The Ultimate Step by Step Guide to Cancelling a The Seattle Times Subscription or Membership (seattletimes.com)
By
Bella K.
|
Published
June 30, 2025
|
Updated
July 1, 2025
The Seattle Times offers subscriptions mainly for digital news access and home delivery of their paper. You can manage your subscription easily online to do things like pause your delivery for vacation, switch to paperless billing, or set up autopay. They bill every four weeks through credit cards, checks, PayPal, and other options, and subscriptions auto-renew unless you cancel by calling customer service. If you stop your subscription before the renewal date, you can get a refund for any unused stuff.
Cancellation requires calling customer service, which is straightforward but less convenient than online cancellation. The instructions are clear, but the need to make a phone call adds a small level of difficulty and time requirement.
Estimated Time
On average, it takes 10 minutes0010 minutes to cancel a The Seattle Times subscription.
How to Cancel The Seattle Times: Step by Step
If you purchased through The Seattle Times directly:
Call Customer Service:
Dial 1.800.542.0820 for assistance (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada).
How to Contact The Seattle Times
If you need assistance, here's how you can get in touch with The Seattle Times's support team.
Tips and Tricks for Getting a The Seattle Times Refund
Call during early business hours to avoid long wait times and get a more responsive representative.
Be very direct and firm in your language, clearly stating "I want to cancel my subscription immediately." Avoid ambiguous terms like "pause" or "put on hold."
Keep repeating your cancellation request if initially ignored or if they attempt retention tactics.
Request confirmation of cancellation by email or reference number to prevent future charges.
Use calm but assertive tone to avoid aggressive retention responses but don't back down.
Escalate the call to a supervisor if the first representative refuses to cancel or ignores the request.
Prepare for multiple calls—sometimes cancellation requires persistence over several calls.
Document dates, times, and names of customer service reps and keep notes of what was said for evidence if billing disputes arise.
If repeated calls fail, consider contacting your bank or credit card company to stop payments or dispute charges.
Avoid cancellations via online or email since they often require phone call confirmations.
Be aware of potential early termination fees related to promotional offers and ask for detailed explanation if fees are mentioned.
Timing is key: Try to cancel just before your next billing cycle to avoid additional charges.
Why Do People Request Refunds from The Seattle Times
Persistent delivery after cancellation: Subscribers continue to receive newspapers despite cancellation requests.
Active subscriptions despite multiple cancellation requests: Accounts remain active and auto-pay continues despite assurances.
Unclear billing and charges: Unexpected charges including promotional items and undisclosed early termination fees.
Forced credit card cancellations: Some customers must cancel credit cards to stop future charges.
Confusion over subscription status and billing: Frustration due to unclear communication and billing after cancellation attempts.
Biased newspaper content: Perceived bias in newspaper content prompting cancellations.
Bad digital billing experience: Lack of detailed e-billing information requiring calls for bill details.
Removal of vacation stop credits: No credit for stopping physical paper delivery despite continuing delivery holds.
Poor mobile app experience: Lack of search functionality, poor news story ordering, and difficulty navigating content on mobile apps.
Inconsistent digital subscriber experience: Mediocre to poor digital access and inconsistent cross-platform experience.
The Seattle Times Refund Script
Script
Copy
Dear The Seattle Times, Support, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to request a refund due to a billing issue that arose recently. I noticed an accidental charge on my account that I do not recognize, and I believe it may have been a mistake. I would greatly appreciate your assistance in processing this refund at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt response. Best regards,
The Seattle Times Refund Policy
The Seattle Times subscription can be canceled by calling their Customer Service at 1.800.542.0820. If you cancel before the next renewal date, you will receive a refund for the unused portion of your paid subscription. They also advertise that subscriptions can be canceled anytime.
