Rakuten Card has launched a new service waiving Apple Store installment payment fees for up to 24 installments. The service is available for Rakuten Cards bearing international payment brand logos, and applies to Apple Store online and physical store purchases, but not purchases made through the Apple Store app.
After Apple Store prices were revised at the end of July, with currency fluctuations cited as a contributing factor, Rakuten Card launched a service waiving installment payment fees for up to 24 installments at the Apple Store online and physical stores. The service is available for Rakuten Cards bearing Visa, Mastercard or JCB branding, and does not require advance registration or a separate application. The article states that purchases made through the Apple Store app are not eligible, while all Apple products, including iPhone, are covered. The article contains no information suggesting a profit or price decline, and does not state whether there will be a follow-up.
Traditional options such as 24- or 48-installment payments at carrier stores and consumer electronics retailers remain available, while Rakuten Card's new service is distinguished by eliminating installment payment fees when paying online or in physical stores. The article also introduces a way to reduce the effective cost of a purchase by accumulating Apple Gift Card balances, explaining how to use the balance charged in place of cash to work toward purchasing the latest model.
The article discusses the possibility of price fluctuations depending on future currency movements, trends in domestic prices affected by a weaker or stronger yen, and ways to combine other options, such as installment payments through Paidy, a deferred-payment service. However, it avoids language forecasting share prices or offering investment guidance, and focuses primarily on comparing individual purchasing methods.