Advocates Say Amazon Prime's Cancellation Process Might Be Unlawful

The process for canceling Amazon Prime potentially constitutes unfair and deceptive practices under Section 5 of the FTC Act, Public Citizen wrote the agency Thursday. Users have to click through several pages to cancel memberships, and it’s a confusing process with numerous links in an effort to get the user to maintain the subscription, the organization wrote: “Amazon Prime’s subscription model is a ‘roach motel,’ where getting in is almost effortless, but escape is an ordeal. As a general rule, it should not be more difficult to unsubscribe than to subscribe from a digital service.” The agency received the letter, a spokesperson emailed. “Amazon makes it clear and easy for Prime members to cancel their subscription at any time, whether through a few clicks online, with a quick phone call, or by turning off auto renew in their membership options,” emailed a spokesperson. “Customer trust is at the heart of all of our products and services and we strongly disagree with any claim that our cancellation process creates uncertainty.”