Automatic Renewals

Subscribe to Automatic Renewals

Subscription plans that automatically renew at the end of a term are becoming more popular with companies. They’re also getting more scrutiny from regulators. As we’ve posted before, some states regulate how these plans can be structured, and there have been both lawsuits and regulatory investigations targeting companies that have failed to comply. This week,…

Last week, eHarmony agreed to pay up to $2.2 million to resolve allegations brought by four California counties and the city of Santa Monica over the company’s billing practices. That includes a payment of $1.2 million in penalties and up to $1 million in restitution to customers whose subscriptions were automatically renewed, but were denied…

Seven years ago, we posted about a new law in California governing automatic renewals. The law generally requires that companies: (1) clearly disclose the material offer terms before a consumers subscribes; (2) obtain affirmative consent to the terms before the consumer is charged; (3) provide a confirmation to the consumer that includes the terms, a…

This morning, the FTC announced that it had stopped a group of 15 companies and 7 individuals from using deceptive “risk-free trial” offers to sell skincare products online. At the Commission’s request, a federal court issued a temporary restraining order against the defendants, halting their marketing practices, freezing their assets, and appointing a receiver over…

In 2010, California enacted a law governing automatic renewals. As we previously posted, the law generally requires that companies: (1) clearly disclose the material offer terms before a consumers subscribes; (2) obtain affirmative consent to the terms before the consumer is charged; (3) provide a confirmation to the consumer that includes the terms, a…

The Washington Attorney General recently announced that a settlement with RealNetworks over the company’s free trials. According to the AG, more than 500 consumers had complained to the AG’s office and the Better Business Bureau about unauthorized charges for services they had never ordered. In many cases, consumers who signed up for free trials did…

Starting this week, companies that offer subscription services that automatically renew at the end of the initial term will have to comply with a new law in California.

The law generally requires that companies: (1) clearly and conspicuously disclose the material offer terms before a consumers subscribes; (2) obtain a consumer’s affirmative consent to the…

Earlier this year, we posted that the Florida Attorney General had sued a company over allegations the company enrolled consumers in a monthly subscription program without the consumers’ knowledge or consent. According to the AG, consumers who signed up for a “free trial” were automatically enrolled in the program. Today, the AG announced a settlement…