Thank you. I'm sure it will work out because American Express ALWAYS sides with it's customers and will do what it needs to in order to resolve the situation. It is in fact against the merchant agreement that Apple signed with Amex and most likely it's other credit card processors.
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Couldn't buy with Amex Gift Card? WTF?!?
- Thread starter fotomatt1
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Thank you. I'm sure it will work out because American Express ALWAYS sides with it's customers and will do what it needs to in order to resolve the situation. It is in fact against the merchant agreement that Apple signed with Amex and most likely it's other credit card processors.
Dream on. Amex can "side with" you all day, and they still can't force an Apple Store to accept your little gift card. But keep fighting the good fight!
Dream on. Amex can "side with" you all day, and they still can't force an Apple Store to accept your little gift card. But keep fighting the good fight!
They might not be able to "force" apple to sell me one, however Amex states that Amex gift cards are accepted EVERYWHERE Amex cards are. This includes Apple retail. That being said, Amex has to honor it's commitment to me, and I'm sure they will.
It is because Macbooks are not is short supply and are available all over the world. I am sure once the demand for the iPad dies that you will be able to use your gift card to buy one.
That is BS, there are all kinds of things that are only sold in one market that are in short supply and those retailers dont require folks to pay with a credit card. Ever heard of a rain check?
That is because most retailers do not care. You have to ask yourself, how long did it take to buy that PS3 or Nintendo Wii when it first came out.
At least Apple is doing something to ensure their american customers have access to the iPads.
What they really need to do is get eBay to buy into the anti-scalping process and that would also cut down on a lot of the people that are out there just buying these devices to sell.
At least Apple is doing something to ensure their american customers have access to the iPads.
What they really need to do is get eBay to buy into the anti-scalping process and that would also cut down on a lot of the people that are out there just buying these devices to sell.
What Apple should have done is put a program in the bios that prevents the iPad from working if it is located outside of the US market. If someone in lets say England were to try to use the iPad, the screen would show a message that it is not available in that country at the time.
With that in place, they could remove the restrictions of having to use a credit card to purchase the iPad.
I wouldn't be surprised if there is more to this than just limiting the end customer. Maybe they are creating a database of people that buy their products just to sell on ebay or something. Since when you buy the iPad, their system tracks your credit card number with the serial number of the iPad. So when people use their iPads and sync with iTunes, Apple can easily register where that iPad is located. Now with this information, they can ban certain people from buying their products until supply is not an issue.
With that in place, they could remove the restrictions of having to use a credit card to purchase the iPad.
I wouldn't be surprised if there is more to this than just limiting the end customer. Maybe they are creating a database of people that buy their products just to sell on ebay or something. Since when you buy the iPad, their system tracks your credit card number with the serial number of the iPad. So when people use their iPads and sync with iTunes, Apple can easily register where that iPad is located. Now with this information, they can ban certain people from buying their products until supply is not an issue.
If they think forcing you to pay with a credit card is going to prevent you to sell a product on ebay, they're sadly mistaken. If the product is in such high demand and short supply, then I'll put it on my credit card, sell it on ebay and pay my entire credit card bill with the proceeds. I have no desire to do this. I just want the product to use for myself, but I'd be entirely within my rights to resell it if I choose. I also think it's discriminatory for them to try and refuse a sale to someone who lives outside of the US. Perhaps we should have to show our "papers" to buy an iPad?
I'm just more upset than anything that a family member bought me this gift card so that I could buy the iPad I really wanted and it turned out that they wasted $1000 of hard earned money. If this policy had been clearly posted in stores or online, perhaps they wouldn't have bought the gift card. Yes, I know it's posted online in their retail store t&c, but it's buried. I don't mean to sound angry or antagonistic, but I do believe Apple is doing something wrong and they're not treating their customers fairly.
I'm just more upset than anything that a family member bought me this gift card so that I could buy the iPad I really wanted and it turned out that they wasted $1000 of hard earned money. If this policy had been clearly posted in stores or online, perhaps they wouldn't have bought the gift card. Yes, I know it's posted online in their retail store t&c, but it's buried. I don't mean to sound angry or antagonistic, but I do believe Apple is doing something wrong and they're not treating their customers fairly.
No, they don't. As I said earlier, they don't care. They aren't going to stop doing business with Apple because you threw a strop. They don't even enforce their own policies about not allowing merchants to ask for ID. Sorry, dude. You are SOL.
What are you talking about, that makes it even worse. Selective products are allowed to be bought with X and this with Y and those with Z.
Think about it.
For any reason whatsoever?? So they could refuse to sell them to, say, black people??? I think NOT!!
You might Google that dream. Yeah Amex will buy you whatever you want
On the U.S. Treasury FAQ. "There are no laws that force any merchant to take any form of payment, including cash". Thats why a bus driver doesn't have to take Bills, or Apple has to take your gift card. Oh and your statement about Amex gift cards accepted everywhere the Amex card is. Again not true, just read the T&C on their website. I understand your upset, but stamping your foot here won't change it. Did you try a Reseller??
