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‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

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Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#181

Post by jwithington »

QuikAccount wrote: post #4

Fully in favor of this. I recently had to cancel a subscription that had no "cancel subscription" button and instead forced you to contact customer service so they could try to sell you on discounts and etc. No, just let me cancel and get on with my day. Unfortunately, it seems health clubs(and I assume gyms?) are exempt from this when they are like 80% of the problem.

Health clubs don’t appear exempt. They are exempt from section 4 of the bill, not the entirety of the bill.

Section 4 deals with changes to terms of service.

https://legiscan.com/PA/text/HB2511/id/2569740/Pennsylvania-...

Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#182

Post by ianai »

CogitoCogito wrote: post #158
WalterBright wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My basis is that I was told by a couple gym owners that 90% never show up to use the gym, and their business model depended on that. I haven't examined their books myself. Like I wrote, I'm not making a value judgement here, just pointing out the consequences. The business model may still be the same in Sweden. It's just that people are too lazy to cancel, not that they cannot cancel. I never had trouble canceling an…

You’re not pointing out the consequences. You’re speculating about the consequences. Frankly you should have seen the books before believing something like that. Furthermore it would be a stretch to believe that that situation extrapolates to all gyms. If what they said was actually true, they _should_ go out of business. If their business depends on them exploiting the legal system to thwart their users’ clear will,…

Your communication to WalterBright is coming across needlessly combative while you seem to be in agreement. Just an FYI.

Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#183

Post by cool_dude85 »

core-utility wrote: post #172
WalterBright wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

10x more. It'd basically put the industry out of business.

Are gyms really that costly to run that they can't sustain on a moderate paying userbase? I'm talking basic cardio and weight gyms, not the mega gyms with a pool and massage. The property might be prime but a lot of that comes to the choice of LA Fitness, 24, etc. choosing to build their own custom building in prime areas. Smaller gyms like Planet Fitness tend to use otherwise empty storefronts.

I think the idea is that if they had to build for their actual peak capacity, i.e. everyone showing up at once, they would not be economical. Of course, this is a silly hypothetical - the legislation is about making it more convenient to cancel your membership, not a guaranteed set of barbells whenever you decide to come in.

Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#184

Post by everdrive »

QuikAccount wrote: post #4

Fully in favor of this. I recently had to cancel a subscription that had no "cancel subscription" button and instead forced you to contact customer service so they could try to sell you on discounts and etc. No, just let me cancel and get on with my day. Unfortunately, it seems health clubs(and I assume gyms?) are exempt from this when they are like 80% of the problem.

There's a pretty easy lesson here: don't sign up for services. Or more realistically, sign up for as few services as possible, and treat every service with suspicion until proven otherwise. If you can't obtain a company's goods without signing up for a service, then seek an alternative.

Services generally have two business models:

- Spread a large cost over monthly payments so that customers will spend more than they otherwise would.

- Trap a customer, either via coercion or convenience into keeping a service they don't really want.

For the business, the benefit to service offerings is clear: regular, reliable income. To the customer, there is often no benefit.

Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#185

Post by DeWilde »

QuikAccount wrote: post #4

Fully in favor of this. I recently had to cancel a subscription that had no "cancel subscription" button and instead forced you to contact customer service so they could try to sell you on discounts and etc. No, just let me cancel and get on with my day. Unfortunately, it seems health clubs(and I assume gyms?) are exempt from this when they are like 80% of the problem.

Can't you just opt to pay in cash (or Credit Card) for every month you want to have a gym subscription?

Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#186

Post by wrycoder »

UweSchmidt wrote: post #132
wrycoder wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cost me $1000 for a rack and weights, but I’ve already saved it back in gym fees.

Same. Also better music, relaxed dress code and light chores in between sets.

And the women are friendly.

Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#187

Post by OutsmartDan »

QuikAccount wrote: post #4

Fully in favor of this. I recently had to cancel a subscription that had no "cancel subscription" button and instead forced you to contact customer service so they could try to sell you on discounts and etc. No, just let me cancel and get on with my day. Unfortunately, it seems health clubs(and I assume gyms?) are exempt from this when they are like 80% of the problem.

The NY Times is notoriously the worst at this. It's almost impossible to cancel without wasting a couple hours of your time. Interesting how I can subscribe with a click but can't cancel with one.

Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#188

Post by b112 »

cool_dude85 wrote: post #183
core-utility wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are gyms really that costly to run that they can't sustain on a moderate paying userbase? I'm talking basic cardio and weight gyms, not the mega gyms with a pool and massage. The property might be prime but a lot of that comes to the choice of LA Fitness, 24, etc. choosing to build their own custom building in prime areas. Smaller gyms like Planet Fitness tend to use otherwise empty storefronts.

I think the idea is that if they had to build for their actual peak capacity, i.e. everyone showing up at once, they would not be economical. Of course, this is a silly hypothetical - the legislation is about making it more convenient to cancel your membership, not a guaranteed set of barbells whenever you decide to come in.

This could be fixed by "prime time" membership fees, vs off hour fees.

Lots of ways to work it. EG 1/2 price for off hours membership! Act now!

Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#189

Post by steelbrain »

DeWilde wrote: post #185
QuikAccount wrote: post #4

Fully in favor of this. I recently had to cancel a subscription that had no "cancel subscription" button and instead forced you to contact customer service so they could try to sell you on discounts and etc. No, just let me cancel and get on with my day. Unfortunately, it seems health clubs(and I assume gyms?) are exempt from this when they are like 80% of the problem.

Can't you just opt to pay in cash (or Credit Card) for every month you want to have a gym subscription?

I don't know how it works in other countries but most bigger gyms in Estonia make you sign a contract with them when you join.

If you stop paying without cancelling the contract (which they have ridiculous terms around), they sell you off to a collection agency which then proceeds to harass you until you pay. A friend recently went through this experience and warned anyone against the big-name gyms. (Looking at you myFitness)

Re: ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation introduced in Pennsylvania

#190

Post by rwha »

core-utility wrote: post #174
izzydata wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember seeing a website here that let you create prepaid cards that you could use for things like this. I'm not sure if you were able to refill the balance on them though, but it would be convenient to be able to just let them attempt to charge an empty debit card.

The issue still comes in with obligation to pay. If the gym has enough info on you, they can send you to collections as some others have pointed out.

Yes, but if a social security number wasn't provided then the collection agency can't do more than call and send some letters; it won't impact a credit score or anything.
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