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Apple store gives me a lifelong iPad ban after buying multiple iPads for NeoGAFers

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Aruarian Reflection

Chauffeur de la gdlk
A lot of friends have been having a big laugh over this incident that happened to me yesterday. They know I've never bought an Apple product prior to this week, and now I've been banned from buying iPads :lol

ipad.jpg


The synopsis: I've been helping international NeoGAF members get iPads since Apple delayed the worldwide launch by 1 month. My Apple store initially had plenty of stock and anybody could just walk in there and buy iPads. I only bought 2 per day since I heard that was the limit. Well, iPad fever caught up and my store completely sold out. I had to get one more iPad for NeoGAF so the store helped me place a reservation. When they got more stock, yesterday I went to pick up my reserved iPad and was slapped with a lifetime ban.

Here's the conversation I had with the employee. For background details this is the complete post on my site http://www.protocolsnow.com/2010/04...ple-store-newbie-to-lifetime-ban-in-one-week/

Guy #1 says to Guy #2 — “Hold on, I’ll be right back” and disappears to the stockroom again. Guy #2 is still clicking around, not looking at me.

Me (nonchalantly) — “Is there an issue?”

He’s still staring at his monitor and a few seconds pass before Guy #2 carefully says, “There is a limit to the number of iPads that customers can buy.”

Me (playing dumb) — “Oh, is that right? What’s the limit?”

Guy #2 — “Only 2 per customer.”

Ok, so the gig is up. I stand around waiting for a bit and was preparing to leave when Guy #1 returns.

Guy #1 — “I’m sorry sir, but you have reached your lifetime limit of iPad purchases and will not be allowed to buy any more.”

Me (anticipating that statement) — “Is the iPad limit per person? Per credit card? Per household?”

Guy #1 — “All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit.”

Me — “What does that mean? Can I use a different credit card to buy it? I’m buying this for a friend.”

Guy #1 — “You are not allowed to buy this iPad.”

Me — “Uhh… is it ok if I have a family member or friend come to buy it for me? My reservation doesn’t expire until 6:00 PM.”

Guy #1 — “All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit.”

Me (suddenly realizing what he’s saying)– “Wait, what? Lifetime? What does that mean?”

Guy #1 — “All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit of iPads and will not be allowed to buy any more.”

Me — “I’m banned from buying iPads? I know there’s a shortage right now, but I can’t buy any more once there’s plenty of stock?”

Guy #1 — “All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit.”

I pause and look at him with incredulity undoubtedly written all over my face. Everybody tells me I have the worst poker face. Hey asshole, nice job with the passive aggressiveness, but who do you think you’re talking to? I’m from Los Angeles; nobody does passive-aggressive like we do!

Me — “Ok buddy, I’m not going to make a scene so I’m leaving. How many iPads is the limit by the way?”

Guy #1 — “That information is not available.”

Me (looking at Guy #2, who has been silent this whole time) — “He tells me that the limit is two.”

Guy #1 — “I wish I could say but I do not have that information.”

Me — “I’ve already purchased more than 2 iPads. Why didn’t anybody else stop me in the past?”

Guy #1 — “I wish I could say but I do not have that information.”

Me — “Alright, I’ve had enough. Have a good day.”
Click to expand...

Quick note since people have been flaming me on my site: I think the whole situation is hilarious and I'm not upset at all by their purchasing restrictions. The ban does seem arbitrary since I hadn't been stopped from buying before when I had theoretically hit their limit of 2 iPads total. In the store, I was annoyed by the way an employee was talking to me, but his responses were probably dictated by company policy. I've since been told that Apple employees are notoriously secretive and curt. I dunno, I've never even been to an Apple store before this week.
 
ryutaro's mama said:
They are probably trying to minimize online flipping, ala eBay.

Makes sense.
Click to expand...
But for life, what are they trying to do, pull a wii?
RevenantKioku said:
Good on them.
While you were doing it for a good cause, most people wouldn't be.
Click to expand...
But for "life?" That's what's so absurd. I mean, I know some underling doesn't really know how long a ban would take, but to call it a lifetime ban is ridiculous because it obviously should not be and if it actually is a lifetime ban than it's even more absurd.

I don't think anyone questions the validity of limiting initial purchases, but to limit them over the life of a product? Insanity.
 
Good on them.
While you were doing it for a good cause, most people wouldn't be.
 
mAcOdIn said:
But for life, what are they trying to do, pull a wii?
Click to expand...

It's a little harsh I agree but it's their policy.

They get to make the rules.

Buying multiples of a hot ticket item (especially Apple products) were bound to set off red flags for them.

Apple wants to kill the secondary market as much as they can seems.
 
mAcOdIn said:
But for "life?" That's what's so absurd. I mean, I know some underling doesn't really know how long a ban would take, but to call it a lifetime ban is ridiculous because it obviously should not be and if it actually is a lifetime ban than it's even more absurd.
Click to expand...

