Best way to buy Apple product > 1lakh?

[cardoptimizer]

Looking to buy Ipad Pro costing 1.2lakh. Not much difference between US rates (Post tax) and Indian rates. (10k difference only) so thinking to buy in India only.

Got couple of cards - Axis Magnus, HDFC diners black, HDFC Millennia, ICICI Sapphiro, ICICI Amazon Pay, Amex MRCC.

What are ways to maximize points/cashback?
1. Buy 50k Amazon shopping voucher via Magnus and 15k Amazon Shopping voucher via HDFC Diners black and pay rest with Axis Magnus to reach 1lakh milestone
2. Any offer on AMEX MRCC or Millennia?
3. Any other offer?

 

[Mohur]

@cardoptimizer and other friends, also explore buying via affiliate partners like cashKaro to get more benefit out of your purchase.

I will also buy a MacBook pro next year and will use the following :
1) Amazon shopping vouchers from infinia smartbuy
2) will exchange my 10 year old MacBook air
3) will use cash Karo type of apps
4) show it as business expense and take depreciation benefit in income tax
5) after 5 years of usage, will sell it

 

[eatpepsi]

See, I hold Infinia so I will tell you my process of buying a 2 lakh product from Amazon.

Accumulate Amazon shopping vouchers every month as much as you can. Gfytr gives me 16.5% value back on purchase of Rs 45000 Amazon shopping vouchers in one go on infinia.

I can purchase rs90000 vouchers per month because after that excellerated reward points won't be given in infinia.

So in 3 months, I Wil have Rs 2.7 lakh Amazon shopping vouchers.

Anything I purchase now on Amazon using these vouchers will give me 16.5% base rewards.

If you can get higher rewards on other cards like converting base rewards to airline/hotels then that is extra bonus.

Now further, if you have a business then show the purchase as business expense to get deduction in taxable income.

Even further, sell the product at 30% cost value after 5 years to make some profit out of it.

Infinia can accumulate 15,000 points per month in total and 7,500 per day in accelerated reward point collection or total point collection ?

"A customer can buy a maximum of INR 10,000 worth of Amazon Pay Gift Cards in a calendar month."
"Please note: There is a Processing Fee of 1.25% + GST on Amazon Pay Gift Cards"

So how 45,000 per day and 90,000 per month, can you help me understand that?

10k voucher gives you
Regular Reward Points - 330
Bonus Reward Points - 1320
Total Value of Reward Points - ₹ 1650


Am I missing something?

https://www.gyftr.com/instantvouchers/amazon-gift-vouchers

 

[RajBlr]

Infinia can accumulate 15,000 points per month in total and 7,500 per day in accelerated reward point collection or total point collection ?

"A customer can buy a maximum of INR 10,000 worth of Amazon Pay Gift Cards in a calendar month."
"Please note: There is a Processing Fee of 1.25% + GST on Amazon Pay Gift Cards"

So how 45,000 per day and 90,000 per month, can you help me understand that?

10k voucher gives you
Regular Reward Points - 330
Bonus Reward Points - 1320
Total Value of Reward Points - ₹ 1650


Am I missing something?

https://www.gyftr.com/instantvouchers/amazon-gift-vouchers

I think he is talking about ASV not AGV which has that 10k limit and processing fee.

https://www.gyftr.com/instantvouchers/amazon-shopping-voucher-gift-vouchers

 

[Mohur]

Infinia can accumulate 15,000 points per month in total and 7,500 per day in accelerated reward point collection or total point collection ?

"A customer can buy a maximum of INR 10,000 worth of Amazon Pay Gift Cards in a calendar month."
"Please note: There is a Processing Fee of 1.25% + GST on Amazon Pay Gift Cards"

So how 45,000 per day and 90,000 per month, can you help me understand that?

10k voucher gives you
Regular Reward Points - 330
Bonus Reward Points - 1320
Total Value of Reward Points - ₹ 1650


Am I missing something?

https://www.gyftr.com/instantvouchers/amazon-gift-vouchers

I think he is talking about ASV not AGV which has that 10k limit and processing fee.

https://www.gyftr.com/instantvouchers/amazon-shopping-voucher-gift-vouchers

Yes right. Its Amazon Shopping Voucher and not Amazon Gift Voucher.
Amazon Gift Voicher can be used anywhere on Amazon, including bill payments etc
Amazon Shopping Voucher can only be used to buy products on Amazon.

