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AppleStore, not friendly to expats.

A

AppleTree

Suspended
Original poster
Jan 28, 2008
57
1
So, I live in Europe (but American) and I wanted to buy something from the apple store as a gift to be delivered in the states (and something for myself when i go back to visit). Anyway I just found out that it is not possible to purchase anything with a foreign credit card on the american apple store. So, i told myself this must just be a limitation of the apple store website. So I decided to call the apple store representative to place the order over the phone, then the guy tells me that it is IMPOSSIBLE or NOT ALLOWED to buy something in the american apple store with a foreign card....meaning that I am unable to purchase something from here and send it as a gift to the states....what kind of crap is that??? That really ticks me off....it is amazing how they can just refuse a customer like that....i've done this with online retailers before such as amazon and others...NO PROBLEMS at all

Has anyone else had any experience with this or know of another way?

Completely ridiculous.
 
They want you to spend those Euros in the EU stores due to a very lucrative exchange rate, but anyway what do you expect its a corporation... What you can do is order an Apple product from Amazon if you said you did business with them in this manner before...
 
I assume it's also to protect customers, credit card fraud happens often overseas to individuals in America. I suppose that the policy works vice versa and it's partly a security measure....
 
First, your thread title stinks. If you complain that the US Apple Store doesn't deliver to Europe, then the thread title should be "US Apple Store doesn't deliver to Europe", not "Apple and Apple Store are complete BS". That is insulting, and it only reflects badly on you.

Secondly, why should the Apple US Store deliver anything to Europe, when they have stores in Europe everywhere that you can use this and who will handle this just fine, plus any foreseeable problems for example with credit card fraud, having to organize freight to Europe, things getting stuck in customs, the customer being an idiot who doesn't understand that he will have to pay for freight, customs and VAT, just to please YOU?
 
I think you guys have the wrong end of the stick. My understanding is that the OP wants to buy a gift for someone in the USA. So he is trying to purchase from the AppleStore USA to deliver to the USA. But he can't as they won't accept a on-USA credit card. It's nothing about Apple US not shipping to Europe.

The simplest solution is to use another retailer.
 
robbieduncan said:
I think you guys have the wrong end of the stick. My understanding is that the OP wants to buy a gift for someone in the USA. So he is trying to purchase from the AppleStore USA to deliver to the USA. But he can't as they won't accept a on-USA credit card. It's nothing about Apple US not shipping to Europe.

The simplest solution is to use another retailer.
Click to expand...

I understood, I just said it was probably a security measure to prevent overseas fraud, and the policy works both ways (Outside country ---> US as well as US ---> Outside country)
 
I have done this in the past and it worked. I am in the same situation as you. All I did was use a second email account to create a second one click checkout account with address in the US and it worked. I have purchased MB and Ipods to send to my family in FL :)

Regards,

JM
 
gnasher729 said:
First, your thread title stinks. If you complain that the US Apple Store doesn't deliver to Europe, then the thread title should be "US Apple Store doesn't deliver to Europe", not "Apple and Apple Store are complete BS". That is insulting, and it only reflects badly on you.

Secondly, why should the Apple US Store deliver anything to Europe, when they have stores in Europe everywhere that you can use this and who will handle this just fine, plus any foreseeable problems for example with credit card fraud, having to organize freight to Europe, things getting stuck in customs, the customer being an idiot who doesn't understand that he will have to pay for freight, customs and VAT, just to please YOU?
Click to expand...

I think you totally misunderstood my point....you have it completely backwards. Just read robbieduncan's response.

I believe apple is just trying to do this to force people to buy from their apple store in the country where they reside....they obviously don't care or didn't think about people that would like to make purchases as gifts for relatives or friends that live in other countries.

Well, guess i'll have to go to the backup solution....i'll simply just transfer the money to my US account ;)

They can't block everything
 
AppleTree said:
Well, guess i'll have to go to the backup solution....i'll simply just transfer the money to my US account ;)

They can't block everything
Click to expand...

Depending on what you are purchasing it might be cheaper to buy from a different retailer. If you can buy from a trustworthy retailer in another state you can save the sales tax. My understanding is that this is not possible with Apple.

Non-US cards seem to be an issue for quite a few US businesses. If you want to use a non-US card with the B&H Photo Video online store you have to send them a scan (I actually used a DSLR picture) of both sides of the card!
 
AppleTree said:
Has anyone else had any experience with this or know of another way?

