iPhone Early Adopter Tax = $200 (or $3/day). Get it back with Credit Card Price Protection

Posted on by

Among all the iPod announcements made today, Apple also announced a price drop for the iPhone. The 8GB model is now $200 cheaper, at $399. Great news for people who want to buy one, but a kick in the teeth to all the poor saps (like me!) who paid $600 for one 67 days ago or less.

People on the web are already starting to clamor for some kind of gesture of relief/acknowledgement from Apple. A free iPod Nano (even one of the old ones, to clear out inventory)? An iTunes gift card? A Shuffle? “We’re Sorry”? Anything?

I don’t think it’s likely that Apple will do anything at all for the suckers people who paid the Early Adopter Tax. But they’d garner a WHOLE bunch of good will and loyalty and PR if they did.

If you’re one of the victims of this, check the terms of the debit/credit card you used to buy your iPhone. Many offer “price protection”, for exactly these situations. For instance, my MasterCard offers 60 days of price drop protection. You can file a claim, showing the new lower price compared to what you paid, and they’ll send you a check for the difference. But this might only work if you DIDN’T buy it on launch day (June 29). If you did, you’ll be sad to note that it’s been 67 days since then. Too late.

But, if you’re lucky enough to have this policy on your card, and you waited a week or more to buy your 8GB iPhone (or you have longer than 60 days protection), go file a claim and get some of your Early Adopter Tax back.

Just don’t count on anything from Apple to make up for it.

  • http://cayaro.blogr.at/stories/201793/ cayaro.blogr.at

    „Tritt in die Zähne all der armen Dummköpfe (wie ich!), die vor 67 Tagen oder weniger eines für 600 Dollar gekauft haben.“ US-Blogger und iPhone-BesitzerJosh Bancroftfindet es ###, dass Apple sein iPhone künftig um 200 Dollar billiger verkauft. „Ich fühle mich wie eine 200-Dollar-Nutte.“ Ein anderer erboster Apple-Fan im Forum der Seite „Macrumors“ fühlt sich ebenfalls verkauft

  • http://talentgrouplabs.com/blog/archive/2007/09/06/der-apfel-bekommt-faule-stellen-teil-2.aspx 24100.net

    , dass sich selbst Apple Fans von Steve Jobs angekündigter iPhone Preissenkung betrogen fühlen werden. Eine recht beeindruckende Schar hat sich bereits zusammengefunden und deutliche Worte gefunden: Hier,hierund sogar hier. Steve Jobs selbst kommentiert mit einem lakonischen That’s what happens in technology. Welcome to the real world, Apple!  

  • http://www.joshbancroft.com/post/10908788 Josh Bancroft’s Life Stream

    I noticed a trackback from Spiegel.de onmy “iPhone Early Adopter Tax” post, and a subsequent flow of visitors, comments, and more trackbacks. So, ich sage wilkommen zu meinen Deutsch sprechen visitors. Apologies for the crappy German – it’s been 10+ years since I studied German, and have learned a couple of other

  • http://fromheretonocturnity.blogspot.com/2007/09/wtf.html From Here To Nocturnity

    So, next time Apple releases a hot new product and you are just dying to get your hands on it, just remember, Apple thinks you are a gullible sucker, not a loyalist. My sediments are shared by many others: Apple 2.0, Apple Insider, Gawker, andTinyScreenfulswho actually offers a possible solution.

  • http://www.designsojourn.com Design Sojourn | Strategic Industrial Design Strategy

    in markets and user references” – something the traditional, sequential method of production can’t allow. By bringing designers into this process at an earlier stage, companies can increase their agility and, in the end, their revenue. 3)Apple Tax = $200 (or $3/day). Ok you all know how much I love Apple (I really do!), but it is so amazing how fans will stand up to so much abuse by them. Apple also announced a price drop for the iPhone. The 8GB model is now $200 cheaper, at $399. Great news for people who want

  • http://www.lastpodcast.net/2007/09/05/apple-event-final-comments/ Apple Event – Final Comments : The Last Podcast

    [...] this will dominate the news today. I can’t blame anybody who is slightly miffed about this. Josh Bancroft found an ingenious way to get your money back, though (if you bought with a credit card and within the last 60 [...]

