Netflix stops charging customers who never watch • Hacker News Board

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#151

Post by amelius » Sat, May 23, 2020, 7:51 AM UTC

sytelus wrote: post #143

goodside wrote: post #55

Years ago, I heard of a dating site doing the opposite of this. They normally sent periodic digests and newsletters to their users to try to increase engagement, but if a user went a certain number of months without logging into their account, but still allowed monthly fees to be charged, they were labeled as a “sleeping giant” in the database. Once in this state, they would not be contacted by the site for any reaso…

I'm getting charged by rhapsody.com every quarter for no apparent reason. I used their service like may be 8 years ago. They have a phone number in their merchant line which is invalid. When I filed request to void the charge to American Express, initially they declined! Then I filed appeal with angry comments and they finally voided it. It took over two months for the process. I just saw new Rhapsody charge again. T…

There's an asymmetry whenever you sign up for something. It's always them who determine the terms. I think there should be more consumer protection.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#152

Post by yreg » Sat, May 23, 2020, 7:54 AM UTC

kylecazar wrote: post #27

cortesoft wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon did this for me back in 2005 when they introduced Prime. I used the free trial for an order (to get it in two days), but then didn't order anything else and forgot to cancel. They sent me an email that they weren't going to charge me because I hadn't used it, but I was free to sign up in the future if I decided I wanted it. It was so refreshing, it made me a lifelong customer.

On a related note -- Audible free trial seems.. offered cyclically? I seem to sign up every year or so, spend my credits, and cancel. They keep offering it though, and now I'm considering buying (as I enjoy the medium, turns out), so I suppose it worked.

OTOH I stopped using Audible and forgot to cancel it.

Then I realized it and thought to myself — nevermind, I have the credits, I'll eventually use them up.

Nope. There is a credit cap and after you reach it they'll happily charge you without providing any service.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#153

Post by amelius » Sat, May 23, 2020, 7:54 AM UTC

reificator wrote: post #127

KajMagnus wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds as if you are not worried that they would sue you? What are the reasons you feel safe? (Then maybe I could try this me too)

> It sounds as if you are not worried that they would sue you? Netflix subscriptions are prepaid. What on earth would give them the idea to sue if your card is declined? If your current month runs out and your renewal is declined, they just don't authorize you for a second month of service. There's no breach of contract, there's no debt for services rendered, I can't think of a single motivation to sue for this. What…

They could leave your account open, wait 10 years, then sue you for not paying your bills.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#154

Post by cpach » Sat, May 23, 2020, 7:57 AM UTC

gregjw wrote: post #97

ganstyles wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Economist did this to me. $5/mo and then auto renewed at something like $250/yr. All my credit cards are just auto pay full balance every month, and I don't check them as often as I should. Noticed the charge last month, found out they had been charging me for years for their digital subscription.

Had a similar experience with The Economist, it's also impossible to cancel your subscription online, you have to call them.

I cancelled my subscription in 2018 via e-mail.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#155

Post by antpls » Sat, May 23, 2020, 7:57 AM UTC

billfruit wrote: post #34

It would have been better if they don't collect the charges for a month if you haven't watched even a single thing on Netflix for that month.

By reading the title, I thought that was the deal. It would have been amazing to me.

Disappointed after reading the article. TLDR : they cancel your subscription after 1 year of inactivity

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#156

Post by destory-everyth » Sat, May 23, 2020, 8:00 AM UTC

This reminded me to cancel my cable subscription, I only had it for the EPL and F1 and they did not make any concessions for the fact they are not playing live sports. I also put my mobile plan to cheapest possible because where I am (Singapore) I can't really leave my place for past 2 months

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#157

Post by balladeer » Sat, May 23, 2020, 8:02 AM UTC

sytelus wrote: post #143

goodside wrote: post #55

Years ago, I heard of a dating site doing the opposite of this. They normally sent periodic digests and newsletters to their users to try to increase engagement, but if a user went a certain number of months without logging into their account, but still allowed monthly fees to be charged, they were labeled as a “sleeping giant” in the database. Once in this state, they would not be contacted by the site for any reaso…

I'm getting charged by rhapsody.com every quarter for no apparent reason. I used their service like may be 8 years ago. They have a phone number in their merchant line which is invalid. When I filed request to void the charge to American Express, initially they declined! Then I filed appeal with angry comments and they finally voided it. It took over two months for the process. I just saw new Rhapsody charge again. T…

This was a revelation sometimes back and it was Amex (relatively new in India) but I am sure it would be same for any credit card issuer. I had a VPS in Europe that I had emailed the support to cancel about a year ago and they had replied telling me I could do it myself (listed the steps) or they'd need another confirmation from me to go ahead and cancel. I forgot about it.

Got charged some 40 Euro a year later. I was shocked. My first thought was a compromised card. But immediately afterwards I received invoice from VPS provider. I called the bank and asked them how did that happen. They said it's possible. Lucky for me the provider immediately reversed the charge.

The thing is I had cancelled that Amex card almost a year before that charge had happened. It was still charged! I was baffled. Coming from a country where literally every credit card payment has to be authorised via an OTP or password (since as long as I can remember) it was a whole new world for me.

Well, that cancelled card was charged again (almost a year after I had the last experience) when I shopped at AliExpress and forgot to switch to a new card while making the payment. This time I just paid the bill and went around Internet removing that cancelled card.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#158

Post by mav3rick » Sat, May 23, 2020, 8:02 AM UTC

gear54rus wrote: post #126

NKosmatos wrote: post #123

I don’t understand how people leave subscription or renewal charges unchecked in their credit cards. I can understand keeping a subscription unused but still acknowledging and paying for it (for whatever personal reasons), but having a charge in your credit card without knowing what exactly it is or why, sounds a bit strange to me. Could be that I’m not rich enough and I’m still paying attention to every single €/$/£…

One of the reasons subscription model is cancer: they hope you'll forget it's on.

Virtual Cards with set expiry numbers will end this game

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#159

Post by Jd » Sat, May 23, 2020, 8:04 AM UTC

sytelus wrote: post #143

goodside wrote: post #55

Years ago, I heard of a dating site doing the opposite of this. They normally sent periodic digests and newsletters to their users to try to increase engagement, but if a user went a certain number of months without logging into their account, but still allowed monthly fees to be charged, they were labeled as a “sleeping giant” in the database. Once in this state, they would not be contacted by the site for any reaso…

I'm getting charged by rhapsody.com every quarter for no apparent reason. I used their service like may be 8 years ago. They have a phone number in their merchant line which is invalid. When I filed request to void the charge to American Express, initially they declined! Then I filed appeal with angry comments and they finally voided it. It took over two months for the process. I just saw new Rhapsody charge again. T…

I started using privacy.com for this reason. You can spin up a separate card number for each transaction type with its own limit (e.g. $100/month or $200). You can also just turn them off at will.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#160

Post by distances » Sat, May 23, 2020, 8:06 AM UTC

cocochanel wrote: post #74

goodside wrote: post #55

Years ago, I heard of a dating site doing the opposite of this. They normally sent periodic digests and newsletters to their users to try to increase engagement, but if a user went a certain number of months without logging into their account, but still allowed monthly fees to be charged, they were labeled as a “sleeping giant” in the database. Once in this state, they would not be contacted by the site for any reaso…

Just a few weeks ago I realized I was paying for Xbox Live without having played it for 8 years. I didn't even remember the password.

How does this even happen? I'm just curious here. Don't you check your bills? I find it hard to imagine I would miss a recurring payment on my credit card receipt.