There will be a new one 8 months from now
 
ryutaro's mama said:
They are probably trying to minimize online flipping, ala eBay.

Makes sense.
Click to expand...
Yup. Along with markets outside the us. I remember something like this for the first iPhone too. People were taking them overseas and jacking up prices.
 
SpacLock said:
That's stupid.

Why should there be a limit?
What if you were picking up a few for employees at a business you own?
Click to expand...

There would be a limit to try and curb hoarding and flipping.

Seems straight forward to me.

Like someone else said, they don't know that the OP has good intentions.
 
Vyer said:
Yup. Along with markets outside the us. I remember something like this for the first iPhone too. People were taking them overseas and jacking up prices.
Click to expand...

And what's the problem with that? Especially if idiots are willing to pay.
 
sorry, bro.

I assume you can just go to a different Apple Store, though. right? Is there another one within reasonable driving distance?

And worst-case...you can send someone else in with cash. though it really seems above and beyond.
 
BloodySinner said:
And what's the problem with that? Especially if idiots are willing to pay.
Click to expand...

Seriously, what I do with the iPad after I buy it is my business.

*prepares to be eviscerated*
 
ElectricBlue187 said:
There will be a new one 8 months from now
Click to expand...
But that's what's so funny about the lack of info around a lifetime ban, lifetime for that single non #G model, lifetime for the first gen series, or lifetime for the product line as a whole including all future iterations? It's just funny, like the OP said.
ryutaro's mama said:
It's a little harsh I agree but it's their policy.

They get to make the rules.

Buying multiples of a hot ticket item (especially Apple products) were bound to set off red flags for them.

Apple wants to kill the secondary market as much as they can seems.
Click to expand...
More like it's their store and they can set the rules, if they actually started expanding that restriction to other resellers then I think they would be overstepping their boundaries.
 
BloodySinner said:
And what's the problem with that? Especially if idiots are willing to pay.
Click to expand...

Vox-Pop said:
so stupid.

money is money.
Click to expand...

The problem is, if it goes unpoliced, Apple basically makes gougers in middlemen.

They have a price they want the consumer to pay and "the highest bidder on eBay" isn't it.
 
he just kept saying lifetime limit without explaining. Sounds like a Seinfeld episode :lol

Kramer: its like a write off to them
Seinfeld: A write off? How is it a write off?
Kramer: They are the Post Office. They just write it off.
Seinfeld: You don't even know what a write off is?
Kramer: No, but they do, and they are the one who writes it off
 
ryutaro's mama said:
The problem is, if it goes unpoliced, Apple basically makes gougers in middlemen.

They have a price they want the consumer to pay and "the highest bidder on eBay" isn't it.
Click to expand...
Why do people even buy stuff on ebay then? I've sold games and cds that cost the same as retail, people bid to those prices. Are people just that lazy, that they don't want to go searching for stuff.
 
This is something a store can do. Imagine if the gas station across the street from another drove a tanker over and bought all the gasoline, and then proceeded to resell it at 3x the price.
 
Vox-Pop said:
Why do people even buy stuff on ebay then? I've sold games and cds that cost the same as retail, people bid to those prices. Are people just that lazy, that they don't want to go searching for stuff.
Click to expand...

Sometimes it's rare, out of print things like maybe your games or CDs.

Sometimes it's because things are in short supply and they can't find it through normal means, ala PS3 at launch.

Opportunists know this and try to capitalize on it.
 
Vox-Pop said:
Why do people even buy stuff on ebay then?
Click to expand...
so that they can be the first to get things. launches of highly-anticipated, widely-praised pieces of consumer technology has always created these kinds of fevers.

See: PS2, Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, iPhone launches.

the fever is a function of wanting but being unable to have. for others, it's just the cost to get into the party (think paying more at the door to get into a club because they just hiked up the price. some will pay 3x the normal price to get in!)

shortages make the fever even stronger, as the owner feels special. in the case of Apple, we have entire continents going without while we party here in the US and will go without for at least another month.
 
My issue isn't the policy, but the way they delivered it to you.

Good job being much, much calmer than I would have been facing that passive aggressive shit.
 
What the hell.
Life time limit?
Don't these Apple tossers want to sell their products?
I can understand them trying to impose a limit during shortages, but a lifetime limit is beyond ridiculous.
 
Was he seriously repeating the previous answer or were you copy/pasting that shit for dramatic effect.

I would've punched him in the face if he kept on saying "All I can say is..."
Fucking dick, I bet he goes to bed at night ecstatic he's part of the apple army.
 
Not exactly a free market is it if they are rationing ipads so they can spread it to the faithful, I knew Apple was an evil cult!
 
So what happens when the 10th generation iPad comes out with holo-screen and brain connectivity? Will you be able to buy that?
 
I don't believe all of this this story. There is a limit of 2 per customer. There's no such thing as a "lifetime limit".

I'm gonna be a dick and say you're exaggerating for a bit of e-fame.

If not, well it doesn't really matter.
 
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