A sad story about how Apple hates hard currency

the8thark · May 18, 2010

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 · May 18, 2010

the8thark said:
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 · May 18, 2010

technologist said:
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 · May 18, 2010

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 · May 18, 2010

MYmacROX said:
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.

MYmacROX said:
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 · May 18, 2010

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 · May 18, 2010

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 · May 18, 2010

It's about making [more said:
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 · May 18, 2010

granolaj said:
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 · May 18, 2010

bargsbeer said:
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 · May 18, 2010

Doug b said:
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 · May 18, 2010

technologist said:
What does that even have to do with this?

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

bargsbeer · May 18, 2010

technologist said:
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 · May 18, 2010

technologist said:
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.

technologist said:
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. :Angry-Tongue:

the8thark · May 18, 2010

idrinorbarsaku said:
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.

osxx · May 18, 2010

In this day and time is it really safe to have that amount of cash on you to go shopping.

XJ-linux · May 19, 2010

CNN HLN: Apple Won't LEt Woman Buy iPad via Cash

It's freaking stupid and insulting IMHO. A woman of fixed income saved for months to buy one to get cheap internet and access to various online services. She was not allowed to purchase an iPad at the Apple Store because they only take credit or debit cards. Apparently this is to keep people from buying up copious amounts of the iPad and selling them overseas. Like you can't buy 25 of them on a credit card, but you can with cash? How freaking dumb. The right-wing nut in me can't stand this stuff on a number of levels. Personally, I pay cash whenever possible, and would have been in the same position as this poor lady when I walked in with cash withdrawn from the bank to buy one. Steve and crew are officially d-bag's in my book. Apparently, if you don't pear the mark of the Beast, or at least Visa, then Apple will not deal with you. Or perhaps, they don't feel they are getting their money's worth unless they get your credit card information for future leverage? Stupid stuff. I'll have to Google and find a link to the story.

cwa107 · May 19, 2010

XJ-linux said:
It's freaking stupid and insulting IMHO. A woman of fixed income saved for months to buy one to get cheap internet and access to various online services. She was not allowed to purchase an iPad at the Apple Store because they only take credit or debit cards. Apparently this is to keep people from buying up copious amounts of the iPad and selling them overseas. Like you can't buy 25 of them on a credit card, but you can with cash? How freaking dumb. The right-wing nut in me can't stand this stuff on a number of levels. Personally, I pay cash whenever possible, and would have been in the same position as this poor lady when I walked in with cash withdrawn from the bank to buy one. Steve and crew are officially d-bag's in my book. Apparently, if you don't pear the mark of the Beast, or at least Visa, then Apple will not deal with you. Or perhaps, they don't feel they are getting their money's worth unless they get your credit card information for future leverage? Stupid stuff. I'll have to Google and find a link to the story.

XJ, merged you in here with our existing conversation, already in progress

XJ-linux · May 19, 2010

Thanks, I was so p'd off I posted without searching before heading out to work. :Oops:

bargsbeer · May 19, 2010

osxx said:
In this day and time is it really safe to have that amount of cash on you to go shopping.

Of course it's safe. Unless your scared to carry cash.

XJ-linux said:
It's freaking stupid and insulting IMHO. A woman of fixed income saved for months to buy one to get cheap internet and access to various online services. She was not allowed to purchase an iPad at the Apple Store because they only take credit or debit cards. Apparently this is to keep people from buying up copious amounts of the iPad and selling them overseas. Like you can't buy 25 of them on a credit card, but you can with cash? How freaking dumb. The right-wing nut in me can't stand this stuff on a number of levels. Personally, I pay cash whenever possible, and would have been in the same position as this poor lady when I walked in with cash withdrawn from the bank to buy one. Steve and crew are officially d-bag's in my book. Apparently, if you don't pear the mark of the Beast, or at least Visa, then Apple will not deal with you. Or perhaps, they don't feel they are getting their money's worth unless they get your credit card information for future leverage? Stupid stuff. I'll have to Google and find a link to the story.

Agreed 100% Cash is king I always try to pay with cash.