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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.

8 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."
    1. Re:GOOD by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Informative

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

      Yes... all too many times, the only way to cancel a service is be on hold for an hour- and then listen to a "retain the customer" sales pitch for 10 minutes- tell them no, I'm not interested a dozen times- wait another 30 minutes to be transferred to the real person who can cancel the service... etc. - and you can't just hang up on them because you NEED them to cancel the service.

      Companies know what they're doing when they make it nearly impossible to cancel.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  2. 503 Service Unavailable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Subscription Termination Server is temporarily unavailable to service your request due to capacity problems. Please try again later.

  3. Use PayPal where possible by magzteel · · Score: 5, Informative

    Where possible I use PayPal as the payment method for an automatic renewal service.
    Then I cancel the payment agreement on PayPal, which is very easy to do.

    1. 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.

  4. insurance scam related by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I recently changed jobs, and my previous employer's life insurance company tried to pull a fast one on me.

    I did not need to continue the LI policy from the last job, I have one with my new job. the previous one was trying to be 'helpful' by giving me the option to continue it. that's fine, but...

    they didn't phrase it that way, and that caused me to waste time with them. they sent me a 'bill' and it was hard to tell it was not a real bill. it looked like they auto-subscribed me to a continued service without my permission. I did not want to deal with a collections agency and all THAT hassle, when I never signed up for such service to begin with.

    I called the LI company and asked what this was about. at first, they tried to snow me into believing I had to mail them some kind of letter or fax something to cancel this service. I asked what would happen if I just ignored the 'bill' and they finally admitted that the 'policy' would be void and there would be no charge.

    so, why make me mail in some stupid shit and waste time when I could just ignore it and not have to spend time on a thing I never authorized?

    reason: they hope to snag enough dumb fish and I bet they do, since they are still in business (and likely they make a lot from false 'renewals').

    companies *think* they need to resort to low-handed tactics to be profitable, but its just pure greed. this is not - and should never be - part of a business plan. harassing past customers is not a sound business strat.

    they are now on my 'never do business with' list. but I'm just one person, and their behavior will never change.

    --

    --
    "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
  5. 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.

  6. 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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