What must be clear.
WHAT TO STATE BEFORE PURCHASE
The recurring amount How often it is charged When the first charge occurs How long the commitment lasts How to cancel, and by when What happens on cancellation
THE CANCELLATION POINT
The most disputed aspect of any subscription.
Make cancelling straightforward and state exactly how.
A subscription that is easy to start and difficult to stop produces chargebacks, complaints and reputational damage.
FREE TRIALS
State clearly when the trial ends and that a charge follows.
An unexpected charge after a forgotten trial is the most common source of subscription disputes.
Remind customers before the first charge. Legally prudent and commercially sensible.
PRICE CHANGES
Notify before applying them to an existing subscription.
FAILED PAYMENTS
State what happens: retries, suspension, cancellation.
REFUNDS
State your position on partial periods.
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR TERMS
All of the above, plainly.
THE COMMERCIAL REALITY
A customer who cancels easily and without friction may return. One who had to fight will not.
