Revaluation Restructure of HDFC credit card benefits

[aonok]

Hello,

I just wanted to post this to bring it to the attention of fellow technofinians and hear your take. This is something I have noticed while perusing through the HDFC Credit card offers currently running on Flipkart. It seems HDFC has restructured the category and reward system of its cards. I am currently holding 4 HDFC cards.

1. HDFC Swiggy card
2. PIXEL HDFC card
3. Freedom HDFC Card (My dads card)
3. Virtual HDFC Rupay UPI card

The Flipkart sale currently running offers Rs. 2100 off on iphone 16 purchase. When I punch in the card number on the payment page I am being granted the full offer price of Rs. 2100 on 2 of my cards (Freedom and Virtual Rupay UPI). Meanwhile the other two cards (Swiggy and PIXEL) grants a reduced discount of Rs. 500. (I am attaching the screenshots below for reference.)

Observation 1 : HDFC seems to be providing some reduced benefits now for their Co-Branded cards which was either excluded from offers or forfeited post-purchase before.

Observation 2 : I had applied for the PIXEL card as a 'Core' HDFC Card to avail the banks offers since co-branded cards were excluded. I have availed quite a few sale offers successfully with my PIXEL Card in the past. Now it seems the PIXEL card has been downgraded and is no longer a 'Core' HDFC Credit card.

The offer is still running currently on Flipkart and fellow members holding an HDFC Credit card may test this out and verify or repudiate these observations. Inputs will be beneficial for all members.

 

[Dr.AMAN]

No that is extra offer like Rs 500 off on 25000 type that will applied only instant discount will not be applied on co brand credit card like 10 percent discount on purchase above 5000. Still same from last year.

In my above example HDFC bank offer is Rs.4100( there is additional Rs.500 discount so 4600). Both Freedom and Tata neu are giving the instant discount inspite of Tata neu card being a cobranded one. Swiggy is giving 3000 discount because that Rs.1500 we will anyway get by 5% CB. So yes cobranded cards r getting instant discount atleast at the moment.

 

[aonok]

UPDATE!

It seems hdfc is now selectively curating the discounts according to products. The advertised sale offers in their cards seem to be arbitrarily applied. This is going to add to the already highly confusing guidelines on their card benefits. I can’t make head or tail of it.

When I punch in the card numbers on payment for SAMSUNG BOOK 4 edge laptop, a flat Rs. 5000 appears and the final price comes to Rs. 60,198 for all my 4 cards including Swiggy. (Pics below)



Meanwhile, when I do the same for the GOOGLE PIXEL 10, three of the cards show a flat Rs. 7000 discount with the final price coming to Rs. 73,230 except the Swiggy card where there is no discount and it remains at Rs. 80,188 (pics below)



Thoughts?

 

[Dr.AMAN]

UPDATE!

It seems hdfc is now selectively curating the discounts according to products. The advertised sale offers in their cards seem to be arbitrarily applied. This is going to add to the already highly confusing guidelines on their card benefits. I can’t make head or tail of it.

When I punch in the card numbers on payment for SAMSUNG BOOK 4 edge laptop, a flat Rs. 5000 appears and the final price comes to Rs. 60,198 for all my 4 cards including Swiggy. (Pics below)

View attachment 108298View attachment 108299View attachment 108300View attachment 108301

Meanwhile, when I do the same for the GOOGLE PIXEL 10, three of the cards show a flat Rs. 7000 discount with the final price coming to Rs. 73,230 except the Swiggy card where there is no discount and it remains at Rs. 80,188 (pics below)

View attachment 108302View attachment 108303View attachment 108304View attachment 108305

Thoughts?

It is still a good thing that cobranded cards like Tata neu are getting same discount rate as their core card. If I have TNI I will not only get the bank discount but also the base 1.5%. Swiggy card anyways doesnt make sense above Rs.30k because it will hit its monthly 1500 CB limit at 30k.

 

[HumorSimpson]

UPDATE!

It seems hdfc is now selectively curating the discounts according to products. The advertised sale offers in their cards seem to be arbitrarily applied. This is going to add to the already highly confusing guidelines on their card benefits. I can’t make head or tail of it.

