The Morning Edition Click to cancel: How hard should it be to end a subscription?
Sep 30, 2025
Elias Visontay, a national consumer affairs reporter, dives into the murky waters of subscription traps that ensnare Australian consumers. He reveals how businesses cleverly design hurdles to complicate cancellations, leading to significant annual losses from forgotten subscriptions. Visontay discusses psychological tactics like confirm shaming that keep customers locked in. He also explores current legal gaps and proposed reforms aimed at protecting consumer rights without stifling business. Insights into creating fair rules for a balance between consumer protections and business needs are highlighted.
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What Counts As A Subscription Trap
- Subscription traps are deliberate design features that make cancellation difficult to keep customers paying.
- They range from hidden buttons to forced phone-calls and multi-step webpages that block straightforward cancellation.
Subscription Drain Adds Up
- Researchers estimate subscription waste costs Australians from about $50 to $1,261 per person annually.
- Surveys show three quarters had negative cancel experiences and one in 10 gave up trying to cancel.
Guilt-Driven Cancellation Page
- A software company forced users through a presentation showing staff photos and asked customers to 'pick a face' to fire if they cancelled.
- The tactic used guilt to pressure customers into staying on the subscription.