Autosubscription Scheme of HelloFresh - I Feel Like Customers Are Being Cheated

Lozbdude on 12/01/2019 - 09:01
Last edited 12/01/2019 - 09:36 by 2 other users

I purchased a meal package from HelloFresh couple of weeks ago which got delivered on 2-12-18. The very next week on Friday the 7th, I received an SMS saying the food will be delivered next day to which I emailed their Customer support saying I never intended for this order. Received a reply saying too late to be able to cancel the order.

Seems like their system auto-subscribes to weekly delivery which you can manually unsubscribe but if gone overlooked you'll be paying for something you didn't intend to purchase which I believe is kind of fraud as purchase decision should always be intentional. It's like you walking in a shopping centre and the staff throwing stuff in your trolly thinking you might want to buy it with an option to yourself remove those items at checkout.

I was already charged $91 on PayPal so I opened a dispute and later got refunded. And today, HelloFresh send an email saying payment outstanding and late fee might apply if I didn't clear this soon.

It's just $91 but I feel like escalating the matter to Consumer Court as the way it's being done (auto subscription) is probably not right.

Please advise if it's worth escalating or just pay and move on.

Related Stores

HelloFresh

• 

  loulou1 on 12/01/2019 - 09:06

  +15

  When you order it tells you it is a subscription prior to placing the order, it also tells you this in the emails. I hate this business model but unfortunately I think you are stuck with it.
  What a lot of people do is order the first box, put the subsciption on hold for the next few weeks, then cancel the subscription once the first box arrives.

  • ozbdude on 12/01/2019 - 09:12 Comment score below threshold.
    • 

      jorf on 12/01/2019 - 09:19

      +5

      It's their model though - it's always been like this and they're not hiding it. It's a subscription meal service and they allow you to cancel up to a certain time before the next delivery.

      I personally don't like these models, but that's what it is.

    • 

      HighAndDry on 12/01/2019 - 14:30

      There's no one off purchase. You are subscribing.

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  redfox1200 on 12/01/2019 - 09:19

  people have to eat food everyday, so it would be expected that a food delivery service like this would be subscription by default

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  mysterytal on 12/01/2019 - 09:23

  Hello Fresh will not chase you too much for the money. I've had several unrequested boxes delivered in the past told the debt collection operator I had cancelled and they never rang again.

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  Apple96 on 12/01/2019 - 10:50

  +7

  from their ToS

  "HelloFresh is a subscription service. We deliver until you tell us not to.
  You can adjust your subscription at any time. There is no minimum term.
  The cut-off time for subscription adjustments (pauses, cancellations, order restarts, address and box type changes) varies by state and contact medium and are as follows:
  All cut-off times are communicated in your state’s local time. Updates to your account must be submitted by the below times, the week prior to your next delivery.
  These cut-off times are effective from Tuesday 13th February 2018 until further notice.
  State Online or App based Acct Mgt Phone or Email
  NSW, VIC, ACT 11:59 pm Wednesday local time 4:00 pm Wednesday local time
  QLD 10:59 pm Wednesday local time 3:00 pm Wednesday local time
  SA, NT 10:29 pm Tuesday local time 2:30 pm Tuesday local time
  WA 8:59 pm Tuesday local time 1:00 pm Tuesday local time"
  https://www.hellofresh.com.au/termsandconditions/?redirected…

  You agreed to those terms when you signed up. its not fraud. its you making the mistake and wanting to put the blame on someone else.

• 

  chumlee on 12/01/2019 - 11:28

  -1

  Hello Fresh sucker

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  ronnknee on 12/01/2019 - 11:33

  +8

  That's exactly what their business model is like ie. a subscription service. It's always intended to be that way.

  You wanting the first box free and then unsubscribing straight after is in a way, "cheating" them more than they are "cheating" you. Don't get me wrong, I do it too and so do many others. The point is - the onus is on you to remember to cancel the subscription, just like with anything else eg. Amazon Prime and eBay Plus free trials. Otherwise, if you get charged for the next billing period, then it's your fault. It's a fair game.

  • 

    flamesinfour on 12/01/2019 - 13:36

    +2

    "Netflix first month free (then $17.99/mth thereafter)"

    Got it for my kids entertainment over these school holidays.

    As soon as I signed up I set a calendar reminder on the phone for the week before the month is up, with a daily alarm to cancel the subscription </protip>.

  • 

    Apple96 on 12/01/2019 - 13:48

    +3

    waits for next Autosubscription Scheme of (Netflix/Ebay Plus/Amazon Prime/Phone contract/ect) - I Feel Like Customers Are Being Cheated post

    • 

      dcep on 12/01/2019 - 20:43

      +1

      Autosubscription Scheme of (Ozb forum notification) - I Feel Like Customers Are Being Cheated post

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  Imhereforcomments on 12/01/2019 - 12:32

  So did you end up eating the box you got refunded for?

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  crashloaded on 12/01/2019 - 13:58

  Youfoods is the same, the best thing to do with auto-renewals is to pay with paypal then remove them from the authorised renewal list in your paypal account after the first payment.

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  Ace Ventura on 12/01/2019 - 16:50

  +3

  On the purchase screen it says;

  HelloFresh is a weekly auto-renewing subscription service. Pause or cancel in your online account by Tuesday 11:59PM AEST/AEDT (for WA, SA, NT) or by Wednesday 11:59PM AEST/AEDT (for Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic.) the week prior to your next delivery. Note: Full value e-Giftcards are exempt from this policy, as they are 'one-off' purchases.

  Right under the price.
  Doesnt exactly seem underhanded or manipulative. They didn't trick you into subscribing, you simply didn't read the information they presented plain as day.