Membership Renewal

cmarkj,

Thank you for contacting Good Sam. If your wife wants to renew early, the renewal will start in August. If you have any other questions, please let us know.

Thanks,
Stacy
Good Sam Care Team

Thanks, just renewed.

Hello cmarkj,

Thank you for your membership and have a good day!
Ella
Good Sam Care Team

Along the same lines, we have the GS Platinum Roadside Insurance. I have to renew the end of April. I received a bill in January saying it was $130, then I received another bill (because I ignored the first since it was not due yet) that said "Limited Time Offer" and it was now $140. So when I went online to my account, it said $140 is due so I called them. I was told yeah, something like that, then I was offered $124 a year if I renewed for two years at a time and set it up automatically. I don't like automatic charges on my CC, so they said I'll receive a notice 45 days in advance and can opt out. I'll keep my eye out for that.
Second issue, we have an extended warranty and the same is happening with that. It's not due till the end of May, so I'll have to call in for the original price.
It's just this year that this type of sales approach has been used. This shouldn't happen and we shouldn't have to feel like we are being charged extra over a bill not yet due.
We budget our funds and don't have the money two months in advance of when it is due, but when my bills are due, they are paid on time.

Hello ReneeG,

Thank you for your time and providing your feedback. Please provide your contact number in a private message. I will look into this issue further.

Thank you,
Ella
Good Sam Care Team

This is a fairly common practice on most subscription services. They count on people being too lazy to look up when their subscription expires and just about NONE of the paperwork you get for the renewal will have that renewal date. Take 3, 4, 5, or even 6 months early at your subscription rate and multiply it by a million or more subscribers. A handy piece of change and it's you who are giving it to them early. I can make a very nice return for that 6 months or so by keeping that money in my investment account. I don't need to give them that bonus. Not only that, I think this practice borders on deceptive and false advertising, and when I see ANY COMPANY doing it, my opinion of their business practices and moral responsibility drops into the basement. My renewal either heads to the competitor, or goes in at the last minute if that company is the only one offering a unique service.

This is a practice that is done by many memberships/organizations. As a past bass tournament angler I have had memberships in BASS, American Bass Anglers, FLW, and several other organizations. They always offer early renewals, sometimes with discounts. Sometimes with special gifts. Even the American Legion will send me renewal requests 6 months early. All for a good reason. To obtain funds that can be invested and earn dividends prior ever needing to use those funds for any payout the may or may not need. It beats inflation. It isn't some outrageous, sneaky, scheme to defraud anyone. It's a way of ensuring the organization's life and provide what services if offers. It also helps that organization judge prospective future for the Org.

As for expiration dates of memberships, GS is right on the card, as is GS Roadside Assistance, and same as the others I mentioned. Not that difficult to use it as a reminder to check an expiration date. You either decide to renew at that time or not. Just not something that gets my blood pressure up.

This may not sit well with some, but I guess I just look at it as a part of a good business plan.

Billing for renewal five or six months in advance is asking for an interest-free loan if there is no decent incentive benefit for the customer. Automatic renewal might be something that a customer could choose but should not have to opt out of if he never chose it himself. The real insult comes with Good Sam's requirement for binding arbitration. What horrible thing might a company do that requires protection from their own customers! If that is not bad enough, Good Sam reserves its own right to seek court relief against its customer before completed arbitration.

My membership in Good Sam and its Roadside Assistance are expiring - for good.

Hello,

I am closing this topic due to lack of activity. Thank you for your time and participating. Please feel free to open a new thread on this topic in the future if you wish.

Thank you,
Ella
Good Sam Care Team