AT&T now limiting iPhone sales to one, requiring credit card
AT&T in an internal memo to its retail department on Wednesday instated a couple of new policies regarding sales of Apple Inc.'s increasingly hard-to-find iPhone, primarily that customers are allowed to purchase only one of the handsets until further notice.
"Effective May 14, 2008, customers can only purchase one iPhone at AT&T stores," reads a copy of the memo obtained by AppleInsider. "The prior limit of three iPhones is no longer in effect."
The exclusive US iPhone carrier said all requests to purchase more than one of the touch-screen handsets must be approved by a director or general manager, adding that cash and checks will no longer be accepted.
"Customers may only use credit or debit cards to purchase their iPhone," the memo says.
The move comes amongst a growing shortage of the handset worldwide, as Apple is believed to have ramped down or ceased production of the current 8 and 16GB models ahead of a new version that will run on so-called 3G networks.
Over the weekend, both of Apple's online stores in the US and UK stopped accepting new iPhone orders. Availability of the device overseas has faired littler better, with UK wireless partner O2 having run dry of its supply last week only to return bearing just the high end model.
"Effective May 14, 2008, customers can only purchase one iPhone at AT&T stores," reads a copy of the memo obtained by AppleInsider. "The prior limit of three iPhones is no longer in effect."
The exclusive US iPhone carrier said all requests to purchase more than one of the touch-screen handsets must be approved by a director or general manager, adding that cash and checks will no longer be accepted.
"Customers may only use credit or debit cards to purchase their iPhone," the memo says.
The move comes amongst a growing shortage of the handset worldwide, as Apple is believed to have ramped down or ceased production of the current 8 and 16GB models ahead of a new version that will run on so-called 3G networks.
Over the weekend, both of Apple's online stores in the US and UK stopped accepting new iPhone orders. Availability of the device overseas has faired littler better, with UK wireless partner O2 having run dry of its supply last week only to return bearing just the high end model.
Comments
and added that cash and credit cards will no longer be accepted.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
I think that's a typo, should be cash and checks.
Absolute crap!!!
Simply amazing that they won't accept cash. I understand checks, but cash?!?!? U.S. currency is no longer an acceptable payment method?
Absolute crap!!!
Another sign of our weakened economy and weak U.S. Dollar!
"Uh oh, we ran out of iPhones earlier than we thought we would. Can't move the release of the new one up--Steve's got his WWDC keynote all worked out already. The dog & pony show must go on. What can we do? Oh! We can limit customers to one phone apiece. After all, we've got all those people rushing in to buy 17 at a time...."
Simply amazing that they won't accept cash. I understand checks, but cash?!?!? U.S. currency is no longer an acceptable payment method?
Absolute crap!!!
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/27/a...em-to-two-per/
Apple was not accepting cash for a while, now AT&T is not. Apple also limited people to two iPhones. Nothing really new.
What does this have to do with homosexuals?
Yes, even gay customers are upset about this.
Simply amazing that they won't accept cash. I understand checks, but cash?!?!? U.S. currency is no longer an acceptable payment method?
Absolute crap!!!
As noted, Apple was doing this, but they had a limit of two and not one.
How many people in the US carry $400+ in cash around?
In this case, I think AT&T is trying to restrict sales so they don't all just go overseas. Their interest in the iPhone is to sell subscriptions, not just phones.
hey guys, you need to help these people blur their photos a bit better. I could clearly read the "to:" category. Give that a whirl before someone who cares sees it.
Some region just got fired.
Another sign of our weakened economy and weak U.S. Dollar!
hey guys, you need to help these people blur their photos a bit better. I could clearly read the "to:" category. Give that a whirl before someone who cares sees it.
Wow. Back when it was blurred, I couldn't make out crap.
How many people in the US carry $400+ around?
I remember a figure of $300 as being the average amount a person carries around with them.
I remember a figure of $300 as being the average amount a person carries around with them.
The only number I could find is $75, in 1995.
http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/12/...han-you-think/
I did find a lot of economics discussions elsewhere on how much someone should carry, some of it there, but the discussion takes some big assumptions. It seems like a moot discussion, the time spent doing a cash transaction vs. just using a debit card for same seems nearly negligible to me. The time to count currency seems to be about equal to or more than the time it takes look at a piece of ID, swipe the card, and handle a single piece of paper and sign it. I think I've gone to an ATM about four times in my life.
Jeez, no wonder the stock just got hammered. Bad move, boys.
The NASDAQ was flat (up .1%) and apple wound up down 1.95%. Not a good day, certainly, but I'm not sure "hammered" is the best adjective.
The drop did occur at the end of the day, so it seems probable this policy did at least contribute to the drop.
Simply amazing that they won't accept cash. I understand checks, but cash?!?!? U.S. currency is no longer an acceptable payment method?
Absolute crap!!!
The CC only may be to prevent people from bypassing the system and getting more than one. Although the phone should be tied in with an account, I'm sure someone would figure out a way to work around that, maybe by opening up a pay as you go account. With a CC it's easier to track and tell whether or not someone has already bought one. That's my guess, anyway.
I remember a figure of $300 as being the average amount a person carries around with them.
Seems QUITE high.
(My family is thinking of what an appropriately-sized Apple gift card would be, for Fathers' Day!