When I punch in the card numbers on payment for SAMSUNG BOOK 4 edge laptop, a flat Rs. 5000 appears and the final price comes to Rs. 60,198 for all my 4 cards including Swiggy. (Pics below)

View attachment 108298View attachment 108299View attachment 108300View attachment 108301

Meanwhile, when I do the same for the GOOGLE PIXEL 10, three of the cards show a flat Rs. 7000 discount with the final price coming to Rs. 73,230 except the Swiggy card where there is no discount and it remains at Rs. 80,188 (pics below)

View attachment 108302View attachment 108303View attachment 108304View attachment 108305

Thoughts?

With my past experience of BBD 2024 all I can say is

1. Core cards are safe and give highest instant discount.
2. There could be some limit of instant discount that is coming into play here, for example during 2024 BBD my MoneyBack+ card had an instant discount of ~11K but TNI had some thing around 6 or 7K. The current phenomenon you notice here is in both core and cobranded cards, both met the max discount. Lets wait and will decode on BBD

 

[aonok]

It is still a good thing that cobranded cards like Tata neu are getting same discount rate as their core card. If I have TNI I will not only get the bank discount but also the base 1.5%. Swiggy card anyways doesnt make sense above Rs.30k because it will hit its monthly 1500 CB limit at 30k.

Yes, I’m surprised that the Tata neu is getting full discount. Many have reported that the card is excluded from offers. I just wish that HDFC would streamline the whole structure properly.

I can also report and confirm that the PIXEL card which is considered a ‘core’ card is flatly rejected by the smart buy payment system for Myntra as ineligible probably due to Myntra being a card partner with PIXEL.



On top of all this, I wonder how the recent devaluation of HDFC cards regarding the forfeiture of reward points accrued on instant discount offers (a la SBI) is going to be implemented.

 

[Manishg]

In my above example HDFC bank offer is Rs.4100( there is additional Rs.500 discount so 4600). Both Freedom and Tata neu are giving the instant discount inspite of Tata neu card being a cobranded one. Swiggy is giving 3000 discount because that Rs.1500 we will anyway get by 5% CB. So yes cobranded cards r getting instant discount atleast at the moment.

Tata neu plus is getting instant discount mistakenly. Maybe they had put its bin by mistake. Also, Swiggy credit card or any other co brand card don't give instant discount like - 10 percent discount on purchases above 5000/- but will give bonus discount like purchase 25000 get 500/- discount. Also, there are some merchant based discounts like if realme partner with hdfc they will give instant discount irrespective of co brand cards or core on flipkart. Thus, you are getting discount if any that is of brand based discount like realme, redmi, apple etc. + bonus discount with co brand cards except tata neu plus (maybe infinity also) as a mistake from bank side. Core cards giving full discount.

It remains same from Big Billion Days 2024. Nothing changes except Tata Neu Plus giving instant discount.

 

[Dr.AMAN]

Tata neu plus is getting instant discount mistakenly. Maybe they had put its bin by mistake. Also, Swiggy credit card or any other co brand card don't give instant discount like - 10 percent discount on purchases above 5000/- but will give bonus discount like purchase 25000 get 500/- discount. Also, there are some merchant based discounts like if realme partner with hdfc they will give instant discount irrespective of co brand cards or core on flipkart. Thus, you are getting discount if any that is of brand based discount like realme, redmi, apple etc. + bonus discount with co brand cards except tata neu plus (maybe infinity also) as a mistake from bank side. Core cards giving full discount.

It remains same from Big Billion Days 2024. Nothing changes except Tata Neu Plus giving instant discount.

Yes it is full khichdi right now. It could be deliberate or could be mistake. Will have to wait and see. Some banks deliberately give same discount on cobranded cards as their core cards during festive seasons to boost their card usage. Supertails gives 8% on pet food purchases on ICICI cards. Generally ICICI Amazon card is excluded but when there is festive season then they give that 8% to Apay ICICI cards too. Same could be the case right now with HDFC due to upcoming BBD sale.