problems with app store

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Since 2 weeks owner of an iMac 27" (my first experience with apple), but a little annoyed with the app store :Grimmace:

I tried to download sketchbook express from there, but they didn't let me.

So I googled and found the same software at softonic, but when I downloaded it, they redirect me again to the app store :Not-Amused:

Is there any other way to become this (and other) software for my iMac ?
 
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Welcome to the forum.

Can you elaborate on "I tried to download sketchbook express from there, but they didn't let me."

Did you get an error message? Have you got an existing/working Apple ID? Are you able to buy things in iTunes etc?

Also, please add your Machine and OS details to your post or preferably your profile.
I'm guessing it's Lion your running if the machine was brand new.
 
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thnx for your welcome and reply @mrplow

the problem I have with app store is that they don't accept my credit card, because it is not a card from the country I live in, but a card from my home country (but just an ordinary mastercard).

To buy my iMac 27" Quad-core i5 2.7GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD (os snow leopard) with this card was no problem, but to download FREE software they start to moan that the card is not valid in that country. (You seem to have to give that information if you take for the first time something from iTunes)

By the way, another annoying point of the app store is that if you put your billing address, it changed the language you used in the language of your billing address :(
 
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The iTunes/Mac store (for various licencing reasons) is geographically dependant.

Your best bet is to buy an iTunes gift card (there are often deals on these at this time of year). Add this to your account and buy from that.
 
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"The iTunes/Mac store (for various licencing reasons) is geographically dependant."


as well as my home country and the country I live in are both within the european union, so I don't think that can be a big deal.

"Your best bet is to buy an iTunes gift card (there are often deals on these at this time of year). Add this to your account and buy from that."


You are sure that they won't ask me again to fill in the payment data and so on, because it will be then too the first time I obtain something from the store?

And in about 28 years of computing I was never restricted to only one supplier. It was always possible freely to choose from who and where I bought hard- and software, even abroad.
 
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If you want to argue who sells what to who, when and where I'd suggest getting in touch with Apple. Perhaps they'll be able to add your card to your account if you explain the situation.

I'm not, however, going to defend the position, but I stand by what I posted earlier. The whole reason there are different, per country, iTunes stores is because different countries have different legalities and not all content is available in all countries under the same licencing/rules/regs etc.

If you are in any way unsure about buying an iTunes card to fund your account I would again contact Apple support directly.

And in about 28 years of computing I was never restricted to only one supplier. It was always possible freely to choose from who and where I bought hard- and software, even abroad.

In this case that's not the issue. A supplier of any kind of product chooses what they believe to be the best outlet for their product. It's not uncommon for a supplier to make a product exclusive to one store, bricks and mortar or digital. It's all the same.
When Dell first started selling Dell PCs you could only buy direct from them. One single supplier.
I'd suggest that if in 28 years you haven't come across this kind of selling it's just been your personal choice to compare and contrast again products sold by multiple vendors.

You can buy Mac software from all sorts of places. You aren't restricted to the Mac app store.
It's just that with this particular product the supplier has choosen to sell via a single outlet, that's up to them and is a completely different issue from that of using a cross-nation credit card for purchasing.
 
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chas_m

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The only thing I can add to mrplow's excellent answer is that the OP needs to bear in mind that Apple is just a RESELLER on the iTunes store, not the SELLER in most cases.

In other words, this has nothing to do with Apple and EVERYTHING to do with the licensing terms of the content providers. Apple must abide by local laws on these points as well.
 

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Can tell you Apple has this freakish policy about cross country selling and shipping.

I attempted to buy something from Apple here in the U.S. and have them ship it to Canada. Can't be done... in the physical store, online or by calling Apple sales direct - their system just flat out does not permit it. The system would not allow the sales rep to enter a Canadian address in the shipping area while using a U.S. issued CC. I even tried calling an Apple store in Canada and they refused to take my order because the CC was not issued in Canada. They said if I walked into the store, I could buy there; but not by phone, fax, email or any other way.

If Amazon can do it, can't tell me Apple can't do it except for their own internal policy.

Their system apparently does not permit delivery to a different country than the country where the CC is issued. Wouldn't be surprised at all if this applies to the App Store also.

As the others have stated, it could well be an issue of this particular app's developer not selling in your country - could be Apple's policy - there's no real way to know.
 
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similar problem

I have been trying to purchase OS X Lion for over 2 months, App store will not take my Mastercard from US with europe address, I was on the phone for over 10 hours with tech support, sent screen shots, I just tried again same message Your Credit Card is only valid in US, even though I purchase services and goods all the time in Europe and the US, I checked with Chase, they say the card is valid all over the world, I tried the iTunes suggestion, it won't work either
 
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You don't say which countries store you're trying to buy from but you need to buy an iTunes voucher from the same locale as your iTunes account
 
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You don't say which countries store you're trying to buy from but you need to buy an iTunes voucher from the same locale as your iTunes account
With tech support online, we tried to purchase both in europe and US, won't save information so I don't have a account, when I lived in the US I had no problems purchasing music from iTunes, my specs are posted,
Thanks for your reply
 
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Ok. I think I might be mis-understanding however:

Wherever you live currently go and buy an iTunes voucher from a supermarket or similar. Make sure it's equal to or greater than the price of lion.

Fire up iTunes and create a new account using the iTunes voucher you bought as the payment method rather than your credit card. Once complete you'll be able to use that account on the Mac App Store to buy Lion.
 
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I'll see if I can find a seller in Lithuania,
Thanks again
 

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