Ordering from Apple US Online store while in the US
Hello,
I'm in the US for a couple weeks, and I'm thinking of getting a refurb MBP here for my wife. I'm in Maryland very close to the Delaware border, and I was hoping to take advantage of the lack of sales tax in Delaware. I was surprised to see that the Apple Online Store in the US will ship refurbs to retail Apple stores for customer pickup, which would allow me to pick up there and save the tax.
Payment has to be made online however, and as far as I know, I would not be able to use my Canadian credit card to do that. I was thinking of getting a prepaid credit card to do the transaction, but I'm not sure if that's possible since they don't have any billing address tied to them. I really don't want to do that without knowing that it does work, because I don;t want to end up with a lot of money on a card I can't use.
Another option would be to go to the Apple retail store, buy a gift card in the amount of the computer, use it to place the refurb order online and then go back to the retail store to pick up the computer once it arrives a few days later. A bit more traveling, but probably the safest option.
Payment has to be made online however, and as far as I know, I would not be able to use my Canadian credit card to do that.
Is that actually true?
My son is studying in the US...does that mean I can't buy a Mac for him in the US and have it shipped to him rhere?
I do that all the time with other products from other manufacturers - never had a problem as long as the shipping address is in the US.
I haven't tried Apple but certainly lots of other US online stores (Amazon, Meritline) will take Canadian credit cards as long as you are shipping to a US address.
I'd say give it a shot. Set up a US App Store account, then attach your Canadian credit card to it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by krs
Is that actually true?
My son is studying in the US...does that mean I can't buy a Mac for him in the US and have it shipped to him rhere?
I do that all the time with other products from other manufacturers - never had a problem as long as the shipping address is in the US.
I haven't tried Apple but certainly lots of other US online stores (Amazon, Meritline) will take Canadian credit cards as long as you are shipping to a US address.
I'd say give it a shot. Set up a US App Store account, then attach your Canadian credit card to it.
Actually, to clarify, Amazon and many other US retailers will happily ship to CANADA (for many things) on a Canadian credit card - in fact, they tend to be a bit more suspicious when a Canadian card is used to ship to a non-billing address in the US. You cannot use a Canadian credit card in the US Apple iTunes store or App store, but there are a number of recent reports of people being able to use Canadian CCs in the online Apple Store when buying hardware that is staying in the US.
My son is studying in the US...does that mean I can't buy a Mac for him in the US and have it shipped to him rhere?
I do that all the time with other products from other manufacturers - never had a problem as long as the shipping address is in the US.
Here is the official policy from apple.com:
The Apple Online Store U.S. accepts credit, debit, or check cards associated with a billing address within the 50 United States and the following U.S. territories:
American Samoa
Armed Forces Africa
Armed Forces Americas
Armed Forces Canada
Armed Forces Europe
Armed Forces Middle East
Armed Forces Pacific
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Palau
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
In the U.S., we accept:
American Express
Discover
MasterCard
Visa
If you have a credit card with a US billing address, you'll be fine. I don't have one though.
Apple retail stores will gladly take canadian credit cards, so I bought a gift card at the store in the exact amount I needed and ordered the refurb MBP at the US online store for my wife. 20$ cheaper than in Canada, and no sales tax here makes for significant savings.
Another option would be to go to the Apple retail store, buy a gift card in the amount of the computer, use it to place the refurb order online and then go back to the retail store to pick up the computer once it arrives a few days later. A bit more traveling, but probably the safest option.
You can't use gift cards to shop online I've been told. I'd pursue the prepaid credit card route.
Hmmm... Maybe the gift card thing is only outside the US?
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You can't use gift cards to shop online I've been told. I'd pursue the prepaid credit card route.
Hmmm... Maybe the gift card thing is only outside the US?
That may be the case outside the US, but I had no problems using a gift card to order the refurb MBP and have it shipped to the Apple retail store (something else that can't be done in Canada)
Apple may be fussier but Amazon (.com, not .ca) and Meritline have never given me a problem shipping to the US with a Canadian billing address and credit card. It's how I buy Christmas gifts for people in the States. I get better deals and cheap/free shipping as long as it is going to a US address, which always makes me jealous. They will warn me if they won't ship to my Canadian address, which happens with a number of things.
I know you can set up a US iTunes/App store account online with a gift card bought at a US store and a valid US address. This works well for downloads, but not so good for physical things such as computers if you don't happen to live at that address. And choosing 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or 1 Infinite Loop is bound to raise some flags...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paddy
Actually, to clarify, Amazon and many other US retailers will happily ship to CANADA (for many things) on a Canadian credit card - in fact, they tend to be a bit more suspicious when a Canadian card is used to ship to a non-billing address in the US. You cannot use a Canadian credit card in the US Apple iTunes store or App store, but there are a number of recent reports of people being able to use Canadian CCs in the online Apple Store when buying hardware that is staying in the US.
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