Buying Apple and getting points [includes hardware and iTunes]
 

Has anyone had success configuring a custom computer you know to be available at a local Apple store and purchasing it online for in store check out.

I bought a stock model Apple via the UR mall for in store pick up a few weeks ago, but the gf is about to buy the fully loaded Retina MBP and I'd really hate to make a 3500 purchase with no point multiplier...

EDIT: side note, is it just me or are all the Apple portal offers really crappy right now... thanks AMEX

Best deal is Upromise.com 5% off apple. It's not points but I think I'd rather save the money. Or you can try and buy the product from a authorized re-seller site that doesn't charge any sales tax would be even better.

Apple tends not to give a very big discount anywhere, they do run promos for points here and there though like you said.

Not to hijack the thread but have some fun watching your custom Apple model make it over to the the USA. You can see the factory in China etc just by tracking the fedx number and using google. Last time I was issued a fed x tracking number before the apple model exited the factory. The speed of the entire process is just amazing.

It is kind of amazing and also kind of depressing realizing why the USA economy is done as we know it.

Airlines Miles for Iphone 5 purchase with Contract?
 

Hi,

I am wondering if earning airline miles for Iphone 5 purchase with contract.
Thanks.

You can buy the phone through the Apple Store and earn miles/ points through most airline/ hotel shopping malls.

Not sure on other options.

Can you buy from At&T using the Ink Bold to receive 5 points per dollar?

That would be pretty huge if Ink classifies ATT as telecom.

Just an FYI, when I purchased my Galaxy S III from Sprint with my Ink Bold it did classify it as telecom and I received 5x on it.

Of course ATT is in the 5x category for the Ink Bold...at least for monthly billing. I assume hardware purchases are processed the same way.

There is a report somewhere on these boards of someone paying their bill in person at verizon and not getting 5x because it was coded as merchandise. They ultimately got the points added manually, but FYI.

Keep in mind if you purchase the iphone w/ anything other than an Am Ex, you may be limiting your purchase protection guarantee, as Chase's isn't as easy and consumer friendly as Am Ex's.

What kind of purchase protection are ou considering? Breakage? Personally I'm hard on my phones and buy AppleCare+.

Buy bean with ink, then feed bean to amex pp. Then use amex pp to buy iphone if amex pp offers same protection as regular amex card. You need to verify this if you want to go on that route.

i actually just learned about extended warranty with credit cards recently (i know i'm slow :( ) and after reading up about it have decided to buy my iphone5 with an amex rather than my chase freedom, even knowing i could earn 5% back in october with the freedom at best buy where my phone has been reserved. my iphone4 is somewhat dysfunctional after having been dropped and i've been suffering with it for the last many months. of course i'm still too cheap to buy apple's warranty but from what others have reported amex seems to have a great extended warranty program so hopefully i wont have to suffer again if i have a problem with my iphone5 after the warranty ends (and before i'm eligible for another upgrade ;) )!

I bought our iPhones (iPhone 4s in 2010) and I'm not sure if the AMEX Purchase Protection was for 90 days or for a year. Still was glad to have that safety net.

I'd look into possibly doing it with beans.

It extends it an extra year.

Even if the phone was purchased at Verizon or AT&T?

AMEX doubles the manufacturer warranty however it only provides 90 days for accidental damage. The chances of something going wrong with the phone (outside of accidental damage) within year one to two is pretty nil.

Different levels of Am Ex's provide different levels of assistance. Plat and PRG provide 90 day purchase protection for any reason (drop and break, lost, stolen, etc). Don't know about the other Am Ex's protection, but I assume the Prepaid would be at the bottom of the food chain. I'll max out the $50k on the IB this year anyways, so no harm no foul on charging the 5 onto an Am Ex.

A little off topic, but you could save up to 10% off the purchase price by purchasing Best Buy gift cards through Plastic Jungle after linking through TopCashBack. You could then get miles through a shopping mall for making the Iphone purchase.

Personally I would go through AA shopping for 1100 miles, or Marriot for 5500 miles.

Use the Ink for another 5x so the 16gb would get you 1000 UR and 1100 AA.

