SOE requiring verification/call to cancel?

[Sunbury]

Horizons didn't even have a web-based cancel option.  However, you could cancel via the web on cc-bill's site (I think it was cc-bill).

Speaking of cancel, I had some Forbes investment newsletters I tried on a discount last year.  I get a email notice about a week ago telling me they are auto-resubbing them for me, since I asked for that.  No way no how did I ask to auto-resub these.  So I hit the site (these are all e-based newsletters) and there are dozens of ways to sign up for them, add credit cards, renew, etc, but not a single way to REMOVE credit cards, or CANCEL or even turn off Auto Renew!  Of course no phone numbers, and no obvious way.

I finally figured out you have to fill out a web-based email form to their support to cancel.   They did reply back, and I did get a notice this week that I did not renew them, so I guess it worked, but jeez, they are really playing games to get people to not cancel.

[Venkman]

As an aside, this is something that's long bothered me about most forums out there on the web, regardless of topic. You can get in, but you can't get out unless you email the site admin and have them physically remove the name from the database. That probably doesn't bother most people, most of whom I imagine don't even keep track of where they've registered. But my own list is pretty freakin' long, and I'm just old skool enough to not want to have all of these "open accounts" all over the place (as in, I'm not one of those people radio ads can target when they tell ya about a billion dollars left out there in forgotten accounts... to me, that's just irresponsible record keeping).

[Jamiko]

My kids stopped playing ToonTown recently so I went to cancel it. After digging through the help section, I find out I have to call them to cancel. There is no online cancel button, only ways to increase my subscription length. Good way to make sure I won't subscribe again in the future.

[Alkiera]

Like someone else mentioned, I've canceled EQ1 countless times, SWG at least once(check my grief title), DAoC once, EQ2 twice, CoH twice, WoW once.

WoW had a short questionaire for me, but all the others were straightforward.  I think SWG had a text box to put a reason in.  Maybe EQ2 did as well, I don't recall.
I've never had to make a phonecall to cancel an MMO sub.

Alkiera

[Venkman]

EQ2 has about 10 questions it asks, all multiple choice. It follows with a page that shows you answers to some of those issues you may or may not have noted. It's contextual I believe, pretty well done, complete with a "oh, wait, nm" button. But then cancellation is just another button click away.

[Kenrick]

I'm sure some of you saw my "re-activating" thread in the EQ2 subforum... Anyway, I didn't really technically re-activate... I attempted to log into the game without doing any sort of account maintenence or re-activation, and sure it enough it let me (I later discovered that it's part of a 1-week free re-try program of some sort).  Now, I remembered rather quickly the various reasons why I hated this game, so I uninstalled it.  But then I got to thinking... are they going to bill me when this "free week" is over, even though I didn't ever actually authorize my account to be re-activated?

Here's what my account screen currently looks like.  I'm hoping someone here can decipher it and help ease my mind a bit:

Your Account
Owning Station Account: *********
Subscription Name: EverQuest II Subscription
Period: 1-month
Station Players EverQuest II: Station Players Advanced Guild Tools
 
Screenshot and Image Storage
 
EverQuest II: Station Players Dynamic Item Database
 
EverQuest II Advanced Character Profiles
 
 
Enabled Features Auctions Beta Access
 
EQ2 Consumable Item: Talking Statues
 
 
Account Status: Non-Recurring Billing Method or Cancelled*
Orig. Purchase Date: November 11, 2004 
Account Open Until: March 23, 2006
Next Billing Date: March 23, 2006
Next Subscription Plan: EverQuest II Subscription, 1-month

NOTE: Your account is Non-Recurring Billing Method or Cancelled due to one of the following reasons:
-You have chosen to gain access to your 30-Day subscription included with purchase without choosing a billing option.
-You have chosen to cancel your account. This means that you will no longer have access to your account after the end of your most recent subscription cycle. To re-subscribe to a cancelled account, you will need to log in as you once did and choose your billing method and subscription service via Account creation.
-You have activated your account using a non-recurring billing method (for example, you may have used an official Game Card). Don't let your game be interrupted once your trial period expires. Grab yourself a Game Card at the Station Store, or take advantage of one of our other billing methods by using a Credit Card or Global Collect. 

The part that concerns me is the "Next Billing Date" bit.  I'm hoping that it's just a poor choice of wording on their part, and that my "trial" will just end on that date and nothing more will come of it.

[Roac]

Several companies will start charging you after the free trial period is up.  No idea if SOE does, but it wouldn't surprise me.  If you don't want to pay, and have already installed it, I'd log in and make sure the cancel button was hit a few times.  Either way, if the website says you're going to get billed in 2 more days, expect to get billed in 2 more days.

