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babydrago

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 27, 2013
1
0
Question about a purchase on iTunes:

I want to buy a specific music album but it is only available in the US iTunes store. I can't do the purchase because my Apple ID is from Luxembourg and (after doing researches) it is also impossible to create another account (billing address and credit card must match to the country).

Is there any possibility to bypass this obstacle?

I would be grateful if someone could help me out!
 

old-wiz

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2008
8,331
228
West Suburban Boston Ma
The music organizations (RIAA in the U.S.) do everything they can to make it impossible to do what you wish. They have lots of power in forcing companies like Apple to make restrictions on the music purchases.
 

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
20,574
3,873
New Zealand
The easiest way is to pick up a US gift card. You can often find them on eBay or similar and you'll be able to create a US account by using the card as your payment method.
 

pdjudd

macrumors 601
Jun 19, 2007
4,037
65
Plymouth, MN
Well it’s probably more than just the RIAA, bit generally speaking unless the musical act in question has a distribution agreement with a record label in Luxembourg, Apple doesn’t have the rights to sell it to you. I would say that the label representing this artist has a license that is very restrictive to certain regions.

Regional sales has been a thing in the music industry for years and it likely started due to the different laws around the world regarding copyright. That and recording companies have historically been really regional. It’s only recently that we have a concept of the big 4 or 4 labels that have a major presence, but it’s far from universal and I doubt it will change.
 

Paco II

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2009
2,288
706
As Nermal mentioned, the easiest option is to purchase a US iTunes gift card (eBay, etc), create a new US Apple ID that you will use with the card. Since you are using a Gift card, you won't be asked for another payment source. For billing address I usually just google for an Apple Store address. I've successfully done this for multiple countries.
 

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
Please note that Apple has apparently made it more difficult to deal with multiple iTunes accounts on one device at least in some markets and conditions.

So, be aware that doing this could potentially stop you from re-activating your main Luxembourg account for 90 days.

B
 

Paco II

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2009
2,288
706
Avoid account switches on your iDevice. Do your account switches and music purchases on your desktop computer. Really not an issue.


Please note that Apple has apparently made it more difficult to deal with multiple iTunes accounts on one device at least in some markets and conditions.



So, be aware that doing this could potentially stop you from re-activating your main Luxembourg account for 90 days.



B
 

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
Avoid account switches on your iDevice. Do your account switches and music purchases on your desktop computer. Really not an issue.

Read the linked thread. It is an issue even on Desktop computers. (The iTunes agreement was updated for iTunes Match and Automatic Downloads).

EDIT:

http://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/us/terms.html

AUTOMATIC DELIVERY AND DOWNLOADING PREVIOUS PURCHASES

When you first acquire music iTunes Products and music video iTunes Products (collectively, “iTunes Auto-Delivery Content”), you may elect to automatically receive (“auto-download”) copies of such iTunes Auto-Delivery Content on additional compatible iOS Devices and iTunes-authorized computers with compatible software by associating such iOS Devices and computers subject to the association rules below (each, an “Associated Device”). For each Associated Device, you may specify which type of iTunes Auto-Delivery Content, if any, may be auto-downloaded to it. On an Associated Device that is capable of receiving push notifications (“Push-Enabled”), including iOS Devices, the iTunes Auto-Delivery Content will auto-download to that Associated Device when it has an Internet connection; on an Associated Device that is not Push-Enabled, iTunes Auto-Delivery Content will automatically appear in the download queue and you may manually initiate the download within iTunes.

As an accommodation to you, subsequent to acquiring iTunes Auto-Delivery Content, purchased (i.e. not rented) movies iTunes Products and TV show iTunes Products (each, “iTunes Eligible Content”), you may download certain of such previously-purchased iTunes Eligible Content onto any Associated Device. Some iTunes Eligible Content that you previously purchased may not be available for subsequent download at any given time, and Apple shall have no liability to you in such event. As you may not be able to subsequently download certain previously-purchased iTunes Eligible Content, once you download an item of iTunes Eligible Content, it is your responsibility not to lose, destroy, or damage it, and you may want to back it up.

Association of Associated Devices is subject to the following terms:

(i) You may auto-download iTunes Auto-Delivery Content or download previously-purchased iTunes Eligible Content from an Account on up to 10 Associated Devices, provided no more than 5 are iTunes-authorized computers.

(ii) An Associated Device can be associated with only one Account at any given time.

(iii) You may switch an Associated Device to a different Account only once every 90 days.


(iv) You may download previously-purchased free content onto an unlimited number of devices while it is free on the iTunes Service, but on no more than 5 iTunes-authorized computers.


B
 

Paco II

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2009
2,288
706
I believe that issue only applies to DRM'ed music. I don't believe the iTunes Store even sells DRM'ed music anymore.


Read the linked thread. It is an issue even on Desktop computers. (The iTunes agreement was updated for iTunes Match and Automatic Downloads).



B
 

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
I believe that issue only applies to DRM'ed music. I don't believe the iTunes Store even sells DRM'ed music anymore.
Again, read the linked thread. ;) You're not saying anything I didn't say there.

I agree that the songs will generally be DRM free and once downloaded you will essentially be free to do what you want with them.

I just don't want babydrago coming back and telling us that they are now locked out of buying anything on their Luxembourg account for 90 days after switching to the US store to buy an album.

B
 

Paco II

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2009
2,288
706
balamw, your intentions are good, but I believe you may be confusing the OP, highlighting the wrong parts. The key thing is this:

AUTOMATIC DELIVERY AND DOWNLOADING PREVIOUS PURCHASES

If the op avoids that, and iTunes Match, it should work fine.


Again, read the linked thread. ;) You're not saying anything I didn't say there.

I agree that the songs will generally be DRM free and once downloaded you will essentially be free to do what you want with them.

I just don't want babydrago coming back and telling us that they are now locked out of buying anything on their Luxembourg account for 90 days after switching to the US store to buy an album.

B
 

nebo1ss

macrumors 68030
Jun 2, 2010
2,903
1,695
How do you know that they don't already have iTunes Match and/or Automatic Downloads set up for their Luxembourg account?

It is available... http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5085

Switching accounts/stores can mess that up.

B
I must admit I was wondering what this was all about since I have an account in the US store and one in the UK store and have done for years. However, I must admit I use neither Itunes Match nor Automatic downloads.
 

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
I must admit I was wondering what this was all about since I have an account in the US store and one in the UK store and have done for years. However, I must admit I use neither Itunes Match nor Automatic downloads.

I've also previously had accounts in other countries (though it has been a logn time since I used them) and it was never an issue, which is why I too didn't think it should be a problem in the other thread.

It seems that all it takes is enabling Automatic Downloads, using iTunes in the Cloud to download previous purchases or enabling iTunes Match on any device for this to impact all of your authorized devices.

Really puts a crimp on having separate user accounts on your computer to manage media in a family setting.

B
 

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
20,574
3,873
New Zealand
Yeah, it's a real pain. I actually use my NZ account on my desktop and my US account on my laptop just so that I don't run into the 90-day restriction. It appears to use the computer's serial number because even booting from an external drive doesn't reset the counter.
 

Paco II

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2009
2,288
706
As long as previously mentioned items are not enabled, it is incredibly easy to buy music from other iTunes stores. I regular purchase from the US, French, and British stores without any issues. As long as you understand the necessary features to keep disabled, which is not that difficult, it works perfectly and easily.
 
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