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Apple No Cash For iPad Policy

B

Battlestar

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 9, 2010
407
0
Boston
While Apple has decided not to accept cash for iPads in any of its own retail locations what about Best Buy?

Has anyone gone into a Best Buy lately and purchased an iPad using cash?
 
Ca$hflow said:
Why are they not accepting cash? That is so retarded.:rolleyes:
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Because they want to track how many iPads a person buys. There is a life time purchase limit. They are probably doing this to cut down on people overseas getting gouged on eBay.
 
Ca$hflow said:
Why are they not accepting cash? That is so retarded.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Because of the 2 per person limit. They want to keep tabs on you.

As for BB, they'll take what ever payment type you have -- maybe even food stamps... OK kidding on that one. They'll gladly accept drug money though -- just don't tell 'em.

Problem is, you have to find a BB with one in stock. That part is not so easy. They get in like 4 a week or something silly.
 
Anyone knows if this policy will be forever? I'm going to NY in August and I would prefer to pay cash instead of with my Visa card.
 
fishmoose said:
Anyone knows if this policy will be forever? I'm going to NY in August and I would prefer to pay cash instead of with my Visa card.
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I doubt it will be forever, but it will be quite sometime before all models are shipping in 24h worldwide.
 
fishmoose said:
Anyone knows if this policy will be forever? I'm going to NY in August and I would prefer to pay cash instead of with my Visa card.
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If they give you problems about paying with cash, just buy several Apple gift cards with the cash and use those to buy your iPad.
 
jerkstore99 said:
If they give you problems about paying with cash, just buy several Apple gift cards with the cash and use those to buy your iPad.
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You can't use Apple gift cards either. It has to be a credit or debit card.

Because of supplies, Apple limits the number of iPads purchased at one time to 2 units, and 5 in a lifetime on one credit/debit card. They can't track cash or gift cards so those are not accepted.

It was the same way with the iPhone for a while, until international sales were robust and people weren't flipping them on eBay.
 
Thanks for the answers, I'll guess I will try to find out if the policy is still in effect come August. If it is I'll just have to use my Visa. Do they accept international cards/buyers? It's the Wifi model I'm looking to get.
 
I dont get this. I live on long island in NY and I paid for my ipad in cash. I just paid and went home. I think it varies with apple stores.
 
Ca$hflow said:
Why are they not accepting cash? That is so retarded.:rolleyes:
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One reason is handing cash in a business is a giant PIA. You must monitor, count, balance, create deposits/withdraws, securely store, keep other monies on hand for change and hire a compony to shuffle it to and from the bank.

Plus it's one more GIANT security risk to expose your emploies to. Apple likely get an insurance discount by not handling cash.
 
Due to the current stock levels, they have changed the policy to "Not accepting any form of payment for ipad"
:D
 
Battlestar said:
While Apple has decided not to accept cash for iPads in any of its own retail locations what about Best Buy?

Has anyone gone into a Best Buy lately and purchased an iPad using cash?
Click to expand...

This is not true. I bought my iPad with cash, no problem at all.

ETA: Bought from Apple Store, not BB
 
The manager of one of my local apple stores says that the official Apple policy is to only take debit or credit cards - however, a lot of managers decide to unofficially accept cash, since currently Apple corporate isn't cracking down on it.
 
Julien said:
One reason is handing cash in a business is a giant PIA. You must monitor, count, balance, create deposits/withdraws, securely store, keep other monies on hand for change and hire a compony to shuffle it to and from the bank.

Plus it's one more GIANT security risk to expose your emploies to. Apple likely get an insurance discount by not handling cash.
Click to expand...

:)

That's a very creative and interesting theory, but it is not true at all. Like all retail businesses, Apple takes cash all day long, just not for iPads at this time for the afore mentioned reasons in this thread and the several other threads in these forums...

If you really need to pay in cash, and you're buying just one for yourself and not to resell on eBay, any Apple store manager worth his salt should be able to recognize that and they will bend on the official policy currently in place, period.
 
Haven't seen any at Best Buy.

I think you should just open up a checking account.

If your credit is jacked, purchase a pre-paid visa, wait a week to get the official card in the mail, and then try the Apple Store again.

Or you can wait until after they're released in Europe. The cash sanction should be lifted shortly thereafter.
 
me2000 said:
A business can choose to take whatever form of payment they wish.
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Well, not exactly. :D

Cash is legal tender for all DEBTS, public or private. The issue here is that Apple is under no obligation to enter into a transaction with you. No transaction, no debt.

If however you were to incur some debt, say, for example, you knocked over an expensive iPad display at the store and you broke it, if they asked you to pay for it, they would have to accept cash.

Don't try this at home. :cool:
 
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