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Companies Must Let Customers Cancel Subscriptions Online, California Law Says (cnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the how-about-that dept.

A California law that went into effect July 1 is aimed at making it easier for customers to cancel their subscriptions online. From a report: The law states that customers who accept an automatic renewal or continuous service offer online must be able to cancel the service online. That could include a pre-written "termination email" provided by the company that can be sent by the consumer without the need for more information. The law means you won't have to make anymore phone calls to obscure customer service hotlines to cancel services like news subscriptions, music streaming or meal plans, for example. One person tweeted about trying to cancel a New York Times subscription on the phone and being put on hold for 15 minutes -- twice.

4 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. GOOD by phantomfive · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's too difficult to cancel services. Anything that makes it easier is good.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  2. Re: Another way of doing it ... by Alain+Williams · · Score: 5, Interesting

    In England you don't even need to pay; you can get a 'proof of posting' certificate for no charge if you post the letter at the Post Office counter. The courts will deem the letter received 2 working days later, I have done this many times.

  3. New York Times by skam240 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    While the New York Times does have sections for local New York state and city news it is a nationally distributed newspaper. Since they do business in California they're stuck with California law when dealing with California customers.

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    I ignore Anonymous Coward posts. If you want to discuss something, that's awesome. Log in.
  4. Re:Use PayPal where possible by magzteel · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Where possible I use PayPal

    Or, you could use a credit card, which are actually regulated by some laws.

    You should be able to cancel the subscription that refuses to go away just as easily via a credit card.

    I don't know if that is true. With PayPal you have to set up a "prior authorization for recurring charges" agreement. You can cancel that any time and subsequent vendor charges will get rejected. With a credit card the charge will be accepted. You can dispute the charge but you have to work with the vendor as part of the dispute resolution process.