A sad story about how Apple hates hard currency

[the8thark]

A sad story about how Apple hares hard currency
Cash not necessarily always welcome at Apple stores | abc7news.com

Sure Apple's insistance on a credit or debit card ensures 1-2 ipads per person. But what about the lady in the article and others? It screws them over. Surely there must be another way to ensure you can use cash and also ensure they only get 1-2 ipads. Record their drivers licence number in a database or something? I dunno. But maybe Apple is starting the hard currency-less society.

I would not put it past Apple.

[technologist]

But what about the lady in the article and others? It screws them over.

1. Visit local bank/credit union.
2. Sign forms
3. Deposit cash
4. Wait two weeks
5. Check postal mailbox
6. Open envelope from bank/credit union
7. Sign back of shiny new debit card
8. Take debit card to Apple store
9. Receive shiny new iProduct

Yes, there are a few people who can't get a debit card because they wrote bad checks in the past, but that's their own darned fault.

[MYmacROX]

Yes, there are a few people who can't get a debit card because they wrote bad checks in the past, but that's their own darned fault.

That's true, but what about the poor souls who had their credit ruined due to identity theft? That almost happened to me last week but fortunately MasterCard flagged the purchases as "suspicious" and called me to verify. Someone somehow got my card info (most-likely from an online purchase). It happens and it can be a REAL problem if you don't catch it right away.
If a person wants to use cash, there's not a darn thing that a retailer can say about it. It is LEGAL TENDER (at least in the U.S.... I don't know about other countries' laws). I don't have a problem with the limit Apple puts on how many iPads a person can purchase, but it's not the consumer's problem. It's up to Apple to find a way to ensure that limit is being enforced.

Yes, I realize there are mall gift cards that you can purchase with cash and use for most purchases (won't work with some online purchases because the balance cannot be verified). But this is still an inconvenience to the consumer and it isn't something they should be forced to do just to purchase something.

[iggibar]

If they really wanted an ipad, why not go cash in towards an apple gift card that is worth the price of the ipad???

[technologist]

That's true, but what about the poor souls who had their credit ruined due to identity theft?

ID theft shouldn't prevent you from getting a debit card.

If a person wants to use cash, there's not a darn thing that a retailer can say about it. It is LEGAL TENDER (at least in the U.S....

Not true, as the article mentions.

Legal tender in the US must be accepted "for all debts, public or private." The ordinary sale of goods is not a debt.

[bargsbeer]

What a joke, What happened to Apple?? I'm really starting to think they are turning into what they never were supposed to become.


What ever happened to their slogan "Think Different" ????????

[Doug b]

I didn't want to say anything about this because of my feelings towards the new Evil Empire lately, but here's yet another nail for the coffin I'm building. My only excuse left is, and has been: " Love the product (OS X) but HATE the policies/attitude.

Once again Apple is trying to pull the wool over people's eyes. This has got NOTHING to do with a check/balance system in terms of seeing how many iPad's a person has purchased. It's about making [more] money. Did you know that they won't accept Apple gift cards for an iPad ? So, they will make the money off the gift card if someone thinks so, and then make more money on the iPad purchase. And that is a totally despicable move.

And how do I know this is true ? Because guess what... If you buy an Apple product at Best Buy, you can use ANY form of currency you want. Apple's crummy excuses are just so far fetched, and I can't believe people are falling for it. Though, I suppose it's more a case of being blissful in naivete than anything.

Doug

[granolaj]

money. Did you know that they won't accept Apple gift cards for an iPad ? So, they will make the money off the gift card if someone thinks so, and then make more money on the iPad purchase. And that is a totally despicable move.

Respectfully, I disagree. When the first iPad came out, any form of payment was accepted. Apple only changed its policy when dirtbags started abusing the system. I kid you not, while I was playing with an iPad, I saw a grown man wait in line, buy the maximum number of iPads, leave, put on a different hat, then wait in line again. He did it three times before people noticed.

From what I've gathered, the rule is in place to protect customers (and, of course, Apple). Cash isn't traceable; neither are Apple gift cards. Credit and debit cards are, though – that's how Apple sticks to its two-per-customer limit. Do the aforementioned dirtbags find workarounds to this idea? Absolutely. But it's at least well-intentioned, I think.[/QUOTE]

[bargsbeer]

Respectfully, I disagree. When the first iPad came out, any form of payment was accepted. Apple only changed its policy when dirtbags started abusing the system. I kid you not, while I was playing with an iPad, I saw a grown man wait in line, buy the maximum number of iPads, leave, put on a different hat, then wait in line again. He did it three times before people noticed.

From what I've gathered, the rule is in place to protect customers (and, of course, Apple). Cash isn't traceable; neither are Apple gift cards. Credit and debit cards are, though – that's how Apple sticks to its two-per-customer limit. Do the aforementioned dirtbags find workarounds to this idea? Absolutely. But it's at least well-intentioned, I think.

[/QUOTE]

Dirtbags? In America we call it capitalism. If someone wants to buy 20 iPads and sell them to the highest bidder so be it. But come on man you sound like your really drinking that Apple Kool-Aide.

You call them Dirtbags because they found a way to make some extra cash?

[technologist]

What a joke, What happened to Apple?? I'm really starting to think they are turning into what they never were supposed to become.

What ever happened to their slogan "Think Different" ????????

What does that even have to do with this?

[technologist]

It's about making [more] money.

Since credit cards are an expensive way to process payments, I'm pretty sure that's not the reason.

[bargsbeer]

What does that even have to do with this?

It was the mentality Apple was different. Now it's all about control.

[bargsbeer]

Since credit cards are an expensive way to process payments, I'm pretty sure that's not the reason.

ding ding ding, Maybe it's about control???

[MYmacROX]

ID theft shouldn't prevent you from getting a debit card.

You missed my point. First of all, I was talking about credit cards. And if a person doesn't want to open a checking account or doesn't want to use his/her debit card, that's up to him/her. My parents, for one, are strictly cash users. They pull a specific amount of cash from the bank EVERY week that they plan on using that week and if the rare occasion arises that they need more, they withdraw more CASH.

Not true, as the article mentions.

Legal tender in the US must be accepted "for all debts, public or private." The ordinary sale of goods is not a debt.

You are correct. Legal tender laws apply to debts, not purchases.
But I have NEVER seen a store or vendor or gas station, etc. that did not gladly accept cold hard cash.

It's just a very stupid thing for Apple to do and I'm VERY disappointed in them.

[the8thark]

If they really wanted an ipad, why not go cash in towards an apple gift card that is worth the price of the ipad???

The articles says you can not even buy an ipad with an Apple gift card. You needed a credit or debit card. A nice idea but too bad Apple does not accept it.