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iPod Impossible to give gift certificates across borders!

annk

annk

Administrator
Original poster
Staff member
Apr 18, 2004
15,322
10,100
Somewhere over the rainbow
I just tried to buy three iTunes Music Store gift certificates for three teenagers I know in the States. First, I log on to the US Apple store, but of course it won´t let me complete the purchase with my Norwegian Visa card. I then start the process in the Norwegian store, but that means they´d have to figure out the Norwegian site (which also has an inferior selection, even if they could understand what´s written there), so I stop and call Apple.

Apple tells me that the only way I can give gift certificates for the iTunes store to people in countries other than the one in which I live, is to get credit cards in each of those countries. Sheesh.

Although I don´t like it, I do understand that Apple wants people to purchase Apple products for themselves through the domestic stores in the country of residence. Of course, in Norway we pay much higher prices for Apple products compared to what those in the States pay, but that´s life. But I DON´T see why that should keep me from purchasing a gift certificate that an American citizen can use to purchase music from the US iTunes store.

So much for Internet and the global community. Guess I´ll be getting them gift certificates for Audible, a site that doesn´t have these issues.
 
Blame the record companies. Each iTMS is licensed for a particular country so people from outside that country aren't allowed to buy songs. It does suck you can't buy gift certificates but I guess people could use them as a way around the restrictions.
 
I´m willing to believe that´s the reason as far as music goes, but it sure does fit in with Apple "forcing" people to buy from the local domestic Apple store, where the prices can be quite a bit higher than in the US. If I want to order a Powerbook, an iPod, whatever as a present for a familiy member in the US, I have to do this via Apple US, and to do that, I have to have an American credit card.

I´m happy with Apple in general, but this really ticks me off.

Since I´m ranting anyway (which I´ve never done here before), here´s how the Mini I ordered via Apple Norway came. I´m amazed the computer worked:
 

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Now, assuming that there's music on the Norwegian site that they'd want, you can give them Norwegian gift cards. They'd need to put in a Norwegian address but if you have a gift song or a gift certificate, you don't need the credit card to sign up to that site.

Or use Amazon.com to buy them iTunes gift cards. You can get $15 gift cards on there with any credit card and they've got something that arrives in the post rather than just an email.
 
eBay is also good for this stuff; you usually get certificates/song codes at 15-20% off.
 
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