Which Online - small rant plus some information

Honeydog

On the 17th December this year I started a free trial with Which Online - the consumer website. As I always do - I checked carefully the instructions for cancellation of the account because I have found it pays to do that.

On finding that the only apparent way to cancel is by telephoning them I decided to check if they accept email cancellations in case I wanted to do that at some point.

So I sent an email politely enquiring if it 'was possible' to cancel electronically. Haven't been online for a couple of days with it being Christmas and everything so I hadn't checked my email.

Today I find out that on the 25/12 a customer service person at Which called Kelly Badham decided to cancel my account. She obviously didn't read my email properly. I'm always really careful about written communication so it is extremely unlikely that my email was at fault. More likely someone unhappy at having to work Christmas Day couldn't be bothered to read it properly - saw the word 'cancel' and jumped to conclusions.

Anyway, I've replied to it politely today and have let them know that by cancelling like that they have just lost any business I might have given them - but just wanted to let you good folk on here know about it.

1) If you have a free trial with Which Online you CAN cancel by email even though the website information makes it suggest that you HAVE to telephone them to cancel.

2) Don't even ENQUIRE about cancelling until you are actually ready to do so!

Hope this helps someone else.

Happy New Year everyone.

deanos

You have always been able to cancel via email, i have done 3 free trials over the years and even tho ive cancelled early they have all been availabe for the full trial period, have you tried logging on ?

uktim29

Theres a fare few assumptions you seem to have made there.

Firstly most notible that you assume it was someones dislike of working Christmas Day. In the vast majority of professions it's volentary so I doubt thats the reason.

It could have been a miss-understanding, perhaps you might want to quote your email?

Also as an internet marketer the 'could have lost custom' to the person who was writing to enquire 'how to cancel via email' cancel's the first part out!

I know the person taking advantage of the free trial will always argue 'well I might' but come on! After emailing can you cancel via email.......not everyones born yesterday. Particually after you've said you always check the small print about cancelling, a lot of companies know this.

Honeydog

deanos wrote:

You have always been able to cancel via email, i have done 3 free trials over the years and even tho ive cancelled early they have all been availabe for the full trial period, have you tried logging on ?

Nope I haven't tried logging on. They say they've cancelled it so I'm going to leave it at that. Their mistake - their loss.

Honeydog

uktim29 wrote:

Theres a fare few assumptions you seem to have made there.

Firstly most notible that you assume it was someones dislike of working Christmas Day. In the vast majority of professions it's volentary so I doubt thats the reason.

It could have been a miss-understanding, perhaps you might want to quote your email?

Also as an internet marketer the 'could have lost custom' to the person who was writing to enquire 'how to cancel via email' cancel's the first part out!

I know the person taking advantage of the free trial will always argue 'well I might' but come on! After emailing can you cancel via email.......not everyones born yesterday. Particually after you've said you always check the small print about cancelling, a lot of companies know this.

1) Flippin' heck Tim I hope at least one of your relatives got you a dictionary for Christmas - fair, voluntary,misunderstanding, notable, particularly! A grammar book wouldn't go amiss either to help you with apostrophes, some of which are missing, others incorrectly placed!

2) I don't keep copies of sent emails but if I was able to quote it you would see that my email was perfectly clear and easy to understand if someone is doing their job properly.

3) You also make an assumption that because I am registered on MSE that I was planning to cancel before the free trial ended. You can't possibly know that for sure and neither do Which Online. We're not all freeloaders!

I will make again my original point. Before taking anything on I always read the small print. The small print I read said a person HAD to cancel by telephone.

Sometimes when you do that you are subjected to a half an hour long diatribe from the person on the other end of the telephone trying to convince you to stay or to try the magazines etc instead. Obviously if I had read anywhere on their website that it was possible to cancel by email then I would've had no need to ask the question of them in the first place.

Interestingly enough - to me anyway - there is a thread on the rip off section which outlines the difficulties someone else is having with Which Online.

I don't really care any more whether I belong to Which Online or not. I posted the thread so that anyone else who didn't know that you could cancel by email would have that information.

Regards,

Honeydog

Edited to add - the wonderful Kelly managed to cancel my account without having my account number and without any details at all except the shortened version of my name. I have now taken steps to ensure that the account really has been cancelled.

Honeydog

Yesterday I decided to check how they had managed to cancel my account without the number so I emailed for clarification. Below are the content of the Kelly Badham email plus the reply I got today.

Hello,

Your membership is important to us and I'm sorry to hear that you have decided to cancel. As requested, your membership will be cancelled.

If you subscribe to one of our magazines you may receive another copy in the post as our labels are prepared in advance, please keep this with our compliments.

Alternatively, if you subscribe to Which? Online you will have access to the site until the end of the current month.

If we need to get back to you, we'll do so within the next few days.

Think of Which? before making a major purchase whether you're changing your mortgage, renewing your insurance or choosing a mobile phone tariff. Which? will help you make the right choice. Visit our website at https://www.which.co.uk or telephone us on 0845 307 4000 or 01992 822800 for information about Which? products.

I want you to know that Which? will continue to tackle the issues that matter to consumers.


Regards,

Kelly Badham
Which?

Hello Honeydog

Your account has not been cancelled, but i will cancel it for you now. You are still in your trial period and will have access to the articles online until 31/01/07.

I am sorry for the confusion re: the original email, i believe it was a default email that answered your email and am sorry for the confusion it caused.

If you need any further information, please call Which Customer Services on 01992 822800.

Thank you for thinking of Which.

Regards,

Kate Williams
Which?

So there's another warning for you good MSE folk. Don't assume because you have an email from Which Online stating that your account has been cancelled that it actually has been cancelled - it might just have been a default email that answered it.

HTH

Honeydog

Honeydog

Would you believe I had two more emails from Which today - another 2 different customer services operators asking for my membership numer so they can cancel it as they can't find me on the system.

Shabby. Really shabby.