We’re no strangers to being ripped off here in Australia. But the fact that iTunes is asking for $259 for the complete Beatles box set on the Aussie store compared to $149 on the US store is beyond a joke. So it’s time for a refresher on how to legally purchase songs off the US iTunes and take advantage of the strong Aussie dollar.
The Gift Card Method
The quickest and easiest way to take advantage of Parity on the iTunes Store is via US iTunes Gift Cards. There are a few places online that will sell and ship US gift cards to Australia (including eBay), but there are some nefarious people out there who might try and cheat you this way. If you know anyone in the US or travelling to the US in the near future, it’s obviously a lot more reliable a method of ensuring you get what you pay for.
Once you’ve got your US gift card, sign out of iTunes on your computer and go to redeem your gift card. You’ll need to enter in a US address when you create a new American account, but that address can be anywhere. We recommend Apple’s own address, just for the hell of it.
Address entered, you’re now good to go! Because music is now DRM free on iTunes, there’s no need to worry about having an Aussie or a US account when you’re listening to your cheaper Beatles collection. If you want to take advantage of the US iTunes’ superior video collection, you may need to pay attention to which account you’re using on your iDevices, but they’ll still work.
The PrePaid Credit Card Method
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of acquiring gift cards from the US, you can opt for a prepaid US credit card. This is slightly harder to setup – you’ll need to get one of the prepaid cards from the US, but as some of these cards like the Netspend card allow you to top up your balance using Paypal, there’s the possibility of ongoing access to US iTunes content (and prices).
Once you’ve got your card, you just set up a US account with a US address and use your prepaid credit card details for purchasing. SImple.
Is it legal?
Definitely, but it does contradict Apple’s terms of service, so they could potentially suspend or cancel your account. That said, there are plenty of people who do this within the tech community and have never been busted. And given the ridiculous $110 surcharge we’re getting hit with just for living in Australia, the risk is well worth the savings…