Technique · Influence
Trial end announced up front
Tell trial users on day one exactly what goes away and when ("All paid features until May 31, then pick the plan you want"), show the date in the product, and remind them once before it ends with a one-click way to keep the plan. A pre-announced end turns the loss of access into a decision; a surprise end turns it into resentment.
Plain label: trial end date stated on day oneAlso known as: trial end, newly scarce, reverse trial end, pre-announced change
How it works
Losing access to something people already have is the strongest form of scarcity, because it threatens a freedom they hold; newly scarce items are valued more than items that were always scarce. The same force produces the strongest backlash when the removal is unexpected. Announcing the end up front keeps the motivating effect of the deadline while removing the surprise.
In the book. Newly experienced scarcity is the most potent kind, and freedoms once granted are defended (Ch.7, pp.193-196). INF-T-SC-13 (Influence Ch.7, p.193)
In a product [S]. Announce the end date at sign-up, show it in the product and remind once.
Evidence Evidence grade B. Moderate evidence: solid studies with some limits.. The newly-scarce finding is well established; announcing the end in advance is our rule for avoiding the backlash.
Evidence warning
A surprise end of access is the strongest reactance trigger; never let a trial end silently or charge without a reminder.
What the research says
Cookies that had just dropped from ten to two were rated more desirable than cookies that had always been scarce.
Influence Ch.7, p.193 (Worchel, Lee & Adewole), 1975
The book argues that taking back a freedom people have enjoyed provokes more resistance than never granting it.
Influence Ch.7, pp.193-196
How to build it
- Web
- Show "Trial: 9 days left, ends May 31" in the app header, list what changes on that date, and offer "Keep Pro" in one click.
- Email and SMS
- Send one reminder three days before the trial ends, with the date, the price and links to keep the plan or switch to free.
- Mobile
- State the trial end date and the renewal price on the subscribe screen and in the first-run tour.
What can go wrong
- Ending access or charging without a reminder.
- Burying the end date in the terms.
- A reminder with no way to switch to free.
Pairs well with
- Pairs with in-t-rc-05: the reverse trial.
- Pairs with in-t-cc-34: the price after the trial is visible from the start.
In practice
Where it shows up
Limits
What we don’t claim
- Left Brain and Right Brain are a metaphor for extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, not a claim about neuroscience.Actionable Gamification Ch.13, pp.342-343
Sources
Influence · Robert Cialdini
Ch.7, p.193 · Ch.7, p.195
Source IDs: INF-T-SC-13
Book content is paraphrased, never quoted at length. Last verified October 24, 2026.
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