Are You Aware of Apple's Lifetime Limit on iPad Purchases?

[Michael Essany]

I wasn't aware of it. My friends weren't either. How about you?

Of course, we're all aware of Apple's limit of two iPad purchases per customer. But who knew this "limit" was iron clad for life?

After all, if we have a booklet full of identical coupons valid one per customer, every day we can use one coupon - ultimately redeeming the full value of the booklet on a day-by-day basis as a lone customer. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that Apple plays by similar rules. And while most of us will never have a good reason to buy more than two iPads, those of us who have such needs are apparently out of luck.

Case in point: a medical student recently chronicled his encounter with Apple's lifetime limit in his blog entitled "Protocol Snow." In a nutshell, the dude was simply buying iPads for his buddies who lived out of the country but still wanted (or needed) Apple's cool new tablet. To set the record straight, he wasn't buying the iPads and reselling them for a profit. Instead, he was reimbursed the exact cost of the purchase and shipping.

Although the guy ultimately got away with more than two iPad purchases, the watchful eye of Apple eventually took notice. And on one fateful return trip to the Apple store to pick up an iPad that had been reserved online, the young man was promptly informed by an Apple Store employee that he couldn't buy the device. Here's how the sales rep allegedly put it: "All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit of iPads and will not be allowed to buy any more.”

Perhaps the reason none of us were aware of the lifetime limit of two iPads is because the "real" lifetime limit - according to one Apple Store employee "in the know" - is actually ten. Not two. It appears the sales rep in the story got confused between the daily limit and the lifetime limit.

So now you know. You can go crazy and buy ten iPad's if you'd really like to. You'll just have to make five trips to the Apple Store to complete your life's work.

Image via San Francisco Chronicle

[faschierbasis]

Wtf???

[Cow_King]

Lol just wait until apple takes over the word and you hear "sorry you have reached your lifetime limit of 10 doctor visits" lol why do I love and hate apple so much

"world"

[arem]

There are obviously ways around this...but seriously?
Why would a company want to limit it's sales potential by imposing a ridiculous product limit on it's customers?
Only Apple.
Love their devices, abhor their business practices.

[reznor9]

That's funny.

Please take my money apple...
Apple: no
Please, just take it!
Apple: no, we have already taken enough money from you in this lifetime. I'm sorry. Your just going to have to spend it on something else.

[garytaylor]

a sale is still a sale no matter who buys it WTF is wrong with apple

[madczech]

There are obviously ways around this...but seriously?
Why would a company want to limit it's sales potential by imposing a ridiculous product limit on it's customers?
Only Apple.
Love their devices, abhor their business practices.

Most probably to stop the black and grey market... Because now people would by tons of ipads and ship them to europe... which isn't in intrest of apple as in different countries the prices difer etc..


And really do you think you will ever need to buy more then 10 ipads?!?!

[illusion986]

I call bs on this one. So if i own big business and i need 100 i pads for what ever reason i cant buy it? LOL yeah right. So the article that has been floating around where hospital in CA is buying iPads in bulk............they are way over they limit...The reason this guy might have gotten cut off is because there was a suspicion that he was reselling them, which he was but not for profit.

[jordbrett]

Best buy?

[smr891]

Could you not just go into the apple store and pay cash?

[steve-z17]

How/why does someone think up an idea like this....limiting purchases on a product, especially something as big as the iPad. The thought of this is just ridiculous.

[Caboose1408]

That's insane. I guess companies are screwed.

[johnrs]

They are control freaks taking it to the extreme..

[jvcjbl]

Either way I call BS on this... I was there launch day with a wealthy friend of mine who purchased 5 (at once)... One for himself... One for His Wife... One for My Girlfriend (his nanny) one for Me and one as a backup. They never gave any fit and questioned anything. In fact the store manager come over and thanked us for the support.

[reddawg]

Apple is so obsessed with stopping jailbreaking they can't see straight that this is a bad business model.

[mooritexxx]

i think there is a 2 item limit on each visa card. but if you have multiple ( most of us do) we're not limited

[mgebara]

I think that Apple may price iPads differently according to the country. For example, the iPhone 3g was about $100 cheaper in Australia than it was in Hong Kong to buy without a service contract.

It's my guess that Apple is claiming to have a limit so they can point to a policy in order to deny customers who they suspect are shipping iPads out of country.

[H3x.]

so for example, if i bought a wifi version and a 3g version I could not then buy then 2nd gen one when it comes out?

[zoso10]

The more I read, the more Apple sounds like a communist...

[Imsorussian]

Damn, better get all 10 before i drop dead. I dont think there is any truth to this. What business man or company especially Apple would refuse people from buying their product? Thats just silly. If i will buy 1 every year im pretty sure i can buy 50 or more.