Q: I continually see “free trial offers”; is there risk agreeing to the item?
A: Free trial offers are an extremely popular marketing tactic, especially for subscription services. With so many consumers shopping online, there is no way to touch, see, or otherwise experience a product before buying it. That means free trials can be a win-win situation for both sellers and buyers. Consumers get to “try before they buy,” and sellers get to cultivate interest in their product and hopefully make a sale.
That said, there are a few aspects of free trials consumers should be aware of if they want to avoid unwanted charges.
* Review the sign up form and look for pre-checked boxes. If you sign up for a free trial online, look for boxes that have already been checked, advises the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.ftc.gov. That checkmark “may give the company the green light to continue the offer past the free trial or sign you up for more products.”
* Mark your calendar. Your free trial probably has a time limit. Once that passes, if you haven’t canceled your “order,” you may be on the hook for more products. Know the cancellation date and put it on your calendar.