Automated charges are one of the fastest modern ways to waste money. The average person spends about $273 a month on subscriptions – and they don’t even use them all!
Making it worse, it’s much easier to sign up than it is to cancel, and one company was recently exposed for making it difficult for users to cancel on purpose!
A recent investigation revealed that Amazon, one of the biggest companies in the world, manipulates users by purposely making the service cancellation process “needlessly difficult and frustrating.” The design seems to be working, too – cancellations have recently dropped by 14% according to TechRadar.
During the cancellation process, Amazon uses “dark patterns” and selective language to confuse the user, or even possibly frustrate them into keeping the service. It’s so difficult, people just give up and keep paying.
Like many major companies recently, Amazon has increased its subscription costs. While these services can be fun to enjoy, they can also eat away at a healthy budget.
It’s incredibly important for consumers to do the math and determine whether the benefits of the service match the price they’re paying.
Nobody should be getting tricked or confused into spending money on unnecessary services. We should be able to trust the companies we decide to patronize, and use our money on things that provide genuine value!