Walmart Plus members have raised concerns over the difficulty of canceling their Paramount Plus subscription without also losing their entire Walmart Plus membership. This issue has sparked frustration among subscribers who claim the process is intentionally made more challenging in an effort to retain their business.
Walmart Plus and Paramount Plus: A Complicated Relationship
Walmart Plus, the retailer’s membership program designed to compete with Amazon Prime, offers a variety of benefits for a monthly fee of $12.95 or an annual fee of $98. One of its notable perks is a free Paramount Plus subscription, which provides access to streaming content. However, several shoppers have recently reported that when they attempted to cancel only the Paramount Plus service, they were forced to cancel their entire Walmart Plus membership.
One longtime subscriber, Brian, voiced his frustration on social media, asking, “@Walmart why is it so hard to cancel your Paramount subscription through Walmart Plus without canceling your entire subscription?” He questioned whether Walmart and Paramount were intentionally complicating the cancellation process to keep customers from leaving.
The Growing Complaints
Brian wasn’t the only one facing issues. In a follow-up post, he declared that he would cancel his entire Walmart Plus membership just to get rid of Paramount Plus. “Now I’m canceling my whole membership since your company is trying to make it harder to cancel Paramount without canceling Walmart Plus,” he fumed.
Walmart quickly responded to Brian’s complaint, promising to “figure this out” and requesting further information in a private message. It’s unclear if the conversation continued beyond that.
Walmart’s Official Response
When approached by The U.S. Sun for comment, a Walmart spokesperson clarified that because Paramount Plus is a benefit included with the Walmart Plus membership, there is no way to cancel the streaming service separately. “There is currently no option to cancel the Paramount+ subscription separately without canceling Walmart+ membership,” the spokesperson explained. However, they noted that members could choose not to activate or use the Paramount Plus benefit if they wished to avoid the service.
Walmart also assured customers that they are listening to feedback and will continue to explore ways to offer more flexibility in their membership offerings. Paramount did not immediately respond to the inquiry for comment.
Exclusive Deals for Walmart Plus Members
For those still holding onto their Walmart Plus membership, the retailer is offering exclusive discounts through their week-long member sales event, which runs from April 28 to May 4. Some of the notable deals include 50 cents off every gallon of gas, up to two free sandwiches at Burger King daily, a free Express Delivery order, $5 in Walmart Cash, and an upgraded Paramount Plus subscription with Showtime for six months.
Seth Dallaire, Walmart’s executive vice president and chief growth officer, emphasized the retailer’s commitment to providing “unmatched value” to its members. “We recognize and appreciate the loyalty of our Walmart+ members, who continue to utilize and enjoy the diverse range of benefits available across multiple categories, such as streaming, travel, and fast food,” Dallaire said.
The frustration surrounding the difficulty of canceling Paramount Plus without canceling Walmart Plus highlights a growing issue for customers seeking more flexibility in their memberships. While Walmart has stated that they are listening to feedback, many members are hoping for a more straightforward way to manage their subscriptions in the future. Until then, Walmart Plus members can still enjoy the range of benefits the service offers, but the cancellation process remains a point of contention.
