SBI launched Cashback card on September 1st and it created a lot of buzz in Twitter circles and on our forum too. Flat 5% cashback on most of the online transactions sounds too good to be true, and since it's a website agnostic card, one doesn't have to carry too many cards in their wallet, this single card simply eliminates likes of Flipkart Axis, ICICI Amazon and HDFC Millenia in particular.
Onboarding Experience: Similar to thousands of other, I also got swayed by the 5% cashback on any merchant offer. Decided to apply for this card on day of the launch itself, I heard horror stories of SBI's sprint application before, personally experienced this while applying for the cashback card.
The entire process felt disconnected right from the beginning, since I was already an existing SBI card customer (SBI BPCL since last three years), I was expecting a seamless onboarding process. However, my expectations fell on my face, while entering all the required details (personal, official) my application stopped abruptly and the sprint application started showing error page which asked me to contact their customer care. Dialled their customer care, however call didn't go through despite trying umpteen number of times, I patiently waited for 24 hours to receive a callback from SBI CC but no one bothered to call.
While randomly strolling on Twitter came across Kashif's post that due to numerous applications SBI severs are under heavy load hence applications are not going through and errors are shown to the users. He suggested to resubmitting the application during non peak hours, did the same and finally managed to submit the entire application end to end and received a confirmation from SBI that they received my application for the SBI card.
eKYC Experience: Since I was already an existing customer of SBI card, I didn't expect any sort of KYC process, however SBI officials had different thoughts here, they sent an agent to complete my KYC at my office address, prior to that they called me and verified all the details entered by me during the card application. Even after the KYC process, they made 2 more verifications calls to verify my details, I was quite annoyed with this entire process and felt discriminated as any random Joe who has never been an SBI card customer, managed to get his card approved within a day and on the other hand SBI card was penalising me for being their customer for three+ years.
Only saving grace during this entire experience was a dedicated agent from SBI side who helped me on few occasions to expedite the KYC and verification calls.
On the 11th day of my application, I received the SMS from SBI cards stating that my card application was approved and I can use my virtual card right away. With a lot of hopes I logged into the SBI card application to checkout the details of my new card, only to find that my new card came with a meagre limit of 10,000 Rs that too was deducted from my existing BPCL card's limit.
I dropped an email to SBI to equally divide the limits between both the cards but they refused to do as according to them it can only be done once the physical card is delivered to me and duly activated by me. This whole limit thing has seriously spoiled my enthusiasm for this card.
Packaging: Card came within plastic wrapped envelope. Nothing extra ordinary about the packaging here.
Anyways, now I will let the pictures do the talking.
Card's Look n feel: No wow feeling here, card carries a Navy blue theme and plastic quality is subpar. Many scratches on the card were clearly visible which gives an impression that either the card was handled badly by SBI staff or their printer machine is of poor quality. I am comparing this with my one of my recent card Axis Ace where the scratches on the brand new card were simply non-existent.
Conclusion: Since this is a first year free (FYF) card, it doesn't hurt in terms of the joining fee, however I will keep a close eye on the amount of cashback I earn on this card. I already have HDFC Millenia and ICICI Amazon Pay. Used to hold Flipkart Axis too but closed it prior to applying for the this card. Now Axis is rubbing salts on my wounds by offering 8% instant off + 5 percent cashback during the Big Billion day sale. There are no instant 10% offers of SBI on Flipkart for now.
What are your thoughts on this card, let me know in the comment section below.
Onboarding Experience: Similar to thousands of other, I also got swayed by the 5% cashback on any merchant offer. Decided to apply for this card on day of the launch itself, I heard horror stories of SBI's sprint application before, personally experienced this while applying for the cashback card.
The entire process felt disconnected right from the beginning, since I was already an existing SBI card customer (SBI BPCL since last three years), I was expecting a seamless onboarding process. However, my expectations fell on my face, while entering all the required details (personal, official) my application stopped abruptly and the sprint application started showing error page which asked me to contact their customer care. Dialled their customer care, however call didn't go through despite trying umpteen number of times, I patiently waited for 24 hours to receive a callback from SBI CC but no one bothered to call.
While randomly strolling on Twitter came across Kashif's post that due to numerous applications SBI severs are under heavy load hence applications are not going through and errors are shown to the users. He suggested to resubmitting the application during non peak hours, did the same and finally managed to submit the entire application end to end and received a confirmation from SBI that they received my application for the SBI card.
eKYC Experience: Since I was already an existing customer of SBI card, I didn't expect any sort of KYC process, however SBI officials had different thoughts here, they sent an agent to complete my KYC at my office address, prior to that they called me and verified all the details entered by me during the card application. Even after the KYC process, they made 2 more verifications calls to verify my details, I was quite annoyed with this entire process and felt discriminated as any random Joe who has never been an SBI card customer, managed to get his card approved within a day and on the other hand SBI card was penalising me for being their customer for three+ years.
Only saving grace during this entire experience was a dedicated agent from SBI side who helped me on few occasions to expedite the KYC and verification calls.
On the 11th day of my application, I received the SMS from SBI cards stating that my card application was approved and I can use my virtual card right away. With a lot of hopes I logged into the SBI card application to checkout the details of my new card, only to find that my new card came with a meagre limit of 10,000 Rs that too was deducted from my existing BPCL card's limit.
I dropped an email to SBI to equally divide the limits between both the cards but they refused to do as according to them it can only be done once the physical card is delivered to me and duly activated by me. This whole limit thing has seriously spoiled my enthusiasm for this card.
Packaging: Card came within plastic wrapped envelope. Nothing extra ordinary about the packaging here.
Anyways, now I will let the pictures do the talking.
Card's Look n feel: No wow feeling here, card carries a Navy blue theme and plastic quality is subpar. Many scratches on the card were clearly visible which gives an impression that either the card was handled badly by SBI staff or their printer machine is of poor quality. I am comparing this with my one of my recent card Axis Ace where the scratches on the brand new card were simply non-existent.
Conclusion: Since this is a first year free (FYF) card, it doesn't hurt in terms of the joining fee, however I will keep a close eye on the amount of cashback I earn on this card. I already have HDFC Millenia and ICICI Amazon Pay. Used to hold Flipkart Axis too but closed it prior to applying for the this card. Now Axis is rubbing salts on my wounds by offering 8% instant off + 5 percent cashback during the Big Billion day sale. There are no instant 10% offers of SBI on Flipkart for now.
What are your thoughts on this card, let me know in the comment section below.
