←back to thread

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

(www.ftc.gov)
1737 points pseudolus | 8 comments | 16 Oct 24 13:09 UTC | HN request time: 0.054s | source | bottom
Show context
hypercube33 ◴[16 Oct 24 14:17 UTC] No.41859267[source]▶
Honestly, this is the best thing if it changes the worst experience I've had cancelling something - Gyms. They make it crazy easy to sign up, but a pain in the ass to stop being a member (for example, if you move and forget to cancel good luck - they want you to come in and talk to the manager in a lot of cases)
replies(6): >>41859326 #>>41859343 #>>41859382 #>>41859559 #>>41859838 #>>41860031 #
1. wnolens ◴[16 Oct 24 14:38 UTC] No.41859559[source]▶
In these cases, can we not issue a chargeback via our credit card? Or put some sort of block on transactions from a particular source?

Seems silly to just accept virtually un-cancellable terms.

replies(3): >>41859607 #>>41860512 #>>41860610 #
2. irregardIess ◴[16 Oct 24 14:41 UTC] No.41859607[source]▶
Sure you can.

They will just continue attempting to collect money as per the contract you signed, and then send you bill to collections when they can't.

Edit: Credit card companies typically require/ask you to dispute with the merchant and attempt to do get a refund first before they will chargeback. If you try, and the gym can point to contract, you'll lose the dispute either way. Getting your credit card number changed stops the gym from charging you, but you'll still owe them money and you'll typically find out when you start getting calls from a collections agency.

3. pc86 ◴[16 Oct 24 15:50 UTC] No.41860512[source]▶
The answer is not to do a chargeback, the answer is to not sign contracts you have no intention of fulfilling.
replies(2): >>41860819 #>>41870712 #
4. invaderzirp ◴[16 Oct 24 15:56 UTC] No.41860610[source]▶
Because a chargeback is for some sort of fraud, and as scummy as crap like this is, it usually doesn't count. It's not a universal "I want this charge to stop" tool. A human WILL review it, and you WILL get dinged, up to and including account termination, if you do it too much and too frivolously.
5. the_gorilla ◴[16 Oct 24 16:12 UTC] No.41860819[source]▶
Gyms are notorious shysters who made it difficult to cancel your membership, even when you have the right. Don't blame the consumers for this bullshit. Do as many chargebacks as you can.
replies(1): >>41865120 #
6. pc86 ◴[16 Oct 24 23:58 UTC] No.41865120{3}[source]▶
Don't sign an agreement to do something you don't want to do. It's as simple as that.

It's not "blaming the consumers" for expecting people to follow the terms of contracts they sign. I never had a Gold's Gym membership for exactly this reason - their cancellation terms were onerous, I wasn't interested in complying, so I never signed and never gave them any money.

If you say "well, I don't want to do that, but I'm just going to sign this anyway then do a chargeback because that's easier" them yes, you deserve to be blamed, you deserve to be shamed, and you should have to pay the cancellation fees, early termination fees, whatever.

replies(2): >>41865803 #>>41867681 #
7. morgansmolder ◴[17 Oct 24 08:56 UTC] No.41867681{4}[source]▶
Bullshit rules are bullshit rules, the fact that something is technically legal doesn't make it morally justifiable. The default assumption of any consumer in a high trust society is that they are going to receive a fair service for the price they pay.
8. wnolens ◴[17 Oct 24 15:42 UTC] No.41870712[source]▶
A contract is only as good as both parties participate in good faith, or as it is enforceable.

I'm comfortable with taking on the risk of not fulfilling my end of something like a gym contract, provided the mechanism to remove third parties like payment processors.