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Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

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Re: Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

#31

Post by hobofan »

Zak wrote: post #6

Once, long ago, I ended up buying the wrong ticket from Deutsche Bahn. I no longer remember whether this was my fault or theirs, but I do remember that support was completely unhelpful. My credit card provider was considerably more helpful when I solved the problem with a chargeback.

Yes, DB tickets should only be booked via a payment provider that allows for chargebacks.

I know of instances where the end result of a more than half a year support escalation process of the highest instance said "you (the customer) did everything correctly, but our support provided wrong advice. Bad luck though, as we don't consider ourselves accountable for mistakes in the support process. Please stop contacting us."

Re: Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

#33

Post by sokoloff »

thesimon wrote: post #24
sneak wrote: post #19

So many subscription-based things in Germany are outright scams that would be criminal elsewhere. Mobile phone contracts, internet service contracts principally among them. Two year contracts that auto renew and can only be cancelled in small windows a long time before auto-renew.

> and can only be cancelled in small windows a long time before auto-renew any examples?

Many commercial leases run in 5-year increments with 2 5 year auto-renewals and a 90-180 day window in which to exercise the opt-out of auto-renewal. That window is often not set to end coincident with the end of the lease term for obvious reasons.

Re: Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

#34

Post by jasonvorhe »

sammy2255 wrote: post #10
johndoe0815 wrote: post #2

“Deutsche Bahn, the fully state owned railway company, is a well liked company”. Eh, nope. It’s a horribly mismanaged entity with permanent delays, bad service and outrageous pricing…

I recall I was once on a Deutsche Bahn train, it was delayed more than an hour (not that I cared I wasn't in a rush). One worker came around handing out envelopes, since everyone was entitled to a partial refund, I had to sign it, and then mail it back to them? What the fuck? Not even Hitler would've allowed this

It's an automated process nowadays if you purchase your tickets via their app. (Which in turn acts as KYC and makes it impossible to travel anonymously.)

Re: Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

#35

Post by sshine »

Last year I got a yearly membership for the Copenhagen Zoo.

As time was running up, I was reminded to renew the membership.

If I didn't, the membership would get cancelled.

If I did, the membership would turn on auto-renewal.

So they auto-renew memberships once you've paid twice.

This ensures that people who get auto-renewed but forgot about it at least liked renewing once.

Auto-renewal of subscriptions supposed to be a feature for veterans of a service, and not something to cheat people out of their money after they never get a good return of investment the first time.

Just to give Kagi some credit here: They have a friendly reminder every month that my subscription is about to renew. Every month I'm given the chance to cancel, and every month I'm reminded of what a decent service that is. It surely does mean they'll lose some customers. But it also means that those who stay, stay forever.

Re: Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

#36

Post by lifestyleguru »

My favorite trick by various German service providers is impossibility to cancel. Like literally it's impossible. You cancel, you show deregistration from current address but they say "rejected, you can still use our service at the new address". Got fuck yourself and rot in hell.

Re: Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

#37

Post by aleatorianator »

teekert wrote: post #27
randomtoast wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I once bought the wrong ticket, got checked, and the staff told me I had to leave the train at the next station. The ticket I purchased was actually more expensive than the "SuperSparPreis" for the correct ticket. So, I ended up paying more and twice for this journey.

This is the type of staff that can easily be replaced by computers.

unless there's a union

Re: Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

#38

Post by bluGill »

sshine wrote: post #35

Last year I got a yearly membership for the Copenhagen Zoo. As time was running up, I was reminded to renew the membership. If I didn't, the membership would get cancelled. If I did, the membership would turn on auto-renewal. So they auto-renew memberships once you've paid twice. This ensures that people who get auto-renewed but forgot about it at least liked renewing once. Auto-renewal of subscriptions supposed to b…

Auto-renew should be on first use within the month of the renewal. renewing something that someone doesn't use is bad, but if they are using it that is good. Better yet, if someone didn't use the subscription enough to be worth the yearly fee get confirmation they want to.

Re: Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

#39

Post by slybot »

Couple of years back, I made a mistake on trusting Deutsche Bahn. I took a regional train from Düsseldorf, hoping to get at some connection hub (never reached and don't remember, possibly Cologne), I have to ICE to reach Brussels. It was evening and at some point the train stopped in the middle of nowhere and an announcement followed 20 minutes later, saying the train went through the wrong tracks and it cannot return! And, we need to wait couple of hours before the rails are cleared and then we will need to get of the next station, a tiny town where only few trains run per day and none after 10pm!. Genius idea to leave people there, conductor also puts his unsatisfaction because apparently he also needs to get off there and request a ride. Let alone, I missed my connections. I had to either wait there until morning or get a ride. Never used Deutsche Bahn again, I feel less stressed by driving, even I really enjoy train rides in general.

Did I get compensation? Yes I did after four months for the ticket price only (around 40 euros), but after ridiculous process of that I need to send them forms and tickets via regular post, with a stamp that can only post within Germany. Nice try by their side..

Re: Dark patterns: Buying a Bahncard at Deutsche Bahn

#40

Post by notTooFarGone »

Also you can cancel your Deutschlandticket only before the 15th of the month. And somehow getting a Deutschlandticket not starting at the first of the month is impossible.

It's all around scams and it's utterly embarrassing that 210k people are actually employed in Germany for this. There are people who get payed for implementing dark patterns as a government service to get a little bit more money.

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