What a daft comment. It was purchased from a major retailer, not a small shop. Apple then proceeded to say the person should have only bought it directly from Apple. Well, then why does Apple make gift cards available at other retailers? Idiotic.He had it coming. Foolish of anyone to buy a gift card from anywhere other than straight from the source, especially from shady small shops.
He had it coming. Foolish of anyone to buy a gift card from anywhere other than straight from the source, especially from shady small shops.
The card was purchased from a major brick-and-mortar retailer (Australians, think Woolworths scale; Americans, think Walmart scale)
Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation?You also can’t use gift cards online to start ACMI, only in store (last time I checked as a former retail employee).
This happened to an Apple evangelist and major author of Apple development books:It’s a fake story I don’t believe it
Seriously, did you just actually say this?
It's like saying you can't use best buy gift cards at costco. Thank you captain obvious.
lol reminds me of the Always Sunny episode where Mac tries to use the Dave & Busters card at other places 😂You mean I can’t use my apple gift card as currency at my local grocery store? I don’t know.
Yeah and for example I love apple yes but I already have everything I need (iPhone, iPad, mac…) meh you can give me an apple gift card but probably won’t use it now!I would say gift cards in general are worse than cash. They restrict where and what you can buy. They often have expiry dates or other weird restrictions (like some of the ones we’re learning about in these comments). And it’s surprisingly common for gift cards to never get used before they expire. (https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/finance/unspent-gift-cards-now-total-1-9-billion/)
This makes gift cards a great idea for big retailers—not so great for consumers!
Ya. They’re not great for stupid consumers. LOLI would say gift cards in general are worse than cash. They restrict where and what you can buy. They often have expiry dates or other weird restrictions (like some of the ones we’re learning about in these comments). And it’s surprisingly common for gift cards to never get used before they expire. (https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/finance/unspent-gift-cards-now-total-1-9-billion/)
This makes gift cards a great idea for big retailers—not so great for consumers!
Likely regulatory "due diligence" requirements of sorts since it's an insurance product with much stricter regulations than other types of services to combat insurance fraud. Apple minimizes their risks by extracting as much information from the customer as they can and businesses have historically been demanding more and more information from their customers.AppleCare One is not possible without now giving credit card information!
Possibly I'm a stupid consumer.Ya. They’re not great for stupid consumers. LOL
Yes... very confusing.Don’t you have to use the separate iTunes app on iOS ?
The writers have firmly resolved to present as many limits as options, which made me smile. Well, dogmatic people, eh?Seriously, did you just actually say this?
It's like saying you can't use best buy gift cards at costco. Thank you captain obvious.
Such offers are available worldwide in a wide variety of stores. Those who want to complain will grumble and remain immovable, while those who actively seek out good deals will find them even with these cards.Possibly I'm a stupid consumer.
Every year on Cyber Monday, Citi runs a 20% off Apple Gift Cards promo, when redeeming Thank You points.
Since I have recurring AppleOne Family subscription, any gift card amount I redeem via this offer means I effectively pay 20% less for a service that is never discounted.
You guys can pay full price, not me.
When this happens, are you doing a tradein as part of the purchase? I know when you do a tradein with a gift card, the tradein credit is sent to you in the form of another gift card. Could be that the store is not equipped to deal with that?Anybody knows why when a gift card is used, sometimes some products (e.g. Mac Mini M4, MacBook Pro 16" M4 Pro, etc.) become pick-up only even the stores have them in stock and originally pick-up in store is available in multiple stores until a gift card is added? Only when I changed the payment method to only credit card, I can choose pick-up in store.
When this happens, are you doing a tradein as part of the purchase? I know when you do a tradein with a gift card, the tradein credit is sent to you in the form of another gift card. Could be that the store is not equipped to deal with that?
What about using it to pay for a replacement for an iPhone battery ?
Apple Gift Cards are one of the most common Apple-related gifts given during the holidays, so if you've received one today, here are all of the things you can and cannot use it for.
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After redeeming an Apple Gift Card, the value is added to the Apple Account balance and automatically applies at checkout when making eligible purchases. It can be spent on a wide range of Apple products, services, and digital content.
Apple Gift Cards are marketed as a single, flexible balance that works across Apple's ecosystem, but there are clear limits on what they can and cannot be used for once redeemed to an Apple Account.
What Apple Gift Cards Can Be Used For
- Purchasing Apple hardware and accessories on apple.com, in the Apple Store app, or in an Apple retail store.
- Using the balance toward Apple hardware when checking out, with any remaining cost paid using another payment method.
- Buying apps and games on the App Store, including in-app purchases.
- Paying for digital media, including movies, TV shows, and books through Apple's digital storefronts.
- Covering subscriptions to Apple services such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+ storage, as well as eligible third-party app subscriptions billed through the App Store.
What Apple Gift Cards Can't Be Used For
- Making purchases outside Apple's ecosystem, such as goods or services from non-Apple retailers.
- Starting certain recurring payments, such as AppleCare+ plans, without an additional credit or debit card on file.
- Redeeming or using balances across different countries or regions, as gift cards are typically region-locked.
- Transferring to or purchasing other gift cards.
- Exchanging for cash or cash equivalents.
While Apple Gift Cards are intentionally designed to be more versatile than older App Store or Apple Store–only gift cards, they still come with some limits. For users, the key distinction is that Apple Gift Cards work best for Apple-direct purchases and subscriptions, but they can't replace a traditional payment method for gifting or non-Apple spending.
Article Link: What You Can (and Can't) Use an Apple Gift Card For
Because gift cards are frequently used in fraud. Either return fraud or resellers. People steal gift cards through various methods, or use stolen credit cards to purchase them. Then they buy many expensive products, and resell or return them, and convert it back to cash.Anybody knows why when a gift card is used, sometimes some products (e.g. Mac Mini M4, MacBook Pro 16" M4 Pro, etc.) become pick-up only even the stores have them in stock and originally pick-up in store is available in multiple stores until a gift card is added? Only when I changed the payment method to only credit card, I can choose pick-up in store.