I have been using Active.com to sign up for different sports events for a while now. It’s very convenient. But it is has a major, major flaw: at the end of registration they attempt to sell you junk FROM WITHIN THE REGISTATION PAGE. I find this really irritating, and worse they default to add you to a mailing list. Is anyone else bothered by this? I want to see it changed. I emailed them and they just said I could opt out if I was bothered by it. But this is such a hassle…who has time to sit around opting out of stuff all day? I’m usually pressed for time just trying to sign up for stuff (or even post things on ST.)
By comparison, I have no problem with the way Slowtwitch is run regarding advertisements. The ads on ST are based purely on voluntary clicking. The ST ads are also devoted to tri-related gear, events, etc. and are actually somewhat helpful to me. It would be very easy for Active.com to do the same thing. If Active.com can’t get rid of their cumbersome pay process, is there any chance that ST can become a competitor and do the process right?
This is all it takes to irritate you in life, a default button that you need to click in order to not be placed on a mailing list?
You must be a hoot.
Yeah, wetsuit sponsors LOVE it when Active trys to sell a wetsuit as part of the registration for my events…
I agree with you that the active.com advertisements cross the line. Active.com is a service we all pay for, and race directors pay for. Its horseshit to have to manually opt out of things.
Its a bullshit business practice for anyone to do that for a non free service, and certainly opens the door for a competitor to enter the market more easily.
Wow, I just received 2 emails from active.com. I tried to unsubscribe and the website wouldn’t allow me to access my account. I hate active.com.
agreed…
I wouldn’t mind paying the “convenience” fee (thanks ticketmaster for starting that horseshit) if I didnt have to see ads as I was registering for an event. All bullshit that we can’t get around…
I have been using Active.com to sign up for different sports events for a while now. It’s very convenient. But it is has a major, major flaw: at the end of registration they attempt to sell you junk FROM WITHIN THE REGISTATION PAGE. I find this really irritating, and worse they default to add you to a mailing list. Is anyone else bothered by this? I want to see it changed.
I agree completely. It’s a pretty sleazy business practice that should have no place in endurance sports. As competitors, I suppose we have other options for registering for many events, but those options are usually a PITA. Active themselves must think it works as a business model, so what can be done? How about RD’s? Can they put more pressure on Active than us racer-peons?