 

[eatpepsi]

Just one addition here - Imagine store via smartbuy, you can also buy on no cost EMI. In that way daily cap of 7500 points can be overcome. However, there will be an additional GST component on the interest that will be applicable, but is net off by the 5x points.

Do you get the reward points on the EMI Transaction as well ... ?

 

[RajBlr]

Do you get the reward points on the EMI Transaction as well ... ?

as per the terms it says no - https://v.hdfcbank.com/content/dam/hdfc-aem-microsites/common-pdfs/pdf/SmartEMI_TC.pdf

 

[eatpepsi]

What is the maximum number of croma gift vouchers we can use on Croma website per transaction? Has anyone tried purchasing Croma vouchers from gyftr for extra reward points ... because that route is also offering good cashback/ reward points ...

 

[eatpepsi]

as per the terms it says no - https://v.hdfcbank.com/content/dam/hdfc-aem-microsites/common-pdfs/pdf/SmartEMI_TC.pdf

View attachment 10748

but i think the its different for Smartbuy Emi

 

[RajBlr]

What is the maximum number of croma gift vouchers we can use on Croma website per transaction? Has anyone tried purchasing Croma vouchers from gyftr for extra reward points ... because that route is also offering good cashback/ reward points ...

Check the Important Instructions, it is right there.

 

[churn]

I know maybe this is not the answer people are looking to. But if you can ask someone coming from US and willing to get an Apple product for you, it can be a lot more cheaper. I get it that you wouldn’t be able to claim warranty in India, but that is one risk that you should be willing to take. Whenever I fly and come back, normally I will have one or the other friends of friend wanting an Apple product who will be asking me whether I can get it for them. If I can, I do carry it for them as a favor. You wouldn’t be able to get points but would be able to get it cheaper. Also not everyone will be knowing someone who is coming. But as long as you know someone that would be a cheaper route.

 

[HazelBlotch]

I know maybe this is not the answer people are looking to. But if you can ask someone coming from US and willing to get an Apple product for you, it can be a lot more cheaper. I get it that you wouldn’t be able to claim warranty in India, but that is one risk that you should be willing to take. Whenever I fly and come back, normally I will have one or the other friends of friend wanting an Apple product who will be asking me whether I can get it for them. If I can, I do carry it for them as a favor. You wouldn’t be able to get points but would be able to get it cheaper. Also not everyone will be knowing someone who is coming. But as long as you know someone that would be a cheaper route.

Apple actually is one of the few companies that upholds their international warranty.

 

[HazelBlotch]

I know maybe this is not the answer people are looking to. But if you can ask someone coming from US and willing to get an Apple product for you, it can be a lot more cheaper. I get it that you wouldn’t be able to claim warranty in India, but that is one risk that you should be willing to take. Whenever I fly and come back, normally I will have one or the other friends of friend wanting an Apple product who will be asking me whether I can get it for them. If I can, I do carry it for them as a favor. You wouldn’t be able to get points but would be able to get it cheaper. Also not everyone will be knowing someone who is coming. But as long as you know someone that would be a cheaper route.

But I don't believe it will actually be cheaper. Since the last few years Indian pricing at least for the base models has gotten really good during sales.

 

[churn]

Apple actually is one of the few companies that upholds their international warranty.

I beg to differ in the way how it is handled. For iPhones they don’t anyways. I got mine replaced mine in US, but in India they wouldn’t do it. Same for my old MacBook. They would need to check it and will repair it. But when I brought it to US, they replaced it for me, and I prefer it that way.

But I don't believe it will actually be cheaper. Since the last few years Indian pricing at least for the base models has gotten really good during sales.

It’s actually cheaper. For example I just bought a MacBook Air M1 16GB+256GB for $1079 and 8GB+256GB for $800. I had to buy it all of a sudden since the person wanted it right away

 

[Wealth is my birth right!]

I beg to differ in the way how it is handled. For iPhones they don’t anyways. I got it replaced mine in US, but in India they wouldn’t do it. Same for my old MacBook. They would need to check it and will repair it. But when I brought it to US, they replaced it for me, and I prefer it that way.


