Tried to Buy a Reurbished Macbook Pro Online in Singapore

I have always bought Apple Products. I have owned, over time, 3 iPhones, 3 MacBook Pros 1 Macbook Air, a Time Capsule and other ancillary Apple Products.

I am a Pensioner living in Indonesia, where Apple products are expensive and usually of a lesser configuration, so I tried to buy a refurbished M3 MacBook Pro from Apple Online Singapore but my Apple ID didn't allow to purchase online. The savings buying from Singapore were sufficient to allow me to travel to Singapore where I thought,, by doing so I would be able to buy the Refurbished MacBook. Upon arriving i Sinapore I contacted a Sale Representative, who saw extremely helpful. When it came time to pay for the MacBook I was unable to use my Australian Visa Credit Card. The Representative told me it was company policy to only accept Singapore and American Credit Cards, however, I could go to an Apple Store and purchase a NEW Macbook pro using my Australian credit card, but at a 15% price increase, which defeated the purpose. How is it possible that Apple an Worldwide Company in 2024 and in a modern county like Singapore this could happen?.