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A good intelligent step!
Sensible precaution indeed. And so simple that I am shocked that with all the tech brains in their employ they didn’t think of this before!

This has been the norm for some time. Quite a few of my high value electronic items have been released on the basis of OTPs, which incidentally are sent as soon as the packages are marked 'out for delivery' in their system and not when the courier guy knocks on the door: which again can be good or bad based on telephone network availability and our propensity to keep the SMS' in order!

Still, I prefer their earlier system of demanding an identity proof before handing over the package. As for signatures, I don't remember ever using my real one on those touch pads carried by delivery boys. And if ever there is a comparison made among my signatures on different days of accepting parcels, they sure will constitute various iterations of chalk and cheese :).

One thing. I had done full KYC a long time ago with Amazon since I’m a regular customer with them.
Once, a year ago or so, one of their delivery blokes asked for a photocopy of my Aadhaar card and/ or DL/ PAN Card.

I was deeply displeased and declined to receive the parcel. Promptly complained to the Amazon care folks and actually gave them a bit of a blasting.

The Delivery bloke returned to my home after 2 hours or so and meekly handed over the parcel without my having to give him a copy of proof of identity. (I happened to be hanging around which is not at all normal, for me. Had I not been, I guess I d have had to eschew receiving that particular parcel!)

No one, especially in these days of data danger and data theft and privacy norms and preferences, ought to have the right to demand photocopies of your essential documents.


However, on another note, when one applies for a Visa for travel outside of India, for example, the sheer amount of confidential documentation that one is forced to give to the VFS people, boggles the mind. Especially considering that the chaps at VFS are mostly not so smart and mostly quite lackadaisical - so how can one, if ever, be sure at all, that one’s data is secure?

I think this OTP business is probably for high value items. I ordered a PS4 game sometime back and I dont re call any OTP being sent or given etc.
Anyhow, I think completing the sale only if OTP is provided to them is pretty idiotic. They also need to have an alternative method.
There are many a times when I do not have access to my phone for extended periods and that effectively means that either the parcel does not get delivered if I cant provide the OTP at the time of delivery or I give the OTP to someone who is present at home before I leave home who then gives it to the delivery person as and when he arrives.

The OTP is sent to the registered e-mail address as well. One can also find OTP in My Orders page of Amazon website/app when the package is out for delivery. So it is not a problem if one is not able to access messages on registered phone number.

I usually provide my other phone number (different than the registered number) while placing an order and get the OTP on both of them. Pretty useful, this OTP system.

Just to clarify, I too wouldn't be comfortable handing over the photocopy of my ID proof. But I wouldn't hesitate to show it to the delivery boy, for him to be sure that I am who I claim to be, and for me to be sure that the package isn't claimed by anyone else pretending to be me.

Collected an iPhone XS Max on behalf of a friend/colleague from Flipkart's logistics before the big billion day sale happened.

They never asked for an OTP nor did this package come in a special sealed box or something. I didn't know it had a mobile inside either. :p

Ordered a check-in luggage from Amazon and they delivered a rather soiled and fairly used piece - it still had some food remnants in it. Some quality check before a dispatch!

Requested for a replacement which is now underway.

But noticed, the price is similar even after the "hallowed" sale event! What do folks here use to track the price history on such sites?

I also notice the price shown for a given product is different under different logins! Any way to figure out the conditions we can simulate to reflect the lowest price possible? That might make things a bit more fun.

The phone I bought was priced exactly the same prior/during and now after the sale is over at Amazon. What I see different is that those specific bank credit/debit card cash backs are no more available.

First was the ordinary price, then came the special sale price, then came the after-sale price.

The number remained the same, just it's name changed. :Frustrati

I purchased two pioneer single din stereos for my cars that use the phone as input source and for display. It's pretty neat as I tend to use Google maps and Amazon music when I drive. The price after discounts during the sale worked out to 6300 and I also got three months zero % EMI. After that the price went up significantly in the subsequent sales and though there were cash backs and card discounts it was still higher than the sale period. I guess the product I purchased was pretty decently (genuinely) discounted.

Despite my cynicism, yes, it happens. Sales aside, Amazon prices can be chaotic. I just bought a USB charger for camera batteries, with two batteries, at considerably less than the price of a pack of just the two batteries from the same third-party manufacturer.

Let us make hay while the sun shines, and enjoy :)

Anybody here used instacash or cashify? I see their quotes much better than Flipkart. My 3 year old OnePlus X exchange price quoted by Flipkart was <2k, so I decided to hold on to it rather than throwing it away for such low price. But I noticed instacash quoting 4k+ and cashify quotes 3750/- :eek:

Any reviews would be helpful.:)

P.S: the phone is in perfect working condition without any scratches and I even have the box and other accessories with me.

Cashify is mostly good. But they actually outsource the work to local shops, so some of them can be a bit unruly and impolite. I have had both kinds of experience with them but would suggest trying it out if you can get a decent price for your phone. No experience with Instacash.

I have used Cashify on multiple occasions to sell of my old mobile phones and the experiences have been positive so far.

It has always been a pretty straightforward process with them giving a confirmation call along with an appropriate time for collection that suits the buyer (usually a local dude that has a tie-up with Cashify) as well as the seller.

The buyer comes, checks if the phone matches the description, pays the money and the deal is done.

Hope this helps.:)