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Resolved Will Apple allow you to pay cash for iPhone?

If we plan to use one of ATT's mobile plans but pay full retail for the phone how would the process go? We wouldn't go through ATT at all simply buy it full retail from apple then take it to ATT?
 
maflynn said:
Apple at one point early in the iPhone life cycle forbade the use of cash. Also there are retailers that choose not to accept cash, so while it is legal tender, that may not gaurentee that a retailer is willing to accept it.

In this case, Apple does.
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And Apple was not allowed to do that. I remember I used cash to buy the first iPhone and they said no so I brought up the law code that says cash has to be accepted. They then "made an exception" and allowed me to use cash.

Also a little side note : If you ever see businesses that have a sign that says no bills above 20$ are accepted. That is not allowed in the U.S. You can still give them a 50 and they will accept it.
 
In Italy we have a 1000 euro (about 1300$) limit for cash payments, so is possible to buy an iPhone but not an iMac or a MBP.
I'd never buy an iPhone with cash though, I never have more than 200€ in my wallet...
 
Unless your name was Walter White and you pull up outside an apple store in an RV with a driver call Jesse, I think apple will be just fine taking your cash!!
 
dfausty said:
There was a time (c. 2007) when Apple required a credit card to purchase an iPhone. However, those times are past.

For reference:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/berlind/w...or-iphones-and-the-legal-questions-raised/873
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Was it required for the phone or for the carrier to add the plans? I can't see why apple would care if I paid for a phone with cash, but I can see why ATT would require a credit card to add calling and data services. Now that phones can be bought unlocked ATT has less control over how apple sells phones.

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Newtons Apple said:
Sorry but all companies do NOT accept cash. Try paying rent with cash:rolleyes:

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Agreed, I remember people be pi$$ed off because they would not accept cash for an iPhone. Credit card ruled.
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Actually, I would prefer my tenants pay in cash. At least that way they won't bounce their checks, which has happened. They now pay with certified bank checks.
 
SHirsch999 said:
Was it required for the phone or for the carrier to add the plans? I can't see why apple would care if I paid for a phone with cash, but I can see why ATT would require a credit card to add calling and data services. Now that phones can be bought unlocked ATT has less control over how apple sells phones.

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Actually, I would prefer my tenants pay in cash. At least that way they won't bounce their checks, which has happened. They now pay with certified bank checks.
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Most of my tenants DO pay in cash as the banks have blacklisted them from ever having a checking account, even if they wanted to. About half pay with cash while the other half does money orders
 
Will Apple allow you to pay cash for iPhone?

AndrewR23 said:
And Apple was not allowed to do that. I remember I used cash to buy the first iPhone and they said no so I brought up the law code that says cash has to be accepted. They then "made an exception" and allowed me to use cash.



Also a little side note : If you ever see businesses that have a sign that says no bills above 20$ are accepted. That is not allowed in the U.S. You can still give them a 50 and they will accept it.
Click to expand...


That's only true if you are willing to not accept change. That's the point of the sign.

A business can't give you something they do not have OR if it affects their business (next guy can't get 1 dollar in change because you cleaned them out).

We don't accept any cash in my line of work ( service technician) nor do I carry change to accommodate it.

Care to post the law? I'm curious to read how it's worded. Is a gas station that only accepts credit at the pump after the store closes breaking the law? Is Coke breaking the law in a vending machine that only takes 5's or tens? What about the millions of online stores?
 
I was at the Lincoln Road apple store in Miami Beach last weekend getting a phone issue looked at, and in the time I was waiting, at least three people bought off-contract iPhone 5S units using cash, right next to me. This was in a span of maybe 30 minutes.

I'm surprised to see so many people buying iPhones cash! But the fact is, you can, and the store certainly didn't mind. The people buying looked like tourists, so I suspect they might have been buying phones in the US because it's cheaper than their home countries.
 
I would actually prefer to use a credit card for the added perks (extended warranty, credit card points/cash back/miles, etc). Though I may have the cash to buy one outright, It's going to get charged on the plastic :rolleyes:
 
Kisey said:
I would actually prefer to use a credit card for the added perks (extended warranty, credit card points/cash back/miles, etc). Though I may have the cash to buy one outright, It's going to get charged on the plastic :rolleyes:
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A large portion of people are like that. I use credit like cash and just pay it off every month so I don't have to pay interest. The reasons to do that outweigh the reasons to use cash, more secure and safer, you get rewards (credit, cash back, miles, etc), builds a higher credit score, etc.
 
cynics said:
That's only true if you are willing to not accept change. That's the point of the sign.

A business can't give you something they do not have OR if it affects their business (next guy can't get 1 dollar in change because you cleaned them out).

We don't accept any cash in my line of work ( service technician) nor do I carry change to accommodate it.

Care to post the law? I'm curious to read how it's worded. Is a gas station that only accepts credit at the pump after the store closes breaking the law? Is Coke breaking the law in a vending machine that only takes 5's or tens? What about the millions of online stores?
Click to expand...

A private business can refuse to accept cash, but Apple is not a private business. I read that they are public.

Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," states: "United States coins and currency [including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks] are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues.

Actually, Im not sure anymore. Its been 20 years since Ive researched it and now looking on google I cannot find a straight answer. Ive paid for every iPhone in cash even when we could not.
 
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Meanwhile, 33% of US adults are in debt collections. Credit cards have a nice and easy appeal, but they are set up against the consumer, not for them.
 
I was turned down just last summer when I tried to use cash at an Apple store to buy a 5S. I was SO angry that I just walked out of the store...still don't have an iPhone either...lol.
 
AndrewR23 said:
Also a little side note : If you ever see businesses that have a sign that says no bills above 20$ are accepted. That is not allowed in the U.S. You can still give them a 50 and they will accept it.
Click to expand...

AndrewR23 said:
Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," states: "United States coins and currency [including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks] are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues.

Actually, Im not sure anymore. Its been 20 years since Ive researched it and now looking on google I cannot find a straight answer. Ive paid for every iPhone in cash even when we could not.
Click to expand...
If it helps clear it up, here's a quote from the US Treasury's webpage:

This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.
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http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/currency/pages/legal-tender.aspx
 
AndrewR23 said:
And Apple was not allowed to do that.
Click to expand...
I believe you're wrong, they chose to reverse that decision based on negative publicity, not because any government intervention.

Straight from the Treasury.gov
This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.
Click to expand...
 
I've bought several iPhones, iPad, MacBooks with cash to send to family in Europe and have never had an issue.
 
My wife is a photographer and she stopped accepting cash as payment because she kept getting screwed over at the last minute. Plus with electroic payment you have the timestamp and receipt at the time of payment.
 
maflynn said:
I believe you're wrong, they chose to reverse that decision based on negative publicity, not because any government intervention.

Straight from the Treasury.gov
Click to expand...

Yeah, the whole issue surrounds the fact that cash must be accepted as payment for a *debt*.

They can easily say "We won't sell this to you if you pay cash." At that point there is no debt, so they don't have to accept jack ****.

On the other hand, if you owe the store money for service they already performed, that is a debt, and at that point they ARE required to accept cash.
 
When I got mine I saw several people pay cash for their new iPhones.

I'm not the expert obviously, but I though you had to accept cash for any purchase in the US.
 
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