A year after she bought Spyware Doctor using a debit card, Price received e-mail stating that the annual renewal fee had been debited from her checking account. “I was not asked if I wanted a yearly renewal,” she says. “I did not authorize any renewal, and I definitely did not authorize the company to access my checking account.” Welcome to Subscription Hell. A growing number of programs, utilities, and even games charge yearly or monthly fees for software, updates, or support. Major antivirus packages have long charged annual fees for virus signature and other updates (and also nag you to buy upgrades), but other types of software are moving to subscription pricing. For example, Cerulean Studios’ Trillian Pro cross-platform instant messaging client costs $25 a year for tech support, forum access, and updates. For many users the problem lies not in paying a few bucks every year, but in managing subscriptions or canceling them, which isn’t always easy. Here’s how to avoid subscription surprises and deal with common problems.
While no one likes plowing through legalese, it’s the best way to see what you will be getting into. With Spyware Doctor, for example, you must click through to its checkout page to find the terms of service; near the top of the terms of service, the agreement states clearly that the company will renew your subscription automatically “by directly charging your credit card or debiting your debit card prior to each anniversary of the date of purchase…” PC Tools does not provide the option of limiting the subscription to a single period, either. Price admits that she never read the agreement, instead assuming that “any renewal would follow other subscriptions I’ve had: advance notice by e-mail and the option to renew or not.” Don’t assume that one company’s policies will emulate another’s. Take the time to read the license agreement so you don’t get an unwelcome surprise 365 days later.Much subscription grief arises from changes to your contact information or your credit card. For example, if you change your e-mail address and don’t update subscription accounts, you won’t receive notices of upcoming renewals. Th at could lead to unwanted automatic re - newals or service cancellation (which in the case of antivirus soft ware might leave you exposed to viruses whose signatures you haven’t downloaded). Similarly, if you cancel a credit card or it expires, notify companies that bill you automatically so that your account won’t be suspended or canceled.
