Is Cash Cool?

[BlondeBuddhist]

This might be a stupid question, but bear with me..

When pre-orders started I saw that you needed a credit card to do so. I currently use a pre-paid Visa credit card, and was able to "pre-order" through Best Buy with no issue.

I am wondering if you can purchase the iPhone from ATT with just cold hard cash. Seems like a silly question. To clarify: Cash is cool? Credit Cards were only needed to pre-order?

Blonde Buddhist

 

[Iphoneness]

This might be a stupid question, but bear with me..

When pre-orders started I saw that you needed a credit card to do so. I currently use a pre-paid Visa credit card, and was able to "pre-order" through Best Buy with no issue.

I am wondering if you can purchase the iPhone from ATT with just cold hard cash. Seems like a silly question. To clarify: Cash is cool? Credit Cards were only needed to pre-order?

Blonde Buddhist

You can use cash at AT&T but only cards at Apple stores.
I went to the Apple store a couple months ago to buy an iPhone with cash and they wouldn't let me and went down the street to AT&T and paid $655 cash for one.

 

[lorenwade]

You can use cash at AT&T but only cards at Apple stores.
I went to the Apple store a couple months ago to buy an iPhone with cash and they wouldn't let me and went down the street to AT&T and paid $655 cash for one.

I would call and ask because I've heard the exact opposite. My friend was a denied a preorder for having only cash at AT&T, but Apple took his money. Best to call and find out.

 

[Iphoneness]

I would call and ask because I've heard the exact opposite. My friend was a denied a preorder for having only cash at AT&T, but Apple took his money. Best to call and find out.

Yeah, good point. Different stores have different policies a lot of times.

 

[BlondeBuddhist]

I would call and ask because I've heard the exact opposite. My friend was a denied a preorder for having only cash at AT&T, but Apple took his money. Best to call and find out.

Im not talking pre-orders, Im talking Launch day.

I can understand a card needed pre-ordering, because they just charge it once they have them.

 

[PorterRocks]

The 1st gen iPhone is the only one that I've paid cash for from an Apple store. I guess I haven't exactly tried to pay cash with the last 2 iPhones. But, there ya go...

 

[iManny]

Cash should be fine at At&t, and cash will work at apple, but they will make you buy a apple gift card first and then buy it with the gift card.

 

[lorenwade]

Im not talking pre-orders, Im talking Launch day.

I can understand a card needed pre-ordering, because they just charge it once they have them.

Right and I understand what you mean. I was only trying to give some insight, not an answer. The only true answer you will get is when you call.

 

[BlondeBuddhist]

Right and I understand what you mean. I was only trying to give some insight, not an answer. The only true answer you will get is when you call.

It's all good. - Just deciding if I should bother taking the cash off my prepaid credit card or not. Personally I think it will work, since the money is guaranteed.

Blonde Buddhist

 

[quietstormSD]

People were not allowed to get iPad's with cash from Apple. However, one woman changed that when she attempted this and was told no by an Apple store. After she went to the press Apple changed there policy (and gave her one for free).

http://www.newmaconline.com/buyers-can-now-pay-cash-for-ipads_2010-06-01/

So I think what goes for iPad also goes for iPhone. Plus for iPhone they need your social security number and name (for the at&t phone service), so I would assume that will take care of tracking customers, for the "no more than 2 per customer" policy. iPad's on the other hand you could have purchased one without giving Apple that info, since no data plan is or was required.

 

[BlondeBuddhist]

People were not allowed to get iPad's with cash from Apple. However, one woman changed that when she attempted this and was told no by an Apple store. After she went to the press Apple changed there policy (and gave her one for free).

http://www.newmaconline.com/buyers-can-now-pay-cash-for-ipads_2010-06-01/

So I think what goes for iPad also goes for iPhone. Plus for iPhone they need your social security number and name (for the at&t phone service), so I would assume that will take care of tracking customers, for the "no more than 2 per customer" policy. iPad's on the other hand you could have purchased one without giving Apple that info, since no data plan is or was required.

not sure what your getting at but, AT&T already has my Social Security number, and name for that matter?

