Consumers across the United States are increasingly voicing their frustrations with the difficulties surrounding subscription cancellations. It’s the latest in a recent wave of complaints, illustrating the barriers many seniors, single parents, and people on their working commutes are experiencing. Top complaints are mysterious fees, misleading sales tactics, and poor customer service, making consumers feel stuck in contracts they never intended to sign.
In Colorado, this 69-year-old retiree experienced extreme frustration when trying to use an opt out opportunity to cancel a subscription. She spent hours trying to plug that hole when all of a sudden she found out that enticement was still live. A year later, the identical fee was charged to her account. After all, her experience is not unique, as many consumers are met with hurdles when attempting to cancel their subscriptions.
Just like Kaja from New York, who had no idea that booking a flight through eDreams would sign her up for a subscription service. A year later, she found a new annual fee being charged to her debit card, and it had been done without her permission. These types of incidents paint a troubling picture about transparency in subscription practices and consumer protection.
Frustrating Experiences with Customer Service
For 68-year-old Kathleen, who lives in Washington D.C., that spent weeks and hours on hold trying to get past Hulu’s customer service mainframe. She was hell-bent on unsubscribing. Her experience is far from uncommon. As you know, countless consumers are going through the same ordeal, waiting hours on hold or getting just barely adequate assistance.
To say Pamela, a retiree from Los Angeles, had an uphill battle would be an understatement. She had to camp out in this company’s office, but she got her refund and membership canceled. Her nightmare started when the Burbank YMCA quietly raised her rates and more than doubled her monthly fee without warning. So after three months of trying to get a refund she finally gave in and took care of business herself.
“The Burbank YMCA doubled my membership fee without any notification to me. They had access to my bank account and debited it for three months running while I asked for a refund,” – Pamela, a retiree living in Los Angeles, California.
Ella from San Diego shared her experience with the subscription cancellation listening tour. She told them very clearly, “That’s not acceptable. I’m out.” She can’t figure out how to cancel her daughter’s Roblox subscription. Even if she goes through all the correct channels, she is almost unable to.
“Recently, I cannot cancel my daughter’s subscription to Roblox… The only way to get out of these things is to change cards! Very infuriating!” – Ella from San Diego, California.
Legal Challenges and Consumer Rights
The complications inundating the subscription cancellation process have drawn legal scrutiny. Jacob, a 47-year-old government employee from Washington state, found himself annoyed by perpetual cycles of medical billing. He was defeated by convoluted cancellation procedures which put him through even more irritating hoops. For instance, he explained, companies haphazardly bury cancellation options in counter-intuitive locations deep within their website.
“Netflix, Amazon, Facebook, dating apps like Tinder and Hinge and credit cards. All of them made it difficult by burying the option in counter-intuitive places on their websites or apps,” – Jacob, a 47-year-old government worker living in Washington state.
Chris Cooper from Pennsylvania is going out on a limb. He’s brought Verizon to court in an ongoing crusade that began at Verizon’s own peril with accusation of their fake cancellation policies. He disclosed that the company had first offered him $100 to settle his claim privately. When he wouldn’t sign the agreement, they increased their bounty to $500.
“I have a huge case brewing… They offered me $100, saying they did not come under the new law. Which was false,” – Chris Cooper of Pennsylvania.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently struck down the Federal Trade Commission’s new “click-to-cancel” rule. The implications of this shocking decision are significant for consumer rights in the subscription space. This ruling shines a new light on a long-standing battle between corporations and consumers over clear and easy cancellation processes.