It wasn’t quite that bad, but I had a similar tedious chat session in order to cancel my NYT crosswords subscription. I don’t think I’ll ever pay that company another dime.
Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
141–150 of 845 posts
Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
#142If anyone can't read the image for one reason or another, here's my attempt at OCR with minor corrections.
Info: How can I help you today?
21:33, Feb 16
You: Cancel my subscription
Info: Welcome! We're excited to offer you messaging, allowing you to reply to us in your own time. An advocate should reply within 5 minutes To view The New York Times Privacy Policy and California privacy notices, please visit nytimes.com/FLLy_Agy
Info: You are now connected to The New York Times Virtual Assistant.
21:33,Feb 16
New York Times virtual agent: Hi, I'm the New York Times virtual assistant.
21:33,Feb 16
New York Times virtual agent: Please answer the following questions and I will connect you with the appropriate Customer Care advocate.
21:34, Feb 16
New York Times virtual agent: What is your full name?
21:34, Feb 16
You: (hidden)
21:34, Feb 16
You: Digital Subscription
21:34, Feb 16
New York Times virtual agent: >
21:34, Feb 16
New York Times virtual agent: What is your email address?
21:34 Feb 16
You: (hidden)
21:34, Feb 16
New York Times virtual agent: What is your billing zip code?
21:34, Feb 16
Your: (hidden)
21:34, Feb 16
New York Times virtual agent: >
21:34, Feb 16
You: Other
21:34, Feb 16
New York Times virtual agent: Please briefly describe the reason you are contacting us today.
21:35,Feb 16
You: Way too many ads. Beats the point of paid subscription.
21:35,Feb 16
New York Times virtual agent: Please wait one moment while I transfer you to an account specialist.
Info: You are now connected to Antonio.
21:35,Feb 16
You: Why do I need to speak with someone to cancel a subscription???
21:35,Feb 16
Antonio: Hi! My name is Tony. I'm an account specialist here at the New York Times. I will be happy to assist you. I'm sorry to hear you would like to cancel your subscription today. May I ask why you are canceling?
21:36,Feb 16
Antonio: The New York Times doesn't give customers the option to cancel on their own which is why you have to go through an account specialist such as myself in order to do so. This allows the customer to be canceling properly.
21:36,Feb 16
You: You asked that already!
21:36,Feb 16
You: Way too many ads.
21:36,Feb 16
Antonio: Are you successfully logged into your account underneath the correct email address?
21:37,Feb 16
You: yes
21:38,Feb 16
Antonio: What kind of advertisements are you seeing?
21:38,Feb 16
Antonio: Also are you using a apple product to see the news?
21:38,Feb 16
You: Can you please cancel my subscription?
21:39,Feb 16
You: Its impossible to read an article without the screen jumping to allow an add make space in the middle of the article
21:39,Feb 16
Antonio: Do you use a iphone or macbook?
21:40,Feb 16
You: And, the one that takes the top 1/3 of the homepage
21:40,Feb 16
You: yes, both ^
21:40,Feb 16
Antonio: Apple products have a special feature called readers mode where it gets rid of all of the advertisements and miscellaneous pictures across the website or application.
21:41,Feb 16
Antonio: All you have to do is click on the lowercase and uppercase a in the top of the website and it changes the entire website to readers mode.
21:41,Feb 16
You: Antonio, thank you for educating me on web technologies. Can you please just unsubscribe me??
21:42, Feb 16
Antonio: So just to clarify you would still like to cancel even though readers mode would solve the advertisements issue?
21:43,Feb 16
You: My conversation right now with you makes me even more determined to do so.
21:43,Feb 16
You: So please YES - CANCEL MY SUBSCRIPTION
21:43,Feb 16
Antonio: We thank you for your feedback, and I'm sorry you feel that way. I will make sure that your thoughts get sent through the proper channels. Your experience with us helps make us better.
21:44, Feb 16
You: Please also forward this feedback - this unsubscribe process makes me much much much less likely to resubscribe ever again.