 

[lorenwade]

It's all good. - Just deciding if I should bother taking the cash off my prepaid credit card or not. Personally I think it will work, since the money is guaranteed.

Blonde Buddhist

Yes but wouldn't it suck if they said they didn't accept cash? My AT&T doesn't accept cash whatsoever.

 

[CaCohen0509]

I have a similar question. Can you pay in cash and then the difference on your credit/debit card?

 

[BlondeBuddhist]

Yes but wouldn't it suck if they said they didn't accept cash? My AT&T doesn't accept cash whatsoever.

I am going to have the amount I need in cash as well as on my pre-paid credit card. by "the money is guaranteed" i mean on a prepaid Credit Card. By having both I believe Im covered. How a company doesn't accept cash for anything is beyond me? It's nearly unbelievable. Just paid my bill in cash at said store on Friday.

Blonde Buddhist

 

[dontwalkhand]

Debit cards give me points, and thats a few extra points for me when buying the iPhone

 

[Ntombi]

Cash should be fine at At&t, and cash will work at apple, but they will make you buy a apple gift card first and then buy it with the gift card.

Exactly what happened to me on 3GS Launch Day.

I had come directly from selling my 3G, and had cash. They asked me to buy a gift card, which I then used to buy my 3GS. No biggie.

 

[Givmeabrek]

I am going to have the amount I need in cash as well as on my pre-paid credit card. by "the money is guaranteed" i mean on a prepaid Credit Card. By having both I believe Im covered. How a company doesn't accept cash for anything is beyond me? It's nearly unbelievable. Just paid my bill in cash at said store on Friday.

Blonde Buddhist

With an iPhone you are buying a 2 year contract. Cash is the last choice for a long time commitment. Debit cards are only a litte better. Can't blame them.

 

[youssefm]

AT&T will be accepting cash, and credit cards on launch day, for walk-ins. I haven't called and asked at the apple store

 

[lorenwade]

I am going to have the amount I need in cash as well as on my pre-paid credit card. by "the money is guaranteed" i mean on a prepaid Credit Card. By having both I believe Im covered. How a company doesn't accept cash for anything is beyond me? It's nearly unbelievable. Just paid my bill in cash at said store on Friday.

Blonde Buddhist

That works. But why are you torturing yourself? One call... and that's all! Hahahaha.

AT&T will be accepting cash, and credit cards on launch day, for walk-ins. I haven't called and asked at the apple store

Every store is different. Mine has a strict no-cash policy!

Just trying to help you guys out... I wouldn't want someone to not be able to get their phone!

 

[hexonxonx]

Cash should be fine at At&t, and cash will work at apple, but they will make you buy a apple gift card first and then buy it with the gift card.

This is what they will do.

Last year, I wanted to use two cards for my phone since I was paying $499 for it. They made me put the amount on a gift card then as well.

 

[ARF900]

I wouldve assumed they would do the whole "Create an Apple account thing"

 

[hexonxonx]

That works. But why are you torturing yourself? One call... and that's all! Hahahaha.



Every store is different. Mine has a strict no-cash policy!

Just trying to help you guys out... I wouldn't want someone to not be able to get their phone!

If people don't have a credit card or a debit card, they can take their cash to 7-Eleven or other stores and get a prepaid credit card. They work perfectly at Apple or AT&T. I would do this over chancing them refusing cash.

 

[Dj BW]

You can use cash at AT&T but only cards at Apple stores.
I went to the Apple store a couple months ago to buy an iPhone with cash and they wouldn't let me and went down the street to AT&T and paid $655 cash for one.

I paid cash for an apple gift card and paid for my iphone online. no problems

 

[BlondeBuddhist]

If people don't have a credit card or a debit card, they can take their cash to 7-Eleven or other stores and get a prepaid credit card. They work perfectly at Apple or AT&T. I would do this over chancing them refusing cash.

Awesome. I have a pre-paid Visa with $315 on it. Not a gift card either. It's an actual credit card I had to activate online. I used it at best-buy to "pre-order" and it worked fine. The AT&T store is across the street from BB and I will be showing up around 4 a.m.

Blonde Buddhist