A new FCC regulation will take the friction out of canceling subscriptions. Media should be ready to offer subscribers meaningful reasons to stay.
We’ve all been there, just trying to cancel a subscription, stuck in a loop of clunky customer service calls, buried cancellation buttons or surprise charges after a forgotten free trial. Now that’s changing as the FCC’s “click to cancel” regulation is coming into force July 14. It means subscription services — including streaming or pay TV providers — must offer an easy, immediate path to cancel in the same way they were initiated. No more phone-only cancellations, obscure online forms or tricky auto-renewal traps.
I’ve worked across digital media, telco and subscription-based businesses for many years. This is a big win for subscription transparency. But it also signals a deeper shift, one that challenges platforms that have invested extensively to acquire new users to rethink how they build and sustain consumer relationships.
Simple Fixes, New Customer Touchpoints
Most modern services can meet the new requirements including updated policy wording, confirmation emails, opt-in buttons and automated cancellation flows. At the same time, teams must navigate regional variations — including more strict annual notification rules in California and clearer disclosure mandates in New York — and be nimble enough to make system configurations on the fly as new regulations emerge, countering any potential fines or negative press, along with back-end tweaks. It’s about recognizing the trust opportunity. Every sign-up, trial and cancellation becomes a moment to demonstrate value.
For many services — from broadband to streaming and gaming — cancellation is now easier, meaning marketing and product teams need to work smarter to retain users. Think of cancellation not as a threat, but a moment to win back loyalty. Many are redesigning their cancellation flows with feedback collection, personalized offers, (seasonal) pause/resume and downgrade options — small changes that preserve relationships, even if users choose to leave. A positive cancellation experience matters as much as wowing someone on day one. Experience shows that personalized offers at the point of cancellation can save up to 20% of users from leaving the service.
Keeping Subscribers Happy Is Cheaper Than Losing Them
With stronger consumer protection and shifting expectations, rigid subscription models no longer cut it. We’re seeing a rise in personalized pricing — from pay-per-view and weekend passes to mix-and-match bundles that blend sports, news or movies. If you give people more perceived control, they’re more likely to stick around. Bundling is also proven to improve retention, so expect to see more distribution partnerships across streaming, connectivity and even healthcare.
Let’s look at free trials. I’ve spoken to providers who wrestle with repeat trial abusers — users who cancel before billing kicks in, then rejoin with new credentials. That behavior isn’t going away, but smarter trial management is evolving. Many are shifting to heavily discounted trials or dynamically adjusting based on user behavior. Why? Because it’s widely understood that acquiring a new subscriber costs far more than keeping one.
Champion Your Marketing Teams
Even if most businesses are already well-prepared for click-to-cancel compliance, behind the scenes, marketing and customer success teams should be taking a bigger role. Tracking real-time behavior, running win-back campaigns and understanding why churn happens is now mission critical. Segmenting by demographics is no longer enough — it’s about knowing what people watch and when and how they engage.
Segmentation is no longer a static exercise, but an ongoing, real-time mission that detects and resets each time a customer adds a service, watches a PPV event or calls customer care. Good marketing gets people interested. Great marketing keeps them there, prompting them to upgrade to premium tiers, bolt on new services or re-engage after quiet periods.
Subscribers don’t just want easier exits — they want meaningful reasons to stay. That means timely offers, services that flex with their needs and experiences that make them feel understood — whether they’re joining, pausing or even leaving. Give your marketers the flexibility they need to be successful and authentic. In a market of constant choice and consumer control, trust and agility will be your best retention tools.
Greg Sigel is SVP, strategic accounts, at Evergent.
