Substack team - I’ve had far too many paid subscribers complain that they can’t figure out how to stop paying for a subscription. Others don’t bother complaining, and just submit a chargeback with their credit card company. I literally had another person contact me today who was unsubscribed from emails, and was confused why he was still being charged.

As a paid subscriber, if I look at a newsletter, the only management style link you can see on an email is “Unsubscribe.”

If you click on that link, it takes you to a page which offers an ability to “unsubscribe”. No mention of a paid newsletter. What adds to the complexity is that you “subscribe” to a free newsletter, and “subscribe” to a paid newsletter (by paying). Even the words people use are the same thing.

I understand that some customers may want to unsubscribe from emails and keep paying, but pretending that others don’t want to stop paying is rude and insulting to our paid customers.

We absolutely can do better. Minimally:

1) We should indicate on that page that you’re a paid subscriber. “You’re currently paying for this newsletter. Unsubscribing from the email will not cancel your paid subscription.”

2) We should have a link on that page to manage your paid subscription. “To manage your paid subscription, please click here.”

Right now I have no excuse to give to my customers apart from apologizing for the Substack platform, and refunding their money. We can do better.

Chris Best Hamish McKenzie