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Apparently Apple has never read a dollar bill before. It's FEDERAL LAW that all businesses and persons must accept cash for all payments.
 
Please, that's just damage control...

Gees, there's one in every thread.

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I am surprised at what these forums have become. You have no idea–and neither do I–about what her fixed-income implies in the news story. Don't bet a cent on what she could have spent with her money. What is wrong with you guys?

Totally agree. I rarely come on here because of the general attitude and consensus on this forum.
 
And how is that protecting?

The guy who wants to buy 10 is also an Apple customer, isn't he?

The iPad is a new and very interesting device, it has captured the imagination of the world.

Because of that interest there is substantial demand for this product. The supply will not be able to meet demand for quite sometime.

Apple wants to get the iPad into Apple users hands, not just get them off the shelves.

The danger of not having a sales limit can be explained using the 'scalping' example. Scalping is where people buy all of the best seats to a sporting event and then wait until the day of the event and sell those bulk bought seats for an extraordinary markup. It's good for the scalper but customers are very unhappy because they are having to pay a huge markup on top of an already expensive ticket.

If there were no limit on an item like the iPad then a few customers would attempt to buy every iPad available in every store they are able to get to. Those same customers would then put the iPads on exchanges like EBay at a ridiculous markup. Honest Apple customers would then have to pay the re-sellers ridiculous mark up. Apple customers would not be very happy about that.

See, Apple expected the iPad to sell well, market research would have told them that. The iPad sold even better than expected, further constricting supply.

Limiting sales per customers got iPads into consumers hands, making for happy Apple customers. Customers who then talk to their friends and family about how great the iPad is, encouraging them to buy iPads of their own...

I hope you're aware of how corruptible free markets can be before embracing them whole heartedly.
 
I am surprised at what these forums have become.

Really?

Wild speculation, ignorant accusations against Apple and massive whining from certain posters seems to be pretty much the norm here. I am surprised that you are surprised.
 
What should be questioned is why this person on a fixed income is buying an iPad to be used as a first computer. You would think that she has more important things to spend her money on that a luxury item like an iPad.
 
That was really nice of Apple to have given her a free iPad. With the money she saved she can now purchase a computer to sync with her new iPad. Very nice.
 
2. At least our taxes took care of the rest of her living expenses so she could save up for an iPad.

Seriously? Did you actually type that?

So. I live on a fixed income: I work a permanent job and a supplementary one: you know, and because I know what I am due each 15 days, it's a fixed income as of today. Sure, I would love a raise but one can only hope.

READ: You have no clue of this person's personal finances, so don't take credit for her "living expenses" and definitely do not assign it to the rest of us.
 
Do you think maybe you're being just a bit judgmental and even mean spirited?

No, make that a lot judgmental. Who are you to decide who needs what?

But since we're playing this game, let's try asking the rest of the folks here if you deserve the right to judge Diane Campbell.

Hey now. Not appreciated. You didn't answer my question. I think you read my post and jumped at the chance to shoot me down. I stated that I couldn't understand WHY she would want/need such a device. Especially, since it was my judgement/observation that she wasn't in the best financial condition. Consider yourself as the mean spirited one.
 
What should be questioned is why this person on a fixed income is buying an iPad to be used as a first computer. You would think that she has more important things to spend her money on that a luxury item like an iPad.

Well, if she had saved up 500 bucks to buy a computer and she chose an iPad, then good for her!

An iPad makes perfect sense, especially for computer illiterate people. Would you prefer that she bought a netbook instead?
:)
 
You're forgetting this is Apple.

Step one: Set ridiculous policy
Step two: Profit
Step three: Receive bad press
Step four: Profit
Step five: Reverse ridiculous policy, hand out free gadget to eldery, crowned as saints
Step six: Profit
Step seven : Profit some more
Step eight: Release next version/big thing
Step nine: Return to step one. Profit.

Precisely.
 
^ this, at least to activate it...

Step one: Set ridiculous policy
Step two: Receive bad press
Step three: Reverse ridiculous policy, hand out free gadget to eldery, crowned as saints
Step four: ???
Step five : Profit

I don't think you have a good grasp how PR works.
 
Well, allow me to explain why. Plenty of stores and companies limit the amount of product that one can purchase all of the time. It is extremely normal, and not uncommon at all.

If you go to your local supermarket, you might see that a 2 liter coke bottle is on sale for 99 cents. And the limit is 4 bottles per customer, for example. The reason for this is obviously so that no single person, company or entity will be able to walk into that store and buy 1000 bottles thus clearing out the whole inventory, leaving a whole boatload of angry customers coming in and wondering why the store advertised something which they cannot deliver. It would be ridiculous to not have any rules at all. It is common sense.

The same applied to the iPad when it first came out. It's still extremely hard to get a hold of. Apple wants to please as many people as possible and I guess that they wish to prevent shady types from buying up large amounts and selling them for profit.

It makes total sense.

It doesn't make any sense at all. Apple would sell a lot more if they didn't have limits like that. Sure scalpers will buy them and try to sell them for ridiculously high prices, but Apple shouldn't care. As long as they get their money, they should be happy and not worry about what people do after they buy them. And nothing is stopping them from manufacturing more iPads after the scalpers buy them all. People will see that they can get the items cheaper from Apple than from the scalpers, and will get them from Apple. Obviously the scalpers don't have an infinite supply of money and would eventually give up on buying them. The problem solves itself.
 
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! :)
 
of a debt yes. however, the law also points out that merchants do not have to accept cash as payment for goods at the time of purchase

Thus why the question was originally about debt, and my answer said debt. However, you're walking a fine line. Apple's legal out here is the fact that no debt is incurred until Apple agrees to sell the item for cash. Since Apple states ahead of time that they will not accept cash for the item, it's their right to refuse cash payment.

In contrast, let's say I go to a restaurant, and there's no sign posted anywhere stating that they don't accept cash. I sit down and have a nice meal. They then bring me the check, and I attempt to pay in cash. They say, "Sorry, we don't accept cash, and you owe us $45." By virtue of the fact that I am now indebted to them, and I was given no previous notice, they must accept cash.
 
She is extreme wisely than you are. Between debit card and checking/cash are complete different your feel and emotion. Carry debit card is more like lack of financial management because you don't know what exactly in balance. It easy to spend gas, food, out restaurant till next day and check balance at banking online, then you realize how much you spend waste money.

Carry cash and you can see different "feel" emotion when money go less. Prove yourself for week.

No wonder how hundred millions Americans are in deeply debt with credit card because they habit with credit in life than 70's

Anyone that keeps a balance of their bank account will not be in financial problems. I carry a debit card and do not fall into any sort of financial problems because I keep a balance. It is not hard at all.

What a large leap on assumptions.
 
And the crazy part about that is that:

A. He likely pays for that privilege. Most airlines charge you a fee to buy the ticket at the airport.

B. He doesn't even realize all of the "technology" that goes into processing that check, which is far less secure than a debit card, BTW.

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.
 
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