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Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

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Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

#111

Post by 1shooner »

I_Byte wrote: post #48
rawtxapp wrote: post #22

I'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.

Woah, I had no clue that Privacy existed before but it looks really cool! What do you think of the service? Have you had any problems with it?

I have to replace my simple.com account, so instead of doing that for a dozen or more subscriptions, I just changed the funding provider in Privacy, and keep the vendor-specific virtual cards.

Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

#112

Post by hda2 »

samcheng wrote: post #99
tech-historian wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back in 2006 an AOL subscriber recorded their conversation with an AOL customer service agent while trying to cancel the service. It was really bad, way worse than this NYTimes process. The NYT wrote an article about the debacle [1] and had this to say about Netflix's great customer service and ease of cancellation, compared to AOL's awful service: "Seeing how Netflix would be so protective of my time were I to leave…

Netflix is notoriously generous here. They allegedly auto-cancel accounts that don't use the service for too long! https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/net...

I wouldn't call this generosity. This is the normal conduct of normal honest businesses.

Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

#113

Post by floatingatoll »

It was easier for me to call my credit card issuer and block NYT from issuing any further charges to my card than to try and deal with canceling with them by phone. I'm kind of shocked someone managed to cancel over chat at all. That's technically revolutionary for them.

Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

#114

Post by jimmaswell »

rawtxapp wrote: post #22

I'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.

Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

#115

Post by kshacker »

abdabab wrote: post #6

If you subscribe through Apple it’s just as easy to cancel it as canceling any other subscription.

The challenge is the price. I call and cancel every year, and then renew in the same phone call since they finally offer me 8 bucks a month (and then bump it to 15 after a year). With Apple the cheapest option I see is 14.99, so even though it sucks up my time, the call helps me save 80+ bucks a year.

Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

#116

Post by 1shooner »

soneil wrote: post #96
1shooner wrote: post #28

Most of this chatlog is "you" adding more noise than is necessary for this transaction.

For an interesting definition of "most"? I see, what, 3 lines that weren't direct answers to direct questions? One of those was pretty legitimate feedback, which seems sensible when the rep tells you feedback is why they're asking. Another is just asking for a copy of the chatlog.

Almost the entire conversation is the customer complaining, then the rep needing to respond to it.

Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

#117

Post by jimmaswell »

frading wrote: post #14

This reminds me of the French newspaper lemonde.fr, which I had subscribed to, and then wanted to unsubscribe after a couple months. There was simply no way to do so online, not to reach any customer support. The only option was to send a letter via post. This was during our first lockdown in UK, so no way I would go to the post office for that. I'll simply never be a customer again.

Being too afraid to make a quick trip to the post office sounds like major overkill to me. Besides that couldn't you have ordered stamps and envelopes online?

Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

#119

Post by AnthonyMouse »

fiddlerwoaroof wrote: post #72
zapzupnz wrote: post #61

Got my NYT online subscription via Apple, so I just cancel it via the App Store. Easy-peasy.

This sort of thing is why I’m fine with Apple charging the people I do business with a 30% cut: Apple provides a lot of value making “payments” and “subscriptions” consistent between vendors.

Of course, they could do the same thing without charging 30%, which they only get away with for lack of competition.

Re: Before buying a NYT subscription, here's what it'll take to cancel it

#120

Post by websites2323 »

1shooner wrote: post #28

Most 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 ever used reader mode?" "Please cancel my subscription."

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