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FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

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Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#291

Post by perfectstorm »

VBprogrammer wrote: post #224
cogman10 wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Fees" on top of the top line price should be illegal. It's just a way to smuggle in a 100% increase in the purchase price to get an initial buy in for a product. It is super scammy. Heck, I would even take this a step further and say that taxes as well should always be fully included in the topline price. If a company wants to add a breakdown of how much went to taxes, I'm ok with that. The sticker price should alwa…

As a British person this is always so alien when traveling in the US. You could go one step further and suggest that perhaps tips which are practically mandatory should be included in the headline price but that might be a step too far.

tipping culture is so annoying here in the Bay Area. the other day i was at a coffee shop and cashier handed me a device that had suggested tips from 18-22% with no obvious Cancel button. i was infuriated and the cashier had a smug look on her face. she knew what i was looking for and she didn't bother telling me how to skip it. mind you, this was for a coffee to-go order.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#292

Post by 0cf8612b2e1e »

ajkjk wrote: post #231
0cf8612b2e1e wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have never(?) updated my Netflix billing information, but I know it has survived many new cards/numbers. Which feels like it defeats the purpose of getting a new generated card.

well, the idea is that you have a contract with them and that determines the money you owe, not the actual card. There's some mechanism under the hood to update the recurring subscription to use your new card when it changes.

Well then they can go after me to get their money were I to fall behind. Not that they get a permanent linkage to my account.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#293

Post by ajkjk »

stronglikedan wrote: post #258
ajkjk wrote: post #28

There are so many things like this that have needed fixing for such a long time. The fact that something is happening, even slowly, is so heartening. If your reaction is wondering if this is legal then you should be interested in the passing of new laws that make it unequivocally legal. Society should be able to govern itself.

> The fact that something is happening, even slowly Regulation like this, as necessary and obvious as this one is, should happen slowly. There are way too many short sighted, reactionary laws and regulations to begin with.

Not this slowly. Not "this has been obviously stupid for my entire lifetime" slowly.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#294

Post by FireBeyond »

adrr wrote: post #281
thefourthchime wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now, let's institute an actual price rule. I can't rent an Airbnb or book a plane ticket without being lied to about what the actual prices is.

Plane tickets show you all included price including taxes/fee. It was part of 2012 regulation requiring full fare disclosure passed in 2012. Telecom/Internet providers ares ones that need to be fixed because companies like Verizon will charge you bogus "taxes" like a network portability tax which isn't a tax and they pocket the money.

Even then, there's other challenges. With Delta, booking a flight, I see a rough return airfare when I select my outbound leg, that then might be tweaked by my inbound leg choices.

Booking with Alaska, I get a fare listed that is only the outbound leg, and then I have to discover the inbound leg price.

This often gives the impression that fares are or will be cheaper with Alaska, and then after a few clicks, you realize that they're (mostly) the "same".

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#295

Post by pirate787 »

deanputney wrote: post #236
cogman10 wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Fees" on top of the top line price should be illegal. It's just a way to smuggle in a 100% increase in the purchase price to get an initial buy in for a product. It is super scammy. Heck, I would even take this a step further and say that taxes as well should always be fully included in the topline price. If a company wants to add a breakdown of how much went to taxes, I'm ok with that. The sticker price should alwa…

Taxes should also be included in the advertised price, then. Just imagine!

Actually there's a purpose to keeping taxes separate. Policymakers want the tax burden to be visible, it is not part of price transparency because the vendor has nothing to do with the tax rate.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#296

Post by gmd63 »

Any kindergartner with a good heart would tell you immediately that the companies targeted by this rule are doing it wrong. That there are so-called professional adults who enjoy any level of respect or status in society running said businesses is a joke.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#297

Post by hansvm »

red_trumpet wrote: post #273
hansvm wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interestingly, in some states it's illegal to post the "price" as one including all applicable taxes.

Do you mean states of the USA or states as in "country"? Which ones?

I meant states of the USA. It looks like it's not as bad as it used to be (time for me to read a few more laws I guess). A decade ago WA prohibited the practice. I'm not sure where it might currently be illegal.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#298

Post by pirate787 »

hansvm wrote: post #257
cogman10 wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Fees" on top of the top line price should be illegal. It's just a way to smuggle in a 100% increase in the purchase price to get an initial buy in for a product. It is super scammy. Heck, I would even take this a step further and say that taxes as well should always be fully included in the topline price. If a company wants to add a breakdown of how much went to taxes, I'm ok with that. The sticker price should alwa…

Interestingly, in some states it's illegal to post the "price" as one including all applicable taxes.

I mentioned the reason in another comment, it's an important govt transparency principle that the tax burden be separate and visible.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#300

Post by FireBeyond »

CSMastermind wrote: post #235
candiddevmike wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think this is a bad idea. Each month you would confirm whether you want to continue with the service, and if you say no or don't respond, it stops. If you think this would be annoying, then pay for a year (or more) in advance. This method would in theory reduce/remove the ability for folks to perform mid-month chargebacks under the guise of "I forgot to cancel".

I don't think you even have to be that extreme. Just make it so that you can remove the authorization of vendors to charge you. You see a vendor charging you for a service you no longer want - click a button and remove their authorization to charge you.

Yet currently, we have the opposite, financial institutions will "helpfully" update your card details with merchants you have recurring charges with.

Years ago at Key Bank I even argued with a teller and manager about blocking a recalcitrant merchant from charging our account, "But you have ongoing charges with them and if we decline the transaction..."

Yeah, that's between me and them, you shouldn't be inserting into this to 'obligate' me to pay.

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