  • Rebecca

    No one is a victim of buying the IPhone when it came out. You all fell for the marketing. I truly hope that the credit card company’s out there do not feel one iota sorry for any of you and give you refunds on an already used product. You made an educated purchase. Now you are calling yourself a victim, though, I am sure theoretically, it is still wrong. You have used the product. Come on, get real. Purchase made. Maybe impulsively on your part. You had to know that Apple was going to come out with a newer, better version and the price was going to drop. You are just acting out as the spoiler, because you are not in the position to take advantage of it. I guess the adage of to the winner go the spoils does not apply to you, does it?

    Sorry, but this post about being a victim at the hands of big old meanie Apple just does not ring true to me. Apple did not victimize you. Quit being so dramatic.

    Off my soapbox.

  • http://bandelier.net matt

    you’re a sucker, plain and simple. deserve to lose every penny for falling for the “got to have this crap before anyone else” gimmick. suck it up, whiner.

  • http://news.com.com/8301-13578_3-9772134-38.html?tag=blgfd I paid $600 for my iPhone. Am I a sucker? | The Iconoclast – politics, law, and technology – CNET News.com

    [...] Apple doesn’t care about early adopters who just paid $600+ no more than 2 months ago.” Another estimated, with depressing precision, that the iPhone Early Adopter Tax was $3 a day. Macenstein is [...]

  • Justin

    Im totally with you. I knew that there would be a better version. I knew there would be a cheaper version. What I felt safe in assuming is that this wouldn’t happen 67 days after launch. Is this the sad fact of capitalism – probably. But in the end Apple gouged the very people who made this a successful product.

  • http://www.buzzfeed.com/lightbox/iPhone_Early_Adopter_Tax?adurl= iPhone Early Adopter Tax – Featured on BuzzFeed

    [...] iPhone Early Adopter Tax = $200 (or $3/day) [...]

  • Eric

    I bought my iPhone on July 7th. Sixty days is exactly today (9/5).

    My credit card company told me I have to find a printed ad or “store circular” with a publication date within the 60-day window. Wish me luck finding one of those. Nice going Apple!

  • http://OsiSpeaks.com KYJurisDoctor

    I expected this slash as a result of the HACKING, as I expect another slash before the Christmas shopping season begins in November!

    http://osi-speaks.blogspot.com/2007/09/after-hack-of-i-phone-steve-jobs-hacks.html#links

  • Michael

    At the very least, Apple just made its most loyal customers out to be fools to their friends and family who were enthusiastically shown Apple’s newest product to. Everyone’s going to be saying “damn, I heard you got ganked by Apple”.

  • http://www.mercextra.com/blogs/vindu/2007/09/05/apple-admits-the-iphone-was-a-ripoff-at-599-and-how-to-get-a-refund/ Apple admits the iPhone was a ripoff at $599 (and how to get a refund) – Vindu’s View from the Valley – A Silicon Valley Perspective on Public Policy, Business and Technology

    [...] days, check to see if the credit or debit card you used offers “price protection,” says tech blogger Josh Bancroft. If it does, call them immediately to file a claim for the price [...]

  • Patrick

    I also was a “victim” and by no means do I want anybody to feel sorry for me for my choice, but I can still be very angry with Apple. I was “Apple-Free” for the past 20 years (since I had a IIC in college). I bought an iPod last year, and then an Apple TV. When the iPhone came out I couldn’t resist, even knowing it was first generation and someday the price would go down (like it does with all new technology). What I didn’t expect was it to go down so far (33%) so fast (I’ve had mine for a little more than a month). Apple is simply spitting in the face of the people who helped make the iPhone a success (or at least desirable). Some of the people who now buy this at $399 will be the people we early adopters enticed with our new toy. I do feel a bit used, and have a very bitter taste in my mouth from this Apple… looks like the Mac Book purchase will wait until I forget about this experience (could be a long time) or until Apple makes some gesture to help me forget.

  • Lodewijk

    Hahahahahahaha, Pech gehabt, was?, you all fancy weirdos who think you have to have the state-of-the-art electronic crap and can pay $600 got what you deserve…

  • http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/mobil/0,1518,504186,00.html IPhone-Preisrutsch: Erboste Fans erklären Apple den iWar – Netzwelt – SPIEGEL ONLINE – Nachrichten

    [...] einsparen – Pech für all jene, bei denen der Kauf 15 Tage oder mehr zurückliegt. Anderswo rät ein Blogger Kreditkartenbesitzern, sie sollten prüfen, ob ihr Kartenvertrag eine “Preisschutzgarantie” [...]

