This review was written by reader Satish Kumar Agarwal, who recently received Axis Bank’s newly launched Flipkart credit card.
The Axis Bank Flipkart Credit Card could be a significant addition to Axis Bank’s credit card lineup. If managed well, it has the potential to expand Axis Bank’s cardholder base substantially.
A full summary of the card’s features was published in the card launch article. This piece focuses on the application experience and practical details that prospective applicants may find helpful.
My Application Experience
I applied for the card through the Axis Bank website on 23 July 2019, the first day applications were open to everyone. Before that, the card had mainly been available as a swap option for existing Axis Buzz credit card holders. My application timeline was as follows:
- 23.07.2019 – Applied via the Apply Now option on the website
- 25.07.2019 – Bank representative visited my home for KYC since I had no prior relationship with Axis Bank
- 21.08.2019 – Received email and SMS confirming card approval (CIBIL enquiry was performed on this date)
- 27.08.2019 – Received application reference number by SMS for the first time; the visiting executive had not provided it
- 30.08.2019 – Received SMS with Bluedart AWB for tracking
- 01.09.2019 – Card delivered (I generated the PIN using the Axis Mobile app)
- 07.09.2019 – PIN delivered by EMS Speed Post
As the timeline shows, processing can be lengthy—about 35 days in my case when you don’t have an existing relationship with the bank.
The card’s name is printed rather than embossed. The design is colorful and vivid. My assigned credit limit was close to one times my salary, which is the lowest among the six credit cards I hold.
Things to Know
- Welcome bonus: 500 Flipkart gift voucher on any spend within 30 days (I received the voucher link by SMS within two days of my first transaction)
- The first transaction on Myntra using this card gives 15% cashback up to Rs. 500
- EMI transactions do not earn any cashback
- Wallet top-ups and gold purchases do not earn cashback
- Axis Bank runs regular offers on Wednesdays and Saturdays for Grofers, Amazon Pantry and Big Bazaar
- You receive an SMS after each transaction confirming the eligible cashback percentage
- Cashback is credited to the card account and can be used in the next billing cycle
- Each billed transaction shows the earned cashback in the monthly statement, making the process transparent
- The bank executive mentioned a salary requirement around Rs. 60,000+ for this card; requirements may vary by city
- The executive also told me the card was “pre-approved” for me. Since I had no prior Axis relationship, the likely reason was a salary above the threshold and a good credit profile
- I generated the PIN via the Axis Mobile app as soon as I received the card. A few days later I began getting a “Customer ID login mismatch” error and the app became unusable; Axis Bank support was unable to resolve it and advised visiting a branch
Reviewing my past three months’ statements shows there is no cashback for transactions below Rs. 100 at general merchants, including rides on platforms that fall in the 4% category. Results may vary for Flipkart purchases.
I also hold cards from Citibank, HDFC, Yes Bank, RBL, ICICI and Kotak. The Flipkart card’s statement is clearer and more transparent than any of the others I use.
Bottomline
In my experience over the past year, Axis Bank has been cautious about issuing credit cards to non-account holders. However, Axis aimed to issue one million Flipkart co-branded cards in the first year, so applicants with a strong salary, ITR and CIBIL score may still be approved even without an Axis account. Be prepared for longer processing times in such cases.
If you do not want to open an Axis Bank account, apply online rather than through a branch. Some branch staff may incorrectly insist that opening an account is mandatory, which is not true.
For avid online shoppers who do not hold super-premium cards, the Axis Flipkart card paired with the ICICI Amazon Pay card can deliver attractive rewards and are relatively accessible in terms of approval.
Have you applied for the Axis Flipkart Credit Card? Feel free to share your experience in the comments below.