Stamps.com Buy and print postage online in minutes. El Segundo, California

Hi EileenJG,
 
Stamps.com appreciates your feedback, and apologizes for any misunderstanding.  We offer a four week no-risk trial so that you may use our online postage service and determine if the service fits your mailing and shipping needs.  Please note that we do not offer a "free trial" -- our trial is labeled as "no risk trial."
 
If you do not like the Stamps.com service, you may cancel at any time during the four week trial period and you will not be charged any subscription fee for using the service.  However if you do not cancel the Stamps.com service and go past your four week trial period, you will be charged $15.99 for using the service during that first "trial" month.   After you pass the four week trial period and become a regular customer, you will be charged $15.99 each month moving forward.  You may cancel at any time -- there is no long term agreement.
 
During the registration process for Stamps.com and before a customer's account has been created, (on the page called Postage Account Credit Card Authentication) all prospective customers will see the following text:
 
Why do you need my credit card information? 
Your credit card is required by the USPS to set up your USPS postage account.  Your credit card will not be charged unless you buy additional postage or Stamps.com products, or if you continue past the NO-RISK 4-week trial period. 
 
We provide and disclose terms that we do expect all potential customers to read, review, and agree to before they create their accounts.  Accounts cannot be created without customers indicating that they have read the terms by clicking on the I Agree box. 
 
In your comment, you also mentioned that you had to wait for the kit in order to print postage.  That statement is not accurate - You do not have to wait to receive your kit in order to print postage.  Once you have completed registration, you can log into your Stamps.com account to print postage directly onto envelopes or shipping labels on plain 8.5 inch x 11 inch paper.
 
We apologize for any misunderstanding and would be happy to further review your account. Could you e-mail us your full name and phone number to social@stamps.com?
 
Thanks!
Divya
Stamps.com

First, let me say I do not work for, nor know anyone that works for Stamps.com.  I am a former customer of theirs that did have to deal with my monthly subscription fee continuing to come out of my checking account for months after I cancelled my subscription of 5 years.

During that five years and, until I cancelled, I had no complaints.  The absolutely resolved the issue after cancellation by continuing to refund my money.  Even though it took about 4 months to fix the problem, they willingly fixed it every time I contacted them.

I'm again looking for an online postage printing system and just reviewed their current plans.  I notice that if you simply click on Get Started from their home page, the page that comes up does not discuss subscription fees.  For those at Stamps.com viewing this:  perhaps an asterisk with a nod toward fees would be good on this page.

However, if you click on any of the numerous links (i.e., the 'Special Offer 80.00 Value' box, or the 'Learn More' link at the very top of the home page, right next to the Stamps.com logo, you get information on how the trial period works and the various monthly subscription fees depending on which plan you choose to test.

I may have been very frustrated by what happened when I cancelled, but in all fairness, other than that they followed through with everything they told me they'd do.  Once my trial period was over (during which time they sent me a 5 lb. scale and a Dymo label printer), I was given a choice of continuing and then either paying for the equipment or returning it - - I don't remember which one.  They'd promised to send me free labels and free stamps sheets to print regular stamps by using my PC's printer and they did all of that.

You really need to take the time to read any FAQ's on a site you are considering using, as well as click on any "learn more" links you can find.  Had you done that you'd have easily seen the info on all charges.