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Buying iPhone 16 Pro from USA - Query & Discussion

If I use my SBI Cashback card to place an order on apple from India to a friend’s address in the US, will I only be charged the forex markup, or are there any other fees involved?

If yes, then considering the SBI CB card forex markup fee of around 4.13%, wouldn’t the BoB Eterna be a more rewarding option with its lower 2.36% fee?
Eterna gives 3.75% upto 42k in a statement cycle - ur fone gonna cost over 86k
 
We bought iPhone 15 pro max from Meena Baazaar in Dec 2023. It was around 1L (we were able to get cash from friends who normally send cash to India so didn't have to pay conversion).

The difference between shops can be upto say 200AED and you can bargain around 100 AED.

We were able to validate warranty on Apple website right after the purchase before we left the shop (Shopkeepers offer it themselves)
wow, that is almost 50% in bargain, aren't these fake/duplicate/copy?
 
Is it true if you buy iPhone from Dubai or US, you have to activate it first installing the local sim otherwise it will not work in India with Indian sim?
No. We bought iPhone 15 pro max in Dec 2023 and activated it with Indian SIM after reaching India. We powered up the phone to verify warranty at the shop.
 
I'm planning to buy 2 Apple Watch Series 10 in the US and have them shipped to a friend there, who will be returning to India in two weeks.
Amazon shows a better price.
  • Amazon US: $319 + tax (~$341)
  • Apple: $399 + tax (~$426)
Indian Price - 46900 INR.
US ~ 30K https://a.co/d/1dBSKLW
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Is there any way to buy Amazon US gift cards at a discount from India?

If not, the next best option seems to be asking a friend in US to make the payment, and I'll repay them in India INR — to avoid forex markup.


Card Options :
I don’t have the popular cards suggested for international transactions (like DCB, SBI Cashback, Eterna, etc.).

Here’s what I currently have:
  • Tata Neu Infinity (HDFC) – 2% markup
  • HDFC Legend – 1.8% markup
  • All other cards (Millennia, AmazonPay ICICI, Swiggy HDFC, Kotak White, Sapphiro, Axis Airtel, etc.) have a 3.5% markup with around 1% cashback

I could apply for the AU IXIGO Card (which offers zero markup), but the application may take time, and I only have about a week.

Would appreciate suggestions on gift card discounts or any other efficient way to proceed.

I don't think any discounts in India would help offset 17K difference, but if there are any Indian options, I'm open to them as well.
 
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