Completely ridiculous.
Click to expand...
There are companies out there that will allow you to make purchases by proxy. You'll need to pay a bit for that service but it could still be more economical.
 
i have a job selling for an international company on the phone too and from what i understand you can't use a foreign card with a foreign billing address because they cannot verify your billing address against your card if it's in another country. so like someone said before it's mainly for fraud.
 
gnasher729 said:
First, your thread title stinks. If you complain that the US Apple Store doesn't deliver to Europe, then the thread title should be "US Apple Store doesn't deliver to Europe", not "Apple and Apple Store are complete BS". That is insulting, and it only reflects badly on you.

Secondly, why should the Apple US Store deliver anything to Europe, when they have stores in Europe everywhere that you can use this and who will handle this just fine, plus any foreseeable problems for example with credit card fraud, having to organize freight to Europe, things getting stuck in customs, the customer being an idiot who doesn't understand that he will have to pay for freight, customs and VAT, just to please YOU?
Click to expand...

What is most insulting!!! and reflects badly on someone posting, is when they do not even read the original post, then go out of their way to flame the OP. READ THE ORIGINAL POST!!! He is shipping the goods to a US address and trying to pay with a non us credit card!!!

Google Dyslexia....
 
AppleTree said:
... Completely ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I went over from UK, to NY last year and had no problems buying apple good instore, well not the IPhone.

I completely agree with you, this is not acceptable. I myself am australian, and i use my UK credit card to pay for all my goods i get in Australia. It is never rejected. This just shows how bad thing have got in apple and greed/profit comes before the customer. They are basically trying to stop all non US citizens buying in the US due to the much better exchange rate. Its sad that they are allowed to do that in the US. It would never pass in the EU.

bamaworks said:
I understood, I just said it was probably a security measure to prevent overseas fraud, and the policy works both ways (Outside country ---> US as well as US ---> Outside country)
Click to expand...

In regards to fraud, does the risk not lie with the issuing bank?

If someone uses a stolen credit card, purchases an item from company x, if the person who's card is stolen is can prove that they did not make the purchase, it is the bank that copes the loss.
 
AppleTree said:
I've done this with online retailers before such as amazon and others...NO PROBLEMS at all

Has anyone else had any experience with this or know of another way?

Completely ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I agree, completely ridiculous.

If it is possible for Amazon and other companies to accept "foreign" credit cards then what is Apple's problem?
Jst before Christmas I ran into the same problem. I wanted to send my sister who is studying in the US a new iPod… tried Apple store US and ended up with your situation. Not possible.

So… I went to Amazon (US) and ordered it there — oh, and I got a free magazine subscription thrown in! :D

Only way for Apple to "learn" is to vote with your wallet… ;)
 
What an interesting post - made me laugh.

Apple as a corporation can make what ever choices they like, as long as it doesnt break any laws. Just because they wont accept your card, for whatever reasons, is something your just going have to put up with.

If you really feel that upset about it, try contacting someone higher up within Apple to discuss your situation rather then ranting on the forums.

No need for everyone else to argue, just let the OP move on and sort out the situation or accept the reality.
 
AppleTree said:
So, I live in Europe (but American) and I wanted to buy something from the apple store as a gift to be delivered in the states (and something for myself when i go back to visit). Anyway I just found out that it is not possible to purchase anything with a foreign credit card on the american apple store. So, i told myself this must just be a limitation of the apple store website. So I decided to call the apple store representative to place the order over the phone, then the guy tells me that it is IMPOSSIBLE or NOT ALLOWED to buy something in the american apple store with a foreign card....meaning that I am unable to purchase something from here and send it as a gift to the states....what kind of crap is that??? That really ticks me off....it is amazing how they can just refuse a customer like that....i've done this with online retailers before such as amazon and others...NO PROBLEMS at all

Has anyone else had any experience with this or know of another way?

Completely ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Yep. That's how it is. And check this out - it works the same way for the iTunes store. Nice, huh? Talk about ignoring regional obstacles with Internet ecommerce. Can't feed your iPod until you got american (or any other supported country) credit card. Ridiculous, agreed.
 
No offence, but of course they're not going to let you buy anything in dollars using a european card.. The dollar's worth less. Just wire cash to a US account and buy with that.
 
digitalpencil said:
No offence, but of course they're not going to let you buy anything in dollars using a european card.. The dollar's worth less. Just wire cash to a US account and buy with that.
Click to expand...

Yes, and they charge dollars to your card, your CC company does the conversion (and usually skims the rate to make a little for themselves) and charge you EUR/GBP. How do you think people are able to use credit cards when they are on holiday?
 
Well I went ahead and purchased from Amazon, who graciously accepts foreign cards, and it was a smooth process. The funny thing is, it was actually cheaper through Amazon, they give you rebates and on top of that there was no sales tax.

But all in all, i still think it is an unacceptable practice to refuse customers because of this.

Great savings with the Euro to Dollar conversion! These are good days to be earning Euros.
 
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