Apple won't even let you use an APPLE gift card to purchase an iPad.
Just go buy the thing at Best Buy. I will never buy anything at the Apple store if I can get it somewhere else. I will go into the Apple store, look, play, and ask questions and then drive across the street and get it at Best Buy.
I am not a huge Best Buy fan but at least they will let me use gift cards to buy whatever I want. At least I think they will.
Goodness gosh, you really need to calm down, you're getting angry at yourself by not trying to simplify this matter, Apple doesn't hear you. Now, to my question, is there anything stopping you from taking your Amex gift card and buying an iPad at Best Buy? Why are you so hellbent on making sure you stick it to Apple because you don't care for their policy? At the end of the day getting your iPad is what you're after right? Then try another retailer like Best Buy or another online retailer that will take your Amex gift card.
even if they were cash equivalents it wouldnt matter. apple wont take cash for ipads either lol.
You might also want to contact your local TV news stations. They are always looking for stories like this.
They could say, thinking about giving an Amex or Apple gift card to your grandkid so they can buy an iPad? Think again, Apple refuses to honor their own gift cards for iPads.
I remember when the iPhone came out, I wanted to buy one. The new craze. I only had a debit card, they wouldn't sell me one. Had to have a CC. Haven't owned a CC in over 20 years. Never did buy an iPhone. Their loss I guess.
This was in the store so maybe it would have worked online but at the time I was pissed off at them so I said screw it.
This was in the store so maybe it would have worked online but at the time I was pissed off at them so I said screw it
.
Wow, you still just don't get it, do you? They're not trying to prevent anyone from reselling an iPad on eBay, they're trying to prevent anyone from reselling ten or twenty or more iPads on eBay.
You might Google that dream. Yeah Amex will buy you whatever you want
On the U.S. Treasury FAQ. "There are no laws that force any merchant to take any form of payment, including cash". Thats why a bus driver doesn't have to take Bills, or Apple has to take your gift card. Oh and your statement about Amex gift cards accepted everywhere the Amex card is. Again not true, just read the T&C on their website. I understand your upset, but stamping your foot here won't change it. Did you try a Reseller??
What does a FAQ on the Treasury site have to do with this? I agree with the OP having worked in retail many years. Apple has a contract with AMEX that includes a provision that Apple accept AMEX gift cards. One call from AMEX to APple will have this cleared up for the OP.
Apple has every right to enact a policy to limit iPad sales and I agree that doing so is good for a new product launch. However, their policy violates a clause in a contract they have with AMEX.
Every major credit card company prohibits merchants from imposing a minimum dollar amount on a purchase, yet thousands upon thousands of merchants do it. If the entire credit card industry won't stand up to tiny mom and pop shops, what makes you think AMEX will stand up to Apple?
Hey...I think everybody else needs to calm down and stop siding with Apple just because they make a cool product that you like. It doesn't mean their business practices are fair.
Also, when I say that i KNOW Amex will resolve this, it's because I know for sure with 100% certainty that they will. I cannot speak to how they will at this point, but I will discuss that later. And I never said anything about Amex not doing business with Apple anymore, or anything like that. I don't even believe that Amex will force Apple to sell me the product. There are other ways around this situation for them, and they'll do what they have to to make it right, and probably without pissing off Apple.
Also, when I say that i KNOW Amex will resolve this, it's because I know for sure with 100% certainty that they will. I cannot speak to how they will at this point, but I will discuss that later. And I never said anything about Amex not doing business with Apple anymore, or anything like that. I don't even believe that Amex will force Apple to sell me the product. There are other ways around this situation for them, and they'll do what they have to to make it right, and probably without pissing off Apple.
Apple is wrong
Apple is clearly in the wrong on this one. Amex rules and regulations state a merchant must accept all cards with am Amex logo if they accept Amex cards. I'm a merchant and we accept Cc. I can tell you this could fall under discrimination under Amex rules.
For the op. I would suggest you call Amex and have them retun your money back. All you have to say is you weren't able to redeem your gift card at xxx merchant and they will either return your money or find a way to force the merchant to take your gift card.
If apple wants to accept Amex they have to follow Amex rules. Merchants can't just make their own cc rules. For example. Amex markets the gift card is accepted at ALL retailers who accept the Amex logo. Apple policy undermines this.
Apple is clearly in the wrong on this one. Amex rules and regulations state a merchant must accept all cards with am Amex logo if they accept Amex cards. I'm a merchant and we accept Cc. I can tell you this could fall under discrimination under Amex rules.
For the op. I would suggest you call Amex and have them retun your money back. All you have to say is you weren't able to redeem your gift card at xxx merchant and they will either return your money or find a way to force the merchant to take your gift card.
If apple wants to accept Amex they have to follow Amex rules. Merchants can't just make their own cc rules. For example. Amex markets the gift card is accepted at ALL retailers who accept the Amex logo. Apple policy undermines this.