I paid for a trial subscription of the Wall Street Journal. It's a good paper, and has some really good reporting on the 1MDB issue, but I didn't feel that I would read it enough to justify paying a regular monthly subscription for it. As such I decided to cancel the subscription way in advance of the trial deadline. I sent them an e-mail requesting cancellation and I received the following reply:
I read the first paragraph, which contains the words "We're sorry to hear of your decision to discontinue your membership."
I mistakenly thought that this means my subscription had been cancelled as per my request. I neglected to read the following paragraph which said I had to call an international number to cancel my account by phone.
Yes, it's my mistake for not reading that (and therefore not making the call). I only realized this when I saw a bill for RM119.54 for this month's billing cycle.
I went to their website to look for a customer service number, called it to complain and was told that cancellation only happens when you call in. "But I sent an e-mail requesting cancellation," I said. "I'm sorry but it's company policy that you have to call in to cancel," the customer service representative said.
Wouldn't it be more convenient if there was just a button you can press or an e-mail you can send to say you want to cancel subscription? Of course. But these companies don't want to make it convenient for you, the consumer, to cancel.
I'm pretty pissed off about this but not as much as I am about FT, which not only auto-charged me without any notice, it charged me the most expensive premium option they had (without asking me what I preferred) AND they charged me for the print version which I never received. Isn't that amazing? Good case study on how to not only lose a customer but have someone pissed off at your brand.
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| WSJ's e-mail reply to me |
I read the first paragraph, which contains the words "We're sorry to hear of your decision to discontinue your membership."
I mistakenly thought that this means my subscription had been cancelled as per my request. I neglected to read the following paragraph which said I had to call an international number to cancel my account by phone.
Yes, it's my mistake for not reading that (and therefore not making the call). I only realized this when I saw a bill for RM119.54 for this month's billing cycle.
I went to their website to look for a customer service number, called it to complain and was told that cancellation only happens when you call in. "But I sent an e-mail requesting cancellation," I said. "I'm sorry but it's company policy that you have to call in to cancel," the customer service representative said.
Wouldn't it be more convenient if there was just a button you can press or an e-mail you can send to say you want to cancel subscription? Of course. But these companies don't want to make it convenient for you, the consumer, to cancel.
I'm pretty pissed off about this but not as much as I am about FT, which not only auto-charged me without any notice, it charged me the most expensive premium option they had (without asking me what I preferred) AND they charged me for the print version which I never received. Isn't that amazing? Good case study on how to not only lose a customer but have someone pissed off at your brand.
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