If upgrading via Upgrade Program make sure 12 payments already posted

[John-F]

I learned something and wanted to pass it on. I knew that to be eligible to upgrade, 12 payments or half the loan amount needed to be paid. I also knew that it was possible to pre-pay, if necessary, to make the 12 payments.

I had falsely assumed that I could make the final payment(s) on the existing phone at the Apple Store while upgrading. An Apple rep told me this was not possible and that the required payments needed to be made and posted with Citizens One prior to coming to the Apple Store.

Their site www.citizensoneloan.com was not working a few minutes ago. Their phone is 855-764-6395. Have your loan number available and don't take the option to inquire about eligibility or you will get a recording and told to contact Apple.

Citizens One rep made the payment for me but said via a credit card it could take 24-48 hours to post, which could interfere with an upgrade on Friday. To be on the safe side, call your credit card issuer to make sure it posts promptly or ensure no issues.

Hope this is helpful. Surprised not clearly explained on the Apple site (unless I missed it).

John

 

[Shwinnugin]

I called about this as well and the Apple Sales confirmed that if need be I could pay my 12th installment in the store. She took my current phone's serial number and IMEI and confirmed I have one more installation so I will be charged $40.71 in the store. I was able to get into the website, I noticed all 11 of my previous payment posted and cleared on the same date so hopefully that gives some people peace of mind. There's no option to manually push a payment through the website, you have to call if you do opt to try and pay now.

 

[John-F]

I called about this as well and the Apple Sales confirmed that if need be I could pay my 12th installment in the store. She took my current phone's serial number and IMEI and confirmed I have one more installation so I will be charged $40.71 in the store. I was able to get into the website, I noticed all 11 of my previous payment posted and cleared on the same date so hopefully that gives some people peace of mind. There's no option to manually push a payment through the website, you have to call if you do opt to try and pay now.

That's good to hear. Certainly not what I was told. Probably not the first time different reps gave different information. To be on the safe side, I would try to pay first.

 

[fanchee]

Didn't we have to pay the sales tax and the first payment last year to even get the phone? So then if we made 11 more payments, all should be well?

 

[Shwinnugin]

That's good to hear. Certainly not what I was told. Probably not the first time different reps gave different information. To be on the safe side, I would try to pay first.

Not at all, usually when I get an answer I don't like, I call again. I very rarely get the same answer actually. I would err on the side of caution and attempt to pay early as well, but in case there's someone reading this on Friday morning and has a mini heart attack, lol

Didn't we have to pay the sales tax and the first payment last year to even get the phone? So then if we made 11 more payments, all should be well?

My 11 payments I saw on the Citizen One website included the initial one in the store (I entered the IUP on October 16th of last year)

 

[John-F]

All good points. Worst case situation: I don't think there are separate inventories for new vs upgrade program upgrades. So if there were problems with the payments, I think you could buy the phone at retail price. I believe all phones sold must be activated even if no contract and not upgrade plan (might be wrong). To activate they might allow deactivating your existing phone and using that number instead of activating with fee and new number. In either case, later after clearing up any Citizens One issues, I think you could return the phone and then repurchase via the upgrade plan. I don't think they have to return the phone to inventory.

 

[SisterBlue22]

Didn't we have to pay the sales tax and the first payment last year to even get the phone? So then if we made 11 more payments, all should be well?

Yes...the extra large first payment you make in the store that includes all the tax will be posted on the Citizens site as payment #1.

 

[Synomenon]

Logged into my Citizens One loan account and there's no way to make an advanced payment. Called them and the representative I spoke to said you cannot make advanced payments and that you cannot change your payment date...

 

[applegeek01]

Logged into my Citizens One loan account and there's no way to make an advanced payment. Called them and the representative I spoke to said you cannot make advanced payments and that you cannot change your payment date...

If this is the case then how does Apple justify stating that one can actually upgrade after six months as long as twelve payments are made. If we can make advanced payments, then that is being falsely advertised

 

[Shwinnugin]

If this is the case then how does Apple justify stating that one can actually upgrade after six months as long as twelve payments are made. If we can make advanced payments, then that is being falsely advertised

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Perhaps when you upgrade the phone, they charge in the store and pass payment to Citizen One. This is just speculation. I know this contradicts what the OP said, but it confirms what the Apple Specialist told me yesterday about being able to make payments in store at time of pick up. Probably the bottom line here is that we have two different companies with a fairly new program that don't have a clue what the other is saying.

 

[applegeek01]

Perhaps when you upgrade the phone, they charge in the store and pass payment to Citizen One. This is just speculation. I know this contradicts what the OP said, but it confirms what the Apple Specialist told me yesterday about being able to make payments in store at time of pick up. Probably the bottom line here is that we have two different companies with a fairly new program that don't have a clue what the other is saying.

True. Just hard to believe Apple would post that without any other notice about making advanced payments. Clearly one would think it would be able to be done with Citizens one

 

[Shwinnugin]

True. Just hard to believe Apple would post that without any other notice about making advanced payments. Clearly one would think it would be able to be done with Citizens one

Agreed. It is very odd to work with a credit company that doesn't let you change your payment date nor pay in advance... What if you want to buy out the remainder of your loan? I have found them very difficult to work with in general, figuring out how to get onto the website was not easy, good luck if you lost your initial receipt, changing payment source was difficult for me as well.

