OT: Canceling Scout Membership

Submitted by maizenbluedevil on
So earlier this year I signed up for a Scout promo that was super cheap.

It’s expiring soon and I want to cancel it.

For those interested, here’s my review.

Sam and the other insiders almost never post. When they do - especially recently - it’s “insider info” of the “Miss Lippy’s car is green” category. Really not earth shattering stuff. Meanwhile, the board is FULL of hot take posts from the other users. Picture our snowflake threads spread out over several dozen redundant threads. So basically the board is wading through 99% shit to try and find the ocassional gem, which often isn’t all that great anyways. Yeah, not worth $10/month by any means. This site is worlds better, frankly.

So I tried to cancel just now, and of course, they make that info difficult to find. And once I find it, guess what?

YOU HAVE TO CALL THEM TO CANCEL.

Yep, in 2017, you can’t cancel an online service, you know, online.

To boot, you can only do this during business hours: no 24/7 customer service, no automated system.

I get that they want to retain customers and making it difficult to cancel helps them do so, but taking it to this degree is a downright shitty and underhanded way to do business.

I’m sharing this because it should be widely known. Had I known this going into the deal, I wouldn’t have signed up. Also, I would have considered signing up with them again once the merger with 247 is complete, but I won’t be doing that now either. They’ve lost my business, permanently.

Finally, if anyone knows a way to cancel online that’s so buried I just missed it, please let me know.

Streetchemist

September 29th, 2017 at 10:02 PM ^

Can't say I agree on the insider types almost never posting. It really depends on the time of the year. The last month has been pretty bad because it's such a dead period when it comes to recruiting. In the summer and Jan/Feb it's much much better.



I do agree on the canceling BS. I've done it before and yes I had to call. They will offer you a month or 2 for free.

evenyoubrutus

September 29th, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^

There's a lot of good stuff in August, and a lot of good stuff in January. Other than that there's almost nothing worth paying for. I'll admit I'm glad I have it now because Brian seems to have stopped reporting on the "tea leaves" of what's going on in practice and such, so it was nice to get some insider takes during camp. Outside of that, though, there's hardly anything you can't get anywhere else.

APBlue

September 30th, 2017 at 8:30 AM ^

Umm...is my sarcasm meter broken?  Not sure.  

He's already been charged for the services he's received.  If he changes his credit card prior to a renewal charge, he won't receive any further services. 

How would he be sent to collections?  He wouldn't have received anything.  He'll just receive an email saying his credit card didn't work.  

Von Burgenstein

September 30th, 2017 at 11:16 PM ^

No, you don't get sent to collections in this scenario, because they simply shut off your access online.  It's happened for me a few times over the years with Scout (and Rivals, for that matter), and each time, I just can't use the site anymore.  No collections, no hassle.

FWIW, as another poster stated, the summer tends to be pretty dead from a recruiting standpoint.  Sam, unlike some of the insiders at some of the other sites, will intentionally hold things back if he thinks putting the information out would either a) harm his sources (and therefore, his access) or b) harm Michigan football generally (i.e., harm their competitive advantage).  He'll also let the kids have their moment when it comes to commitments, generally (if they want to have it).  He's the best in the biz, but if you want a slew of rumors and guesses, you're on the wrong "insider" site.

Each of those insider sites have their own pros and cons.  Scout and 247sports Michigan sites will merge in the next few months, which should really lead to a derth of information for those on those sites.

Real Tackles Wear 77

September 29th, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^

You are either a Rivals employee or lying. Scout is chock full of insider info (Newkirk's story on the QB battle this week was worth the cost of subscription alone) and they are merging a 247 so within a few months you'll get Webb and Lorenz for one price.

goblue224

September 29th, 2017 at 10:28 PM ^

Are you sure about getting both for the price of one? From my understanding, the two sites will remain separate as wiil their subscription models. The merger has more to do with sharing prospect and player data than anything else.

