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Originally Posted by Lobogris Since you are a renowned expert on credit cards in general and HDFC cards in particular, would you be kind enough to explain the Smartbuy system. For instance, which cards can benefit from it and how does the reward rate differ between Regalia, Infinia etc when it comes to Smartbuy? When people talk about purchasing 5k or 10k worth of Amazon vouchers each month, what kind of savings does that invoke on each HDFC variant and how much we have to spend beforehand to have the points available to purchase these 5k or 10k vouchers? It would be very useful if you could take the example of 10k Amazon voucher purchase on Smartbuy and explain what I would have to spend to have sufficient points available for it and what savings this voucher purchase would entail. Thanks in advance! |
I hope the question is a genuine question and not more of sarcasm.
So here is the explanation that you are looking for:
Let me 1st list down, what all transactions can be done via Smartbuy:
- Flights
- Hotels
- Trains
- Buses
- Amazon
- Flipkart
- Instant Vouchers
List looks small, but the important details are under Instant Vouchers. Contrary to the understanding many of these Vouchers can be used offline as well as online:
- Amazon (Can be loaded on Amazon Pay and used to pay Utility, Phone, Internet bills, Mobile recharges, Insurance Premiums etc.)
- Flipkart (Can be loaded and used to buy Gold Coins)
- Groceries (Big Bazaar, More, Reliance Smart apart from Amazon)
- Clothing & Fashion Accessories (70+ Brands / Multi-Brand Stores)
There are other vouchers too, but not very useful for 9 out of 10 people and hence not listing them here.
So now that we know where all smartbuy can be useful, lets look at the reward rate of both Regalia and Infinia. The Smartbuy Rewards are different in both these cards. On Regalia, its cashback whereas on Infinia is Reward Points Multiplier.
Regalia - 5% Cashback upto a maximum of Rs. 2000 (So upto Rs. 40,000 Spends every month). Apart from this, you will earn 4 Points per Rs. 150. Consider the value per point anywhere between 0.25 Re to 0.5 Re depending on how you redeem. Nothing exceptional.
Infinia - 10X on Flights & Hotels; 5X on everything else via Smartbuy with a maximum cap of 15,000 Bonus Points per month. No capping on standard earning rate
Infinia gets 5 Points per 150 Rs. 10X means 50 Reward Points per Rs. 150 & 5X means 25 Reward Points per Rs. 150.
Spendings where you get Maximum Benefits of 10X spends - Rs. 50,100
Spendings where you get Maximum Benefits of 5X spends - Rs. 1,12,500
Value of each Reward Point:
Redemption against Flights / Hotel Bookings / Tanishq / Apple Vouchers - 1 Re.
Smartbuy Reward Rate - 16.67% to 33.33%
Caveat - If total amount is Rs. 100, Rs. 70 can be paid via Reward Points, Rs. 30 needs to be paid via Credit Card)
DTH Recharge (Only Tata Sky) - 1 Re.
Smartbuy Reward Rate - 16.67% to 33.33%
Redemption against Amazon Vouchers - 0.5 Re
Smartbuy Reward Rate - 8.33% to 16.67%
Other Vouchers too are available at the same conversion rate, but focusing on something that works as good as cash
Redemption against Statement Credit - 0.3 Re
Smartbuy Reward Rate - 5% to 10%
After having explained all the above, let me still add an example:
I buy Rs. 10,000 worth Amazon Vouchers every month without fail. I get 5X on it. 1650 Reward Points. Lets say you spend another 10K under any of the other Smartbuy Categories listed above. Thats another 1650 Points. So 3300 Points earned for spending Rs. 20,000 via Smartbuy. You can utilise 3000 Points next month itself to get 1500 Rs. worth Amazon Vouchers, or you can book a flight worth Rs. 4750 or above and utilise the complete 3300 Points to reduce equivalent number of Rs. from the flight cost.
I hope that long explanation helps. Would be happy to answer any further doubts you have on the above.
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Originally Posted by chinkara In Regalia 660 points = Rs. 100 voucher. A spend of Rs. 50000 PM with say, 10,000 through smartbuy gives you approx 3.5 K points. Hope this helps. |
Do not redeem via Netbanking.
Go to HDFC Smartbuy Page, Under Privileges you will find Regalia, Redeem Reward Points for Amazon Vouchers via this route, you will see a much better value per point here. Not sure why but HDFC has kept Amazon vouchers with two different values at two different locations.
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Originally Posted by Lobogris Could you please explain what one can buy via Smartbuy apart from gift vouchers and travel? As per the calculation provided by you, if I get 3.5k points after spending 50k and and 6.6 points equal Rs 1 then it seems like I am getting a notional value of around Rs500 which seems like just 1% of the 50k spent and this is after 10k spend on Smartbuy. Am I calculating it wrong? |
I think the above answered this query too.