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March 2, 2007

stores

Maybe there is such a thing as too many gift cards

Posted Mar. 2, ’07, 9:14 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Apple » Stores

Apple Gift CardsLooking to use a bunch of Apple Gift Cards to snag yourself a new computer? Caveat emptor: Consumerist reader Charlie ran into trouble when she tried to redeem her eight gift cards to buy a Mac. The online Apple Store allows you only to use four gift cards, the retail stores six, and while the gift card FAQ claims that you can use an unlimited number if you call them at 1-800-MY-APPLE, the rep Charlie spoke to would allow her to use only four plus a credit card (she could spend the other four on accessories).

The only alternative she was given was to go to the nearest Apple Store and have them combine the eight cards into one card. Unfortunately, the nearest Apple Store to her is three hours away (perhaps she lives in Pennsylvania?) and she wouldn’t be able to buy the refurb model she wanted, since they didn’t sell them there.

So despite the fact that all the money in Charlie’s gift cards is already in Apple’s hands, she can’t redeem the cards for products. Heads up, Apple: you’re going to want to fix this one.


6 Comments

Daniel said:

WTF? There is no excuse for a company, any company, to ask consumers to trade currency for gift cards if they are not going to treat them as currency. The whole point is, presumably, to personalize, on some very microscopic scale, the gift to the "giftee." The idea that you cannot combine them or that after 12 months there is a standard monthly deduction is, in my opinion, a disreputable and abusive practice on the part of any company. I have never once had a store look at my money and say, "sir, I'm sorry... I see this 20 dollar bill was issued in 1983... because of standard deductions occurring on or after 1985, the value of this bill is now $0." I've never had one expire, and I've never had a company say I cannot combine $20 bill A with $20 bill B. It infuriates me that millions of dollars are basically given to companies due to "carrying charges" or "non-combination policies" despite the fact that they are basically selling these gifts to consumers as a "substitute for cash" product. Kinda makes me stabby....

March 2, 2007 9:38 AM
GCarden said:

Before you begin to burn with rage against Apple's seemingly unfair policy, consider this: how often, do you think, does the average consumer attempt to buy something with more than two gift cards?

(I may be an exception here, as I have bought Starbucks drinks with multiple gift cards, each totaling less than a dollar.)

Were I to warrant a guess as to the reasoning behind this rule, it would be that Apple is trying to protect itself from people who would counterfeit their gift certificates. It's possible that they've been ripped off in the past, and we just don't know about it, Apple being the secretive company that they are.

March 2, 2007 11:45 AM
Dan Moren Author Profile Page said:

@GCarden: Despite what the average consumer may or may not do, Apple's FAQ on gift cards (linked in the post) says: "There is no limit to the numbers of cards you can use when making a purchase through 1-800-MY-APPLE."

If they're trying to prevent fraud, as you suggest, that's one thing, but what they're doing directly contradicts what they say their policy is.

March 2, 2007 11:52 AM
~J~ said:

That is absolutly not true, I had a 13 gift card sale in the apple store the other day and did not have a problem ringing it up. you could even go in there or probably call and have them combine them.....

March 2, 2007 12:08 PM
Daniel said:

In addition to what Dan said, if a company is going to impose restrictions on a gift card, then they should prominently make those restrictions known to customers prior to the point of sale. A company should not, in effect, get the benefit of higher gift card sales due to the generally-held belief that a gift card is the same as cash (for that store) while, on the other hand, adopting measures that serve solely to decrease the utility of that same gift card when the customer tries to redeem it.

March 2, 2007 12:21 PM
Jack said:

This is pretty bad. It clearly says on the FAQ that ther is a limit online and at the retail store, but not over the phone.

She should just keep calling and escalate the call. Maybe you guys at macuser or macworld can find the "appropriate" person for her to call?

Reminds me of a Steven Wright joke. He goes to a 24 hour convenience store and the clerk says they are closed. He points to the "open 24 hours signe", and the clerk says "not ina row!"

March 3, 2007 10:43 AM

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