sirius-xm shady business practices

[quad]

My Sirius / XM expired at the beginning of the year. I received a voicemail or two stating they could not renew because my credit card expired. For my XM account I generated a shopsafe credit number and set the expiration date to match the end of what I thought was my XM subscription.

I assumed it would just stop there once the card expired and the account would become inactive because I did not sign any contracts with them. However I decided to double check by logging on to my account and noticed a significant balance due. I called them up and was told you have to officially call them and ask to cancel the service - even if you had only agreed to a renewal for example of 12 months. And was told that they would report to credit agencies if the service is not paid.

So the service never really ends unless you tell them you want to stop it. Fortunately I contacted them before they reported anything and I ended up getting a great deal for my renewal ($28 for 5 months). I was going to cancel but I do like some stations and the free version of Pandora plays many ads and stops playing on the computer after awhile. I will probably keep it if they keep negotiating a low price. Otherwise Pandora One may be my next choice. I think XM should include online playback in the basic plan to compete with Pandora.

 

[boostaholick]

No wonder why my buddy bought a van over 5+ years ago, and it still has XM radio(which he never bought)

 

[xenodragon]

I never found the sound quality to be good with satellite radio, that and if you go under something longer than 5 feet long, it cuts out. No thanks

 

[RDJ]

Except that EVERY company I have EVER done business with has cancelled the service I was paying for if I did not provide them with updated credit card info. every single one. I agree with the op, it's shady

Company's can legally add time to your card expiration in order to fulfill a contract you have with them. They didn't actually do anything fraudulent here. You wrongfully assumed that you didn't need to cancel your contract to avoid a charge.

The credit card company did a chargeback for you, but it should be noted that there's nothing to stop Sirius/XM from disputing that chargeback on the basis of a contract. Their contract or terms of use can be found here.

http://www.siriusxm.com/pdf/siriusxm_customeragreement_eng.pdf

This is why it's so important to actually read these things, but nobody does. I did a cursory skim of them and the key parts missed where that use of service is agreement with the terms and that if you setup a subscription it will auto-renew at current rates until cancelled by you.

Knowing Sirius, a dispute of the chargeback wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Rings]

Thanks to this thread I was able to get 6 months for $28.46. I called to "cancel" my service that was due the 12th, they were suppose to charge me an extra 15.15, but waived those fees.
I don't see how you can be upset with them. Also at the end of the call she asked if I wanted recurring charges of xx or to make this a one time fee.

Love the way they've hooked my wife and I up

 

[dan_dmg_gt01]

I got a call today from Sirius stating my card was expired and I have an outstanding balance for the next six months of service. Even though I called to cancel in December. Long story short I still have to pay $20 to cancel and I cant cancel it now because its mid month and they cant prorate my account. So I was told to call back on the 27th to cancel yet again. Its like a crazy ex you cant get rid of.

 

[Torch10th]

Except that EVERY company I have EVER done business with has cancelled the service I was paying for if I did not provide them with updated credit card info. every single one. I agree with the op, it's shady

I never said I agreed with the practice. I simply stated it was lawful do to so. OP had a contract that he did not cancel and wrongly assumed that an expired card would cancel it for him.

Sirius/XM was kind enough to refund the OP, but not every company is. Some truly shady companies (like cable and phone carriers) can and do send things to collections under breach of contract.

There's a serious lack of personal accountability in this country and instead of doing like what the OP did and saying, "yeah I kinda bunged this one up." people blame it on "shady companies."

 

[RDJ]

it is SHADY, and NOT a common business practice legal or not. I am probably the biggest asshole on SVTP if not the planet when it comes to personal accountability and consequences. but COMMON business practice is to not do this kind of shit and cut the service if updated info is not provided. is what they did LEGAL? yes but that does not make it "not shady". I am willing to BET MONEY that the email the op got stated that the service would be cut off if he didn't provide the new info.

I never said I agreed with the practice. I simply stated it was lawful do to so. OP had a contract that he did not cancel and wrongly assumed that an expired card would cancel it for him.

Sirius/XM was kind enough to refund the OP, but not every company is. Some truly shady companies (like cable and phone carriers) can and do send things to collections under breach of contract.

There's a serious lack of personal accountability in this country and instead of doing like what the OP did and saying, "yeah I kinda bunged this one up." people blame it on "shady companies."

 

[RDJ]

it is SHADY, and NOT a common business practice legal or not. I am probably the biggest asshole on SVTP if not the planet when it comes to personal accountability and consequences. but COMMON business practice is to not do this kind of shit and cut the service if updated info is not provided. is what they did LEGAL? yes but that does not make it "not shady". I am willing to BET MONEY that the email the op got stated that the service would be cut off if he didn't provide the new info.

I never said I agreed with the practice. I simply stated it was lawful do to so. OP had a contract that he did not cancel and wrongly assumed that an expired card would cancel it for him.

Sirius/XM was kind enough to refund the OP, but not every company is. Some truly shady companies (like cable and phone carriers) can and do send things to collections under breach of contract.

There's a serious lack of personal accountability in this country and instead of doing like what the OP did and saying, "yeah I kinda bunged this one up." people blame it on "shady companies."

 

[ebrow21]

Bought a stand alone receiver in 2006?. Canceled subscription a couple of years later. Placed receiver in closet prior to cancellation (sold vehicle). Plugged receiver in a couple of years later. Voila.

Lifetime Sirius.

 

[ebrow21]

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