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-   -   The Online Shopping Thread (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/22122-online-shopping-thread-214.html)

Visa Credit or Debit card? Even during domestic purchases, I am usually asked for the pin for my Debit card purchases, whereas no pin is asked for Credit card purchases.

For debit cards, Secure pin code is mandatory in India, but not oversees. It is normal.

I only buy from amazon now unless it is a small ticket item (soaps, etc) which are usually not returned. Based on my experience with flipkart (terrible) and amazon, if it is a electronic/computer or high ticket item that could be defective or not to my liking, I have had 100% return success rate on amazon but 0% on flipkart.

Here is a recent return/refund from amazon:

Just ordered few TATA parts from www.99RPM.com .

All seems good, except at checkout. Was surprised to see Rs135/- + Rs15 per Item as shipping charge. Though was shocked, but overall result is happy, as I am getting parts that are not avaialble easily outside or where I have given up hope fron TASS.

Overall result : HAPPY. :).
Not expecting anything to show up for 2-3 weeks, will comment again when I see the end result.

Thanks again to arunphilip for assuring me by sharing his experience & all fellow BHPians, by whom I got to know this website.

Threads/posts in the shifting gears section are not counted, and likewise the thanks button is not enabled.
Good to hear that, and will be better when we hear you've received it! :)

RBI rules mandate a 2-step verification for debit as well as credit cards.

If they aren't following it, then IMO they're in violation of the rules.

If you remember the taxi aggregator Uber too had to follow this 2-step verification process.

I think its applicable only when the payment processor is in India.

I don't go through a two step process when I purchase on international sites like Amazon.com or Steam.

RBI I believe has no jurisdiction over Ali Express's activities.

But with Alibaba's investment in Paytm, I expect that's about to change. I expect Ali Express to process payments from India using Paytm, and then we will see 2-factor happening.

Oh! Ok. Thanks.

Update :
Yesterday I got a mail from Amazon saying it was "undeliverable for unspecified reason" & I'll get a code for the price difference.

Basically they put me back to square 1 after 10 days of waiting.

Godknows how they manage to articulate the mail so it sounds asif they're doing customers a favour!

2-factor makes sense when the service delivery occurs here as well. Since you are buying from an overseas vendor, just CVV verification is perfectly fine as is the international norm! Imagine if each country had to follow a different protocol for each destination - it would be crazy.

It was the Visa/Mastercard/Etc companies that invented all this two-stage stuff in the first place. They will call it trying to make us safer: we may call it them trying to pretend that they have fool-proof security so that it is harder for us to claim on fraudulent transactions.

Verified By Visa; Something-or-othered-by-Mastercard... Had to live with all that stuff before I came to India. RBI might think its a good idea (they might be right: every little deterrent helps) and impose it in India, but it was the banks that made it all up to begin with.

I guess guys at 99rpm are watching this thread for any bashing (if any).
I ordered stuff on 15th. To my surprise,recieved half of them on 16th & remaining on 17th. good packing & prompt updates, Good website clap:.

Wow, glad to hear that you've got your items, and even better to see that 99rpm have upped their game.

Thanks to everyone who replied to my query.

AliExpress site looks amazing. If all goes well in the first transaction, i can see myself placing a quite a few orders in future.

Ordered a .99$ iPh0ne 6 case from Aliexpress in the mid of Feb. I am yet to receive it. Seller was helpful and cooperative all through these months. Couple of time they have extended the buyer protection and recently offered me to wait for 10 more days and if still not received, a new case would be shipped free of cost. Since the value is very less, not desperate. It's coming through hongkong/china post and their tracing website says, package reached India in March. May be held up in customs or lost during transit.

My first order from aliexpress is on its way.
Fingers crossed till I receive it in hand.

It is a 8 GB Sony MP3 player meant for a surprise gift to wifey!!