Why No iTunes Credit Towards App Purchases in Canada?

Thank you for giving this issue some much needed publicity. The policy that Apple has in place is absurd and should be updated by Apple. I encountered this when I received a $25 gift card from Apple that I was planning to use to buy a few App's I had been eyeing up and when I contacted Apple about it, I was offered a refund for the purchase price of the card.

here are two of my conversations about the same subject one at the iTunes Discussion forum and the other with iTunes support:

1. follow this attached link:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2180915&tstart=0

2. here is a condensed version of my conversations with the iTunes store:

iTunes Support – “I understand you’ve purchased iTunes Gift Card to retrieve Apps from the iTunes Store. However, at this time, customers residing in Canada may only purchase games and applications using a credit card due to Canadian licensing restrictions.

Although I cannot comment on the future availability of iTunes Store content, please understand Apple is committed and diligently working to expand the iTunes Store globally for their customers. Thank you for your business and understanding. I wish you the best!

Apple recognizes that no one is better qualified to provide feedback about iTunes than the people who use it.

I encourage you to use the iTunes Feedback page to submit your comments:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html

Your efforts to share your feedback are very much appreciated.”

Me – “his is ridiculous, that when i lived in the United States there was no issue in purchasing apps with my iTunes Card, but i cannot purchase apps when i reside in Canada with my Canadian Tunes Card. this is the only reason that i purchased the iTunes Card was to purchase apps. if you look at my purchase history, you will see that i have never purchased music from the iTunes Store. unless Apple starts to sell music in an Apple Lossless format, i will not be purchasing any music at the Canadian iTunes Store.

I would like to either be credited $50.00 for purchases on the App Store section of the iTunes store or reimbursed for this gift card.

I bought a $50.00 iTunes gift card specifically to purchase applications on the App Store. The front of the card’s packaging says that I can use it “for music and more.” Nothing on the small print at the back of the packaging or on the card itself says that the card may not be used on the App Store. Even the legal terms of the card have no mention of this restriction:

http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/ca/gifts.html

The only passage of that page which can be understood to cover this exception is the following:

“Not all products may be available.”

Bringing attention to this sentence may not be a very good strategy as it can imply that some music, videos, and audiobooks are also restricted.

i cannot find any explicit and direct mention of this restriction on the Apple Web site

I personally find it rather strange that a statement about this restriction cannot be found on the Apple Web site or the iTunes card itself

i have also completed the itunes feedback as well.”

iTunes Support – ” can completely understand your frustration. I would be just as upset myself if I moved to Canada, and learned that iTunes Gift Card’s no longer were considered as a purchasing method of all of the App’s I wanted to download. I understand you chose not to purchase music from the iTunes store, but prefer to import your music into your iTunes library. Therefore this $50 card does not benefit you.

I have unredeemed the $50 Gift Card on your account since none of the funds were used, but the refund for the card itself would have to be issued by the retailer that you purchased the card from. I am unable to issue a refund for the card. If you purchased it from the Apple Online store you can send them a quick email. If it was purchased from another 3rd party retailer, you may consider taking this email to them to prove the card is no longer in an active status. If you have a fiend that would like to give the card to you can. If you no longer have access to the card the redemption code is: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

Again I apologize if the statement that the card cannot be used for App’s is not clear in Canada. I assure you I have made this request to Apple quite a few times, and I appreciate you leaving feedback as well on this matter, so that they make it a priority to get this corrected.”

this is my comments on the subject

rob

Yes I recently bought two $15 iTunes gift cards because I wanted to buy the Canadian GPS Map program. I couldn't understand why I could not use the credit to buy the app. Then I read the terms of service. I emailed Apple about it through their help options and I still have not heard back. I'm glad you've covered this point!

This kind of crap seems counter intuitive to me. Not only is it an inconvenience to people that have gift cards to spend, but for minors, gift cards are the only real non-piracy option, as they can't get credit cards (or debit cards that run on CC interchange networks) in Canada.

You would think Apple would want to make it as convenient as possible for people to give them money. Apparently not.

Or, he could jailbreak his daughter's iPhone/iTouch, and use Cydia and Installous. Not that I advocate software piracy, but it's not like he hasn't tried to give them his money. Apple has an unfair clampdown in place designed to preserve their precarious business model. Always look for a way around it if possible.

go get a US iTunes account problem solved.

I asked a GPS app for my birthday so peoples gave me a lot of iTune cards…
Since the cards are useless, I keep them until Apple change their politics hopping it will happen before expiration date.
I did not jailbreak my iPhone yet by principle but this sure is a tempting option when I look at how Apple treat their customers.

I have had this experience myself. When writing to Apple, I was told the announcement made that gift cards can be used to buy apps was ONLY for the US customer base. They didn't cite any law, but my suspicion would be that it has somethign to do with the GST and the fact that developers get 70% and Apple the rest. Hence, the developers would probably need a GST registration as well. I'm sure they can work somethign out, but choosing to leave us in the dark for now.

