Doctor decries Apple gift cards refund as “scam” after not comprehending the terms of the deal.

Apple gift cards
A professor who makes TikTok videos on marketing scams claims Apple cheated her out of a discount on an iPad, despite the fact that she got exactly what was promised and expected. It’s possible for TikTok experts to be wrong. Even Dr Mara Einstein a professor at Queens College in CUNY who describes herself as an “ex TV/ad exec now turned marketing critic” is not immune to this. Dr Einstein, a marketing expert who gives seminars, has added a video to her TikTok Channel. She says that she bought an iPad, and was stung because of the “deceptive advertising” which meant Apple offered her $100 in gift cards for free but then charged her. She says, “If this happened to you, contact the FTC. Let’s make sure Apple doesn’t do this to anyone else,” in the video. The video has received 19,000 views so far, but there are no comments that point out she should have read the credit card statement first. If she had read the statement, Dr Einstein could have seen that she paid exactly what she expected. She got the iPad at a discount price for students, and still has a $100 Gift Card. Apple charges a credit card twice. Dr Einstein will notice that the first charge is for her iPad, and that it’s $100 less than what she expected to pay. The second charge of $100 is then credited to the gift card. This brings the total to the advertised price. The whole thing could be made more clear, but any marketing expert will tell you that it is done this way because of a very specific and necessary reason. Apple could have billed the iPad at full price and given away the $100 gift certificate, but someone would be able to redeem the card as well as return the iPad. Apple even told Dr Einstein this when she called to complain. She also seems to claim that she convinced them to “get off that” $100 charge and appears to be convinced that this worked. Apple was the one that scammed her, not the reverse. She then doubled down with her “analysis” and, worse still, she reaffirmed it. She should also read her next credit statement carefully. Apple’s educational discount allowed Dr Einstein to get her iPad. Apple offers a discount to students and educators all year round, but during Back to School, Apple also includes gift cards.

 

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