Apple Card AVOID Apple Wallet for Apple Installments!!!!!!!!

[Chrobrego]

Anyone else have an Apple Card installment plan nightmare? I just went through 16 hours on the phone and three months between Goldman and Apple because Goldman apparently doesn't understand how banking works -- ie. not posting transactions back onto closed statements, etc. In short, I ordered a Dell computer from Dell's website and used their finance -- seamless and easy. Apple uses Goldman for this same purpose and it was utter chaos and a sea of unexplained charges that made me lose all trust in both Apple and their Apple Card.

 

[hg.wells]

What sort of unexpected charges are you talking? I’ve had my Apple Card since launch and had no issues, multiple devices on finance.

 

[justmewhoelse]

I too have had the Apple Card since launch. Amazing support. Had to deal with an uber eats issue - the restaurant didn't send a part of order order. Apple chat took care of it - really instantly. No charge.

imo , people with customer support issues always bring those issues on themselves - my sister for sure - lol.

zGetting help with an Apple Card issue is an amazing reinvention of support.

 

[cardfan]

Anyone else have an Apple Card nightmare? I just went through 16 hours on the phone between Goldman and Apple because Goldman apparently doesn't understand how banking works -- ie. not posting transactions back onto closed statements, etc. In short, I ordered a Dell computer from Dell's website and used their finance -- seamless and easy. Apple uses Goldman for this same purpose and it was utter chaos and a sea of unexplained charges that made me lose all trust in both Apple and their Apple Card.

Can’t recommend enough to people not to use a credit card to do these payment plans. Not if you use it for other things. Plus it makes your utilization rate worse.

 

[Chrobrego]

Can’t recommend enough to people not to use a credit card to do these payment plans. Not if you use it for other things. Plus it makes your utilization rate worse.

Yes, I made an error. My card utilization went sky high because the whole amount is placed against the credit limit even though you pay off the monthly balance to zero. My main problem with Goldman Sachs is that the charges were broken into little pieces and made reconciling difficult; for example, I owed $127 in taxes and was told that a charge of $127 would post yet four charges TOTALLING $127 hit instead. It was difficult finding someone who could explain what was going on.

 

[Chrobrego]

What sort of unexpected charges are you talking? I’ve had my Apple Card since launch and had no issues, multiple devices on finance.

Apple processed the iMac order in different stages so different charges were hitting prior to my $138 monthly installment. Some of the charges also were backdated on statements that I had already reconciled so I didn't see them (why would I check a statement again after it was reconciled?). This caused my statement / card balance to get unreconciled. Anyway, everything was in order but Apple/Goldman made the process so convoluted that I wasted a lot of time on the phone with them asking for them to explain my charges and they couldn't do it -- they didn't understand it either. It took someone from their exec office to finally explain what was going on with my balance.

 

[AZhappyjack]

Anyone else have an Apple Card nightmare? I just went through 16 hours on the phone between Goldman and Apple because Goldman apparently doesn't understand how banking works -- ie. not posting transactions back onto closed statements, etc. In short, I ordered a Dell computer from Dell's website and used their finance -- seamless and easy. Apple uses Goldman for this same purpose and it was utter chaos and a sea of unexplained charges that made me lose all trust in both Apple and their Apple Card.

Perhaps a bit more detail about what happened?

With that said, I have no issues with GS/Apple Card. I use it regularly for many purchases at various retailers (online/ApplePay local) with nary a problem. YMMV.

 

[triptolemus]

These sound like problems associated with keeping an account at like 90% of its limit all the time...

 

[Chrobrego]

The problem arises from the installment plans. To sum it up: Apple and Goldman use different accounting procedures to account for the installment plan. Apple will post charges when the item ships, but will backdate the charges using the original dates. The problem here is that Goldman takes these same charges and posts them as current on your statement. To reconcile, you need to go through closed out reconciled months to find the charges. Apple also will state that a separate 'tax' charge will appear separately on your Apple wallet; in my case, it was for $127. That charge never came. I did see several small charges for $11, 27, 20.33, etc. I called customer service and Goldman told me they had no clue since Apple originated the charges. Apple said they had no clue since they operate six different divisions and their computers aren't interconnected. I spoke with six Apple reps and one Goldman rep, and not one person could identify these small charges. I really thought my account had been hacked or stolen. Fast forward two months, and a Goldman exec office rep told me that Apple broke the $127 tax charge into several smaller bits so that it would post properly for Goldman. If I added up all six charges, they would add up to $127. How was I supposed to know that since Apple told me $127 would post the next day? They said they are going through a 'growing period' and it's difficult to integrate two different systems joined together with the same credit card.

 

[Chrobrego]

The problem arises from the installment plans. The problem I had got so bad that I, in a very silly way, emailed Tim Cook stating his Apple Wallet app sucks. I got a call back from "Apple exec offices" (not really, even though they claimed to be; however they were upper tier customer service people.) They got two Apple engineers working with me and Goldman called several times to apologize. In the end and after a couple of months and sixteen hours on the phone, it turns out that the app works fine, but Apple and Goldman process charges using two different systems. Apple generates the charges first and assigns dates that don't match the dates that Goldman sets when the charges hit their statements. The result is my card balance went out of sync with the apple wallet. Goldman also backdated charges onto closed statements which caused a hell of a problem because I reconcile my statements each month. If you use the card just for purchases, you should be fine. If you use the installment plan, and don't reconcile items and just 'trust' Apple, you'll be fine. If you are like me and want to know what each charge actually is, then it's a really bad system they have in place. Everything does 'equal out', but it takes three months. One problem I can tell you is that the Apple invoice for my iMac said I would pay a $127 tax charge that would hit the next day on the card. It never came. However, several phantom charges for small amounts hit. I spent an age trying to figure out what they were. Turns out -- Goldman broke the $127 into about six component parts that will add up to $127. I didn't expect that and it wasted my time.

