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Apple Axes 'No Cash' Policy for iPad Sales
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Agreed.
I've been a life-long Apple user: yes, from my first Mac SE 30 in junior high. Apple has always made infuriating mistakes over the years, which strangely makes the company feel less like one and more like an individual. I almost dropped the platform in college then voila: Steve came back on the scene.
That did not mean the end of the mistakes: and this latest no-cash no-iPad fiasco is proof. But they pull through somehow...
Now, leave this lady alone. Jeez. Remember the "Here's to the Crazy Ones" campaign? Yeah, well she's not one of 'em. She just wanted to buy an iPad with Benjamins. Sounds perfectly reasonable, and Apple backpeddled rather quickly.
This is awesome! It was a nice thing by apple to give her a free ipad...
I thought there was a federal law that said a person cannot refuse our currency for payment??? (not including pennies and nickles as currency)
Gift cards and Credit Gift Cards are also not allowed, they have the same problem as cash, anonymous. That's why they ask for real debit/credit cards.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!
There was a user on this forum who was turned away when trying to purchase with an American Express Gift Card that was purchased just so the guy can go get one.
Read about it here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/907992/
Reason? Again, it was pretty much still anonymous as cash to Apple, so it was refused. Even Apple store gift cards could not be used from what I heard, so it seemed Apple could choose what their gift cards can be used to purchase in their stores.
There were some stories where you can make pay some of the purchase on a regular debit or credit card, then still be able to use the other forms of payment for the remainder.
Though, it's pretty stupid they don't have a better policy to inform customers when they invoke such rules on a product. Especially after people for a considerable time in a line to be told no at point of purchase, "oh, we don't take cash for this, why did you waste your time?" How hard is it to put up a sign or let people know as they wait. Some stores did, but not all.
stranger than fiction
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.
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.
B
Black Macbook
Guest
The wording and the way that the announcer in the video tells the story, it makes Apple sound incredibly racist.
"The Apple store said she can not use cash, only a debit or credit card."
"She says a clerk told her it was to prevent iPads from reaching the black market....."
"The Apple store said she can not use cash, only a debit or credit card."
"She says a clerk told her it was to prevent iPads from reaching the black market....."
To settle a debt, yes. Like if had an existing loan and wanted to make a payment with cash, if they refused, then I suppose there would be an issue. You walk in an Apple store, they don't have to sell you anything, technically.
Sorry but if you don't have a cc, it is most likely due to bad credit which is an indicator of poor fiscal responsibility
The world runs on credit. Try getting a home, car, loan, even insurance without a credit history.
Having a cc does not mean debt...if you know how to use it
My response was to those saying she didn't have a debit card because she may be unable to open a checking acct due to bad credit.
PS: If someone was fiscally responsible, they would know the benefits of a good credit score and would not have an issue managing their cc's so to you I ask, if she is fiscally responsible, why would she not have a cc?
Scalpers make money off of nothing, that's the corruption. Not to mention that it is easier to find an Apple shop.
When scalpers buy all the stock and there is nothing left, people will be forced to buy at a higher price or wait (and often buy something else).
And we are forgetting here the international aspect of the thing - no demand shortage whatsoever until the international release.
Very true. Which is why I believe we should take a very, very close look at the relationship between our government here in the USA and the Federal Reserve Bank.
I don't have a credit card. Life is fine here.
Why? Having no credit history can only work against you when you need it.
Yep. Though she seemed to be already using her iPad just fine. But still, at least for s/w updates she will still need a computer.
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.
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.
B
Black Macbook
Guest
You should get your financial information from someplace else, because you couldn't be more wrong. Why do you think that Apple raised the price of it's Macbook in some Euro countries just a few days ago? Some Euro people on this forum were whining about that just recently when the new white macbook got released.
Hint: It's because the EURO is pretty crappy at the moment and has lost a lot of value.
I still don't get the reasoning
It will help when you ever buy a house, get a job, or get a car or if you are ever in a bind
Many companies run background checks prior to employment where credit histories are a large part. To willingly not have one for the sake of it makes no sense. You do realize you can treat a cc just like a debit card right and not incur any fees at all
Why shoot yourself in the foot? You can still have that mindset that you posted while at the same time building a healthy credit score.
Just because you can't responsibly use credit doesn't mean nobody can. Your statements are just as ignorant as those that make assumptions about this woman's financial situation. Not to mention that your facts are incorrect. The use of credit cards is not "directly responsible" for our current economic situation. Real Estate bubble, mortage backed securities, complex financial derivatives, and down right fraud by large financial instituitions are just some of the actual reasons for the state of the economy.
Second, the use of credit responsibly can actually give one a financial benefit. It is always better to pay later, assuming no interest will be charged by your creditor or assuming you earn a better rate of interest than you are charged. Credit card companies essentially give you up to a 30 day interest free loan every month. One year same as cash deals are the way to go for large purchases, even if you have the cash to make the purchase.
Lastly, credit is essential to the economy. How many people do you know that can buy a house or car with cash. What do you think would happen if there were no credit available for these items? Businesses large and small rely on credit. Our governments rely on credit. Yes, many Americans could use a lesson on responsible use of credit. But millions of us have no problems. And shouldn't the institution giving the credit take responsibility to make sure the person they are extending the credit to can pay it back? Credit card paranoia makes no sense unless you cannot control your spending. And if that is the case, is credit really the problem?