Until now, anyone who wanted to delete their Amazon account had to be patient and take a close look. The online giant did not make the process easy for users. But that is now changing.
After complaints from numerous users and consumer advocates, the European Commission took action and obliged Amazon to simplify the termination of Prime subscriptions. In the future, only two steps should be necessary. The simplified Prime termination will be implemented on the Amazon website from today, July 4th, 2022.
Up to 7 steps were previously necessary for cancellation
Previously, users had to click up to seven boxes and scroll through lengthy explanations and redirects to cancel their Prime account. Many were deterred by this, became unsure during the process and therefore did not complete the termination. Consumer advocates have now lodged a complaint due to the complicated navigation, the unclear wording and the repeated forwarding.
Amazon had already made slight adjustments to the termination process after the start of talks with the authorities in 2021, but that was not enough for the experts. Therefore, the Prime termination has been simplified even further. The company further shortened the text and placed the unsubscribe button prominently.
Also Read: How Do I Delete My Amazon Account?
Amazon has made it much easier to cancel Prime
After discussions with the European Commission and national consumer protection authorities, Amazon has agreed to offer a simplified Prime cancellation with immediate effect. From now on, users will find the cancellation button on the Prime overview in the “Manage your Prime membership” tab.
EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders explained about it: “Online subscriptions can be handy, signing up is usually straightforward. Unsubscribing should be just as easy. Consumers must not be subjected to any pressure from the platforms when exercising their rights. In any case, one thing is clear: manipulative design and ‘dark patterns’ are forbidden. I applaud Amazon’s commitment to simplifying its processes to give consumers freedom of choice and easy opt-out.”
Since July, online contracts in general must be as easy to cancel as they are to enter into. To do this, all providers must place a clearly visible cancellation button on their website.