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Apple Axes 'No Cash' Policy for iPad Sales

Apple didn't accept cash!? What the hell!?

Seriously, that's messed up, especially for the price range the iPad is in. Are Apple's products so "premium" that you can't buy them with "regular" money now?

Cash is still the best way to pay for something: No surprises at the end of the month, just pay and be done with it. No extra book-keeping: Look into your wallet, that's how much cash you got right now and it will stay like this if you don't spend the remainder. No big brother tracking your every purchase (Oh, Mr. Fancypants just bought a new car? Well, guess he can afford being fired then.), etc.

Plus if you get mugged and don't have any cash at all, that's when the mugger gets really angry and stabs you. Or he will escort you to the nearest ATM where you shall get "everything you got".

A few years back I couldn't even pay for my Macbook with the debit card because there was a daily 1000 EUR limit although I had plenty on the checking account. Had to go to the ATM 2 days in a row to "afford" my new Macbook.I don't want to ask my bank to give me my money when buying stuff for myself. That's like having a pimp or mafia boss who "hold your money for you and keep it safe".


Back on topic: No cash? No deal, Apple. The customer is king, cash is king. You do the math!
 
the iPad is her first computer? Shame she cant use it then, she needs something to sync it with! But I suppose now that she got one for free, she can use that other money to get a proper computer

Also, the other thing is she says she saved up for ages to pay for it, but the iPad hasn't been out long, and she doesn't seem like a tech savvy person so unlikely she knew much about it before launch. Could she really have been saving up that long?
 
Such a heart-warming story!

A small customer saving up but a large corporation standing in the way until the corporation has to admit defeat - what's not to like in this story?


Enjoy your iPad, mam!



EDIT: but don't forget to sync it with a computer... bummer!
 
In most countries in Europe, that would be illegal anyway.

Stores HAVE to accept the legal currency. I can't even understand how refusing CASH is legal anywhere in the world...
 
seb-opp said:
the iPad is her first computer? Shame she cant use it then, she needs something to sync it with! But I suppose now that she got one for free, she can use that other money to get a proper computer

Also, the other thing is she says she saved up for ages to pay for it, but the iPad hasn't been out long, and she doesn't seem like a tech savvy person so unlikely she knew much about it before launch. Could she really have been saving up that long?
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She'd only need to activate it through iTunes once, something which could have been done on a laptop brought by the Apple sales team. After that why would she need to sync it if she has no computer with nothing on it that she wants on the iPad!

The bigger issue is the fact that she has no debit/credit card and so effectively wont be able to download any paid apps, or any music from iTunes.
 
That will be 43.000 ip coins, please, sir!

stanislas said:
In most countries in Europe, that would be illegal anyway.

Stores HAVE to accept the legal currency. I can't even understand how refusing CASH is legal anywhere in the world...
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In fact, I think over here you could pay for that iPad with 1p coins only, if you wish. Oh, you can't! There is no iPad in the UK yet!
 
While I think this no-cash policy was a stupid thing, and kudos to Apple for getting rid of it --- fixed income or no, who the hell in this day and age doesn't have either a credit or debit card???
 
I always wonder about these stories. Was this woman a plant by her local news station eager to prove that a rumor about buying an iPad or iPhone was true? What a great story to 'fall' into their hands. I'm skeptical.
 
reden said:
I tried to buy mine with cash too, where's my free iPad? Damnit.
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I think Apple can see the difference between a person who through no fault of their own gets caught up in a policy that is there for a good reason, and a scrounger. :(
 
stanislas said:
In most countries in Europe, that would be illegal anyway.

Stores HAVE to accept the legal currency. I can't even understand how refusing CASH is legal anywhere in the world...
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Check your laws carefully. In the USA, everyone has to accept cash for payment of a debt. However, nobody can be forced to enter a contract with you if they believe you are going to pay in cash. So once Apple sells an iPad, you owe them money / have a debt to Apple, and they have to accept cash payment for that debt. But nobody can force them to sell it to you if you have only cash. So what does the small print in your local laws say?

SandynJosh said:
I thought there was a federal law that said a person cannot refuse our currency for payment??? (not including pennies and nickles as currency)
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As I said, they can't refuse cash payment for any money you owe. They are, however, allowed to not sell you an iPad in the first place.
 
MrCrowbar said:
Plus if you get mugged and don't have any cash at all, that's when the mugger gets really angry and stabs you. Or he will escort you to the nearest ATM where you shall get "everything you got".
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Well considering ATMs have a daily limit he isn't going to get much of my money and if he steals and uses my credit card I'm not liable for any of it anyway.

So the outcome is, I don't get stabbed, thief won't get all my money and gets caught on camera using my card which removes my responsibility.

And in the meantime I don't have to keep a big wad of cash or jangling, annoying coins in my wallet or make constant trips to the store to keep drawing out.

Sounds like an easy win for the no-cash argument.
 
cvaldes said:
Today, apparently. Well, at least for cash buyers.

If you don't want to set up an Apple account, pay with plastic.
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I think they meant an Itunes account, which is required for activation of the ipad, the iphone and all things Ipod...
 
what about internet?

