PickMyCard’s guide to Amazon’s 2026 Great Indian Festival lists an SBI Card offer of 10 percent instant discount, capped at 13,750 rupees per card, with a minimum of 2,490 rupees per transaction, and excluded cards including Cashback SBI, Flipkart SBI and Paytm SBI. It also warns that reward points on discounted orders are reversed later.
That one offer shows what to compare in any festive card offer. This guide also uses Business Standard’s 2018 explainer on cashback versus reward points, so the card terms in it are outdated and I use it for the concepts only. This is general information, not financial advice, and card terms change, so read the current terms from your bank before you apply or spend.
Cashback vs Reward Points
Business Standard’s Bindisha Sarang explained in 2018 that cashback returns a percentage per transaction, for example a Citi card gave 5 percent on movie tickets, phone and utility bills and 0.50 percent on other spend. Banks often set a minimum transaction and a cap, and the cashback is usually credited against the next bill. Reward points are earned per 100 to 150 rupees spent, each worth 0.25 to 1 rupee, and redemption is limited to vouchers, spend types or air miles. Unredeemed points can lapse.
| Feature | Cashback | Reward points |
|---|---|---|
| Value | A percentage of spend | A number of points with a rupee value |
| Redemption | Usually credited automatically | May need a claim; limited options |
| Expiry | Less common | Can lapse |
| Fees | Minimum spend and caps apply | Redemption fees and expiry periods are common (Paisabazaar’s Naveen Kukreja) |
These are 2018 examples, so current cards may differ.
How an Instant Offer Differs
An instant discount reduces the price at checkout. PickMyCard’s SBI example applied 10 percent to credit card EMI and No Cost EMI, with the SBI debit card giving 10 percent on full payments only, capped at 9,000 rupees. The Amazon Pay ICICI card paid 5 percent for Prime members and 3 percent for others with no cap, but was invite-only.
| Card (PickMyCard) | Offer | Cap or condition |
|---|---|---|
| SBI Card | 10% instant discount | 13,750 rupees per card; minimum 2,490 rupees |
| SBI debit card | 10% on full payments | 9,000 rupees cap |
| Amazon Pay ICICI | 5% Prime, 3% others | No cap; invite-only |
PickMyCard says the main-sale terms came from secondary outlets, so confirm at checkout.
The Exclusions Checklist
PickMyCard lists excluded cards (Cashback SBI, Flipkart SBI, Paytm SBI, corporate cards, RuPay credit cards via UPI) and excluded purchases (gift cards, recharges, bill payments, Amazon Pay balance loads, Prime subscriptions and travel).
| Check | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Cap | What is the maximum benefit? |
| Minimum | What is the least I must spend? |
| Excluded cards and purchases | Does my card or item qualify? |
| Points | Are reward points reversed? |
| Timing | When does the cashback arrive? |
Interest and Fees (Our General Advice)
A 5 or 10 percent benefit is small next to credit card interest. This is general advice, not a calculation for your card: if you will not pay the full balance, the offer is probably not worth it. Our guide on how to pay off credit card debt fast can help, and understanding your credit score shows how card use affects it.
Safety Benefits
The FTC advises paying by credit card when possible because of dispute rights, and warns that a seller who insists on gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps or crypto is probably a scam. Rules differ by country, so check your bank’s protections.
