Family Sharing and Gift Cards

[Superman730]

Hey everyone, I have a question for those that have utilized the Family Sharing feature. Once iOS 8 was released, my wife and I started using it since it made it easier to share apps and media instead of constantly syncing back to iTunes and putting it on devices with the different Apple IDs.

My question is, if she were to get a gift card and put it on her account, would it take from the gift card balance before charging to the Family Sharing card? And vice versa, if I had a gift card balance and she purchased something, since I am listed as head of the family, would it take from my card balance before charging to the card? I just haven't really experienced these scenarios yet in our playing around with it and I was wondering how it handled the gift cards. Thanks!

 

[odditie]

Gift cards are independent of family sharing. If a family member has a gift card balance the gift card is only used for that person, regardless of how they are labeled in family sharing.

If That person does not have a gift card balance then the credit card on file will be charged, not a gift card that the family organizer or any other member has.

 

[BrettDS]

I can understand why they did it this way, but I rather wish that there was an option to share a gift card too. I buy iTunes gift cards when they're on sale and use those for all of our app and music purchases. Now I need to maintain gift cards for all 5 of our family members instead of just getting one large gift card for the main account.

 

[odditie]

I can understand why they did it this way, but I rather wish that there was an option to share a gift card too. I buy iTunes gift cards when they're on sale and use those for all of our app and music purchases. Now I need to maintain gift cards for all 5 of our family members instead of just getting one large gift card for the main account.

Yeah, if they are only going to do it one way, this is the most logical way to do it, but it would be nice to have flexibility to pick how you want it handled.

 

[RansZ28]

As the family organizer I use Apple gift cards for all my kids on family share. It does not charge my credit card.

 

[Superman730]

Thanks for the info everyone! Yea, I wish I could allow Family purchases to use my GC balance. Then I would like to take advantage of those $100 for $75 iTunes cards and use it across the devices, but alas, they did not do this. Maybe in the future.

Again, thanks for your help!

 

[RansZ28]

Thanks for the info everyone! Yea, I wish I could allow Family purchases to use my GC balance. Then I would like to take advantage of those $100 for $75 iTunes cards and use it across the devices, but alas, they did not do this. Maybe in the future.

Again, thanks for your help!

Once you redeem a gift card, you have that credit balance in your itunes account. When anyone (including family purchases) wants to purchase, apple will deduct from your credit balance before they process a charge to a credit card. The future is here my friend!!!

 

[odditie]

Once you redeem a gift card, you have that credit balance in your itunes account. When anyone (including family purchases) wants to purchase, apple will deduct from your credit balance before they process a charge to a credit card. The future is here my friend!!!

That is not true.

Maybe it works for kids purchases being authorized by the organizer, but I am the organizer of my family and my wife recently made a purchase and it charged our credit card for her purchase, not my gift card balance.

 

[RansZ28]

That is not true.

Maybe it works for kids purchases being authorized by the organizer, but I am the organizer of my family and my wife recently made a purchase and it charged our credit card for her purchase, not my gift card balance.

Always learning. So I assume she has her own iTunes account? Then her purchases go that iTunes account? My family all has a single iTunes account so our purchases stay within a single charge or credit balance etc.

 

[Stuke00]

Always learning. So I assume she has her own iTunes account? Then her purchases go that iTunes account? My family all has a single iTunes account so our purchases stay within a single charge or credit balance etc.

You probably shouldn't post here then because this is about the iOS 8 family sharing features, not someone sharing a single account.

 

[RansZ28]

You probably shouldn't post here then because this is about the iOS 8 family sharing features, not someone sharing a single account.

Yep having family sharing, and it works so its all good! You don't need to worry!!!!

 

[Chargerdan]

That is not true.

Maybe it works for kids purchases being authorized by the organizer, but I am the organizer of my family and my wife recently made a purchase and it charged our credit card for her purchase, not my gift card balance.

I'm seeing the same thing. I have a large balance from gift cards and when my child purchased a song it charged my card and not the credit balance.

Between this issue and the inability to update apps if sharing isn't authorized by the developer makes me think this feature is half-baked.

I could understand why some paid apps may not want this feature but restricting free ones makes no sense.

 

[Superman730]

I'm seeing the same thing. I have a large balance from gift cards and when my child purchased a song it charged my card and not the credit balance.

Between this issue and the inability to update apps if sharing isn't authorized by the developer makes me think this feature is half-baked.

I could understand why some paid apps may not want this feature but restricting free ones makes no sense.

There should be a setting that allows you to use a GC balance if one exists. I hope they introduce that.

Also, yes, why some free apps are being ridiculous is beyond me.