  • http://www.felke.com Alexander Felke

    you’ll be even more surprised when the IPhone hits Europe with 3G connectivity and probably for even less than what you paid for with a mafioso contract at ATT… I strongly believe they will not tie it to a contract even because that’d be the grave for this phone in Europe…

  • Bastian

    What exactly is your problem? At the time of buying, you decided that the iPhone was worth the $600 it had cost then. The price drop now should have no influence on that. If anything, you should be happy that now more people will buy the phone, so there are more people you potentially can use any advanced features of the iPhone with.

    But of course, that line of reasoning applies only if your decisions are rational, which in the case of Apple products, probably is not the case very often…

  • http://www.iCarSucks.com No iCar

    For a Luddite’s perspective on the Apple Corp Business Plan, see

    http://icarsucks.blogspot.com/2007/09/apple-corp-business-plan-iphone-and.html

    It looks as though the iPhone Apple Zombie Followers have fallen for the oldest ploy in the book.

    No iCar

  • http://icarsucks.blogspot.com/2007/09/irate-apple-zombie-followers-re-iphone.html Why the iCar Will Suck and Why the iPhone Sucks Now: Irate “Apple Zombie Followers” re: iPhone

    [...] more storage) that most of us bought the iPhone for in the first place.Josh Bancroft, author of the Tinyscreenfuls blog, offers this helpful tip for those AZF’s who waited a week to buy their iPhone:If you’re [...]

  • http://www.tinyscreenfuls.com/2007/09/wilkommen-readers-from-spiegel-online/ Wilkommen readers from Spiegel Online at Josh Bancroft’s TinyScreenfuls.com

    [...] noticed a trackback from Spiegel.de on my “iPhone Early Adopter Tax” post, and a subsequent flow of visitors, comments, and more [...]

  • http://www.tinyscreenfuls.com/2007/09/the-power-of-voice-apple-gives-100-credit-to-early-iphone-adopters/ The Power of Voice – Apple gives $100 credit to early iPhone adopters at Josh Bancroft’s TinyScreenfuls.com

    [...] was so much backlash about the iPhone “Early Adopter Tax” in the last 24 hours that Steve Jobs has posted an open letter to people who bought iPhones for the [...]

  • http://www.hsid.de/internethandel/blog/?p=753 Der InternetHandel-Blog » Blog Archiv » Preispolitik à la Apple

    [...] wird hier zwar groß geschrieben, aber nur halbherzig umgesetzt. Viele Blogger sehen dies ähnlich und üben inzwischen Selbstkritik an ihrem Glauben an Apple. Einige Schafe aus [...]

  • http://blogs.cnet.com/8300-13578_3-38.html?tag=blgfd.site The Iconoclast – politics, law, and technology – CNET News.com

    [...] Apple doesn’t care about early adopters who just paid $600+ no more than 2 months ago.” Another estimated, with depressing precision, that the iPhone Early Adopter Tax was $3 a day. Macenstein is [...]

  • http://www.blogrunner.com/snapshot/D/8/3/46E00D950076783D/ BlogRunner: Can I have my $200 back?

    [...] (or $3/day). Get it back with Credit Card Price Protection TinyScreenfuls.com elap(’1189018106′);GO TO SOURCE »Josh Bancroft: Among all the iPod announcements made today, Apple also announced a price drop for [...]

  • http://designersondesign.com/2007/09/20/meta-design-links-07-sept-07/ Designers on Design » Blog Archive » Meta Design Links: 07 Sept 07

    [...] Apple Tax = $200 (or $3/day). Ok you all know how much I love Apple (I really do!), but it is so amazing how fans will stand up [...]

  • http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9772134-1.html I paid $600 for my iPhone. Am I a sucker? | Crave : The gadget blog

    [...] Apple doesn’t care about early adopters who just paid $600+ no more than 2 months ago.” Another estimated, with depressing precision, that the iPhone Early Adopter Tax was $3 a day. Macenstein is [...]

  • http://www.news.com/8300-13578_3-38-0.html?categoryId=9756920&tag=sb_cat The Iconoclast – politics, law, and technology – Lessons in economics – CNET News.com

    [...] Apple doesn’t care about early adopters who just paid $600+ no more than 2 months ago.” Another estimated, with depressing precision, that the iPhone Early Adopter Tax was $3 a day. Macenstein is [...]