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I've just implemented and rolled out a trial-to-recurring feature for about 100 websites. I wish this post was more clear about how I need to update this featur

I've just implemented and rolled out a trial-to-recurring feature for about 100 websites. I wish this post was more clear about how I need to update this feature to be compatible with this change. > The rule change will require merchants to gain cardholder approval at the conclusion of the trial before they start billing We get approval for the recurring charges at the start of the trial. Apparently this is now not enough for MC. This sentence makes it sound like the user will have to opt in at the end of the trial to get billed. But the next sentence is: > To help cardholders with that decision, merchants will be required to send the cardholder – either by email or text – the transaction amount, payment date, merchant name along with explicit instructions on how to cancel a trial. That sounds like we need to notify the user, but just to give them the opportunity to opt out, not requiring them to opt in. So which is it? Opt in or opt out at the end of the trial? I'll have to make changes one way or the other, but do I need to just send out the notification and point them to the cancellation page, or do I need to notify them and send them to a go-ahead-and-start-charging-me page before we can start charging them? Can anyone parse this?

stronglikedan 8y ago
I agree that the wording is not clear, but just to be on the safe side, you should probably eliminate the very obvious dark pattern of collecting payment details for a "free" trial, and just ask them to enter their payment details at the end of the trial.
- hirundo 8y ago
  Is it so dark if you shine a bright light on it at the start? We collect credit card info as part of the free trial signup, and clearly state the recurring terms -- start date, amount and interval -- in a prominent box right over the submit button. If the transaction succeeds they immediately get a thank you email with the recurring terms prominently repeated again. There's also a link to the cancellation button, which is available immediately. I've accepted this sort of deal as a user and think it's only nefarious if it's not clear or if cancellation is difficult.
  - goliatone 8y ago
    You still need to send an email before the trial is about to go into paid mode
    - hirundo 8y ago
      That's fine. It looks like at least that plus an ongoing per-charge notice will be mandatory. As a user I'd want to disable them, but it sounds like that won't be an option. So I'd probably mark them as spam instead.
  - stronglikedan 8y ago
    > Is it so dark if you shine a bright light on it at the start? Absolutely. A lot of dark patterns are prominent. They prey on an innate human fallibility. In this case, memory. If you're going to offer a free trial, then you should not need payment information until the end of the trial. You could start sending out reminders to add the payment information towards the end of the trial, instead of an email with a cancellation button, and that would not be a dark pattern. Either practice is a means to the same end, but only the former eliminates the possibility of people paying for what they didn't intend to.
dqv 8y ago
On or about the date of conclusion of the trial, send a notice: Your trial is about to end. To continue receiving services, please make payment of {PAYMENT_AMOUNT} by {DATE}. You will need to authorize recurring payments in the amount of {PAYMENT_AMOUNT}. You can do that by clicking {PAYMENT_LINK}. If you would like to cancel the trial click {CANCEL_LINK}. Please note that if we do not hear back from you by {DATE}, we will have to temporarily discontinue the service/product until you authorize recurring payments.
milo_im 8y ago
Hirundo, what do you sell? Can you share?
- hirundo 8y ago
  Websites mostly for small or medium sized B2B publishers. For this the common use case is selling subscriptions for newsletters about a particular industry. Right now we're hoping that our payment gateway for recurring transactions, authorize.net, will step up and handle much of this for us.

stronglikedan 8y ago

I agree that the wording is not clear, but just to be on the safe side, you should probably eliminate the very obvious dark pattern of collecting payment details for a "free" trial, and just ask them to enter their payment details at the end of the trial.

hirundo 8y ago
Is it so dark if you shine a bright light on it at the start? We collect credit card info as part of the free trial signup, and clearly state the recurring terms -- start date, amount and interval -- in a prominent box right over the submit button. If the transaction succeeds they immediately get a thank you email with the recurring terms prominently repeated again. There's also a link to the cancellation button, which is available immediately. I've accepted this sort of deal as a user and think it's only nefarious if it's not clear or if cancellation is difficult.
- goliatone 8y ago
  You still need to send an email before the trial is about to go into paid mode
  - hirundo 8y ago
    That's fine. It looks like at least that plus an ongoing per-charge notice will be mandatory. As a user I'd want to disable them, but it sounds like that won't be an option. So I'd probably mark them as spam instead.
- stronglikedan 8y ago
  > Is it so dark if you shine a bright light on it at the start? Absolutely. A lot of dark patterns are prominent. They prey on an innate human fallibility. In this case, memory. If you're going to offer a free trial, then you should not need payment information until the end of the trial. You could start sending out reminders to add the payment information towards the end of the trial, instead of an email with a cancellation button, and that would not be a dark pattern. Either practice is a means to the same end, but only the former eliminates the possibility of people paying for what they didn't intend to.

dqv 8y ago

On or about the date of conclusion of the trial, send a notice: Your trial is about to end. To continue receiving services, please make payment of {PAYMENT_AMOUNT} by {DATE}. You will need to authorize recurring payments in the amount of {PAYMENT_AMOUNT}. You can do that by clicking {PAYMENT_LINK}. If you would like to cancel the trial click {CANCEL_LINK}. Please note that if we do not hear back from you by {DATE}, we will have to temporarily discontinue the service/product until you authorize recurring payments.

milo_im 8y ago

Hirundo, what do you sell? Can you share?

hirundo 8y ago
Websites mostly for small or medium sized B2B publishers. For this the common use case is selling subscriptions for newsletters about a particular industry. Right now we're hoping that our payment gateway for recurring transactions, authorize.net, will step up and handle much of this for us.