Canadian iTunes Gift Card

Inquiries to the iTunes Store have yielded the following explanation:

"Due to tax laws and commerce restrictions for software in Canada, customers residing in Canada may only purchase games and applications using a credit card."

That's the only explanation that's ever been given, and no one here can provide any further information about the reasons.

Apple should have this warning on the card

Reports are mixed about whether or not cards have such a warning. Some people have reported that they do, and others have reported that they don't. It may be related to how old the stock is. Not having every had access to a Canadian iTunes card I have no idea what they actually do print on them. I agree that the limitation should be printed clearly on the card.

and on their website.

They do. In the Apple Store for Canada, it says right on the purchase page for any iTunes Card:

"iTunes Gift Cards may not be used on the Canadian store to purchase applications and games. "

They also say the same in the iTunes Store Terms of Sale", to which everyone has to agree when they set up an iTunes Store account (though not many people actually read the terms).
Anyway, there's nothing more anyone here can say on the matter since none of us represent Apple. You can comment to Apple on the matter here should you wish to do so:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html

The explanation that Apple has given us is not good enough

iTUnes Store ToS state, "iTunes Gift Cards may not be used on the Canadian store to purchase applications and games."
You may not be satisfied with that but no more is needed.

I doubt Apple is doing it "just because". LIkely some corporate lawyers identified something they feel prevents it.
The reasons may not be identified/explained to the average joe but I'm sure Apple would be more than happy to take your money anyway they could.

Apologies for the bad HTML that makes the entire last part of my post a link.

This ***** big time! I bought my card from a drug store here in Vancouver, BC, not knowing that I couldn't buy apps. I received any early Christmas present, an ipod touch, and the main reason I wanted the card, was so I could do apps. I didn't want to use a credit card. I feel using a credit card is too easy and you can get carried away in the app store, and forget about how much I am spending. This is really disappointing to me, another Canadian. I hope in the future they can change it somehow.

Holy ****! I can't believe this! Bought my son an iPod so he could play games. Xmas day he gets his phone and a hundred bucks in gift cards from his family...that he can't use?!?! How the **** is his 70 year old grandmother supposed to know that the cards couldn't be used for apps. This is such ********.

Now he's got an account all set up, and all he can play is the free games?

Fix this fast, apple, or you lost a young customer (and his family) for life!

i agree with the3 above post I went town cuz I got come money for xmas to buy gift cards for my new ipod that I also got for Christmas only to find out the same thing and i think its not fair and that I wasted my money

I have had the same problem

I the reason why I bought the iphone was for the apps and games

I was given 50 dollars in gift cards, to use for apps and games

to find out that I can't even use them...

No where , does it say on the card that you cannot buy apps or games...

I'm sad to see I wasn't the only Canadian fooled by Apple's deceitful marketing commercials that state gift cards can be used for music, movies and "more"

When I sent an email to a customer rep, they said sorry about my luck, and gave me MORE credits towards movies and music....credits that I do not want...

There are no Canadian laws preventing using gift cards for apps

if this issue isn't resolved, I will never buy any apple products and advocate other consumers to not buy apple due to unfair policies that discriminate against Canadian consumers.

I don't see what the big problem is, hey Apple i bought my first Apple product and finding that i can only use my itunes card for music is really dissapointing. Hey I mean if sony can let there customers do it with their cards why can't you?

Apple does not generally read these posts. We're all just your fellow users and we have no more an idea as to what's driving this policy than you do. If you want to comment to Apple, you can do so through the iTunes feedback page.

Apple's lawyers and/or accounts have apparently found something they think either prevents them from allowing this in Canada or makes it unworkable from a tax standpoint, but Apple's never documented specifically what the reason might be. So at least for the foreseeable future we all just have to live with it, as unpleasant and apparently nonsensical as it is.

I also was caught off guard by this, however upon reading the back of the card itself I found the following:

"Not redeemable for all purchases, such as IPod games or App Store purchases."

I guess reading the fine print is worth it because that seems like plain english to me. Oh well, there are worse things in life.

This is crazy - how is my 13 year old son supposed to buy apps??? With HIS credit card??? Certainly not with mine - we don't use credit for such things!

Trying to teach our son about not having debt and Apple forces Canada to use credit?

RIDICULOUS.

Apple needs to get it's (many) lawyers and finance officers onto cutting through red tape tax crap and offer the SAME services to their Canadian consumers as their American ones.

OR THIS NEEDS TO BE TOLD TO CANADIAN CONSUMERS UPON PURCHASING SUCH ITEMS AS iTUNES GIFT CARDS, 5TH GEN NANOS AND iPOD TOUCHS'.

Or ARE YOU POSSIBLY AFRAID YOU'D LOSE THAT MANY SALES? Honestly, you've just made people angry by not informing them ahead of time.

How is my 13 year old son supposed to buy apps??? With HIS credit card??? Certainly not with mine - we don't use credit for such things!

Perhaps a prepaid credit card would be an option.

Apple needs to get it's (many) lawyers and finance officers onto cutting through red tape tax crap and offer the SAME services to their Canadian consumers as their American ones.


I doubt very much that they haven't. I can't imagine that Apple wants to have such a restriction in place.

THIS NEEDS TO BE TOLD TO CANADIAN CONSUMERS UPON PURCHASING SUCH ITEMS AS iTUNES GIFT CARDS

As has been pointed out in this thread already, that information is printed on the back of the iTunes cards as well as being stated on the purchase page of the Apple Store.

And once again no one in this thread works for Apple. We're all just fellow users here. If you want to comment to Apple, use the iTunes feedback page. Your comments will be most likely to get to the proper people within Apple that way.

Regards.