Apple Axes 'No Cash' Policy for iPad Sales

[izzo]

typical, ----- wanting free stuff, living off our taxes. fml.

 

[bookofzero]

For those that don't know, Wal-Mart has a prepaid card that has your name on it and all - just like a real credit/debit card - that you can get your money direct deposited onto. Sadly, my brother works there and I know this from him.

Okay, I thought the no-cash policy was stupid from the beginning, and I'm not going to pretend like I know this woman's financial situation...

But regardless, why couldn't she go down to Wal*Mart, or a handful of other retailers, and get a pre-paid VISA card?

We don't accept cash payments in our office for auto/home insurance, so those that don't have credit/debit cards or checking accounts we just get them an AAA pre-paid VISA card for $4.99, or direct them to pick one up at Wal*Mart.

Oh well, she got a free iPad. Good for her!

 

[bookofzero]

The government should really do something about that, like insuring deposits up to a certain amount. They could call the agency in charge something like the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC for short). That'd be awesome, and go a lot way to insuring consumer confidence.

Like you said, if banks are failing and there's no one that can give out any money, it's pretty much worthless anyway due to the ensuing rampant inflation.

He knows he pays more, and doesn't care. He also is less concerned about the security of a check and more concerned about a time when the bank may not give him his money when he wants it. He would very much prefer to pay for everything in cash (and keep all his cash at the house), but some places don't like getting such large amounts of cash to buy things with so he gets cashiers checks for buying things like cars, etc...

You have to remember that older people either personally remember some really rough times or their parents/grandparents told them about times when going to the bank to get your money wasn't always a certainty. One would think that wouldn't happen today, but it was only a couple years ago where some banks closed down in CA leaving people without their money for days. I can't imagine something like that happening on a large scale again (and if it did would money really be worth anything?), but don't discount people's ideas who lived through some shaky periods in our history.

 

[bytethese]

Uh, I bought my 64GB WiFi iPad with cash on launch day. Was this a new policy Apple instituted?

 

[HLdan]

By the same token, before you make any assumptions of poor behavior on the woman's part, maybe you should step back and mind your own business. She might just not *want* a checking account. There's no law that says you have to have one to be a part of this society. Some people just don't like or trust banks.

Mind my own business? I think you need to calm down on your arrogant rudeness.
It's already my business and everyone else's here once this story made news. If you can't even trust a government regulated entity there's no point in living in this country. She certainly trust that the government supplements her income every month.

 

[bookofzero]

Wait, you actually complain to the store about it? Not the news? And then they take the necessary steps to [eventually] please you? You don't just accept the clerk's word and then go running home to call the news and make a national news story out of a clerk's poor use of judgement?

Who cares if she wanted to buy something with cash? That's what you do with money, you spend it. It's the NATIONAL CURRENCY, Apple, while debit and credit cards aren't. They've tried to pull that **** on me in the store and I straight up tell them I'm not paying with a card, then they moan a bit and check me out at the sole cash register they've got in the place. So stupid. I love Apple's products but I absolutely hate their business side. Always gotta be "revolutionary" to the point of "idiotic."

 

[bookofzero]

That's why they also allow the use of debit cards. It costs merchants money to process the debit card, not the person spending it.

It isn't just an issue of technology, credit cards strip people of much of their potential wealth. I have one but I do everything possible to minimize it's use. It took awhile to wise up to this fact too.


I'm actually disappointed with the number of people here out of touch with reality here. One of the best things one can do for their fianacial health is to minimize the use of credit cards or to eliminate them completely. The credit economy mentality is directly responsible for our current economic climate.


Dave

 

[bookofzero]

FedEx wouldn't accept cash for shipping at its locations for years. It's only when they took on the "Kinko's" extension that that changed. They made billions of dollars with that policy. BILLIONS.

It's sad to hear some of you guys berate this lady for having a cash only lifestyle. Regardless of reason there shouldn't be any reason this lady can't go to an Apple Store and pay cold hard cash for any product, including an iPad.

Other than Apple's obscure rule I can't imagine anything else in my daily life that I cannot pay cash for.

It's good to see Apple change this rule since it would be very illogical if they didn't.

 

[p-rice]

Don't matter how hard you try, you will need a real computer to accompany that iPad. The iPad can never be an independent device.

 

[bookofzero]

Be responsible and don't slip up. Being "poor" is no excuse for being irresponsible. I say this as a kid who grew up dirt poor in the Brooklyn projects. I have never had a problem being responsible for my money and I've had a debit card for well over a decade already.

Good. I was afraid that kind of policy might lead to a cashless society.

