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Interesting - a decade later - we are just starting to see some legislation that replicates what Apple has been doing on their app store (that they are being su

Interesting - a decade later - we are just starting to see some legislation that replicates what Apple has been doing on their app store (that they are being sued over with claims that their policies are anti-consumer). Long long overdue. People chose apple because regulation and developer practices on the broader web are so horrible (despite claims that there is no fraud and the focus of the DOJ on apple, billions are literally stolen outside of apple with crickets from law enforcement). The Apple model (if followed) would be as follows: Subscription terms in exact same font as trial terms (ie, no newspaper $1/week offers with the silly super fine print) right next to trial terms. Required notice in advance of subscription renewals, particularly annual or other long term renewals. Click to cancel (after login / authentication etc) Alert to cancel on disuse / uninstall - Apple will actually suggest cancelling a subscription if you do things like delete an app. Clear subscription terms indicating auto-renewal or one time purchase. Cancel anytime and use through end of current term, with end of term disclosed (you can still use through XXX). No requirement to cancel within some days of end of term or 30 days before end of term (some do no earlier than 90 days, no later than 30 days before end of term).

jscipione 4y ago
If you mess up your subscription order the company can’t help you because the subscription is through Apple, all they can do is direct you to Apple. Apple also can’t help you because they don’t have access to the company’s services to make the correction. So as a consumer you have your hands tied by Apple if you use their subscription service.
- tempnow987 4y ago
  Can you provide a more specific example? The order has a detailed confirmation. If you don't like it it is easy to cancel. If you really don't like it you can get a refund. I've done a lot of subscriptions and purchases and have never had a problem with them, including getting things sorted in a few odd cases. Apple has support phone numbers with real people in a surprising number of countries. You can setup ask to buy if you have a kid and are worried about them purchasing accidently.
  - jscipione 4y ago
    Sure, I ordered a subscription to audible through the App Store. They have 2 plans and I chose the cheaper one. Then I found out the cheaper one didn’t include what I wanted so I called Audible to fix the problem and they directed me to Apple since that’s how I subscribed. I then called Apple and they had no ability to help me other than the options listed in the Apo Store. So I ended up paying twice to get the upgraded plan. Apple said they would refund me a discount for the difference but they never did. I cancelled after a month and I have yet to order any more subscriptions from Apple.
    - tempnow987 4y ago
      That is a good example. Were you not able to cancel the plan you didn't want and sign up with the plan you did? If that wasn't an option (ie, you wanted the better plan right away), quickest might be to request a refund of the bad plan and then sign up with the right plan. If you request a refund the same day of purchase I've not had a problem with that (but it hasn't happened often). I had a somewhat similar situation, and just noted that it wasn't clear that X was not included, had no problem getting a refund. I then signed up as desired. That said, devs should have an upgrade option that charges difference ?
      - jscipione 4y ago
        No, I could not cancel the order even the same day and when I called Apple they had the same options that I did, no better access. If I had ordered through audible they could have helped me but since I ordered through Apple nobody could help me. No upgrade option. So lesson learned, never order a sub through Apple if you can avoid it.
BizarroLand 4y ago
I would prefer if all digital subscriptions were affirm to continue and not click to cancel. It would work simply. If you purchase a month/year, whatever & you're set up with autopay, once the subscription you have purchased ends, the next time you use the service you would have to approve continuing the subscription at the same terms with a single click. No click? No pay. I would also like it to require a second link on the same interstitial to review the terms of the subscription, and that it would be required that if there were any term changes from the previous purchase (new legalese, price variances, or service options added or removed) that they would also have to detail those in brief.
- tempnow987 4y ago
  A great idea. Probably the only folks able to do something like this would be apple (at least pre- DOJ litigation) because they didn't have to worry about what publishers of apps thought. Once they have to offer other app stores publishers won't accept that and will just move off the apple store.

jscipione 4y ago

If you mess up your subscription order the company can’t help you because the subscription is through Apple, all they can do is direct you to Apple. Apple also can’t help you because they don’t have access to the company’s services to make the correction. So as a consumer you have your hands tied by Apple if you use their subscription service.

tempnow987 4y ago
Can you provide a more specific example? The order has a detailed confirmation. If you don't like it it is easy to cancel. If you really don't like it you can get a refund. I've done a lot of subscriptions and purchases and have never had a problem with them, including getting things sorted in a few odd cases. Apple has support phone numbers with real people in a surprising number of countries. You can setup ask to buy if you have a kid and are worried about them purchasing accidently.
- jscipione 4y ago
  Sure, I ordered a subscription to audible through the App Store. They have 2 plans and I chose the cheaper one. Then I found out the cheaper one didn’t include what I wanted so I called Audible to fix the problem and they directed me to Apple since that’s how I subscribed. I then called Apple and they had no ability to help me other than the options listed in the Apo Store. So I ended up paying twice to get the upgraded plan. Apple said they would refund me a discount for the difference but they never did. I cancelled after a month and I have yet to order any more subscriptions from Apple.
  - tempnow987 4y ago
    That is a good example. Were you not able to cancel the plan you didn't want and sign up with the plan you did? If that wasn't an option (ie, you wanted the better plan right away), quickest might be to request a refund of the bad plan and then sign up with the right plan. If you request a refund the same day of purchase I've not had a problem with that (but it hasn't happened often). I had a somewhat similar situation, and just noted that it wasn't clear that X was not included, had no problem getting a refund. I then signed up as desired. That said, devs should have an upgrade option that charges difference ?
    - jscipione 4y ago
      No, I could not cancel the order even the same day and when I called Apple they had the same options that I did, no better access. If I had ordered through audible they could have helped me but since I ordered through Apple nobody could help me. No upgrade option. So lesson learned, never order a sub through Apple if you can avoid it.

BizarroLand 4y ago

I would prefer if all digital subscriptions were affirm to continue and not click to cancel. It would work simply. If you purchase a month/year, whatever & you're set up with autopay, once the subscription you have purchased ends, the next time you use the service you would have to approve continuing the subscription at the same terms with a single click. No click? No pay. I would also like it to require a second link on the same interstitial to review the terms of the subscription, and that it would be required that if there were any term changes from the previous purchase (new legalese, price variances, or service options added or removed) that they would also have to detail those in brief.

tempnow987 4y ago
A great idea. Probably the only folks able to do something like this would be apple (at least pre- DOJ litigation) because they didn't have to worry about what publishers of apps thought. Once they have to offer other app stores publishers won't accept that and will just move off the apple store.