Like I said. I never pre-ordered an Apple product before and this time I'm gonna. Any idea how much the pre-order is? Is it a deposit? The whole cost?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Never Pre-ordered an Apple product before... Cost?
- Thread starter johndango
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Actually, this is a good question. If you preorder with a debit card do they put a hold on the money and then charge it when shipped? For a CC this wouldn't be a big deal, but it can cause problems with a debit card... I've never preordered before, either.
If it causes a "problem" because you're putting it on a debit card, one might wonder if one should be buying let alone pre-ordering one as it is.
I've always had my Apple stuff arrive the day of release.
Also, don't upgrade the shipping Apple will do that free of charge to make sure you get it day 1. At least this is the way its always been...
Why? They are paying cash for it basically. But gee, who the heck feels it is necessary for "Apple" to hold access to funds for those WEEKS.
How about YOU send ME the money to use while Apple holds mine without shipping me something???
Personally, I think it is more of an issue that people using CREDIT cards shouldn't be ordering.....
Thanks a bunch
I assumed this as a few of my friends received their pre-ordered snow leopard discs early, guess I'll be pre-ordering then
a debit card cannot be used for online purchases. unless you do not use it as debit and use it as visa/mastercard. in that case same rules would apply as a normal credit card.
So wait. Let me get this straight. Since I'm planning to pay with a debit card, Apple will put a hold on my account for the full amount? And it will stay like that until the day I pick it up? Am I understanding that correctly?
EDIT: I'm planning on pre-ordering in an actual store.
EDIT: I'm planning on pre-ordering in an actual store.
It's not a cash flow problem, its a technical one. I've had trouble, occasionally, in the past having long duration holds being double charged. The vendor holds the funds, but doesn't actually charge you, then when the product ships they release the hold and charge it. Normally this happens over the course of a couple days and it works fine. When it's weeks, though, the hold doesn't clear automatically and the actual charge goes through, tying up double the actual purchase price. Sometimes, I've had to call my bank and have them manually release the hold. I have the cash to buy an iPad, it's more that I don't want to have to spend my valuable free time calling my stupid credit union.
But thanks for your unsolicited financial advice.
And a sincere thanks to you for understanding the difference and acknowledging the fact that debit cards are simply a convenient way to spend YOUR money and not someone else's.
At the risk of sounding like an ass, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. I don't remember the last time I used an actual credit card to buy something online. I ALWAYS use my debit card, as I prefer to not spend more than I have.
Debit cards work, from the vendors perspective, just like a credit card, with the exception that they can get discounted fees if they take a pin number rather than a signature.
On the customer side, there are some other differences. Aside from the obvious (the money is taken directly from your account rather than being sent a bill and being charged interest under varying circumstances) the main one is of holds on funds. The most common example of this is pay at the pump gas stations. Many/most will place a hold on your card for $50-100 when you swipe it. Then, when you complete the transaction it charges you the purchase amount and releases the hold.
On a credit card, the funds on hold are just "theoretical" dollars from an available credit line, not your actual money (though, I suppose technically it is the banks money being held), so this tends to not be a problem. For a debit card, though, the hold is a claim on actual dollars in your bank account. The subsequent charge is also a claim on money in your account, a separate claim in fact. If the original hold is not released promptly you are effectively being double charged and then refunded, eventually.
More importantly in this scenario is the risk of NOT being refunded the money without having to call my credit union and telling them to unfreeze the funds after the actual charge has gone through. It's usually not a problem, but when a hold goes in for several weeks, I have, as I said, had problems with the held funds being released.
I am NOT saying that. I was asking that question. I've never pre-ordered from Apple before so I don't know if that is how they do business, but SOME vendors do this.
I suspect it is NOT the case, though as Apple probably just charges the account when they are READY to ship and if it goes through they ship it and move on. If not, they probably just send you an automatic email and move to the next guy on the list.
This sort of business method is most commonly used for small businesses who have a tight cash flow and have to be sure you can actually pay for something before they start investing in your order. Apple, clearly, doesn't have cash flow problems.