It’s actually cheaper. For example I just bought a MacBook Air M1 16GB+256GB for $1079 and 8GB+256GB for $800. I had to buy it all of a sudden since the person wanted it right away

Agree with the 1st part
When iPhone 12 2 years back launched i gift it to my wife and somehow after 2 months it had some problems with os get stuck so when we reached service center they fully replaced the entire set and gave new within a week
Bought in india from apple reseller aptronix from a mall and no hassle
I know if I travel abroad then it will be tough to get it replaced

 

[Slayer]

I beg to differ in the way how it is handled. For iPhones they don’t anyways. I got it replaced mine in US, but in India they wouldn’t do it. Same for my old MacBook. They would need to check it and will repair it. But when I brought it to US, they replaced it for me, and I prefer it that way.


It’s actually cheaper. For example I just bought a MacBook Air M1 16GB+256GB for $1079 and 8GB+256GB for $800. I had to buy it all of a sudden since the person wanted it right away

+1

 

[Slayer]

I beg to differ in the way how it is handled. For iPhones they don’t anyways. I got it replaced mine in US, but in India they wouldn’t do it. Same for my old MacBook. They would need to check it and will repair it. But when I brought it to US, they replaced it for me, and I prefer it that way.


It’s actually cheaper. For example I just bought a MacBook Air M1 16GB+256GB for $1079 and 8GB+256GB for $800. I had to buy it all of a sudden since the person wanted it right away

What Apple strategy has been is to price iPhone models higher (when converted into inr) and then sell it at roughly US pricing after sale + card discount
This way the create a FOMO amongst consumers and then some think that the pricing is at par with US

I've noticed that this is mainly with iPhones and not other apple products/accessories like Apple Watch or Airpods Pro

 

[churn]

What Apple strategy has been is to price iPhone models higher (when converted into inr) and then sell it at roughly US pricing after sale + card discount
This way the create a FOMO amongst consumers and then some think that the pricing is at par with US

I've noticed that this is mainly with iPhones and not other apple products/accessories like Apple Watch or Airpods Pro

I agree. Also the price difference is huge as a percentage for other products- see the comparison for AirPods Pro in US and India. But the additional advantage of Indians in US is that there are people of two types- one those who don’t care and just go and buy since the purchasing power is high, the other who buys making use of the offer. Normally you can get cheaper iPhones if you know how to work around the system (no, I am not meaning jailbreak). Another example I can give is an Airpods pro 2 pro purchase that someone got for $180 with just $5 out of pocket while the rest by making use of Amex offers.

For most of us here, it would not be prudent to wait check and buy from US since so many factors come into play. When the product is required and if you can ask someone to bring it, it would be cost saving.

 

[Slayer]

I agree. Also the price difference is huge as a percentage for other products- see the comparison for AirPods Pro in US and India. But the additional advantage of Indians in US is that there are people of two types- one those who don’t care and just go and buy since the purchasing power is high, the other who buys making use of the offer. Normally you can get cheaper iPhones if you know how to work around the system (no, I am not meaning jailbreak). Another example I can give is an Airpods pro 2 pro purchase that someone got for $180 with just $5 out of pocket while the rest by making use of Amex offers.

For most of us here, it would not be prudent to wait check and buy from US since so many factors come into play. When the product is required and if you can ask someone to bring it, it would be cost saving.

Damn since when was AmEx offering such deep discounts?

 

[eatpepsi]

Check the Important Instructions, it is right there.

View attachment 10751

Thanks, i guess this will add a good discount, now i can purchase from croma using at least 50k as vouchers purchased from gyftr ...

 

[eatpepsi]

Have you looked at this article ... It says that if you purchase apple products from smart buy or affiliates like imaginestore, you get the rewards points as well as the accelarated reward points ... and the capping is only for the accelerated points and not the base points...
can someone confirm this ... For infinia is the daily cap of 7500 only on accel points or total points ????

HDFC Bank SmartBuy Credit Card Offers September 2024 Update

HDFC Bank SmartBuy Offers September 2024 Update - Check out all the HDFC Smartbuy Rewards Program Offer Updates & details here.

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Now if you look into the terms and conditions on the website, it says that the limit is on total reward points ... Can anyone confirm ???

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