21:44, Feb 16
Antonio: The New York Times doesn't give customers the option to cancel on their own which is why you have to go through an account specialist such as myself in order to do so. This allows the customer to be canceling properly.
21:46,Feb 16
Antonio: We appreciate your support as a Basic Access subscriber. This grants you unlimited article access on nytimes.com and on the go with the NYT mobile app. You are on the best deal of $4 a month for a whole year! Are you sure you want to cancel?
21:46,Feb 16
You: Yes.
21:47,Feb 16
Antonio: You will continue to enjoy all your subscription benefits for the rest of your billing cycle, which ends on Thursday, February 18th, 2021. Unfortunately we cannot issue any credits or refunds for the remainder of this billing cycle.
21:48,Feb 16
You: That's fine.
21:48,Feb 16
You: Can I get the transcript of this chat? I'm sure other users would value a lot from learning what this process looks like.
21:48,Feb 16
Antonio: You can email yourself a transcript of this chat, which will also serve as confirmation of our conversation today. The option to receive this transcript will be when our chat session ends. Make sure to select yes to receive your transcript and it will be emailed to you.
21:49,Feb 16
You: Cool thanks.
21:49,Feb 16
Antonio: (thumbs up)
21:49,Feb 16
Antonio: Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
21:49,Feb 16
Antonio: If you do not need any further assistance, I will close this chat in approximately 1 minute.
21:50,Feb 16
You: Nope, good night
21:50,Feb 16
Antonio: Thank you for being the best part of The New York Times. Have a wonderful day!
Info: Conversation closed by the agent
21:50, Feb 16
Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
#143The mainstream media is obsolete garbage, and that’s if I pretend 95% of it isn’t blatant, literal propaganda.
Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
#144Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wouldn't call this generosity. This is the normal conduct of normal honest businesses.
Normal? What other business does that? I can’t think of one.
If you don’t use Amazon Prime during the trial period (or over the year if you sign up for a year) Amazon auto refund you.
Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
#145I've never been able to cancel any subscription with ease, so nowadays I always use Privacy to get temporary credit cards. When I want the subscription cancelled, I try the provider's website, if it doesn't work, I just cancel the card all together.
This sounds like some kind of fraud, or at least an easy way to tank your credit and get debt collectors after you if caught. For what it's worth I've never had trouble canceling anything I've subscribed to.
> For what it's worth I've never had trouble canceling anything I've subscribed to.
You probably don't subscribe to things that are hard to cancel!
Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
#146Honestly only case where I'm willing to overlook it. It's so hard for them to stay in the black. I can't imagine, in this age. For a serious newspaper that does good investigative journalism, I'll accept some desperate measures to keep subscribers and not hold it against them. Any other company and I'd call them garbage, but the NYT does a lot of good. (Same would go for other top investigative journals that have pub…
They're not a charity or a nonprofit that relies on donations. They're a business selling a product, and the only thing that should rationally factor into giving them money or not is if you want to buy the product. Need doesn't factor into the equation.
Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
#147I just unsubscribed using web form. There are some dark patterns involved but not too dark. E.g. first option is the chat with representative, second is the call by phone and third option is the web form.
After I have navigated 3 pages using "default button" for canceling the unsubscription process - it is done.
It's not the best experience, but not the nightmare the OP described.
Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
#148Most of this chatlog is "you" adding more noise than is necessary for this transaction.
Yes. Stick to the business at hand: this is who I am, this is how you can look me up in your system, this is what I want to do. Feedback doesn't help, they're not going to take your advice, don't waste your time. For example: "Please tell us the reason for your call today?" Should be met with the answer, "Please cancel my subscription." "May I ask why you want to cancel?" "Please cancel my subscription." "Have you ev…
Ah, yes. Treat others as souless automatons option.
Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
#149lol
Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it
#150Most of this chatlog is "you" adding more noise than is necessary for this transaction.
When I tell someone I want to cancel a service, the only thing I ever want to hear is, "Yes sir." followed by, "All done, sir." And maybe a, "Have a nice day, sir."
Period.
I give you money. You give me a service. I stop giving you money. You stop giving me the service.
Its just that goddamn simple.