[Kenrick]

If you don't want to pay, and have already installed it, I'd log in and make sure the cancel button was hit a few times.

That's the problem.  There's no cancel button.  Anywhere.

[Signe]

If you don't want to pay, and have already installed it, I'd log in and make sure the cancel button was hit a few times.

That's the problem.  There's no cancel button.  Anywhere.

First find this: 

Press this one:

Then you finish with a flourish: 

[Miasma]

Those two lines about next billing date and next subscription plan(monthly) are kind of odd too, it almost looks like they do intend to switch you to the monthly.  I have had to re-enter my address and credit card information each time I resubscribed, unless you had to do that again I doubt they will bill you but I'm afraid you will have to call them to make sure.  They have maliciously purchased the most awful "on hold" music available in the hopes that you will hang up before ever speaking to someone.

[Kenrick]

If you don't want to pay, and have already installed it, I'd log in and make sure the cancel button was hit a few times.

That's the problem.  There's no cancel button.  Anywhere.

First find this: 

Press this one:

Then you finish with a flourish: 

Though I may be mildly retarded, I am not blind.  That third button is not there for me.

[Signe]

I guess you can never cancel, then.   

[Kenrick]

I guess you can never cancel, then.   

Either that, or they're going to bill me on the 23rd and then that button will magically appear.

[HaemishM]

I guess you can never cancel, then.   

Either that, or they're going to bill me on the 23rd and then that button will magically appear.

You don't get something for nothing.

[Kenrick]

I guess you can never cancel, then.   

Either that, or they're going to bill me on the 23rd and then that button will magically appear.

You don't get something for nothing.

True.  And in some cases, you get nothing for something.

[tazelbain]

The Dude abides.

[sinij]

Shadowbane is the only game I remember getting hit up with an exit survey on cancellation; fortunately it was easily answerable with a nice short "Fuck you!"

They keep all your comments on file tied to your account, I have about 5-6 of those on my account. Makes good read afterwards, so I try to be descriptive and explain in detail who, how and for how long every time I quit SB.

[Alkiera]

You folks are odd.

Say what you want about SOE's MMO devs, designers, money-persons, suits, etc...  I've never had a problem with their account management site.  Never.  Well, okay, it was a bit slow on the first day SWG was live, because they had a switch die on them or something, and it was the day of release.  That one minor issue aside... It's been flawless.  I've never been overcharged, charged after I've canceled, had it fail to cancel, been forced to call or jump thru major hoops, exposed to tearful orcs sad about my leaving, none of that.  They do a brief questionaire about why you're leaving.  Period.

And the reason you can't click the cancel button is THERE'S NOTHING TO CANCEL, YOU'RE NOT SUBBED TO THE GAME, EINSTEIN!

The next billing date is when you when your trial period would run out, and when you would be billed, were you to actually, ya know, SUBSCRIBE.

Alkiera

[Reg]

The part that concerns me is the "Next Billing Date" bit.  I'm hoping that it's just a poor choice of wording on their part, and that my "trial" will just end on that date and nothing more will come of it.

It talks about your billing being "non-recurring" and even warns you that when your current billing cycle expires you will lose access to the game. I think that the "Next Billing Date" field is just their way of telling you when your subscription runs out. ie. when your next bill would be due should you choose to extend the subscription.

[Sky]

Easy as pie to cancel. I just dropped my Station Pass for the time being while I obsess over Oblivion. No secret question, no phone call, and I'm happy to fill out exit polls. I'm actually nice because I was having fun with all the SOE games I was playing. I was surprised about it, too.

[Stormwaltz]

I found both CoH and EVE Online very easy and straightforward to quit. And both had exit surveys.

OTOH, back when my wife was subscribed to AC1 (in the MS years), she had to cancel her credit card to get them to stop billing her.

[Roac]

I found both CoH and EVE Online very easy and straightforward to quit. And both had exit surveys.

OTOH, back when my wife was subscribed to AC1 (in the MS years), she had to cancel her credit card to get them to stop billing her.

Really?  Her CC company wouldn't work with her by designating the company as sending unauthorized charges to her account?  Unless she didn't care about the card, in which case her way would be easier.

[Kenrick]

Your Account
Owning Station Account: ********
Subscription Name: EverQuest II Subscription
Period: 1-month
Enabled Features Auctions Beta Access
 
EQ2 Consumable Item: Talking Statues
 
Account Status: Closed
Orig. Purchase Date: November 11, 2004 
Account Open Until: March 23, 2006