As a comparison, I bought a Dell using the Dell finance program on their website. Simple to order like Apple, but instead of several charges and chaos, I got a simple $138 charge that hit my credit card on the exact date they said it would. No surprises and no need to call customer service. I wish Apple worked like that.

 

[Chrobrego]

I too have had the Apple Card since launch. Amazing support. Had to deal with an uber eats issue - the restaurant didn't send a part of order order. Apple chat took care of it - really instantly. No charge.

imo , people with customer support issues always bring those issues on themselves - my sister for sure - lol.

zGetting help with an Apple Card issue is an amazing reinvention of support.

My Apple Card is fine with simple charges too; although the perks aren't nearly as good as other cards, so I don't use it much at all. My problem was using an Apple installment plan and this credit card operated by Goldman Sachs. In short, the two companies have systems that don't work well in terms of installment charges. They conflict and generate charges all over the place that can't be explained by either Apple or Goldman reps. It does sort itself out after three months though -- I found that out the hard way.

 

[Chrobrego]

What sort of unexpected charges are you talking? I’ve had my Apple Card since launch and had no issues, multiple devices on finance.

Apple and Goldman use two different systems for their accounting that don't pair up well. The charges ultimately were legitimate but unexplained and unexplainable by any other their reps. For example, the $127 tax charge that Apple said would appear the next day on my Apple Card never appeared. However, several months later I got about six random small charges ($11.03, $22.30, etc) that nobody at either Apple or Goldman could make sense of. Turns out that Apple had to break up the $127 tax charge into components to work with their Goldman integration and both companies reported the dates the charges were posted differently. It caused a lot of confusion. If you just 'trust' Apple, then don't worry about it since the charges will ultimately equal out over a three month window in my case.

 

[AZhappyjack]

Apple and Goldman use two different systems for their accounting that don't pair up well. The charges ultimately were legitimate but unexplained and unexplainable by any other their reps. For example, the $127 tax charge that Apple said would appear the next day on my Apple Card never appeared. However, several months later I got about six random small charges ($11.03, $22.30, etc) that nobody at either Apple or Goldman could make sense of. Turns out that Apple had to break up the $127 tax charge into components to work with their Goldman integration and both companies reported the dates the charges were posted differently. It caused a lot of confusion. If you just 'trust' Apple, then don't worry about it since the charges will ultimately equal out over a three month window in my case.

Since you appear to trust neither Apple nor Goldman Sachs, my recommendation would be to find an alternative source of financing, pay off your devices and close your Apple Card account. Problem solved.

FWIW, I have two devices on installments, and have not experienced ANYTHING like what you are reporting. At the time of purchase, I had to pay the sales tax on the entire purchase... and then afterwards, payments due appear on the card/monthly statement, which I pay on time, as agreed. I also have other charges on my card from time to time (food, incidental purchases), and it always works. I see payments coming due, as expected, and make the payments. None of this stuff about large tax charges not appearing as expected and showing up later as multiple "random small charges".

Frankly, I'm calling BS. What you say is not even logical. And I'm out.

 

[Chrobrego]

Since you appear to trust neither Apple nor Goldman Sachs, my recommendation would be to find an alternative source of financing, pay off your devices and close your Apple Card account. Problem solved.

FWIW, I have two devices on installments, and have not experienced ANYTHING like what you are reporting. At the time of purchase, I had to pay the sales tax on the entire purchase... and then afterwards, payments due appear on the card/monthly statement, which I pay on time, as agreed. I also have other charges on my card from time to time (food, incidental purchases), and it always works. I see payments coming due, as expected, and make the payments. None of this stuff about large tax charges not appearing as expected and showing up later as multiple "random small charges".

Frankly, I'm calling BS. What you say is not even logical. And I'm out.

1. I'm just reporting what happened to me. It may have something to do with including a trade-in, but I'm not sure.
2. I didn't ask for your advice, although I appreciate it.
3. Glad that you haven't experienced any issues, but that doesn't make it 'illogical' that others might have them.
4. "I'm calling BS." Again, I'm just reporting what happened to me. Why the aggression and rudeness?
5. "And I'm out." Are you 13? Who says that?

 

[baypharm]

Since you appear to trust neither Apple nor Goldman Sachs, my recommendation would be to find an alternative source of financing, pay off your devices and close your Apple Card account. Problem solved.

FWIW, I have two devices on installments, and have not experienced ANYTHING like what you are reporting. At the time of purchase, I had to pay the sales tax on the entire purchase... and then afterwards, payments due appear on the card/monthly statement, which I pay on time, as agreed. I also have other charges on my card from time to time (food, incidental purchases), and it always works. I see payments coming due, as expected, and make the payments. None of this stuff about large tax charges not appearing as expected and showing up later as multiple "random small charges".

Frankly, I'm calling BS. What you say is not even logical. And I'm out.

Dang…what a rude and unforgiving comment to make to the OP. I think your signature says it all…

 

[AZhappyjack]

Dang…what a rude and unforgiving comment to make to the OP. I think your signature says it all…

Seriously? If the OP doesn’t like/trust the Apple Card process, the best advice is to move on. Didn’t know that saying so was either rude or unforgiving.

If I did not trust a bank, I certainly would not use their services.