The iPad ist actually useless without an internet accout. No music, no video, no apps, no e-books, nothing. And to set up an internet account the lady needs a bank account, or am I wrong?

OK, she could use a free WiFi hotspot. But I can't imagine using a device like the iPad without an internet connection.

PS: I also don't have a credit card. Never needet one.
 
Balin64 said:
I agree with you: no one should be lauded for doing what they perceive to be their duties and obligations. Like yourself, I pay my bills on time. I enjoy the little things in life. I payed back my student loan, drive a BMW, etc.

The huge problem with your comment is that you assume–like others–that "fixed income" means that it's coming from the government. There is absolutely no reason to speculate about that: even if it is, and even if you are a California resident, you have resources to change the system.

What really bothers me is two things: 1. You openly say you will think less of somebody over how they use their own resources (which you have no knowledge about) and 2. That you equate an iPad with a luxury item. Everything is relative–you have no tangible or thorough knowledge of this woman's sitz-im-lieben: not a thing. Or perhaps you have iron-clad information that no one has that her income is actually not coming from a "high interest savings account" which she is now using "when she needs it" to buy an iPad.

And really: you can't justify an iPad for your own wife? That's kind of deuchey. Or maybe you should get a better job...
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That was in response to the guy saying we shouldn't care about her being on a fixed income because "we've all done stupid things." as in, he was implying she had to have done something dumb. And, I want to buy my wife an iPad, I want to buy myself an iPad. The semantics of my sentence got confused even though the syntax was correct. My wife requires me to justify purchasing an iPad more than I can. I think she would benefit from one, but she says it isn't worth the money. My job is plenty good.
 
akoblentz said:
So, I just looked in the mirror... Yep, all of my bills are paid on time and in full every month. I put money into my retirement accounts and am even saving for a house. So, I'm pretty sure that me, managing to do all of that without taking any money from the government, is not impressive. It is EXPECTED. I will think less of her for spending her "fixed income" money on a luxury good that I'm not sure I can even justify to my wife. I can tell you for sure, if I were on a fixed income, I would realize that money isn't going to keep coming forever (assuming social security or some kind of annuity) and I'd be saving it in a high interest savings account for when I need it.

Also, a few posts down you say that Apple does have to accept cash, but someone on page 2 already pointed out why they don't AND linked to the relevant page from the US Treasury's website.
Click to expand...

So you have no credit cards? Ever used one to buy an airline ticket to go on vacation? And what about insurance? You participate in any insurance? Unless you pay cash for all of your medical services you're using a socialistic form of welfare, standing on my shoulders. And when you buy that house you'll finance part of it, yes? You're welcome ahead of time for my contribution to the tax benefits you'll enjoy in doing so. My point is that, unless you live purely on cash, only spending after you've earned it, via completely voluntary and private transactions, you're participating in a semi-socialistic system. Thus, you have no room to judge others.

And you're wrong on the other point, also. If you read it more closely you would see that I said DEBTS. A commercial transaction is not a debt. A commercial transaction can cause a debt to be incurred. I clarified it for the last person, also.
 
shalasz said:
I can't believe the ignorance, rudeness, and disrespect by so many commenters on this thread.

A fixed income means her income is static. She's probably on social security and/or some combination of retirement. Why would anyone begrudge her wanting to purchase some technology? Especially a form of technology most on these forums seem to care quite a bit about. If an elderly woman scrimps on some of her typical purchases for a few weeks to buy an iPad, then more power to her.

Many people in this country do not have checking accounts, debit cards, checkbooks, or credit cards for any of numerous reasons. Some reasons are due to negligence or irresponsibility, but many are due to a lack of need or even an understanding of the methods or cultural practices. Regardless, why make disparaging comments about how a woman conducts her business? Maybe she just prefers to pay in cash. Sheesh!

Finally, I must also question why everyone seems so up in arms about the choice of device this woman made. Maybe her vision is bad and reading a book zoomed in on the iPad screen appeals to her. Whatever her reasoning, why make comments about her intelligence based on the fact that she apparently owns no other computing type device? Let her have whatever she desires.

Bottom line - the woman did nothing wrong, asked for nothing she wasn't willing to pay for, and wanted to buy a product from a company whose products we all enjoy. I find it disgusting how quickly people are to assume the worst, throw out barbs, and even try to make social/political comments with few facts at hand.
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Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! Thank you!
 
Sorry, Apple does not accept cash, we just have to much of it at this time! You my want to try down the street at the Microsoft store.
 
Xavier said:
So she wants to have technology... why not use a debit card?
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I don't blame her for not using a debit card -- they look like credit cards but do not have the same protection regardless of what the banks tell you.

For example -- if you see a purchase you didn't make on your statement that hard cash has already been deducted from your account. You can refute it, sure, but that requires a months long investigation. Meanwhile you don't have that cash you didn't spend to spend. You will eventually get your money back if the investigation shows you didn't make the purchase but that is your real money being tied up.

Now if that were a CC they would just freeze the charge and you wouldn't have to pay it ever unless the investigation proved you did make the purchase.

Here is one article on why you shouldn't use a debit card, but Google -- there are many similar ones. Every money manager and consumer advocate worth anything will tell you to not use a debit card but rather a credit card and pay off the balance each month.
 
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