When the 247/Scout merger first started a few weeks ago, it was made pretty clear on both boards that there were no plans for a the two Michigan sites to merge in to one.

fksljj

September 29th, 2017 at 10:16 PM ^

This is why I would always sign up for stuff with either gift cards or those vanilla visa credit cards. they are pretty much temporary credit cards and once the funds are gone they can't charge you anymore. even if it's a recurring membership type thing. i use this method for xbox live, netflix, porn, cough cough who buys porn these days.

Bo Nederlander

September 29th, 2017 at 10:18 PM ^

I've been with 247 for years now. There's some fluff, sure, but Lorenz is over there and that guy is seriously legit. Never posts bad info. I don't ever post over there, though. Not even close to what I post here and admittedly, I don't lose my shit over gaining/losing MgoPoints. I just enjoy being here and reading. 

SAMgO

September 29th, 2017 at 10:43 PM ^

I've had scout since like 2011 and have only had 247 insider for a little over a year and will fully admit that 247 is better. I'm glad they're merging soon because Sam's posts seem less and less frequent and the rest of that staff is essentially useless. Every interview from Brice is super generic and I don't think anyone besides Sam at scout has a real source. Lorenz, on the other hand, definitely has real sources and posts a lot (no radio show to keep him away). Plus I think Isiah and everyone else there does a good job and provides real information.

tspoon

September 30th, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^

Sam has Lorenz beat on the "sources" front, IMO.  But Lorenz is doing a good job at it too.

I think Sam's recruiting intel is still the best around.  But yes, it comes in spurts ... nature of the beast.

The scout site's revenue model is mostly subscriber-driven (247 is more about ads). So while I know how sucky that sort of process to deactivate is, I can't say I'm surprised to hear they try to have one live person try to hold onto you before you cut them off.

 

 

Sopwith

September 29th, 2017 at 10:34 PM ^

expecting a political thread about the Boy Scouts?

Yeah, I'm disappointed too. I've heard it's also hard to cancel Comcast and contracts for timeshare condos.

Craptain Crunch

September 29th, 2017 at 10:38 PM ^

You could have cancelled the subscription the day after you bought it and still enjoyed the durations of the subscription.

And you really shouldn't be bitching about Scout. You continued to use it all this time. You probably wasted more money on bad beer on a Saturday night than you did on Scout. 

MGoBrewMom

September 29th, 2017 at 10:56 PM ^

You get a super cheap subscription while the rest of us pay...which is actually fine..they're trying to sell stuff, I get that.

But then you come on here and sell that bullshit? Sorry its tough to get your money back, but I bet you're a real treat on your yelp reviews too.

Sam posts regularly, and the others are great too. Your review is shit.

MGoBrewMom

October 1st, 2017 at 2:40 AM ^

I never did get any free months. I wanted the Sam Webb info and signed up.

They give those offers to pull in new subscribers, which is cool...and for the people getting them, they get to try it out at a significant discount and opt out if they feel like OP did. Its a trial for Christ sake...you don't like it you opt out. Fine.

But to take time to write that post (which I find inaccurate), tells me he has plenty of time to navigate canceling a subscription.

Just seemed like a bitterman to me.

Mocha Cub

September 30th, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^

I’ve been a member on Scout for years and am considering canceling for the same reason as the OP. He’s right, Sam doesn’t post anywhere near as much as he used to, which has a lot to do with him working on the business side of the site more. Having to call to cancel an online subscription is bush league imo.

Mr. Yost

September 30th, 2017 at 10:11 PM ^

-1 for a SUPER OT hot take thread while we're in season.

+1 for calling out Scout for what it is.

I'm conflicted, so we'll call it a wash.

 

FWIW, it's 2017...all of that stuff is trash (in MY opinion). There is very little inside info that doesn't go public within the same hour. Social media pretty much killed it.

All those sites are good for...is knowing if someone is a soft commit, because a recruit will tell Sam and it won't be "public" info and he'll give gut feels and all that stuff. Stuff like Peppers is out for the Orange Bowl? He reported it first and I knew 30 minutes later with no subscription.

In all, again IMO, it's all a complete waste of money to have something a half hour before the world has it. You're basically just paying for the opinions of people we trust. If I'm paying all that money, I better get some FACTS. For some that is worth it...for me, nope.