Tastecard

Is anyone else really upset with the Tastecard auto renewal subscription process? I bought a tastecard at a discounted rate last year from Groupon. Obviously, like many others, I didn't read all the details in the terms and conditions and failed to notice that I was signing up for an auto renewal subscription! In fact, because of the many exceptions and restrictions when trying to use this card, I didn't actually use it once during the whole year! However. last week I received an email from them completely out of the blue to say they had renewed by subscription for another year on the full rate. You can imagine how I felt! When I contacted them to say I did not want this card, was greeted with the standard response that as I hadn't specifically cancelled my subscription, then 'it's tough' I am stuck with it!

They also sad they sent me a reminder email, but I have definitely never received it despite checking and searching my inbox. When I told them this, they said they only send it as a courtesy, they don't have to. Once I started to complain on social media, they said they could offer me a £6 refund and extend my card by 3 mths as a gesture of goodwill! As I said to them, I don't want the card, I don't find it useful, so I certainly don't want it extended! Added to which if they can refund me £6, then why not the full amount! They then said lots of their customers find this service great and prefer the auto renewal process. Well if that is the case, and they have so many happy customers keen to renew, why do they need to keep my money. Surely, business is good enough without taking money from my account and keeping it come hell or high water!

Have others had the same experience and been unhappy? Also, why is it that we can't get a refund in these circumstances? Seems very wrong companies are able to do this. After all, how many of us are so organised we can remember to cancel these subscriptions if we no longer want them. They should be legally obliged to send us a reminder email and then there should be some sort of cool off period of approx 14 days, when people can cancel these!

Comments

  • Quentin
    Quentin Posts: 40,405 Forumite
    If you do a search here you will find this issue is well signposted.

    You have no rights to a refund, your only hope is a goodwill gesture.

    But they must be well aware of the bad publicity they get over this, so don't hold your breath!

    Always read the ts & cs before accepting them when entering into online contracts
  • Thank you for your responses, I have given up hope of a full refund but still intend to make a nuisance of myself over this as I want to make sure others realise what they are signing up to. I really do think these auto renewal processes need to be looked into. It seems companies like Tastecard make a great deal of money out of tempting people through deals on discount sites such as groupon and rely on the fact that people will either not take that much notice of the small print re auto sign up and even if they did, how many people would remember to cancel the following year. It's a devious and cynical way to treat customers and keep their business afloat.
  • To be honest, don't take this the wrong way, but it is your own fault for not reading the small print and terms and conditions. I will never understand why people tick the box to say they agree to the terms and conditions but do not read them, nor take down dates of renewal.
  • Altarf
    Altarf Posts: 2,916
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    To be honest, don't take this the wrong way, but it is your own fault for not reading the small print and terms and conditions. I will never understand why people tick the box to say they agree to the terms and conditions but do not read them, nor take down dates of renewal.

    Perhaps because most companies are honest so people don't need to, and problems only occur when they encounter the occasional bottom feeding lowlife companies like Tastecard (and their pimp Groupon) that resort to such dirty tricks.

    Anyway, the original Groupon offer makes no mention of auto-renewal - https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/taste-marketing-limited and it was Groupon that sold the card not Tastecard.

    Also the Groupon website allows for the Tastecard to be bought as gifts and the Tastecard T&Cs specifically says "The automatic renewal does not apply to gift purchases."

    So the OP should just tell Tastecard it was bought as a gift and to stick their renewal where the sun doesn't shine.
  • Thank you Altarf, very good points which echo my own views. These companies know that people don't read the small print terms and conditions which are deliberately written in a dense, complicated and in accessible way to confuse and deceive customers. There really needs to be more regulations now prevent these companies from being allowed to operate in this way. To reiterate, if their product is so good, they shouldn't need such underhand ways to get repeat business!
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