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Apple Store Gift Card / iPhone - No Bueno

D

diamonddods

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 19, 2007
10
0
This may be more of a rant than seeking answer but anything anybody knows are has to contribute would be awesome...

I was recently given apple store gift cards as a gift specifically to buy an iPhone.
I went to my local apple store and tried to purchase the phone but was then told that you can only buy the iPhone with a credit card / debit card and that they cannot accept apple store gift cards.
Now I have hundreds of dollars worth of apple store gift cards completely useless to me. The best advice apple gave me was to buy an ipod / accessories or maybe buy iTunes gift cards as presents for my friends and family. Awesome!
These gift cards were bought specifically to purchase and iPhone. I do not want anything else from the apple store! I live here in the USA. My family who bought the gift cards live in Scotland so returning the gift cards to be put back on their credit card is not an easy option. Nobody at the apple store mentioned the cards cannot be used to purchase an iPhone when the gift cards were bought.
Has anybody had a similar experience or any good advice?
I'm really kind of disappointed about this.
 
unfortunatly from day one, before they even stopped accepting cash for them, they weren't accepting gift cards for iphones. They say its to try to keep track of purchases of the phones and so on *shrug*. I think best would be contact your family explaining the situation and see if they can get on teh return ASAP before its too late, it may not be easy, but it's better then wasting a few hundred of bucks.

good luck!
 
ya, this isn't anything new... when apple announced they would only take credit/debit cards, it was very public.
They want to be able to have a paper trail on who buys the iphones to help stop all the unlocked phones being sold over seas and stuff.

My best advice is to see if you can pay for part of it with a credit card (like $10) and then use the rest on the gift card,,,
 
I tried paying half gift card and half credit card but they said this could not be done either.
Having the gift cards returned to the credit card is the only option but doesnt really help me here :mad:
 
If you buy something with a gift card and then return it, do they give you cash or a gift card back? If they gave you cash you could always use your credit/debit card and make the payment with the cash or you could have someone else buy it with their card and give them the cash.
 
I tried every option like that. I cannot return the gift cards for cash. I cannot buy something then return it for cash. Store credit only.
 
Did you try a partial purchase gift cards + your own credit card? I bought mine that way though I did it before the change in policy. There's no reason why they shouldn't allow it. If you haven't tried it yet you should and if they say no speak with the manager.
 
diamonddods said:
I tried paying half gift card and half credit card but they said this could not be done either.
Having the gift cards returned to the credit card is the only option but doesnt really help me here :mad:
Click to expand...

SpankWare said:
Did you try a partial purchase gift cards + your own credit card? I bought mine that way though I did it before the change in policy. There's no reason why they shouldn't allow it. If you haven't tried it yet you should and if they say no speak with the manager.
Click to expand...

read....
 
I might be able to purchase the gift card off of you or something, how much is on the card?

I'm going to be purchasing a MBP after MacWorld just need to make sure they'll accept the gift cards..

1. $100 iPhone Credit
2. Apple Store Gift Card

Then pay the difference on my Visa? Is this possible?
 
I have 2 apple gift cards. One for $50 and one for $150, then I planned on paying for the other half on my credit card.
I'm really blown away there is no easy way around this or nothing the manager at the apple retail store could do.
 
After numerous calls / visits to my local Apple Store and to 1800-MY-APPLE I finally managed to order an iPhone!
The apple retails store said there was no way I could to a gift card and credit card transaction. 1800-MY-APPLE said the same thing when I called.
I called 1800-MY-APPLE again this morning for the hell of it. The guy done it with no problems. I guess it depends on who you talk to!
I should have my iPhone in 5+ days.
Phew.
 
diamonddods said:
After numerous calls / visits to my local Apple Store and to 1800-MY-APPLE I finally managed to order an iPhone!
The apple retails store said there was no way I could to a gift card and credit card transaction. 1800-MY-APPLE said the same thing when I called.
I called 1800-MY-APPLE again this morning for the hell of it. The guy done it with no problems. I guess it depends on who you talk to!
I should have my iPhone in 5+ days.
Phew.
Click to expand...

So happy it worked out for you. You shouldn't have to go through that.
 
Can i ask a stupid question. why do they only take credit cards for the iphones? I haven't purchased mine as of yet and would like to know. That sounds a bit odd to me.
 
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