Buying apps from Marketplace

[Jonno2343]

Just thought I'd create a little post for those who want to buy apps but don't have a US credit card to do so.


Create a new US Live ID from https://signup.live.com/ if you already have a US Live ID then you can skip this step
Set your Live ID billing address and postal address to any US address. (can use http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/)
Buy a virtual credit card from www.instantvirtualcreditcards.com or www.cliffscards.com

These two vendors have been confirmed to work with Zune / Xbox by the fine folks of XDA Developers. Cliffscards looks easier to use.

Open up the Zune client, go to Settings -> Account -> Personal Settings -> Add a Credit Card
Fill in the details you received for the Virtual Credit Card and click add.
Your credit card should now be added and you are ready to use the marketplace.


These virtual credit cards are rather pricey and so it may not be worth it depending on what you're wanting to do.
There are rumors that the services will be extended to all the countries where WP7 is available when Mango comes out later in the year.

[MielieSpoor]

Too much effort and sounds a bit dodgy.

I'd rather wait a bit for it to be released in SA - if ever!

[Glue]

Thats sucks!!!Why do they even have the phone available if no support???

[roguemat]

Two of the guys in my office have had no problem using their local credit cards (one is ABSA - dunno the other) to purchase with their US Live account.
However I tried with my UK Live account and FNB credit card and it wont accept it.

[Jonno2343]

Yeah, it quite a bit of effor and dodgy-looking-ness...
The Credit Card check - billing address check is apparently done on Zip Code only so as long as you have a valid US address and a zip code that matches your zip code, it passes through.
The thing is our zip codes are only 4 digits long as opposed to the 5 in the US. People in countries with a Zip code of >=5 chars are able to add their cards on.

[Scooby6]

Two of the guys in my office have had no problem using their local credit cards (one is ABSA - dunno the other) to purchase with their US Live account.
However I tried with my UK Live account and FNB credit card and it wont accept it.

Very interesting ... my FNB card also dont work :(

[roguemat]

I wonder if it is something to do with the account being UK. What is yours @Scooby6?

[Scooby6]

I wonder if it is something to do with the account being UK. What is yours @Scooby6?

I changed mine to US (from SA) to be able to get the free apps.

[roguemat]

I changed mine to US (from SA) to be able to get the free apps.
Hmmm, where do you change that?

[Scooby6]

Hmmm, where do you change that?

Well ... I changed the locale of my phone to US and also changed my XBLive account locale to US. But I cannot add my credit card to XBL because its an SA one ... it wont verify :(
Any idea when SA market place will be open?

[roguemat]

Well ... I changed the locale of my phone to US and also changed my XBLive account locale to US. But I cannot add my credit card to XBL because its an SA one ... it wont verify :(
Any idea when SA market place will be open?

When I click to migrate my account on the XBOX site, there is a dropdown with the countries I can migrate to, but US isnt one of them.

[Scooby6]

When I click to migrate my account on the XBOX site, there is a dropdown with the countries I can migrate to, but US isnt one of them.

I just checked for you ... I went to www.xbox.com ... signed in using my live account username and password ...
Clicked on "My XBox" -> "My Account" -> "Manage Account Region" -> ... ooh crap ... I see what you are saying ... No US in the drop down... hmmmm ... HTF did I do it then ... Sorry man... Will think a bit harder after work when I'm not so stressed and try to recall my streps.
What I do rememeber is that when I FIRST tried to change my locale on XBL, it didnt want to let me do it saying that I could only change my locale once a year or something and so I just deleted my account and signed up a new XBL account with my Live account. Maybe try that if your GameTag is not important to you?

[SuperBru]

This might be resolved with the NoDo update coming very soon. Found this on MS site (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/howto/wp7/basics/update-history.aspx):

Other Marketplace improvements. We've improved the stability of Marketplace while you download apps. We've also improved the experience of downloading apps larger than 20 megabytes, upgrading from trial apps to paid apps, using a credit card with an address outside the United States, sharing links to apps via email, sorting Xbox LIVE games by release date, and creating an Xbox LIVE account from within the Games Hub.

[Jonno2343]

This might be resolved with the NoDo update coming very soon. Found this on MS site (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/howto/wp7/basics/update-history.aspx):

Other Marketplace improvements. We've improved the stability of Marketplace while you download apps. We've also improved the experience of downloading apps larger than 20 megabytes, upgrading from trial apps to paid apps, using a credit card with an address outside the United States, sharing links to apps via email, sorting Xbox LIVE games by release date, and creating an Xbox LIVE account from within the Games Hub.
Yeah, I saw that. I wonder what that means. Will that be blocking the workarounds or opening it up to more countries?

[Stig]

I see that South Africa is going to be getting an official market place when the mango update comes out.
Source 1 (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/southafrica/archive/2011/04/21/windows-phone-market-place-coming-to-south-africa.aspx)
Source 2 (http://stubborndev.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/new-countries-supported-by-mango-windows-phone-update/)

EDIT: Sorry I have just read this was posted already in this thread (http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/326641-New-stuff-with-Mango!)

[Jonno2343]

I see that South Africa is going to be getting an official market place when the mango update comes out.
Source 1 (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/southafrica/archive/2011/04/21/windows-phone-market-place-coming-to-south-africa.aspx)żylaki (http://zdrowo.info.pl/zylaki.html)
Source 2 (http://stubborndev.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/new-countries-supported-by-mango-windows-phone-update/)

EDIT: Sorry I have just read this was posted already in this thread (http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/326641-New-stuff-with-Mango!)
Yeah, it's great news :) I hope they have a 'relaunch' in SA then - give our inept mobile operators and their stores a chance to find out what WP7 is.

[verynuclear]

The best way is using virtual card form www.cliffscard.com
It works very good and in 3 hours you will receive your card online.

[diegoa]

Whats annoying is I ask Microsoft SA about this via twitter and they completely ignored me.

[Elimentals]

Whats annoying is I ask Microsoft SA about this via twitter and they completely ignored me.

Its an FPB issue not Microsofts, well unless they split the games and music from the market.