On Disputes and Chargebacks, Please Don’t

There are easier ways to cancel your paid subscription than contacting your bank and lying that it was a “fraudulent charge.” I know mistakes happen - people regret a charge, or you didn’t mean to renew. I understand all of that. But you might not realize that your mistake costs me on my end, especially since 1) I offer most of my stuff for free, and 2) I would give you a refund if I were able, thus saving myself the additional charge.

I wouldn't have charged anyone after they canceled the subscription. But it is simpler just to contact me directly: sashastone@gmail.com.

Basically, no one ever “wins” the dispute because most companies simply prefer to take the loss. This is by far the hardest thing about running a Substack. You are depending on the kindness of your readers, and I operate on a high-trust policy and am lucky that so many people are kind enough to be paid subscribers or pay tips.

My paying subscribers literally are my only income at the moment so I really need to start offering them something better than just the same free stuff everyone else gets. But here are my numbers at the moment:

I prefer the old way of writing for free so more people can read, especially those who can’t afford a sub.

But please don’t do the chargebacks. It’s not even about the money; it’s the principle of the thing. I would never defraud anyone.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. And thank you for your unending generosity and kindness. It means more to me than you know.

Here is more info on how to manage your subscription: