---
id: "quote-inertia-exploiting-contract"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["¶6"]
tags: ["brand-equity", "consumer-psychology"]
related: ["concept-brand-spite", "concept-acquisition-suppression"]
speaker: "Klaus M. Miller and Z. John Zhang"
speakers: ["Klaus M. Miller", "Z. John Zhang"]
quote: "The experience of being presented with an inertia-exploiting contract appeared to push them away from the brand entirely."
sources: ["commercial"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-commercial"
originDay: 5
articleStem: "hbr-tier2-08-subscription-auto-renew"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/05/should-your-subscription-business-use-auto-renew"
sourceTitle: "Should Your Subscription Business Use Auto-Renew?"
---
# Brand damage from inertia-exploiting contracts

> "The experience of being presented with an inertia-exploiting contract appeared to push them away from the brand entirely."
> — [[entity-klaus-m-miller|Klaus M. Miller]] and [[entity-z-john-zhang|Z. John Zhang]]

**Context:** Evidence that the *mere presentation* of an auto-renewing contract triggers [[concept-brand-spite]] and deepens [[concept-acquisition-suppression]] — consumers don't just decline the offer, they sour on the brand, even for unrelated offers.