I ordered 3x iphone5. I have both Chase IB and Amex BGR. I chose Amex purchase protection over 1000 UR points per phone (5x on 200$) to get :

Purchase Protection
Purchase Protection* can protect that item for up to 90 days from the date of purchase if it is stolen or accidentally damaged, including vandalism. The coverage is limited to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Cardmember account per calendar year, and is in EXCESS of other sources of indemnity.

the funny thing was - I did not do the research before and was fumbling on the phone trying to research coverage and decide on IB vs BGR when the CSR was pre-ordering instore :)

Sounds like you missed out on some good mileage mall points or miles. Why did you pre-order in store?

I have grandfathered unlimited data plan on the lines. I just wanted to be sure that it is preserved and moved to unlimited LTE plan as I am upgrading my lines. I did not want to risk losing the unlimited plan and wanted to double check in person as I upgrade my lines.

At least now, I am sure that I have unlimited since I see this on my pre-order receipt:
ADDED DATA PLAN UNL LTE IP

From what I am reading here, the most miles I would have gotten for a $200 pre-order is ~1000 miles? Fair value - 20$, I personally am fine "buying" 3 month accident protection for 20$. Or, did I leave more miles on the table?

Word of warning... this does not work for Verizon. The bill is 5x, but in the verizon store it is classified as "retail".

Technically, it's supposed to only apply for telecom services, anyways. If you get them to put the phone on your bill though, you are golden. (Generally only possible with Verizon corporate accounts).

Careful - I noticed that several portal explicitly say that pre-orders for the iPhone 5 do NOT count (UR, Citi TY)

I don't see that restriction via the aadvantaggeeshopping.com portal.

Yeah, I am on the same plan and was concerned this would be the time they tried to pull it, but I upgraded to the 5 online and it gave me the unlimited plan as an option, very clear and easy.

You could have paid for it online, through a portal, with the same Amex and got the protection you want plus the portal points, so you left those points on the table by doing it this way.

+1 That's what I was suggesting.

Amex MR Express Pts for iPhone 5
 

Nevermind. Dup question :)

I bought mine through United Mileage Plus Shopping, which did *not* have any exclusions at the time I bought it, and I have the screen shots to prove it. Of course, it does now. Lets see if I win the inevitable battle on this one.

I disagree sooooo strongly with this. I've had a few instances of issues in that time with Amex easily covering it.

Even if warranty pays -- payout is limited to the purchase price $199 and not the replacement costs of an off contract iphone.

if you use Hilton AMEX you receive 6 points per dollar with Telecom/Cellular spend.

Off topic, but I was looking at the new Razr M and I note Wirefly and LetsTalk have some interesting portal points/cash back. For instance United Mall states 1600 miles flat for phone purchase with plan at Wirefly. No points for accessories purchases. I don't believe either of those retailers though sell the iphone.

Does anyone know of any Verizon cell phone contract signup deals for points or miles? I think AA used to have one but doesn't seem to now. The only thing I've found through shopping portals is points on purchasing the actual phone not contract signups.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the Hilton Amex only earns 6x back on "service payments" for wireless phones - not the actual phones. Would be nice if it included phones!

Anyone have advice on how to upgrade to the iPhone5 from an older model, while keeping the same number AND getting the most points possible.

I have the Ink card, so my thought is to call up AT&T, order the phone through them, pay with Ink, and have them ship me a phone which I can then activate and keep the same number.

Any thoughts?

Read the previous 33 posts, excluding those that ask stupid questions and you will be golden.

Any extra bonus for Apple hardware?
 

Mrs nwflyboy is clearly hinting that she wants Santa to bring her an iPad for being such a good girl all year and churning credit cards whenever her dear husband suggested doing so would be a good thing to do.

So before I whip out my stack of credit cards, I figured I would be remiss if I didn't investigate what options I had to optimize the purchase.

What are the best ways to leverage this purchase? I don't suppose they sell iPads at Office Depot, do they?...

Thanks!

I would try your best to use AMEX when buying for the extended warranty. In the past years Apple increased there x on chase UR during the holidays so I would be hold off a few weeks at least.