course they’re not, so the onus is on them.
Amazing how we are expected to treat bad faith actors with benefit of doubt…
It doesn’t go far enough. For monthly payments you should have to confirm them at least annually with a positive assertion. When your card number changes, you should have to assert it as well.
The “convenience” of automatic payments and automatic updates of card numbers has let AOL and their like bilk millions and millions from people that forgot they were paying them.
The solution here would be to mandate full symmetry: if you require muliple steps and confirmations to UNsubscribe or cancel, you must have the exact same steps to subscribe too. I think it would fix this problem very quickly
I don’t think that would matter People will rush in with the promise of “free big titted people”… they’ll jump through so many hoops, the hot big titted girl on the screen would egg them on through 45 different steps. Then you sign up and find out it’s guys with gynecomastia and now you gotta do 45 steps to get out.
I think one of the worst examples of this assymetry is Microsoft’s Xbox Live subscription.
Using your console, you can easily turn it on and activate the subscription with your credit card. Using the very same console, it’s literally impossible to cancel - you need to log into a PC.
I already don’t like Microsoft or its products, but how in the Holy Fuck is that legal? You can’t at least use the edge on Xbox for that same functionality?
I had a sub once to something, can’t remember what, but they forced me to call them to cancel.
Kaspersky. Back when the russians started getting weird with things, and kaspersky… got dubious… I canceled my subscription and switched to a different AV. when it was about to expire, they sent a ‘we’ll automatically renew’. So I tried to log in- my credentials were invalid- I use a PW manager, so no. It wasn’t a bad password-
the password reset option wouldn’t work (literally wouldn’t send the validation link.)
Called their CS who told me that subscriptions were handled by a 3rd party in the US- Digital River.
Digital river said I should cancel it on their website.
got DR and Kaspersky’s CS on the same phone call. they finally complied and canceled the subscription.
A year later… “Your subsctiption will automatically renew!”
called them again. sent a letter. thought that was that until I saw they billed me anyhow.
tried to call them. they were giving me the run around.
Called the bank. to report fraud.
They were useless until I told them my next call would be FBI’s financial crimes people. Suddenly, that charge back became super easy.