Lots of "poorer" people are interested in Apple products and doing the most prudent thing by saving real money instead of using credit—even though they do accept debit, but who wants to pay all of those bank charges when one slips up, esp. on a fixed income.

 

[HLdan]

now what? they just can't take cash anymore? we have right to pay whatever it is cash or credit card. what a bull **** like that? you guys think if apple makes a rule, it would be cool? NO this time. it's just ridiculous. no comment. just play idiot. I see when Apple would be going back to 1997.

No, you're wrong. You're not entitled. That's exactly what's wrong with many people in this lifetime, they keep thinking they are entitled. This is not about Apple in general, but Apple is the same as any private entity, they have a right to accept any form of payment for retail transactions, you are NOT entitled to use any form of payment you choose.
Now, once Apple or any other retailer becomes fully supplemented by our taxes such as our local recreational parks then you will have some rights.

 

[greenmeanie]

I am guessing being on welfare means we actually bought the Ipad LOL.

But I am glad Apple stopped that because I didn't even know they did credit only.

 

[Riemann Zeta]

It's about damn time. Not taking cash is not only annoying for customers, it is dumb on Apple's part. I realize that with high initial demand, Apple didn't want eBay resellers buying assloads of iPads/iPhones to resell internationally, but "This Note is Legal Tender for all Debts, Public and Private" is not just a catch phrase.

 

[bookofzero]

Until something stupid happens and it needs a restore or to be replaced because he dropped it and the screen broke or something else and his data is lost. "What do you mean all my contacts are gone? I don't have them backed up!" Guarantee it's more common than you think.

Respectfully, I disagree. My father-in-law purchased an iPad as a replacement for his computer. The guy does his online banking, reads the news, checks the weather and visits a website now and then.

No HDD, nothing to really backup, no viruses, stupid simple interface... Why not an iPad?

Oh, and he absolutely loves it...

 

[bookofzero]

Your argument is specious.

PS: Euro has been weak against the dollar thanks to Greece.

Though Apple feels more like a cult, we can't completely blame Apple I looked up the actual federal law Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender, and it states that they don't have to take any type of actual legal tender. They can ask for payment any way they like, so chickens and hogs anyone.

So maybe I should start asking for EURO since they seem to be holding better value right now than Greenbacks. So I guess we are all lucky that there are not many companies doing this.

Imagine if a lot more started doing this, then its a possibility the sh*t would hit the fan, but since there are so few companies that don't take actual cash in a regular basis everyone goes with their simple life oblivious, interesting but nothing new.

 

[bookofzero]

Anti-money laundering laws are in place that require purchases of $10,000 or more be reported to the IRS. The place misunderstood their legal responsibility.

That's one thing I've always hated about Apple: how they throw cash on the backburner. I usually have to wait in like 10x longer to buy something in the Apple Store because I use cash. I didn't even know there was a restriction to plastic for buying iPads. I would have been out of luck when I would've went to buy mine soon. Apparently, they also give you weird looks if you try to drop straight cash on a Mac Pro.

This reminds me of a story where someone I knew tried to buy a new car with cash, straight up, and they called the police on him.

Odd country we live in where legal tender is now being given odd looks.

 

[bookofzero]

Wait, she wanted to be "off the grid" while using a serialized device on the internet? That makes loads of sense...

There are a lot of people that don't want to be "on the grid" for one reason or another. I don't want to judge them but I do know that they prefer to do everything with paper (cash). It seems kind of funny though that she would have only cash but wouldn't have a debit card to buy apps. She could buy iTunes gift cards with cash. Oh well.

 

[vivithemage]

Sweet, free ipad.

 

[bookofzero]

Imagine the security concerns if Apple accepted primarily cash - even just with the iPads. 1 million iPads sold at $664 (average cost of all 3 models, assuming an even sales spread) = $664 million in cash. And that's just the iPads. Apple would have to lock its stores down tighter than a bank, which would kind of take away from the customer experience.

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!

 

[bookofzero]

Her fixed income is enough to save over $10/day for a computer. That's more than I spend on food. Talk about priorities...

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?

 

[sswanky]

I've got about $500 in a change jar at home. I'm heading to the Apple Store after work today!!!

 

[topgunn]

"This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private"

 

[headfuzz]

Nice to see big corporations admitting they were wrong every once in a while.

 

[rstansby]

If she would have thought to put the cash on a prepaid credit card she wouldn't have gotten a free iPad.

 

[rstansby]

Until something stupid happens and it needs a restore or to be replaced because he dropped it and the screen broke or something else and his data is lost. "What do you mean all my contacts are gone? I don't have them backed up!" Guarantee it's more common than you think.

Maybe he has mobile me to back-up his contacts.