Automatic subscriptions are becoming a trend in today’s modern world. It enables the user to enjoy services and goods without the need to contact the seller or enter credit card details. Companies also like using automatic subscriptions as it provides them with a guaranteed regular flow of money and predictable monthly sales. A subscriber automatically signs up for a given service or product. He does not have to go through the trouble of signing up again every time he wants to get access to that particular service or product. His subscription is renewed automatically without any extra effort.
One important consideration that consumers must take into account is the cancellation of automatic subscriptions. The subscription is cancelled by the user, usually after a period of time. In some cases, the consumer may not be able to cancel because he has entered his email address to subscribe. This can be dealt with by the service provider, if he allows it.
If the service provider allows consumers to cancel their automatic subscriptions, they should do so without any hassle. The subscription should have an opt-out page where the user can specify his or her email address to cancel the subscription. The provider should provide instructions on how to do so. Otherwise, the consumer may get his or her name banned from future subscriptions.
To avoid financial problems due to canceled subscriptions, the service provider should always provide reasonable explanations to the consumer in writing. The refund will only be granted if the refund is for a genuine reason. For example, it could be that the subscription was misguidance about good financial health by the advertiser. It could also be that the consumer opted for a subscription which he or she did not really want.
There are also a few things that the advertiser should consider to avoid financial problems: The term “unlimited” does not necessarily mean unlimited. Subscriptions are usually billed per month, even if the consumer cancels the subscription within the first billing cycle. Therefore, the advertiser should inform the subscriber of this fact. Also, there is a negative-option that enables the consumer to renew the subscription for a further period, but charges a much higher fee than the regular rate. Most consumer advocates advise that advertisers should be honest with terms and conditions to avoid negative-option complaints.
Some providers do allow consumers to cancel their subscriptions online. However, most experts recommend that the consumer call the number on the email or the website provided in case of any cancellations. The advertiser should also inform the consumer about how to cancel his or her subscription online. Most advocates advise the advertiser to make clear the terms and conditions of automatic renewal and cancellation.
There are certain cases where the cancellations of automatic subscriptions online may lead to complaints from the consumers. In case the advertiser sends an email to the subscriber after the subscription has been cancelled online, then the email may contain links to unsubscribe. It is recommended that the advertiser addresses this problem by sending a follow-up message to the consumer within a day or two. If the consumer fails to follow the follow-up instructions, then he or she may end up being charged.
Automatic subscriptions, which allow consumers to automatically receive content updates and other promotional materials via email, are likely to face stiff opposition in the future, due to their new forms of advertising. For one thing, it is likely that the number of email recipients will decrease over time, as people become less interested in online media subscriptions. Secondly, many Internet users have become quite savvy to various spamming techniques and may block email messages from appearing in their inboxes. Some of these methods can be very sophisticated. It is possible that future versions of automatic services may require the sender to provide a valid email address. For now, automatic news media alliance services are unlikely to be affected by these issues, but it is always a good practice to be on the lookout for tricky business practices.