Cancel Culture: More Consumers Would Subscribe If Canceling Was Easier (New Report)

A few weeks ago, the Magazine Manager blog highlighted a study by Toolkits and National Research Group that showed consumers growing trust in brand-published content over content from traditional media organizations.

Those same consumers were also asked about their subscriptions to digital publications, and 67% said they’d be more likely to purchase a new subscription if the cancellation process was easier.

(Source: Toolkits)

“Converting new subscribers is becoming increasingly challenging for many publishers as competition for consumer attention intensifies and they begin to search for growth beyond their most engaged and loyal audience segments,” writes Toolkits’ Jack Marshall. “The data suggest that easier cancellation processes could actually help publishers drive incremental conversions and revenue: If consumers are confident they can easily cancel subscriptions, they might be more likely to subscribe in the first place.”

More than half (51%) of respondents said they’ve encountered some sort of difficulty during their most recent cancellation experience. 77% said they’d support legislation that mandated one-click cancellation and “changes that give them greater control over how and when they’re charged.”

“No subscription business likes churn,” Marshall writes, “but easier cancellation processes may give them greater visibility into who finds value in their products and why.”