I've bought TONS of stuff online from Apple with my debit card and they've never, that I noticed, put a hold on any funds in my account, even for items that had a wait time of a few days (rather than the usual 24 hours). But, I've never preordered from them, so I was just looking for clarification.
actually you have no idea you have no idea what your talking about
when you go to a store they ask you debit or credit. debit is a pin pad purchase. credit is a signed purchase. when you use your debit card as credit it works just like a credit card but pulls money from your bank account.
If you're spending the money (and have the money) at time of pre-order vs purchase - who cares when it's charged. It's a formality.
No one is making anyone pre-order. If you want the privilege AND you have the resources, it's not really an issue, is it? Just something to complain about if it really doesn't affect you?
So I restate - that if not having that money for a few weeks is a PROBLEM (no inconvenience) then perhaps you shouldn't be pre-ordering.
And yes - it's better to pay with cash then with credit. I have credit cards but I don't use them except to build up points. And I pay my balance pretty immediately because if I can't afford something "today" - then I shouldn't be buying it. The 30 day grace period for purchases isn't going to make a difference.
It's taking your credit card statement one further...
Many debit cards don't have the same consumer protection features as credit cards. I'm not just talking about things like price protection or extended warranties, but basic stuff like the ability to chargeback or fraud protection.
What you said (I bolded it above) was factually and demonstrably false. You can in fact use debit cards for online purchases. Debit and credit card transactions are often associated with pin pads and signatures, respectively, but they are not exclusively linked to them. You can use a debit card "like a credit card" but it is still a debit transaction.
Examples:
You can use a debit card at a restaurant, be required to sign for the bill, but the money is still debited from your account - no credit is extended.
You can put your credit card in an ATM and punch in a PIN code and have cash spit out at you, but that cash is a LOAN and is being credited to you. (Note you are also nearly always charged a HIGHER interest rate for this, for some inexplicable reason; also, I've never done this, I simply know it is possible).
Agreed. I'd actually rather just charge you when you preorder something (though I understand why they don't charge until time of shipping for in stock/released items). My concern, and question, over charge holds for preordering stemmed from being, effectively, double charged and having to go back to my CU to get it fixed (which is easy and doesn't cause much trouble, other than 20-30 minutes of my day that I would rather spend with my family (or on MR's)
.EDIT:
Oops, I meant to respond to this too... This always concerned me. I wonder if the recent credit card regulation act made any changes to these rules. It seems that if the CC clearing house is charging the same fees you should get the same benefits.
Even Sat though? this will be the question pre order for home delv and HOPE for fed ex sat delv?
Or pre order to pick up at an Apple store( in my case have to drive 2 hours)
Arguments aside. Does anyone know how it will work if I try to use a debit card to pre-order at a store?
if you use a debit card for preorder it will be done just like you do a credit card. they charge when its shipped out.
Apple doesn't offer "pre-orders" for in-store purchases. Prospective buyers may only "reserve" the product. The difference is this: with a pre-order, a product is set aside for perhaps a couple of days until you are ready to pick it up. You are effectively the owner of said product from the moment you place the pre-order. However, reserving the product means that you are placed on a list of potential buyers; you are not giving Apple any billing information. You may have to wait in line for the product, but possibly not; Apple may choose to hold the product for a very limited period (historically one day). The safest route would be an online pre-order. Hope this helps!
I think there needs to be a little clarefication. I have a "debit card" that works as a "credit card" also. It has the mastercard logo on it. So if your debit card has the mastercard or visa logo on it, it can be used as a credit card.
You should clarify when you say debit card, if it has the mastercard or visa logo it can be used as a credit card.
You should clarify when you say debit card, if it has the mastercard or visa logo it can be used as a credit card.
That's the way it's always been but this time release date is on a Saturday, so will this still hold true? Doesn't FedEx charge more for Saturday delivery and will Apple still do that? This is the first time Apple has had a Saturday release that I can remember so I am still wondering if I pre-order will I still get it on Saturday or will I have to wait until Monday?