Credit cards on apple website

[poppysdad]

Strange thing happened to me last week, with the announcement of new iMacs being available on the Thai Apple web store and my current 4 year old having speed issues I decided to be an early buyer so onto the website credit card in hand and started my purchase, I could get delivery to my home in 4 days time and all went well until entering my credit card details. Put in all the info and clicked on continue and up came a window asking where my card was registered with a list of options which only include SE Asia or the USA and no further progress was possible. 

So onto their helpline where they suggested I use delivery address as card home address, that turned into a disaster as I later found out my card was frozen because of it although easily rectified and the help team were not able to help any further.

Seems if I went to the store in person it makes no difference where my card is registered but online to their store does - to me ludicrous but what do others think. I've decided to patiently wait until available in my local store to which I'm told could be at least another 2 months again ludicrous, why so difficult to spend my money?

Edited June 15, 2017 by poppysdad
Some strange lines appeared in my post which I didn't put there.

[samuijimmy]

This subject came up some time ago, I can't find the link. I seem to remember some discussion about it.

 

Rather a dumb move on Apple's Part....  One certainly could use an overseas card in the past...

Perhaps if people here email Apple and complain, perhaps might help ?

 

I looked to see but their web site for Thailand seems to be just in Thai again... not helpful! ....

[KhunBENQ]

10 minutes ago, samuijimmy said:

This subject came up some time ago, I can't find the link

This thread from February 2015 looks similar?

 

[samuijimmy]

Just now, KhunBENQ said:

This thread from February 2015 looks like?

 

 

 

Thanks KBQ !!! Your search better than mine!

 

I just sent a message to Apple and await a reply... to see what they say!

 

Others should do the same....

[samuijimmy]

I have had two automated responses so far from Apple .... waiting for a human to answer the question !

[Lammbock]

Apple Thai in English is still up. https://www.apple.com/th-en/shop/browse/home_th_en

Last week I purchased a USB Power Adapter and a 2m lightning to USB cable.

Used a credit card from Switzerland. No problem.

Make sure billing address and shipping address are both the same. (in Thailand)

[samuijimmy]

This is the response I just got from Apple Support...It's really not helpful !

 

I think a "write in" campaign is needed by expats living here wishing to purchase Apple / Mac products from  official Apple/Mac store,  using their home country credit card.

I just don't understand why a Credit card is now considered "not valid"  If it's verified by home country bank, it should be good...

 

This is the latest response:

 

"It’s Chris again from iTunes Store Customer Support.

 

I understand that you’re unable to use your Canadian Credit Card in the Thailand storefront. If I wanted to do this, I would be reaching out for help too. I am more than happy to help by providing all the information I can.

 

I am sorry; however, it is a requirement in the iTunes Store to use a valid payment method and billing address from within the country you are located in. If you were able to use this card in the past, our system must not have caught it. There is nothing I can do to help you use this card in a different country.

 

We take customer feedback seriously. To submit your feedback, see this page:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html

 

I hope this information has been helpful for you. Let me know if you have any further questions about this and I’ll be happy to help.

 

Sincerely,

 

Chris
iTunes Store Customer Support
Senior Advisor"

 

The English version of the website can be found at the bottom of the website web page on right side....(why not at top and easy to find as with say Lazada ?)

 

The problem with trying to buy from the official retail stores in Thailand, the stores get shipments once every one or two months... which is too long to wait.. it depends on when the order is placed. This why my last purchases were made though the online store, and were delivered via post... within days of ordering. (from Singapore and Hong Kong)

[observer90210]

On 21.06.2017 at 3:31 AM, Lammbock said:

Apple Thai in English is still up. https://www.apple.com/th-en/shop/browse/home_th_en

Last week I purchased a USB Power Adapter and a 2m lightning to USB cable.

Used a credit card from Switzerland. No problem.

Make sure billing address and shipping address are both the same. (in Thailand)

So you have a Thai address registered on your data with a Swiss credit card?

