Record the steps, required channels and confirmation in each journey. Describe the obstacle specifically instead of assuming that any extra step is deceptive.
Trace both journeys. A count of buttons helps only when you also record what each requires.
Imagine a fictional subscription that starts online in three steps. Cancellation requires finding a hidden page, calling during office hours and repeating account details. You can sign up any time but must find time for a call to leave. Counting buttons misses that extra work.
First establish the billing route. Reddit’s subscription help provides a concrete example: cancellation depends on how the subscription was purchased. App-store purchases may need cancellation through the store. Direct purchases may use the service’s website.
Read the diagram
| Item | Question or meaning |
|---|---|
| Find cancellation | Which page, app store or phone number? |
| Complete the steps | Can you do it now or only during office hours? |
| Read the confirmation | When does billing stop? When does access end? |
Record the available route, when it can be used, any required information and the final billing state. A retention offer adds a step only if it blocks the cancellation task; an optional offer beside a visible cancellation control has a different structure.
Keep the confirmation. “Request received,” “paused” and “cancelled from the next renewal” describe different outcomes. Check when billing stops and whether you keep access until the paid period ends.
The FTC’s subscription guidance discusses difficult cancellation practices. If you need help, describe the exact step blocking cancellation and ask when billing will stop.
Sources
Reddit: Cancel a Reddit subscriptionA first-party example of billing-channel-specific cancellation.
FTC: Free trials, auto-renewals and subscriptionsConsumer guidance; actual terms and local rules still need checking.