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New York State Sues SiriusXM Over Cancellation Processes

S

speer360

radioinsight.com

New York State Sues SiriusXM Over Cancellation Processes - RadioInsight

New York Attorney General Letitia James sued SiriusXM today for "trapping consumers in subscriptions and maintaining deliberately long and burdensome cancellation processes" seeking compensation for affected customers, penalties against the company for alleged fraud and restitution for violating...
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com

"New York Attorney General Letitia James sued SiriusXM today for “trapping consumers in subscriptions and maintaining deliberately long and burdensome cancellation processes” seeking compensation for affected customers, penalties against the company for alleged fraud and restitution for violating state laws, and to require SiriusXM to implement “a simple and easy-to-use cancellation process.”
 
It's about time. A cousin of mine had SiriusXM for a year or so, and tried cancelling. The amount of upselling SiriusXM tried doing during the cancellation process was absolutely insane.
 
101.9 La Kalle said:
It's about time. A cousin of mine had SiriusXM for a year or so, and tried cancelling. The amount of upselling SiriusXM tried doing during the cancellation process was absolutely insane.
Click to expand...
from the Lawsuit.

" This is by design: as Sirius’s representative testified to the NYAG, Sirius “believe strongly that a good
conversation regarding cancellation requires a lot of back and forth with the consumer."
 
This issue is more than just the difficulty in cancelling SXM subscriptions. The government should require all subscripton-based businesses to make canceling online as simple as signing up. If you're going to force consumers to use a website for everything, it should include cancellation. Cancelling shouldn't be as difficult as negotiating a used car purchase.
 
I agree in theory, but I can also tell you that back when I was paying for home internet service (it's now included in our HOA fees), when I'd call our ISP to cancel as I had a better offer from a competitor, if they'd offer me a good enough deal and it would be valid for an extended period of time, I'd happily stick with them so in some instances it is in the company's benefit to have that dialog with customers who are attempting to cancel.

In cases where I call a company to cancel a subscription and it's because I'm definitely done with them or have no intention of continuing no matter how sweet a deal they offer, it can be a bit frustrating. That said, I've found if I tell them up front why I'm cancelling, it takes away a lot of the back and forth. If they start in with a special offer, I just stand firm and remind them that I've already explained that I want to cancel and why. If they continue on, I threaten to disconnect and dispute any future charges with my credit card company, and report them to the Better Business Bureau. That usually ends their sales pitch.
 
Mikey Radio said:
I agree in theory, but I can also tell you that back when I was paying for home internet service (it's now included in our HOA fees), when I'd call our ISP to cancel as I had a better offer from a competitor, if they'd offer me a good enough deal and it would be valid for an extended period of time, I'd happily stick with them so in some instances it is in the company's benefit to have that dialog with customers who are attempting to cancel.
Click to expand...
I've seen examples where folks on this site have recalled intentionally calling SXM with an empty threat to cancel hoping for a discount. To me, they're just setting a bad example by enabling SXM to believe they can keep customers around if forced to call. If you want to cancel, you should be able to without calling anyone. No games.
Mikey Radio said:
In cases where I call a company to cancel a subscription and it's because I'm definitely done with them or have no intention of continuing no matter how sweet a deal they offer, it can be a bit frustrating. That said, I've found if I tell them up front why I'm cancelling, it takes away a lot of the back and forth.
Click to expand...
It's none of their business why you want to cancel. A few years ago my car was totaled after being T-boned by a semi. I called SXM to cancel that one account, and the 'service agent' kept asking me when I was going to replace the car, as I could just keep my subscription going till then. Finally frustrated, I'd had enough: Do you think I'm stupid? Or are you that clueless that you can talk me into paying for a subscription that I can't use from a car that was destroyed? That, and it's none of your Go* da*n business when I'll be replacing that vehicle, if at all. So, why don't you do your job, grab that mouse, and click on cancel for that particular account, before you have to report back to your manager that thanks to your shi**y job of support, I've canceled my other three subscriptions too?
Mikey Radio said:
If they start in with a special offer, I just stand firm and remind them that I've already explained that I want to cancel and why. If they continue on, I threaten to disconnect and dispute any future charges with my credit card company, and report them to the Better Business Bureau. That usually ends their sales pitch.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm glad to see NY is clamping down on the having-to-call thing. SXM can kiss my a$$.
 
Yes, their cancellation process in infamously painful. It should be like the many online streaming services where you can stop or resume your plan with just a click. I also wish they offered short-term plans... like if you're going on a road trip, being able to activate (online) for just a week, or even a month.
 
Kelly A said:
This issue is more than just the difficulty in cancelling SXM subscriptions. The government should require all subscripton-based businesses to make canceling online as simple as signing up.
Click to expand...
And the Biden administration agrees:
www.ftc.gov

Federal Trade Commission Proposes Rule Provision Making it Easier for Consumers to “Click to Cancel” Recurring Subscriptions and Memberships

The Federal Trade Commission today proposed a “click to cancel” provision requiring sellers to make it as easy for consumers to cancel their enrollment as it was to sign up.
www.ftc.gov www.ftc.gov

This rule is still rolling through the bureaucracy, but I'm hopeful it will come into effect.
 
When SiriusXM reports its impressively low "churn" to its shareholders, does the way the corporation achieves that number ever get questioned, or even mentioned? Or does everyone just nod and wink and tell the corner-office multimillionaires what brilliant businesspeople they are? I've been a happy subscriber for years, but I've heard so many cancellation horror stories -- including persistent phone calls, emails and snail mail begging for renewal long after the subscriber has canceled -- that I dread the possibility of being incapacitated or in extreme financial difficulty and having to deal with that process.
 
They should look into AT$T/DirecTV.
Actually tried to sell me insurance on the leased receiver when I was trying to cancel. I said a not very nice thing. Hung up. Called back 10 minutes later. Still tried to up sell me. Took 4 months to get a refund.
 
boiseengineer said:
They should look into AT$T/DirecTV.
Actually tried to sell me insurance on the leased receiver when I was trying to cancel. I said a not very nice thing. Hung up. Called back 10 minutes later. Still tried to up sell me. Took 4 months to get a refund.
Click to expand...
After being one of their original continuous customers since 1996, I'm about to pull the plug on DirecTV once and for all. Given all the cord-cutting and trying to recover increased retrans fees, they still persist in seemingly randomly raising rates without notifying the customer in advance. Just this last month, my bill went up another $5 with no explanation on the invoice. Now, it's just $5, and wouldn't be the first time they've increased the rate hoping I wouldn't notice. Just like SXM, you have to call DirecTV and complain, then they'll take the $5 off. It's no wonder they push to do automatic withdrawal, hoping the customer won't notice little $1-$8 increases. So much for valuing your customers. Their new goal is to try to pull a fast one without the customer noticing.
 
I’ve never, ever had a harder time canceling a service than periodically dropping XM when I didn’t want nor need it. I understand the idea of retention and such, but they take it to a level of hell no one should be forced to endure.
 
I see instagram about $4.99 a month or 3 months free, Good deal, but hearing all this..maybe not

AOL back in the day did this, I cancel, they give me a month free, nope, just cancel it
 
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