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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has introduced new "Click-to-Cancel" regulations aimed at simplifying the process for customers to cancel subscriptions. These rules apply to all recurring payment programs, including subscriptions, free-to-paid trials, and automatic renewals.

As a merchant on UltraCart, you must ensure that canceling a subscription is as easy as signing up for one. This guide outlines how UltraCart helps you comply and what steps you can take to meet the new federal and state-level requirements.

🚨 Key Requirements from the FTC​

  • Equal Access: If customers sign up online, they must be able to cancel online—no phone call or live chat required.

  • Prominent and Simple: The cancellation process must be obvious, fast, and easy to execute.

  • No Misrepresentation: You cannot mislead customers about the cost, features, or cancellation process.

  • Affirmative Consent: Customers must explicitly consent to any negative option feature (e.g., auto-renewals).

  • Compliance Deadline: Businesses must comply within 180 days of publication in the Federal Register.

UltraCart provides multiple solutions to help you meet these requirements.

✅ UltraCart Merchant Options for Easy Cancellation​

Customers who subscribe to a product will automatically receive an email that includes a direct cancellation link. This allows them to cancel at any time from their inbox, without logging in.

TIP: Make sure your subscription email templates include the cancel link and are not removed or overwritten.

You can add a cancel subscription link directly on your website (e.g., in your Help Center, footer, or FAQ). This is the fastest way to meet the "click-to-cancel" rule.

🔍 To find your account's cancel link:​

NAVIGATE:
Main Menu → Configuration → Order Management → Auto Order Processing

STEPS:

  1. Scroll to the “Links” section at the bottom.

  2. Copy the Cancel Subscription link.

  3. Paste it in a prominent place on your site.

Customers clicking this link will be taken directly to a cancellation page—no login required.

3. Virtual Assistant Chat​

UltraCart’s Virtual Assistant Web Chat can validate customers and allow them to manage their subscriptions directly within the chat window—including real-time cancellations.

This option works well for merchants who signed up customers via chat or who use chat for ongoing support.

4. Customer Portal Cancel Option​

If you use the My Account customer portal, customers can also cancel their subscriptions there.

NAVIGATE:
My Account → Subscriptions → [Select Subscription] → Cancel

This self-service option aligns with FTC guidelines and supports a seamless user experience.
In addition to the required cancellation option, the customer portal can be configured to allow the customer other options to cancelling, such as skipping a delivery or pausing the delivery, changing the next shipment date. These options may help retain the customer.

5. Custom Portal via REST API​

If you maintain a custom customer portal, use the UltraCart REST API to implement a cancellation endpoint.

🔗 Relevant Endpoint:​

DELETE /rest/subscription/{subscriptionId}

Use this to trigger real-time cancellations in your custom interface.

📝 Final Notes​

UltraCart helps you stay compliant with both federal FTC regulations and state-level automatic renewal laws by making cancellation:

  • Frictionless

  • Visible and accessible

  • Consistent with the original sign-up method

We recommend placing at least one cancel option on your public site and verifying that your email templates include a working cancellation link.

Need help implementing your cancellation options?

📩 Contact UltraCart Support at support@ultracart.com

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