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Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

bbc.com

251–260 of 519 posts

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#251
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm amazed how many SaaS users are zOmBiE uSeRs, this is from working on client SaaS apps. One had about 20% of the users paying and not even logging in for months or even a year. Props to Netflix for unsubscribing users who don't use the service.

Why have you capitalised “zombie users” like that? Is this a reference to something?

no, I just do that with words like cRaZy, ZoMbIe, iNsAne, oHIo for fun when messaging with friends.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#252
post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One reason I try to never give my card to lots of websites. If they have paypal, good. Or playstore subscription, sure. A one time/non recurring payment via a platform/provider/bank, ok. But never the card. Reading such user horror stories, or Terms & Conditions, makes me turn around and never come back.

Paypal allows canceling subscription but they have hid this link deep inside. I don't know how well that even works. Also, Paypal payment protection is basically a joke. If you get dupped by someone and try to get refund through their payment protection, you get nothing no matter how right you are. That's my first hand experience.

After my kid was banned on Fortnite, I filed a bunch of paypal chargebacks on Epic Games for all the packs and extensions we bought, going back like 8 months. Got all of them back.

Not to say that Paypal won't screw you over, just that it doesn't do so all the time.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#253
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm amazed how many SaaS users are zOmBiE uSeRs, this is from working on client SaaS apps. One had about 20% of the users paying and not even logging in for months or even a year. Props to Netflix for unsubscribing users who don't use the service.

I think the wider point is that it's amazing how lax and careless so many people are with their personal finances. They think nothing of wasting hundreds (thousands?) of $$$ a year on unnecessary purchases, including things that they don't even use (like old software subscriptions.) Then they complain that they're broke. When I hear sob stories about how #{big_number}% of people can't afford an unexpected $500 bill,…

To query this, is there a certain intagibility in SaaS that promotes impassive spending?

[Edited]

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#254
post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I love Privacy, the reality is a lot of merchants block these kind of virtual cards. Also, really, a throwaway account to post a referral link?

Personal anecdote: I've only had one that didn't accept a privacy card, my rent. Other than that, it's been golden.

I’ve had a good number block me from using them, typically in industries where fraud and chargebacks run rampant. I.e. gaming services.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#255

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As for media companies with cheap offers and shady cancelation tactics, I discovered the following: I send them a cancelation by eMail citing a german court ruling that states (roughly) "If you subscribe electronically, you must be able to unsubscribe electronically". I additionally cc one or two journalists writing about consumer issues (sometimes on cancelation oh joy ) on the topics from that exact media. Works ev…

The GDPR does apply to foreign companies that trade within the EU but does not (because it cannot) apply outside of the EU’s jurisdiction.

The GDPR also applies to non-EU companies in non-EU countries targeting EU nationals, although it can not be directly enforced (yet).

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Companies that make it difficult to unsubscribe should be penalised, I live in Europe and got the New York Times on a 12 month trial for €4 a month. Trial just ended and it's now €8 a month, only way to cance is to ring them, have tried once so far and was on hold for 20 mins before I hung up. There should be a law that if you can sign up online you can cancel online.

Actually we have such a law in the EU. Not sure what it's called, but I'm sure it exists. I believe the wording to be something like it has to be possible to cancel in a similar way you signed up.

I think you might mean the GDPR interpretation about signing up online meaning you should be able to access, modify, remove online etc.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#257
This is why Netflix is a honest company. 1. Reasonable prices for subscription (when you watch). 2. Does not "charge/steal" from customers.

In contrast, I an older article how this one phone company charged an elderly women in rent for a rotary phone.

> https://www.computerworld.com/article/2483100/at-t-charges-e...

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#258

A few years back I started to get a $12 charge from Lastpass on my Paypal account. I cancelled my account at Lastpass over 6 years ago so was puzzled why, especially since they don’t offer any sort of $12 service. It took a lot of emails and complaining before Lastpass told me that it was due to me being an Xmarks (bookmark sync service) customer in 2009! Apparently they owned Xmarks briefly. Why the charge started a…

Is there no way to block them on PayPal??

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#259
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We do this at my company, and it is purely for altruistic reasons. If people aren't happily making good use of my service, I don't want their money. That's the entire calculus. Netflix is vastly bigger, granted, so who knows what machinations are afoot for them. But it is certainly believable to me that a company could choose to do something explicitly anti-greedy.

I'm amazed how many SaaS users are zOmBiE uSeRs, this is from working on client SaaS apps. One had about 20% of the users paying and not even logging in for months or even a year. Props to Netflix for unsubscribing users who don't use the service.

Were those B2B SaaS? Subscriptions are a huge controlling challenge for businesses with more than a few employees. If they are easily available people will think that it's fine to keep them running, I they have to jump through hoops to get them they will try to avoid repeating the process.

Re: Netflix stops charging customers who never watch

#260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Companies that make it difficult to unsubscribe should be penalised, I live in Europe and got the New York Times on a 12 month trial for €4 a month. Trial just ended and it's now €8 a month, only way to cance is to ring them, have tried once so far and was on hold for 20 mins before I hung up. There should be a law that if you can sign up online you can cancel online.

Actually we have such a law in the EU. Not sure what it's called, but I'm sure it exists. I believe the wording to be something like it has to be possible to cancel in a similar way you signed up.

There is a similar sounding provision in GDPR, which requires that it is as straightforward to withdraw consent as it is to grant it (i.e. it must be possible through the same procedure, so preventing postal letters being sent to a dedicated address). Not sure if there's a similar provision for cancelling paid services, but potentially if the service relies on consent for data processing, you could use GDPR grounds to force a cancellation through the same means you signed up.
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