Edited June 22, 2017 by observer90210

[samuijimmy]

I had a second response from the same guy..... they don't seem to be interested in customer service for foreigners living in Thailand using a foreign credit card.... it boggles the mind...

All that I can suggest is others take a few minutes to contact Apple / Mac and complain about it.

[Lammbock]

10 hours ago, observer90210 said:

So you have a Thai address registered on your data with a Swiss credit card?

No, of course a Swiss address. Since the credit card is registered with a Swiss Bank in Switzerland.

[Rsquared]

I also recently tried to use a credit card to make a purchase from Apple Online Store....couldn't for the same reason as above, so I opted for the ATM transfer.....worked a treat and I had my item delivered in 3 days. Cheers.

[poppysdad]

Just as an endnote I recently went past my Apple approved store here in Hua Hin, the usual girl smiled and said we now have ( I'd become a bit of a regular), good says I you take my UK credit card, of course she said, she whisked out her machine, I entered my password and 2 minutes later a nice new iMac is in my hands. 

Why cannot the Apple website be as accommodating and the good news was despite the pound being hammered my credit card statement still showed it as being 200 pounds cheaper than had I bought it in the UK.

[jayboy]

On 6/22/2017 at 6:25 AM, samuijimmy said:

This is the response I just got from Apple Support...It's really not helpful !

 

I think a "write in" campaign is needed by expats living here wishing to purchase Apple / Mac products from  official Apple/Mac store,  using their home country credit card.

I just don't understand why a Credit card is now considered "not valid"  If it's verified by home country bank, it should be good...

 

This is the latest response:

 

"It’s Chris again from iTunes Store Customer Support.

 

I understand that you’re unable to use your Canadian Credit Card in the Thailand storefront. If I wanted to do this, I would be reaching out for help too. I am more than happy to help by providing all the information I can.

 

I am sorry; however, it is a requirement in the iTunes Store to use a valid payment method and billing address from within the country you are located in. If you were able to use this card in the past, our system must not have caught it. There is nothing I can do to help you use this card in a different country.

 

We take customer feedback seriously. To submit your feedback, see this page:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html

 

I hope this information has been helpful for you. Let me know if you have any further questions about this and I’ll be happy to help.

 

Sincerely,

 

Chris
iTunes Store Customer Support
Senior Advisor"

 

The English version of the website can be found at the bottom of the website web page on right side....(why not at top and easy to find as with say Lazada ?)

 

The problem with trying to buy from the official retail stores in Thailand, the stores get shipments once every one or two months... which is too long to wait.. it depends on when the order is placed. This why my last purchases were made though the online store, and were delivered via post... within days of ordering. (from Singapore and Hong Kong)

I'm not sure I understand.The Apple guy says you can't use your Canadian credit card and that one has to have a valid payment method and billing address within the country of residence.If however you had your Thai address designated as your billing address by the Canadian credit card, would that solve the problem? Or would there still be an obstacle that the "valid payment method" - not really clear what this means - wasn't in Thailand

[samuijimmy]

1 hour ago, jayboy said:

I'm not sure I understand.The Apple guy says you can't use your Canadian credit card and that one has to have a valid payment method and billing address within the country of residence.If however you had your Thai address designated as your billing address by the Canadian credit card, would that solve the problem? Or would there still be an obstacle that the "valid payment method" - not really clear what this means - wasn't in Thailand

No idea either... last purchases I made using my Canadian card with Thai address it worked fine (a few years ago) ...

 

They have changed the rules!

[jayboy]

6 minutes ago, samuijimmy said:

No idea either... last purchases I made using my Canadian card with Thai address it worked fine (a few years ago) ...

 

They have changed the rules!

Thanks.Weird isn't it? One would have thought if the sale was authorised by the overseas company (and presumably backed by Visa/Mastercard), it would be of no interest to Apple where the credit card originated.