On Sep 12, 2022, I knowingly purchased an automatically renewing "all-digital" access subscription…read moreto the San Antonio Express News ("SAEN") for a quarterly recurring fee of $19.96 charged to my credit card on file. I knowingly paid for a digital subscription to provide me one-time access to an article. I was not deceived about the automatically renewing nature of the subscription. I have no quarrel for paying $19.96 for one-time access to content that had sufficient value to me to purchase a subscription. I did; however, have the intention to cancel the subscription before the first 90-day term expired. I was not prepared for the rest.
Indeed I made two half-hearted attempts to cancel the following two quarters, but one must have strong resolve, a flexible schedule, an much patience to cancel a SAEN subscription. You must cancel when it's convenient for SAEN. Never mind your own busy schedule.
After the first two auto-renewal dates passed due to my being unable to alter my business schedule to align with SAEN's customer service hours, I noticed the latest $19.96 credit card charge today--Aug 19, 2023. I attempted to cancel the subscription. I discovered that cancelling was far more difficult than subscribing.
You make a phone call during SAEN business hours. Wait for long holds. Be disconnect. Speak with multiple persons. State your reason for cancelling. No alternative cancellation options are provided.
Today, I made my THIRD (and finally successful) attempt to cancel my subscription after noticing another charge of $19.96 had posted to my credit card. This process required a half-hour with three attempts, including hold times and disconnects.
I twice heard this recorded message between disconnects and long holds: "We appreciate your patience and value your time".
I am quite certain that the Federal Trade Commission had me in mind when proposing its "Click to Cancel" legislation in March 2023, aimed at protecting consumer victims from bad corporate actors. The legislation aims to address numerous common consumer grievances.
Lack of transparency
SAEN does not disclose that they will limit the hours and methods by which you may unsubscribe until after a subscription is purchased.
Time-consuming cancellation processes:
Auto-renewal
Some companies only offer automatically renewing subscriptions unless customers take specific steps to cancel. SAEN, for example, doesn't offer a temporary subscription or "single access" option. If they do, then I missed it. If you're considering a subscription, check options not requiring auto-renewal.
Financial incentives
Some companies offer pay or other financial incentives to CSR's, "Account Specialists" and "Retention Specialists" to make it difficult to cancel subscriptions. I suspect that SAEN requires an explanation from its customers to cancel, so they could place me on hold and transfer me to an individual who is receiving financial compensation for persuading me not to cancel my subscription.
Limited options
Some companies, like SAEN may only offer a limited number of cancellation options, such as canceling via phone. This can make it difficult for customers who wish to cancel when its convenient and possible for them--an not be required to cancel by phone during SAEN business hours. SAEN discloses a phone call is required. Undisclosed is phones are answered only during business hours, that hold times are long, disconnects are common, and multiple conversations are required.
Summary
SAEN's tactics are intolerable at best, and soon may be illegal if regulations are passed. These business practices are intentional and serve only to make it easy to sign up and difficult to leave.
I am not a strong proponent of government regulation in most cases, but in certain circumstances, like abusive, selfish business practices such as the ones described here, the more regulation the merrier. I hope SAEN puts my wasted money to good use, like donating it to the San Antonio food bank.
Simplified, here's the bottom line of the proposed FTC rules that would force SAEN and others to behave like human beings if they cannot find it within themselves to do the right thing just because its the right thing:
+If you can sign up online, you must be able to cancel on the same website, in the same number of steps.
+A publisher must immediately implement the cancellation process unless the consumer states a desire to hear a retention pitch.
+Sellers are required to provide a reminder to consumers before automatic renewal.
By my reading and interpretation of the rules, SAEN would be in violation of all three of the above if enacted. In preparing this review/complain, I have spent LESS than the amount of time required to unsubscribe to a SAEN digital subscription.