 

[applegeek01]

Agreed. It is very odd to work with a credit company that doesn't let you change your payment date nor pay in advance... What if you want to buy out the remainder of your loan? I have found them very difficult to work with in general, figuring out how to get onto the website was not easy, good luck if you lost your initial receipt, changing payment source was difficult for me as well.

This is my first year enrolling in the program and I was going to take the money that I made from selling my current phone to make advanced payments for the IUP phone I enrolled for. Rest assured I'll be contacting someone regarding the allegation of being able to make advanced payments and it not being an option.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

We've heard plenty of BS from reps, including so-called "Apple Specialists," in the past. Always take their words with a grain of salt.

The IUP needs to have a better system in place for next year, including the ability to make advanced payments online.

 

[macduke]

This is why I went on launch day to upgrade. I didn't want any funny business the next year. Seems like my 12th payment was made at the end of August when I go back through my statements and count it up. I don't think I've ever made an account at Citizen One's website. They probably mail me crap but I don't pay attention. Either that or it's going to my old address. I don't really care, lol.

 

[KPOM]

We've heard plenty of BS from reps, including so-called "Apple Specialists," in the past. Always take their words with a grain of salt.

The IUP needs to have a better system in place for next year, including the ability to make advance payments online.

The bigger risk next year is a 13th payment posting. This year's release was early. If it ships 9/22 next year, then the first wave of iUP buyers this year will have already made a 13th payment between 9/16-9/21.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

The bigger risk next year is a 13th payment posting. This year's release was early. If it ships 9/22 next year, then the first wave of iUP buyers this year will have already made a 13th payment between 9/16-9/21.

I'm a first time enrollee and am getting my JB on launch day. However, if Apple doesn't clean up their act next year, I'll simply pay full price for the 2017 iPhone and pay off the IUP iPhone and sell it (as I've been doing nearly every year since 2007).

 

[bsadelman]

Can anyone that enrolled in IUP last year, confirm that they were able to make advance payments? It seems odd that you would not be able to do that.

 

[Synomenon]

I mentioned above that I could not find a way to make advanced payments.

 

[bsadelman]

I mentioned above that I could not find a way to make advanced payments.

I understand that, but have you recently signed up for the program with the recent IP7 launch, or have you had IUP for more than 6 months. I have read this elsewhere: "...you have the option of making advance payments at the six-month mark in order to have paid off the equivalent of twelve repayments." So my question is, does this option become available after the 6 month mark?

 

[Synomenon]

I started on the IUP last year for the 6S. Been on it for a year now. Never had the option of making advanced payments.

 

[SisterBlue22]

You can't make individual payments on the website - only set up recurring payments. (I signed up at launch last year so I do have 12 payments in). But you do have the option of paying off early, so there has to be a way to make a payment over the phone somehow.

 

[KPOM]

I'm a first time enrollee and am getting my JB on launch day. However, if Apple doesn't clean up their act next year, I'll simply pay full price for the 2017 iPhone and pay off the IUP iPhone and sell it (as I've been doing nearly every year since 2007).

That's what I would do if there is a 13th payment issue next year. Since resale values are declining (64GB iPhone 6S are going for sub-$500 on Swappa) it's close enough for me to just exercise the option to upgrade this year.

I'm also getting the jet black tomorrow. From the chatter, I should see what they are going for on eBay.
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You can't make individual payments on the website - only set up recurring payments. (I signed up at launch last year so I do have 12 payments in). But you do have the option of paying off early, so there has to be a way to make a payment over the phone somehow.

I wouldn't worry about it. You can upgrade early by making extra payments so Apple must have a way of making additional payments in the store. iUP isn't limited to the latest models, so it's likely that some people who bought the 5S or even the 6 on the iUP already did early upgrades when the SE came out.
[doublepost=1473963121][/doublepost]

I understand that, but have you recently signed up for the program with the recent IP7 launch, or have you had IUP for more than 6 months. I have read this elsewhere: "...you have the option of making advance payments at the six-month mark in order to have paid off the equivalent of twelve repayments." So my question is, does this option become available after the 6 month mark?

Yes.

Since it's a loan, you can prepay it in full whenever you want, but if you intend to exercise the trade-in option it's best not to do so (it's also a no-interest loan to you). What happens when you trade it in is that Apple "pays off" the balance from months 13-24 and then you enter into a brand new 24-month loan for your new phone.

 

[applegeek01]

I sent an email to Phil Schiller and Tim Cook this afternoon and got a call from their relations team. Their representative and I will be corresponding with each other on how the option of making early installments can be made easier from Apple/Citizens One. He said that it should be possible, but if that option isn't being presented to us from their partner Citizens One, then that is an issue that they would like to address

 

[AndrewR23]

For the people worried, Apple has a page on the upgrade program site where you type in your serial number and last 4 imei and it'll tell you how many payments you have left.