Put your hand up if you have looked at a credit card statement recently and spotted a charge for a subscription that you had forgotten signing up for.You’re not alone. The number of new subscriptions per US consumer peaked last year and cancellations are now outpacing new sign-ups. But for many services, getting out can be a lot more complicated than getting in, as I discovered when I tried to end my monthly payment to Amazon’s Audible recorded books membership.
If I cancelled, the app warned, I would lose the three book credits that I have already paid for but not used. Instead, it touted a “pause” button that would put off the next payment for three months. Not wanting to set that money on fire, I dutifully obliged and set a calendar reminder to cancel in October.
The UK Financial Conduct Authority has been worried about abusive online sale techniques for nearly a decade. It first warned against forcing customers to untick boxes or otherwise “opt out” to avoid paying for add-on insurance in 2015 and has expanded its efforts from there.