EMusic.com
Refusing Refund after Trial Expired

I finally submitted to the eMusic trial that I'm told about each time I install Winamp and was underwhelmed with their selection. For the 14 day trial you get 50 free downloads, but are restricted in what you can select. This is understandable, as the record companies control this.

Overall, the store is nice, and finding what you want is not terribly difficult. I understand they are adding new music all the time and recently updated their catalog. I'm not opposed to becoming a customer when my finances permit.

However - I attempted to cancel my trial before it expired (by more than a few days) and was charged anyways. At first my subscription fee was declined because I didn't have any money the checking account I used. So I went to PayPal, whom I setup billing with, and turned of the payment agreement. Somehow they pushed the charge again and I was then charged, plus fees which my bank later dropped (KeyBank, who I love!).

I've tried to contact both PayPal and eMusic for a simple refund of the subscription price and have had no progress. First, I'm upset there was no warning e-mail that the trial would expire. I understand why, I worked for companies that tried this same method, but it's poor customer service and loses customers in the long run. On the other hand I went through the process on their website to cancel prior to this and it should have been stopped.

Afterward I went ahead an canceled the subscription even though I paid for it and have not gone back to the site just to show that I'm simply not interested in the service. I am, I guess, forfeiting downloads that I've paid for - but I don't want them. I would think using the service and wanting a refund would be dishonest on my part.

Being that the charge is a measly $11.99 I'm surprised they can't issue a refund, it would be reflect better on them than being difficult about it and pointing to the fine print (I'm much more in need of that money, I'd suspect, than they are at this point in my life). What's more, when I canceled after they took the payment they offered me more free subscription time to stay on board! So just refund me and call it even instead. This was kind of a slap in the face.

Company: EMusic.com
Country: USA

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