Pen M.

When dealing with an overseas online company with only email contact one needs to be very sure they are trustworthy ESPECIALLY when they expect you to set up a direct debit to pay for ongoing subscriptions.
But don't worry this business has terms and conditions page to keep everyone safe.
1. Do their terms and conditions state that all a consumer has to do to cancel a subscription is to notify Starnow via email? YES.
2. Do their terms and conditions state that after cancellation no further subscription fees will be taken out? Yes.

Gee that's super easy what a great trustworthy business hey?

Let's see...
3. Did I send an email request cancelling my subscription? YES.
4. Did they acknowledge receipt of my cancellation email? YES
5. Did the send me an unsolicited offer for free starnow time? YES
6. Did The terms and conditions tell me I had to reply to the offer email so that my cancellation would be actioned? NO.
7. Did the offer email state I needed to reply in order for my cancellation to be actioned? NO
8. Do I lawfully have to respond for my cancellation to be actioned? NO.
9. Did I respond? No
10. Did they direct debit a subscription fee months later (surely not)? Yes.
11. When I brought it to their attention did they apologise and refund me the money? NO
12. Did they claim that because I didn't respond to their offer email my cancellation was not actioned? YES
13. Have I subsequently needed to fight tooth and nail to have my money returned? YES

You decide whether they are trustworthy or not.

Starnow continues to take subscription payments after you have notified them of cancellation as per their terms and conditions. They then refuse to refund payments made AFTER cancellation request made claiming it's against their refund policy.
Facts:
1. In April 2020 I requested (via email contact section of my profile page) to cancel my subscription in April 20. (I ADHERED TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS)
2. I received automated acknowledgment email.
3. I then received a email acknowledging my request and offered my some perks if I remained. - this email DID NOT state that if I did not reply they would ignore my cancellation notification.
4. I did not reply (although i lawfully don't need to)
5. They took no action and did not cancel my
6. In July 2020 Direct debited $38... for 6 months subscription.
7. I sent an email requesting a refund for ONLY the amount taken out of my account in July 2020. I DID NOT seek a refund of any unused subscription (between April and July)
8. I received an email starting that they had received my request had sent me the offer and since I didn't respond "no further action was taken"
9. They then refused to refund me the amount taken out in July because it was against their refund policy. They also then asked whether I wanted to take up the original offer or confirm cancellation.

Wording from their site:
* Cancellation.To cancel, you must give StarNow prior notice that you wish to cancel this payment authorisation or wish to change your payment method. Such notice will not affect payments processed before StarNow reasonably could act. To cancel your authorisation or change your Payment Method, go to your subscription page or email contact# starnow. If you cancel, you may use your subscription until the end of your then-current subscription term; your subscription will not be renewed after your then-current term expires and no further subscription payments will be taken. No partial or prorated refunds will be given for unused portions of your subscription term.

I adhered to the TC's and was not requesting refund for unused portion.

Starnow is apparently claiming that as I did not respond to their email offer they did not cancel subscription as a requested. This is them breaching their TC's.
Btw I note that from the NZ Fair trading act
Pro-forma invoicing and inertia selling when traders bill you for products or services you didn't agree to buy. You don't have to pay if you never agreed to the sale. Your silence does not show agreement... my lack of response to unsolicited email offer in response to my cancellation email is not an acknowledgment that I no longer wanted to cancel.
BTW when I emailed them in relation to my issue I was again given the option to take up the offer... in response to my noreply... not only did they not cancel my subscription but they also did not supply the offer as emailed.
They continue to refused to refund me money taken from my account after my cancelation email.