The Easiest Way to Get a The Seattle Times Refund
If you’re frustrated trying to cancel your subscription, membership, or bill from The Seattle Times—or if you didn’t even realize you were being charged—Chargeback can help. Chargeback is a personal subscription manager that automatically detects hidden, recurring charges like Netflix, Hulu, and hundreds of others. With one click, we can cancel unwanted subscriptions, flag suspicious billing, and even initiate refund requests on your behalf. No more waiting on hold or navigating confusing help pages. Just connect your bank or email account, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Seattle Times allows you to cancel your subscription, but you must do so by calling customer service directly, as there is no online or in-person cancellation option, which can make the process cumbersome. There are no clear early termination fees or long-term contracts stated, but free trials do auto-renew into paid subscriptions unless canceled, which can lead to unexpected charges if you're not vigilant. Overall, the main frustration is difficulty reaching customer service and the lack of an easy cancellation method, rather than explicit lock-ins or fees.
Persistent delivery after cancellation: Subscribers continue to receive newspapers despite cancellation requests.
Active subscriptions despite multiple cancellation requests: Accounts remain active and auto-pay continues despite assurances.
Unclear billing and charges: Unexpected charges including promotional items and undisclosed early termination fees.
Forced credit card cancellations: Some customers must cancel credit cards to stop future charges.
Confusion over subscription status and billing: Frustration due to unclear communication and billing after cancellation attempts.
Biased newspaper content: Perceived bias in newspaper content prompting cancellations.
Bad digital billing experience: Lack of detailed e-billing information requiring calls for bill details.
Removal of vacation stop credits: No credit for stopping physical paper delivery despite continuing delivery holds.
Poor mobile app experience: Lack of search functionality, poor news story ordering, and difficulty navigating content on mobile apps.
Inconsistent digital subscriber experience: Mediocre to poor digital access and inconsistent cross-platform experience.
Account number
Name on the subscription
Contact phone number
Email address associated with the account
Mailing address on file
Date you joined or started your subscription
Reason for cancellation (if asked)
Any correspondence related to your subscription (emails or chat transcripts, if available)
Request written confirmation of cancellation (such as an email confirmation)
Before cancelling your Seattle Times subscription, know that you need to call their Customer Service at 1-800-542-0820 to process the cancellation; online cancellation is not available. Once cancelled, you will lose unlimited digital access to seattletimes.com on all devices, including the digital Print Replica. Your service and billing will continue through the next renewal period at the regular rate unless you notify customer service in time. Make sure to cancel before the renewal to avoid being charged for the next period.
The Seattle Times subscription can be canceled by calling their Customer Service at 1.800.542.0820. If you cancel before the next renewal date, you will receive a refund for the unused portion of your paid subscription. They also advertise that subscriptions can be canceled anytime.
To cancel your subscription to The Seattle Times, you need to call their Customer Service at 1.800.542.0820. It appears that cancelling via phone is the primary method and there is no indication that you need your password specifically for cancellation when calling. However, if you want to manage your account or update personal info, you do need to log in with your password. If you need to reset your password, you can do so at their login page via this link: https://www.seattletimes.com/help/ (look for the 'Forgot your password?' option).
We've actually written a step by step guide on how to get a refund from The Seattle Times. Check it out!
The cancellation process typically takes about 5 minutes to complete. However, the actual time may vary depending on your account settings and whether you need to contact customer service. Most cancellations are processed immediately, but some may take up to 24 hours to take effect.
After canceling your The Seattle Times subscription, you'll typically have access to the service until the end of your current billing period. You won't be charged for the next billing cycle, and your account will be deactivated once the current period ends. Make sure to download any important data before cancellation.
Yes, you can usually reactivate your The Seattle Times account by logging back into your account and resubscribing. However, you may need to go through the sign-up process again and provide payment information. Some services may offer special reactivation deals for returning customers.
If you're unable to cancel The Seattle Times online, contact their customer service directly using the phone number, email, or website provided above. You can also use our refund script to help you communicate effectively with their support team. In some cases, you may need to provide additional verification or documentation.
The Seattle Times May Show Up On Your Statement As:
SEATTLTIMES STL TIMES SEA TIMES SEATTLE TIMES SUB ST TIMES SUB SEATTLE TMS SEATTLE TIMES ONLINE
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¹ Total savings is calculated based on internal annualized estimates of
savings for customers. ² Average requests times may vary depending on volume of requests
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