I agree that it needs to be taken care of correctly however you do not need to jailbreak to use a us itunes account.

you can sign up for one at any time and just pick a US address such as beverly hills 90210 or somthing like that and it works like a charm no jailbreaking required.

I tried using the gift cards to get my 3.0 upgrade but i can't.

Guess Canada isnt interested in the deal.
Anyways nice blog thanks for the info. keep updating the details.

Must I have to have a US credit card in order to register a US account? Also, will a Canadian credit card work – and if so does it have to be with US funds?

Any help will be appreciated.

I'll give it a try. Thanks.

um yeah.
im really mad.
i bought a 25$ one.
if i would of known that i would of bought the 15$ one.
this is complete shit.
someone better do something.
srsly

So what if you already have a Canadian account with lots of apps already on it, can I just change my country to USA and I can use gift cards then?

Please read the terms of sale people !!!!!

here … ill make it easy for you and past it here

NOW KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU AGREED TO THESE TERMS BEFORE YOU CREATED AN ITUNES ACCOUNT AND BEFORE YOU PURCHASED A CERTIFICATE OR AN ALLOWANCE OR REDEEMED A GIFT CARD

Gift Certificates may be redeemed for iTunes Store transactions only and are non-refundable for cash. They cannot be used for purchases on the Apple Online Store or used in Apple Retail Stores. Purchases for Gift Certificates may be purchased only in whole Canadian dollar increments or designated amounts. Gift Certificates may not be used to purchase other Gift Certificates, iTunes Cards or Monthly Allowances. Gift Certificates cannot be used to purchase software, games, or apps.

Monthly Allowances are for transactions on the iTunes Store only. The Allowance Account may not be used for gifts, or purchases on the Apple Online Store or in Apple Retail Stores. Monthly Allowances may not be used for purchases on the Apple Online Store or in Apple Retail Stores. Monthly Allowances are non-refundable. Monthly Allowances may not be used to purchase Gift Certificates, iTunes Cards, Apps, or other Monthly Allowances. Monthly allowances may not be used to purchase software, games, or apps.
iTunes Cards are for transactions on the iTunes Store only. iTunes Cards may not be used for gifts, or purchases on the Apple Online Store or in Apple Retail Stores. iTunes Cards are non-refundable. iTunes Cards may not be used to purchase Gift Certificates, Monthly Allowances, Apps, or other iTunes Cards. iTunes Cards may not be used to purchase software, games, or apps.

ITS THERE CLEAR AS DAY, SO DONT ACT SO SURPRISED WHEN YOU CANT DO IT. IT NEVER FAILS TO SURPRISE ME THAT PEOPLE DO NOT READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS THEY ARE AGREEING TO.
WAKE UP PEOPLE

people who dont read the terms of sale when the click a box that says ” i have read and agree to the terms of sale ” find out after the fact ….. you can show a horse water but you cant make him drink … errr something along those lines … you know what im trying to say. blaming others for your mistake seems to be popular in canada

Apple needs to co operate with Canada. Apple is losing a lot of customers to jailbreaking due to the fact that they won't allow minors that can't get credit cards to buy apps with a gift card. I would say that the majority of people with iPod Touches are minors. I have seen other game cards and whatnot compensate in Canada. For example I saw a card that gave 10,000 in game cash but cost $12. They need to find a way around it. It would make everyone happier and Apple would get more money.

to the people who put others down for not reading the agreement i have to say that being a fairly intelligent person but also another lazy consumer I didn't read that because I assumed like everyone else that it wouldn't be a problem to by apps in the ITunes store along any product available there, it was actually a huge surprise to find that out. I just wish I had thought to look there before i redeemed my card and tried to download apps. It is something that I think many would think of as an unimagined issue. (Would not think of that policy's existence)

Readtheterms is right except for one important fact.

Most people buy the gift cards first, the gift cards have no disclosure starement on them, or the packaging they are on, that would indicate that what you may purchase at an iTunes store may be limited. This is in itself deceiptful labeling/packaging. It is not until you create an account that you find out (if you read the fine print) that there are limitations. This is when the consumer is screwed as they have spent their money on the gift card, which is non-refundable, and now find out they can not purchase what they had intended to.

you know what they say about making assumptions .. makes you look like an ass

I found this out the hard way, purchasing an app I wanted–expecting my $50 credit on my account to be used. Instead, my credit card got dinged. I should be able to buy WHATEVER from the iTunes store. Is Apple hiding behind a non-existent “law” in order to milk Canadians because we're just so compliant?!! Who do we complain to at Apple to get this changed?

I also have purchased gift cards to use in the app store only to discover my credit card was being charged. WTF why are we as Canadians so neutered in this country when it comes to consumer options. I sincerley hope Apple Canada changes their policy soon, as I (as am sure many others) have refrained from purchasing apps as I prefer to use gift cards like cash.

I just had this happen to me and it is mind boggling that I can pay $50 cash to get what is supposed to be iTunes money only to find out even iTunes won't take it, truly disappointing.

AGGGGG SSOOOOOOOOO GAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY