How To Buy Nexus 5 In India From US Play Store For Under Rs. 26,000/-

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[Update November 1st, 2013] Nexus 5 was launched today and it will be atleast a couple of months before it arrives in India. So, if you want to order Nexus 5 immediately from US play store, this is the ultimate guide you need to follow.

And the best part is, ordering from US play store will not only get you Nexus 5 much earlier, but you will actually end up saving good amount of money compared to buying it from India.

Follow the guide given below, and you should not have any problems.

Contents

Google Nexus 5 INR Price if you Order in India from US Play Store

[Price calculated at Rs. 62 exchange rate]

Details Nexus 5 16GB (INR) Nexus 5 32GB (INR)
 Price  21638 24738
 Google Shipping (3-4 days Normal Shipping)  930  930
 Google Taxes  1116  1116
 Shop & Ship India Shipping  620  620
 India Duties (@7%)  1612  1860
 Total Price  25916  29264

Note: The prices may vary slightly depending you are address in the US as taxes differ from state to state.

Please keep in mind that guide below was prepared for Nexus 4, the process is exactly the same for Nexus 5

[divider]

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, by now, you know that I am a proud owner of Google Nexus 4. It is definitely not the most expensive or the most terrific phone out there, but when I got it for the first time, it felt like I had achieved something.. and by the end of this article you will know why I had that feeling. Nexus 4 is not available in India through regular Google Play store. Of course, you can buy it on 3rd party websites like ebay, grabmore and many other sites, but you need to pay atleast 30 to 40 percent premium on the pricing. Now, I could have bought by paying the premium, but it would not have given me half the satisfaction. DSC_0383-001 Buying a Nexus 4 via Google play store in India is an arduous task, it really is, and it will probably remain so till the time Google decides to release it in India. I doubt if a normal non-techie, non-geeky person can manage through the whole process successfully (unless you have a friend who will bring it from US / UK for you ). This article will try to simplify the process for those…

Step 1 – Getting to Google Play Nexus 4 “Shop Now” page

While you can visit Google Play Nexus page by going to http://www.google.com/nexus/4/, once you click on “shop now” button, you will be first presented with a screen that says: Google play store The devices on Google play are not available in India, so you will need a workaround. To get around this problem, you will need to first use a proxy, that essentially tells Google store that you are logged in from US or UK. Google identifies it based on your IP address, so you will need to use a proxy to achieve that. I used a desktop client called Tunnelbear, which offers 500 mb of proxy data free. There are many similar proxy clients that you can use to achieve this. If you are not comfortable with Tunnelbear, just search Google for a US proxy or VPN client, and you should get many others as well. Tunnelbear You will need to download the Tunnel Bear client, register with them and you are ready to go. Once you have started the tunnel bear client, go to your browser window and when you click on “Shop Now” button, you see the actual Nexus 4 screen from where you can make the purchase. Here you can choose your model (8GB or 16GB). I chose 16 GB, as the phone does not have mini SD card slot, so if available, you should opt for 16GB (its only USD 50 more). Google Play shopping cart But once the phone is in shopping cart, you are faced with another issue. You need to 2 things – A US Credit card with and US shipping address because Google does not ship outside of the US. So, before you actually go through the process, you will need to have these 2 things in place.

How to Get US Shipping Address

There are few online portals who offer you virtual US post box addresses. Shopandship.com, is one of the leading sites who offer you US, UK as well as China shipping addresses. I used the same to order my Nexus 4. I have had really good experience with shopandship for 2 orders I have placed with them. In both the cases they have been able to deliver me the product in less than 7 days! Update: There is another site called HopShopGo, an alternative to shopandship.com, you can try that one out as well. [Hat Tip: @akkiman] addresses

However, please note that you will need atleast 2-3 days for your account to get activated and your shipping address being assigned to you. So, before you head to the Google Play store, please make sure that you have your US shipping address in place.

In regards to the US credit card, there is a workaround. You can use your Indian Credit card itself and for billing address, you can give any US address. That worked for me. I gave my previous US address, where I lived and it accepted it without any complaints.

Update: March 19th 2013: Many people who have tried to order are facing issues with Billing address, when I ordered the Nexus, it accepted billing address which was different than one registered with the Bank, however, looks like Google has stopped it from February 21st 2013 (One of the commenters has pointed out that “Google play now accepts only US credit cards with US address. It does a check on every credit card by verifying the address registered with the issuing bank.“. Here is a workaround for that: Please visit www.usunlocked.com, another service from Shopandship. You can get a US debit card with local US address. You can use that card for ordering.

If you don’t have a credit card and have a debit card from banks like HDFC, they offer virtual netsafe credit cards to be generated, which could be used!

Placing the Order on Google Play

Coming back to placing order on Google. Once you have selected the Nexus 4 model and entered the shopping cart, enter you credit card and US shipping address and in all probability your order should get through. Google Nexus order new I placed my order on January 30th and they shipped the phone on the 4th. Shopandship received it in their mailbox on the 6th and on 11th, I had Nexus 4 in my hand.

India Shipping, Customs & Duties

Luckily Shopandship does everything on your behalf. Once they receive the product in their mailbox, they assess the weight, and custom duties based on the category of product. In Nexus 4’s case, duty was just 1 percent and shipping charges worked out to less than Rs. 600. Buyers need to send shopandship proof of payment and invoice, so they can speedily process your shipment custom duties. shopandship charges

Exact Cost of Google Nexus 4

Here is the exact break-up of cost on Google Nexus 4.

Sr. No Details Cost in Rupees
1 Google Nexus 4 including shipping + Taxes (USD 395) 21107
2 Shopandship India Shipping 486
3 Custom Duties 612
Total Rs. 22,205

Note: In Pune we are still levied the ridiculous Octroi, which came to about Rs. 1200 taking the cost of Nexus phone to Rs. 23,405. However, in most other cities in India, Octroi is not there. So, even with slight change in exchange rates and other things, the cost of your Nexus 4 phone should not exceed Rs. 22,500/-. For that price, Google Nexus 4 is definitely worth it! Also, once you have shopandship account, you can buy any goods from US. Just make sure the weight is not too much, otherwise it works out quite expensive. Google Nexus was just 1 pound and hence the shipping charges were quite low. Also, they had a scheme where I got 10 percent off on shipping and hence the low cost. Like I said, it is an arduous task buying a Nexus 4 in India… but in the end, it was all worth it! If you have any questions, do drop us a comment and I would be more than happy to clarify it!

342 Comments
  1. girish says

    hello. I’m Girish from nashik. I have one question. I want to exchange or replace my old nexus 5 to new nexus so can u plz help what I need to do or tell me also how much cost need to exchange or replace.

  2. md says

    How will you claim warranty if you face any problem!

  3. Paras Chawla says

    Hi..Love your procedure.
    Actually i have one of my friend in China. Should i tell him to buy one for me and when he will be in India ,i will collect from him. Should i purchase Google Nexus 5 from China or USA ?? May be Load made in China is not as robust as in USA. Help me out of this.

    Thanks a lot in advance

  4. Juned says

    hey, arun iam too from pune, i just wanted to knw that is the custom duties is same for i.e 612 for nexus 5 also or it will increase…plzzz must reply & can u give me a rough idea in what price does i get nexus 5 india form US or its better to buy one form indian google play store itself….

  5. Flavian says

    Hi, I would like to know is this method it still working. Im planning to order Nexus 5 32G from USA since here the price is for 33K and wen u convert USA pricing is for 26K (410$ with shipping). Also which shipper is cheap and reliable when compared to http://www.comgateway.com vs http://www.shopandship.com including all cost also duties.

  6. Raj Kewalramani says

    Hello Arun,

    I am keen on buying Moto G, can this method help me buy Moto G?? I do not want to wait till Jan 2014, when it launches in India.

    Please help.

    Thanks.

  7. Jinansh says

    Does the warranty for Nexus 4 work in any other country

  8. Jinansh says

    Respected Sir,
    Does the warranty of Nexus 4 work in any place of the world

  9. Vishal says

    Arun,

    thanks for the info..however nexus 5 comes with LTE and has different modfel for US and rest of the world..D820 and D821. The US model might be compatible with indian telecom..

    any idea abt this ?

  10. Avaneesh says

    Arun, I want to buy a nexus 5 but the price in India is high. If I follow your procedure and get it shipped from shopandship to Mumbai, approximately how much will it cost? The thing is that the dollar rate has increased so I have no idea how much customs will I be charged. Please help.

  11. chanchal says

    What about currency conversion charges applied by indian bank ? :)

  12. nixon says

    i like your post abt how to buy nexus 5 from US. But i heard it has two varients D820 (US) and D821 (Internation). Thier LTE and 3G bands are differents. Can you please confirms if US version works fine in india…

  13. Arvind says

    Arun, Thanks for this blog – Just a question on Shop and Ship – when you register, it populates a certain set of zip codes only. For eg – It only Shows Mumbai GPO or Mumbai Central… Do we need to contact customer service to update the exact zip code of our address?

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  15. Nikhil says

    Hey Arun. I am having some trouble with the method you mentioned above. I used a proxy server, went on google play store USA, but as soon as I click on “add to cart” on any of the models, it takes me to my cart where it says “your cart is empty”. I tried multiple times. Same problem. Do you think you know a way around this? Thanks in advance.

  16. mayank says

    sir
    i wish to know what is the rate of custom duty on mobiles in India ? as some says it 36% and some says 7% .
    and whether i need to have import export code or everything will be managed by shopandship only. ?

    btw.(if u dont mine ) can u buy it for me NEXUS 5 at above stated price ? i require 3 pcs.

    thanks

  17. Prashanti says

    Arun,I have another query regarding shopping outside India.I want to get few products from Amazon.com but they say they wont accept debit cards with cvv.My card has cvv.when asked my bank they say no card issued without cvv.What should i do ? Have you purchased from amazon.com? If so, how ?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      You need a credit card and not debit card… On Amazon.com only CCs are accepted…

  18. A says

    I’m planning to buy a Nexus5 from USA for $350, but I don’t know how much will I be charged to get the phone unlocked! Do you know how much would that cost ? The unlocked Nexus5 in USA is for $549!

  19. Sanket says

    hii Arun, r u from pune ?? I am from pune . can u buy nexus 5 for me ?? contact me on respective email

  20. Chris says

    Hi,
    so here is my question.

    Do they offer services only if you purchase it from the Google play store.

    For instance, Black Friday is coming up and I presume that websites like Best Buy might put up a cheap deal for the Nexus 5. So could I purchase it through Best Buy and would ShopandShip process the rest of the things in the same manner?

  21. pani says

    hi i am planing to buy nexus 5 from us play store….
    1)what about warrenty….???
    2)it is unlocked phone…will it work in india just by putting my sim in it….???
    3)is it good time to buy nexus 5 ..because nexus 7 had screen problems intially ..screen had to be replaced…
    4)are there any hard ware problems associated with nexus 5..as of now…
    Thanks in advance….reply it is URGENT!!!!!!

  22. Prateek K says

    One Quick Question !

    My aunt is getting me a Nexus 5, unlocked and off-contract from US play-store. will I get LG warranty in India ?

  23. tejas sheth says

    dear sir
    as i have purchase nexus 5 from play store i will received in 3 week as it is out of stock i have purchase it from usa now i am bit tense as it is unlocked or locked will it work in india

    please do reply or else what to do should i keep my order as it is or should i cancel it.

  24. Muhammad Majid Ali Attari says

    Hi Arun, i m from Pakistan, please help me out to buy nexus 5 as above in Pakistan. i tried but when i signin to play, it says not available in ur country while i m on an american IP. how play store is tracking my location while i have an american IP.

  25. Pratik says

    The nexus 5 which we are buying from US and getting it shipped to India, whether it has anything to do with unlocked and locked version?

  26. RK says

    I am currently in US and I placed an order for Nexus 5 with my indian credit card but, the ship to is to my Sister’s residence within US. The order seem to have been accepted and currently under processing for shipping ( confirmed by Google support executive). The order information tells me that it will leave warehouse by November 5th. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Anyone else in the same boat as i am ? ie using Indian credit card and shipping to a US address?

  27. tejas says

    hi arun i have tried today to buy nexus 5 as i have on tunnelbear to soon i click on shop the page shift to indian website it shows price in inr and massage shows comming soon

    what to do please do reply me

  28. Ninad says

    Hey bro…Can you plz tell me the step by step way to order nexus 5 via hopshopgo? Because hopshopgo only provided me the US address. But what about the usa credit card? How to get that via hopshopgo?
    Plz answer my query. Thanks in adv.

  29. Neha says

    Hi, If i ask someone to pick the nexus 5 from US for me, would it carry international warranty.

    Also, it says – Network compatibility
    Google has made two versions of the handset, one specifically for North America/Asia, and another for other regions like Europe. For US consumers, Verizon customers will unfortunately be left out — this unlocked phone will not support the carrier’s bands. It will be compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint.
    The biggest update about the Nexus 5, however, is the fact that it will support LTE. For many US customers, the fact that the Nexus 4 was only compatible with HSPA+ was a huge letdown (and a bit odd since the Galaxy Nexus later had LTE). As the Nexus 5 is natively LTE-enabled, however, it is on par with today’s competition in terms of data speed capabilities, and that’s a big (albeit, a bit overdue) plus for the Nexus family.

    Will this make a difference for me?

  30. Mohammed Moyeen A says

    Hi,

    I tried ordering Nexus 5 32GB, here is the total cost including tax and shipping – 441 usd (Rs.27287)

    shop and ship will cost Rs.620 + Rs.1860 (duty)

    Total – Rs.29767

    Rs.3000 – for indian warranty

    better buy it in india with warranty.

    Regards
    Moyeen

  31. Kapil Mittal says

    @Arun Prabhudesai
    I HAVE MASTER DEBIT CARD(axis bank). I DONT KNOW IF IT IS INTERNATIONAL DEBIT CARD OR NOT. CAN I USE IT TO BUY NEXUS 4 FROM GOOGLE PLAY STORE. AND WHEN AND HOW DO YOU PAY HOPSHOPGO.COM OR COMGATEWAY.COM. CAN I ALSO PAY THEM BY THIS DEBIT CARD. PLEASE HELP.

  32. Anant says

    hi,

    i a planning to bye the Apple iphone 4s 32Gb from http://www.zwee.com/ is it safe to bye from this site ?
    can u suggest me for this

    Thanks
    Anant

  33. vishal says

    anyone tried recently buying nexus for at price tag of 249USD?

  34. Pranav Narang says

    Hey Arun..I had purchased a Nexus 4 via a friend in the US, and got it to India with the box via that friend. 7 months after using it since February, the Red Light Of Death has taken its toll on my Nexus. It doesn’t switch on and the red LED glows when on charge. Can you please let me know if for the replacement procedure, I will have to send it back to the States or will it be possible for me to get it replaced in India itself considering the fact the play store is now selling in India. Thanks in advance !

  35. abir says

    how can i bey google moto x from Bangladesh ???

  36. Sushant says

    so I need to proxy to go US Play store and use Usunlocked card to order now,that’s all?
    No shopandship?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      @sushant – No, you still need a site like shopandship otherwise who will take care of logistics and duty of the phone? They are needed for that purposes.

  37. akash says

    I tried using both https://www.shopandship.com/ and http://www.hopshopgo.com/ for buying nexus 7. But shopandship wanted me to buy their 45USD life membership and hopshopgo does not have Google play in their list of stores.

  38. Khalith says

    hi Arun,

    Thanks for the information buddy!!!!

    The website shopandship is not a free website and it is asking for a subscription. Can you please tell me Is it really needed?
    Regards

  39. Rishabh says

    Dear Arun I am only worried about warranty and service.
    Will I get it from LG and instead of LG can i buy the Samsung Galaxy Nexus And get the samsung service???
    Please Help major concern is warranty and service…

  40. Sarneet Singh says

    Hey everyone, instead of shipping with the box try without it. Ask ur relatives to to send it via someone known to the coming to India and from there it can be easily couriered. thus you have avoided all duties and extra costs. One can get 16 gb version for 20000

  41. ram says

    okk and if you get any issue with phone then go to us to repair…bcoz no warranty in india for this product.

  42. Anshul says

    That sounds great!!! :-)

    Thanks

  43. Anshul says

    First of all thank you so much Arun, for such a quick response.

    Now, please help me that, from where he can buy that product. As he will be going for an official tour.

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      You can buy Nexus 4 only from their website. In US I am not too sure if unlocked version is available in retail stores. But he can try “Best Buy” and “Circuit City” or “Frys”. These are the stores where it may be available.

      But I think the best thing is you order it from here online with the address where he is going to stay in US. It should be delivered at that address in 4-5 days. and then he can bring it to India…
      That looks like the best bet!

  44. Anshul says

    Hi Arun,

    One of my cousin is going USA next week for 11 days, how much it will cost if he buys 16GB nexus from there?

    Will it be beneficial for me to order from US?
    What will be the cost?
    Is there any prob he is going to face at airport on his return, if so then any solution for the same?

    Please reply asap…

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      @anshul – It will definitely be cheaper to get it from US. 16Gb will cost you roughly 18.5 to 19k. Your friend though will need to remove it from the box and carry the handset. If it is brand new and unpacked piece, you will 100% have to pay the duty!
      And to be honest, it is better to pay that as well… it will come to around 1000 to 1500 rupees. It still works out much cheaper than buying it here in India.
      Hope this helps

      1. Gopinath G says

        Hi Arun,

        My uncle is in US and he gave me the current price break up as follows:
        Nexus 4 (16GB) – 349$
        Shipping – 13.99$
        Tax – 29.78$

        The total comes up to 392.77$ from the google store, The total cost will be around 22900INR including te credit card charges.

        So on what basis did you mention the price as 18.5K – 19K, Please tell me if there is anything I can ask my uncle to do so that I can get in the price you mentioned.

        1. Arun Prabhudesai says

          @Gopinath – Taxes are applicable only in few states in US. So, if you include taxes then it will surely be more. My calculation was simply based on on N4 pricing based on conversion rates… It will be 20k without taxes (364X55)

  45. initial Smily says

    Wat abt 45$ Registration fee ?? Total Cost= 22205+2500= 24705 without Warranty in India.
    Flipkart Cost : 25990
    some other Sites : INR 24990 with Indian Warranty ???

    then we all r Fool like u ?????

    1. aritra says

      Fools?? :) well. probably not. Check the start date of this thread and you trust me – at that time nexus was neither available in flipkart, not even in any indian retail store, forget about the other indian site. Google launched the 7″ tablet after that and just it have been few days when nexus 4 came to indian market. Also I am not exactly sure if the warranty is worldwide (not sure about Google, but apple gives a worldwide warranty), so you may be absolutely correct about this :)

      @prabhu – Thanks a (mn) lot for this page Prabhu. I went through some 2-3 months research before getting dived into the arena of freight forwarding service. This, to some extent, really made this international shopping and shipping a truly global experience. I am waiting for a mac from comgateway. will let you know soon about the service from comgateway. till now so far so good. finger crossed :)

  46. Sachin says

    Thanks a lot Arun. I got mine and one for my friend today. It is absolute ecstasy to see my Nexus 4 in my hand. Thanks a lot to you who made it possible :)

  47. Ankur says

    HI Arun,

    This is a great , very informative session

    Hoping you have a solution to my problem – Half of my touch screen in not working.You mentioned that there are a couple of places where nexus 4 can be repaired.

    Can you please help me with the names?

    Does any of the shipping services – comgateway..etc help us with reverse logistics incase we need to send the phone back to US for repair

    Please let me know
    Thanks

  48. Rahul says

    As always the fun is in saving a few bucks and I must say this is a cool get around. Obviously this article was written a few months back. Now it has been officially launched in India for 26000/ and you can ship it from Canada for around 23grand something

  49. Aayush Singhal says

    Hi Arun,
    Nice article and good research .
    I have my friend coming from USA in June . He can bring it to me but I have to purchase it on my own and ship to his address .
    I have HDFC Debit (Visa) and Credit card (MasterCard) with Indian address .
    Will they be accepted? also how much will it cost finally considering 54.77Rs-1$ exchange rates.

    1. Umamahesh says

      My friend also brought it for me .But it is an 8GB model. I got it for 18250/-.Including US shipping charges and Tax.Here i’m not adding any exchange rates. as he bought it with his credit card.

  50. SK says

    Flipkart just put out the N4 here http://goo.gl/1DQdd @ 25990. Around 2.5K – 3K more than buying with the above ways. Seems like a good deal with the 1 year LG India warranty for Phone and 6 months warranty for in the box accessories. Free Transit Insurance.

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Yeah – I have written about it – https://trak.in/mobiles/google-nexus-4-india-flipkart/
      The good thing is LG is bound to give warranty and support to guys who have bought it from US as well… They cant say No…thats for sure…

  51. Harish Gangadharan says

    Sorry friends there are some differences in the amounts which i have mentioned before. I called up HDFC and cleared the doubts which i had. Even though i had placed the order with google on 6th may, they have processed it on 9th only….so the respective dollar rate on that day is taken in to consideration. According to that my nexus 4 might cost me around Rs.23400/-. The calculations are as given below.

    Google Nexus 4 $349
    Shipping $13.99

    Total (Google) $362.99 @Rs.54.30/$ Rs.19708.54
    Forex charges_HDFC Rs.775.04

    Express shipping $20.75
    Fuel surcharge $2.08
    Insurance $1.75

    Total (Cgway) $24.58 @Rs.54.28/$ Rs.1334.20
    Forex charges_HDFC Rs.52.47

    Expected Duty+extra Rs.1500.00
    (may be even less as declared value is only $249)

    Expected Gross Total Rs.23370.25

    1. Harish Gangadharan says

      Status as of now:

      Wednesday, May 15, 2013 Location Time
      10 Customs status updated BANGALORE – INDIA 6:34 PM

      9 Departed Facility in BAHRAIN – BAHRAIN BAHRAIN – BAHRAIN 2:48 PM

      8 Processed at BAHRAIN – BAHRAIN BAHRAIN – BAHRAIN 9:54 AM

      7 Arrived at Sort Facility BAHRAIN – BAHRAIN BAHRAIN – BAHRAIN 1:31 AM

      Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Location Time
      6 Departed Facility in CINCINNATI HUB – USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH – USA 5:33 AM

      5 Processed at CINCINNATI HUB – USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH – USA 3:36 AM

      4 Arrived at Sort Facility CINCINNATI HUB – USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH – USA 3:25 AM

      Monday, May 13, 2013 Location Time
      3 Departed Facility in PORTLAND – USA PORTLAND, OR – USA 6:20 PM

      2 Processed at PORTLAND – USA PORTLAND, OR – USA 6:19 PM

      1 Shipment picked up PORTLAND, OR – USA 11:47 AM

      1. Harish Gangadharan says

        Thursday, May 16, 2013
        12 Clearance processing complete at BANGALORE – INDIA 2:56 AM

        11 Arrived at Sort Facility BANGALORE – INDIA 2:44 AM

        1. Harish Gangadharan says

          Thanks a lot Arun. It was because of you and other friends out here i came to know about such an opportunity. Anyway hope it will reach me tomorrow. Will update you all.

        2. Harish Gangadharan says

          Just now i came to know that my shipment has cleared customs examination @ b’lore and they have charged customs duty of Rs.3379/-. This will take up my cost of nexus 16 GB to Rs.25250/-. I had declared a value of $249 only. If that is the case, the duty should come somewhere around Rs.1850/-. When i checked on https://www.icegate.gov.in/Webappl/duty_details.jsp?cth=85171290&cntrycd=US, the calculation shows that they would have assessed a value of Rs.25000/- for deriving this duty @ 13.5%. May be because of my bad luck.

        3. Arun Prabhudesai says

          Its sheer bad luck and nothing else.. Lot depends on the custom officer…sometimes he just clears it at value…and sometime they perceive higher value and charge at that…

      2. Arun Prabhudesai says

        THat was a quick arrival from US to Bangalore… 3 days flat… Not bad at all… you should be holding your Nexus today or max by tomorrow…

        1. Harish Gangadharan says

          Thanks Arun. I got my Nexus today. It cost me 25270/-

  52. Abishek says

    Can Any One Buy Nexus 4 for me ,How much the cost for nexus 4,i will pay the money
    please inform me

  53. Jaspreert says

    anyone tried to buy with “entropay” virtual card, does it works or not?
    please let me know , i am going to purchase nexus 4 within this week..

  54. Harish Gangadharan says

    @Arun
    What did you do for charging nexus. Did u buy any adapter. Tell me which one you bought? I was planning to go for a single piece wall mountable surge protector of belkin.

  55. Arun says

    Can Any One Buy Nexus 4 for me i will pay the money

  56. DJ says

    Thanks a lot Harish!
    Do keep us posted about your Nexus 4!!

    1. Harish Gangadharan says

      My nexus just got delivered at CGWay dock. The site says the order will be processed by 2013-May-14. I can’t see more details than that as of now.

      1. Harish Gangadharan says

        So friends this is my current status:

        Express Shipping $20.75 (applied promo code)
        Fuel surcharge $2.08
        Insurance $1.75
        Total $24.58 (Rs.1334.20 @ Rs.54.27 per $)
        Expected delivery date 17-05-2012

        1. Harish Gangadharan says

          And

          nexus 4 16GB – $362.99 (Rs.19532.49 @ Rs.53.81 per $)

          Total cost as of now – Rs.20866.69/-

          (NB:Forex conversion charge might be extra of around 3.5% extra per transaction)

  57. Ravi Malik says

    Hello Arun,

    From Where in India i can get LG Nexus 4 parts (i need back cover and battery)?

    1. Harish Gangadharan says

      @Ravi Malik
      I bought Ringke Hybrid Fusion case for Google Nexus 4 through ebay. It was costing Rs.1399+50 shipping cost…..I applied a voucher and got around RS.110 discount. Battery i don’t think is available as of now. Moreover the battery of nexus 4 is not removable.

      1. Arun Prabhudesai says

        @harish I think he is not talking about the bumper case, but the actual glass back and battery. Am I right @ravi ?

        BTW.. I have also been using Ringke Hybrid Fusion case and it is awesome..

        But the best thing I did was use gadgetshieldz wet full body cover… It is just awesome.. absolute security for your nexus 4 for sure…

        1. Harish Gangadharan says

          @Arun
          Thanks Arun for the info….Even i was thinking about purchasing that. Where did you buy it from. How much does that cost?

  58. Harish Gangadharan says

    I used the same US address which CGway provided me, for billing as well as shipping…..not the indian address….Mine was HDFC Titanium international CC……Yes I had to create a new Google ID with US nationality….and tunnelbear was not working fine with me…..so i took the vpn service of http://usvpn.newfreevpn.com/

    1. DJ says

      And did you use the actual HDFC CC number or a Virtual CC?

      1. Harish Gangadharan says

        @DJ
        It was actual HDFC CC only….And about the total cost incurred, I don’t have any idea about that….I hope it may land up some were around 23500/-….Let’s wait and see.

  59. Saurabh says

    Arun,

    I just found out through other sellers on Amazon, the shipping charges are more than 90 USD, and Fedex confirms it. So how did you get it for under Rs 500 through SNS in terms of shipping charges?

  60. Rahul Mahajan says

    @ Harish Gangadharan
    Rs.19532.49/- (Rs.53.81 per $)
    Is it included taxes as i saw in various post it supoosed to be cost around 395$ = 395*53.81 (21254 Rs.)?

    How much would cost when it will reach in your hand?

    1. Harish Gangadharan says

      I already have mentioned that i was availing the service of Comgateway by virtue of which i got a US address of tax free state called Oregon. So i could avoid that extra $32. Apart from the cost of nexus ($349), Google will be taking only $13.99 which is nominal shipping charges incurred for UPS across US. Still my order is pending….when i contacted google, they said the shipment may take place on 13th May 2013. I think they might have run out of stock.

      1. Harish Gangadharan says

        Just now i got a mail from google saying that my nexus has been shipped along with a tracking no. from UPS. It may take a day more to reach CGway godown. But it seems that google haven’t deducted $1 for google wallet registration. Will update you guys once i get a mail from CGway.

        1. DJ says

          Harish,

          What billing address did you use for making the payment thru HDFC CC. Was it your indian billing address registered with the bank or US address generated by comgateway?

          Also, did you sign up for a new google play account (with US address) or your regular google play account using tunnelbear.

          Thanks

        2. Harish Gangadharan says

          Hope it will reach CGway today…When i tracked on UPS site using the track ing no. it says that it has reached Oregon facility….

  61. Harish Gangadharan says

    After a month long speculation, I did it…ordered 16GB Nexus 4

    I used CGway and HDFC CC (Indian) for ordering….y’day 06/05/2013

    The order is still under processing stage as per google

    They charged me Rs.19532.49/- (Rs.53.81 per $)

    1. Rahul Mahajan says

      Rs.19532.49/- (Rs.53.81 per $)
      Is it included taxes as i saw in various post it supoosed to be cost around 395$ = 395*53.81 (21254 Rs.)?

      How much would cost when it will reach in your hand?

  62. Tarun says

    I checked on many sites like FedEx and UPS, if any of my friend send me Nexus 4 from US the courier companies are charging around 4000 Rs.
    How come SNS is sending at such a low shipping price?

    1. Balaji SVG says

      Gud question. I do have that doubt.

  63. Tarun says

    Hi Arun,

    Nice post. I am about to order N4 by your method. I have few doubts, apart from the payment we make on play.google.com how are we going to make other payments?
    I guess Shopandship.com will send us a mail to pay for shipping in India.
    But how and to whom are we going to pay custom tax?
    Also about octroi, from where do I have to collect phone and to whom I have to octroi tax?
    I am from Pune.

  64. Dev says

    GN4 is launch in pakistan at 43000 paki rupee . it is cheaper than india if u compare with rate exchange . 1 paki rupee = 0.50 INR , so if you multiply 43000 * 0.50 = it will cost you 21500 + . I am not sure about the version is it 8 gb or 16 gb , but google & LG consider paki first than india . what the hell is going on…..

    1. Balaji SVG says

      Guess its a positive sign. Hope GN4 will get released in India before or after Google I/O 13. Considering the N7 pricing in India, getting it from US is still the cheaper option.

  65. neeraj rathaur says

    Thanks a ton to Arun & your blog. I have got N4 16GB for 23400INR. Pretty much happy owner of N4.

  66. Dev says

    Rumor suggest that GN4 may arrive here in may end , price would 25% on higher side compare to USA . So , 8 GB is for 20500 /- & 16 GB is for 24000 /- . now who gonna buy ??

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Dev,

      According to what I have heard Google Nexus 4 is expected to launch by September and not earlier than that. Also, it will be priced around 22k and 27k (8GB and 16GB versions).. But these are all rumor mills.. I think it will still be cheaper to buy from US rather than buying from here.
      The biggest thing for me is that we will have service centers here after they launch in India, which is the biggest worries for people who buy from US. I would still say that it is advisable to buy this phone from US right now rather than waiting for it to launch here..
      You at least have some bragging rights for owning GN4 before many others ;)

      1. Balaji SVG says

        Arun, Do you believe we’ll get warranty service for N4 which we get from US. I doubt it.

  67. MAHESH says

    Hi Arun,
    2 days back i got my nexus 4 and after using it for 2 days i feel that the mobile is getting too hot with very little use.this is the first time i’m using smart phones.So some of my questions seems to be silly to you.please guide me if i;m doing any thing wrong.

    In the settings /apps menu i found that lot of applications are running and using RAM.all of them are mostly Google services.So how to avoid them .

    Are you facing this kind of problem?.
    My android version is 4.2.2. Battery is also draining like any thing.It is not lasting for 4 hours continuous use.So please guide me to overcome this issue.

  68. Sameer Wakude says

    Kshitij,
    If your earlier id is not working, why dont you create a new one altogether?

  69. Kshitij says

    I’m sorry for the silly question! But when I order from the Play Store, would I need to create a new Google Id? Because as soon as I enter my existing one, the N4 disappears from the available devices and shopping cart. May be because I might have earlier specified my country in the old id.

    p.s. I’m already using Tunnel Bear.

  70. Sameer Wakude says

    There are rumors that Nexus 4 with 32GB and LTE will be launched at Google I/o (which is happening between May15-18. Rumors also suggest that 8GB device would be phased out and 16GB would be available at: 299$ and 32GB at: 349$.

  71. Bhaskar Soni says

    Hi Arun Prabhudesai,

    I am little worried about buying the Nexus 4, I have an US address account on comgateway, is it a safe/secure method of purchasing.

    Your suggestion is highly appreciable

    Thanks
    Bhaskar Soni

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Hey Bhaskar – There are about 100 comments talking about it…and probably few thousands of people who have ordered Nexus in that way. Buying Nexus from US has its risk… but for many including me, it is all worth it. Ask a few people who have purchased it and left a comment and they will tell you.

      I would urge some of the people who have bought Nexus 4 to share their experiences in details.. It sure would help many

  72. Tej says

    Hey Arun, Thank you so much. Finally got my N4 today. Saw this article around mid Feb and from then all trails and errors. I got it from playstore through CGway by using HDFC BANK CREDIT CARD. Yes, it is Indian card. Once again thank you.

    1. Sachin says

      Congrats Tej. Did Google playstore accepted your HDFC Bank card with issue.?

      1. Tej says

        If u mean did google playstore accept my card without any issue. Then I need to tell u in detail. First add your indian card to wallet and wait till 24 hrs for your card to get sync with wallet. Next purchase any app and check if your card is being accepted. If yes, need not worry u can refund it within 15min and u will get full refund of the amount (I already have N7 on which i have tried all this.). After ur refund is successful order your N4. This is what I have done for placing the order. There is again a little follow up I have done for getting it shipped.

        1. Sameer Wakude says

          Wow, thanks Tej :) Thanks a ton for the information :)

    2. umamahesh says

      Hi tej, How much you paid (including all charges) to get it delivered to your address.Please share.

      1. Tej says

        Hi Uma…here are the charges

        N4 16GB : Rs. 19641.39 for $362.99 @ Rs.54.11/$1
        Forex bank charges : Rs. 772.41
        CG Shipping : Rs. 1383.05 for $25.65 @ Rs. 53.92/$1
        Forex bank Charges : Rs. 54.38
        Customs @ Delhi (DHL) :Rs. 2728
        Total : Rs. 24,593.23

        Comments on Customs: The ideal amount for customs on N4 16Gb should be in the range of Rs.1800-2000 all inclusive. I was charges Rs.890 additional customs duty for the reason best known to DHL and Customs @ Delhi.

        Considering my case as an exception you can expect N4 in less than Rs.24k

        1. neeraj rathaur says

          Hello Tej , I have followed exactly same procedure. My N4 is on the way to
          CWG. Just wanted to know one thing whether you use repack facility of CWG or you have received your package in google play wrap.
          thanks

        2. Umamahesh says

          Dear Tej,
          Thanks for your reply.Today I got my Nexus 4 8Gb (i don’t use much for the multimedia purpose).One of my friend returning from US brought it for me .I got it for 18600 rupees (for mobile) and 1000 rupees (for the Bumper).This is an excellllleeeeeent mobile for this price.It’s performance is aweeeessssoooommmeee.I don’t think i need to look for another mobile for the next 1 to 2 years time.

  73. Shishir Mittal says

    Thanks a lot for this post. I am now a proud owner of Google Nexus 4 now.
    However, I had to pay 1600 as extra customs duty (Total customs duty = ~ 2200) as my total declared value of the shipment crossed 25,000. The reason was simply because Google didnt mention the billed amount (387$) on their invoice sent and the website MyUS.com mentioned declared value as $429 as per their market research.

    So just a small tip for others. Make sure the overall price for the shipment falls before 25,000 INR

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Hey Shishir,

      Thanks for dropping a message to let us know all.. Hundreds of people visiting this article every day benefit out of it…

  74. Ankur says

    Hey Arun,
    Can I place the order with my Indian VISA debit card because I don’t have a credit card….its an international debit card…????? Is comgateway trustable???? I am really scare of being cheated for such a big amount of money

  75. Dev says

    I agree with arun , Also note that it is not available in a month or so the day it is annouce in I/O 13 in U.S.A . GN4 annouce in Oct 12 & still we are not sure when it launch here . for that u need to order it from there . whatever they launch there takes ATLEAST year end to reach here .

  76. Sameer W says

    Hi Arun,
    Thanks a lot for this thread. I got a lot of information from your site. I took an account with SNS now, I am actually waiting for Google I/o, I am hoping they will launch Nexus 5. If NOT, I will buy Nexus 4.

  77. Balaji SVG says

    Guys,

    Do you think it would be a wise idea to wait till Google I/O 13 before we jump to buy Nexus 4 at this point of time?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      @balaji, I actually agree with you but it is only in some cases. I doubt Google will announce Nexus 5 – They may announce something on the software side…. Also, Nexus 4 with quadcore and 2GB ram is easily going to suffice for atleast next 12 to 18 months easily… So only if you want to be on the bleeding edge then wait…or you should go for Nexus 4!

      1. Balaji SVG says

        @Arun, Rumor mill suggests possibly only Nexus 4 16GB & 32GB in Google I/O 13
        (like what happened for Nexus 7 case last year). So, we may get 32 GB @ 349$.
        No Nexus 5, No Android 5.0 KLP, only Minor update for JB (4.3).

  78. neeraj rathaur says

    Just order Google N4 16gb at my CGW address using ICICI credit card. Hope Google play ships it.
    till now ICICI has charged at conversion rate of 54.40 while it is 54.13.
    breakup till now $1 + $349 + $13.99

    1. Bhaskar Soni says

      Hi Neeraj,

      Have you received your Nexus 4. What is the total amount you paid including custom duty. I am planning to buy it using ComGateway. What is your experience with ComGateway. Please share

      Thanks in advance
      Bhaskar Soni

      1. neeraj rathaur says

        Charges incurred till now are (including forex)
        =>for order at google play Rs. 20,547.01 (362.99$ + FEX) at CWG address
        =>Shipping charges using DHL express at CWG Rs. 1,408.98 (24.99$ + FEX).
        I declared my device 249$ by mistake in place of 349$
        CWG’s services are excellent they shipped my device next day I paid the shipping amount. when you will register at CWG they will provide you coupons, using which you can upgrade your services to DHL express.
        Today is 3rd May its been cleared form customs Mumbai & on the way to my home.
        expecting delivery on 5th evening. I had a fear my product may get impounded on customs but it cleared as my declared value was less then the actual. If you exclude the Sunday on 28th April. I should have gotten my devices with in 10 days.
        regarding customs i’ll update as soon as i’ll get my device. Anyways it was nice experience shopping internationally this way. thanks to admin.

        1. neeraj rathaur says

          Custom duty charged Rs 1444. So I have got N4 16 GB for INR 23400.
          pretty much happy .

  79. Maruf says

    I have ordered Google Nexus 4 16GB through Comegateway using My friend credit card who is residing in US. I have ordered it on 14th April and it got shipped to my comegateway address on 17th April.
    Comegateway has updated my package information on 18th March 2012. On the same day i have Made the payment for international standard shipping and they have processed it for the international shipping on 19th April. DHL Courier service has processed it on 20th April 2012 in the US and it reached today at Mumbai Location. Now awaiting to get it Pune location.

    349$ (Phone Cost) + 13.99$ (For shipping to US comegateway Address ) + 25.64 ( International Shipping )

    Will update you about the Custom charges once received the same Phone.

    1. Bhaskar Soni says

      Hi Maruf,

      Have you received your Nexus 4. What is the total amount you paid including custom duty. I am planning to buy it using ComGateway. What is your experience with ComGateway. Please share

      Thanks in advance
      Bhaskar Soni

  80. nirlesh says

    its my b’day nxt mnth nd m badly waiting 4 the nexus 4 16 gb ph so where can i brought it from in india… plz help or else u bring it 4 me…?????

  81. Dylan says

    Dear Arun ,

    After i purchase it through shop and ship…Will they be more customs once it comes to india?

  82. Mukesh says

    I just made a payment @ google play and now the charges as below

    Nexus 4 – 349$
    Shipping(My Us Address of shopandship) – 13.99$
    Tax – 32.22$

    Till not the charges are:
    Mobile : 21373.75
    shopandship account : 10$

    Will update you guys on final amount to ship to india(Mum) address.

  83. LAVINA PINTO says

    Hi,

    I vote up for http://www.ishopinternational.com , Its an awesome website to buy products from USA , Buy any thing from USA from any store in USA.

    I had bought Google Nexus 4 16 GB from them for 24500/- .

    I have become a huge fan , I have even ordered some computer parts and a laptop from them.

  84. Saroj Raj Das says

    Hi
    I want to buy iphone 5 locked one from att.com and get it shipped to india.Can the same process work here which you all followed??? Please help n reply soon….

  85. Vivek Chaudhary says

    I have ordered nexus headphone from play store using comgateway website as I was having problems registering to shopandship website, its just a trial as the headphone as of now had costed me 26 USD (approx 1470/- INR) now lets see what happen when I receive it in my mail box of the address provided by the website… will update on this as I get any… and yes I have used my HDFC international Credit Card for the payment and they accepted without any problem.

  86. Dipankar says

    Interesting and informative!

    I wanted to ask you a few things:

    Can you suggest me an alternate US proxy or VPN client?

    Have you heard about Shipito.com? Can you elaborate on how these services actually work? How’s it that they provide you with an actual US physical address for you?

    Thanks

  87. rewant says

    you guys doing good business.

  88. Anikesh Das says

    Hi Everyone,
    I got the Nexus 4 delivered to my address in PUNE on 13th Apr 13. I had ordered on 1st Apr 13 through iShopinternational.com and got it delivered on 13th Apr 13. You just need to register in ishopinternational.com then go to Calculate & Place an Order link –> Create Quote for Nexus 4 and Make the payment. They will make the purchase for you in next 48hrs. One item is received at their NY hub then they ship it to India. I bought my Nexus 4 – 8GB at INR 20555.

    The service of iShopinternational.com is great and cheap as well.

    Enjoy your day!

    1. Suresh says

      Hi Anikesh,

      Please share the steps you have followed.
      What I understand from your comment is that, we don’t require to follow the US proxy and virtual post box and address. Please confirm.

      Thanks Arun, it is amazing initiative :)

      Regards, Suresh

  89. vimal says

    Hi Arun,
    My cousin is studying in US. Can I ask him to but nexus 4 and then ship it to me? How much is it going to cost for shipping ? Will it not be damaged during customs check ?

  90. anuj says

    Hi Friends,
    I do have plan to buy Nexus 4. Please share some feedback about this who are already using it.
    How should I buy this? using comegateway seems easy?

    Thanks in advance

  91. Maria says

    Hi Friends,

    Planning to buy Google nexus 4 16GB. I have friend in US who can place the order on behalf of me.
    Wanted to check that how reliable comegateway is? I have heard from one of my fried that he has courier the ipod using the local courier services in us to ship it to india but when it arrived over here and handed over, the box was empty.. So afraid of such things and wanted to know that how reliable it is..

    Requesting you to please share your experience and throw some highlight onto the same.

    1. Niraj Kumar says

      Use netspend card, it works out cheaper as compared to usunlocked. Amex is working like charm. I’ve ordered 4 phones using Amex all got shipped to comgateway address now waiting for DHL to deliver it to my address in India.

      1. Vivek Chaudhary says

        Hey update us as soon as you receive the Mobile.

      2. Hari says

        What name did you give for the shipping address while buying through play store, as comgateway didn’t give any name and just gave address. did you give your name and then the comgateway allotted address for shipping.

  92. John says

    Hey folks,
    I have ordered the nexus 4 through a friend of mine. She is coming back to india on May 4th. However, i have ordered the wireless charging orb and the black bumper using Arun’s method outlined above.

    Please note that both AMEX and USUNLOCKED cards work at google play store. I used the usunlocked card and my order processed without any hitches. This card is a virtual prepaid Mastercard but works in the US Google Play store.

    For more details visit:
    http://www.usunlocked.com/

    Registering is a bit long process but worth it if you dont have an AMEX card.

    Cheers,
    John

  93. neeraj says

    hi
    Sandeep Singh
    plz do share your experience

  94. Sandy says

    can this be used to buy an iphone from US.

  95. Sandeep Singh says

    Just ordered using City Bank CC. for the address provided by comgateway.Hope It gets verified..Fingers crossed..! Otherwise will use Buy for me service…! Let’s see..

    1. Anikesh Das says

      Hi Sandeep, I tried the same with my Citibank CC but no luck. It got rejected after 3-4 working days. Now I ordered it through ishopinternational.com. My Nexus 4 – 8GB has been purchased and shipped to Indian. Now, just waiting for my device to reach me(with in 2-5 working days).

      1. Vineet says

        Hi Anikesh,how much they are charging you in ishopinternational.com

  96. rony says

    Hey guys,i got a better opinion, send this page link to google, they will understand the difficulties you are facing to get nexus, they will feel sympathetic and will start maketing soon.

  97. Swapneel says

    can i use a entropay card to pay on google store?

  98. satender says

    Does the GN4 comes with international warranty or only US…?

  99. abhinav says

    i am trying to register at hopshopgo.com
    is anyone else facing the following issue while logging using paypal account?
    “For your security, PayPal requires that you confirm some of your account details. To do this, go to http://www.paypal.com and log in to your account for instructions.”

  100. SJ says

    Hi Guys

    Need your help. I can order Nexus 4 through my relative in US. They will get it at their home and as there is no tax where they live, so I can get Nexus 4 for $349 + $13 shipping. Now, how do I get it shipped to India ?
    Do the sites like myus, comgateway, hopshopgo provide option to only ship using there services, because there process on websites states that we create account, shop and ship…. Where as I only want to ship the product.

    Anyone used this option of ordering through relatives in US and getting shipped from sites like this ?
    Please provide information on how it can be done, and which would be cheapest and most reliable(high preference) option.

    Thanks
    SJ

    1. Niraj Kumar says

      ShopandShip can pick it up from your relative’s place and send it to India. If you need further help, let me know I can talk to Shipandship and find out about this service.

      Thanks,
      Niraj.

      1. Dev says

        Hi Niraj,

        My GN4 is at tempa , florida ,U.S . can u tell me who pick it up from there / how much it cost to reach here / how much time it take ??

        Thankx

      2. Maruf says

        Hi Niraj,

        My friend has purchased GN4 in US for me and it llies over there in the US.
        Please let me know how to shipped GN4 from US to India and how much it cost in total like shipping and custom..?

        1. Niraj Kumar says

          Ask your friend to call DHL/Fedex and send it over to India. They will charge depending on weight and custom is 7% of the phone value.

  101. Niraj Kumar says

    After 5 futile attempts with Visa and Master card, finally I’ve ordered using my friend’s AMEX card. Lets see whats next for me. If the order gets through I’m going to get my Amex card renewed so that I can make future purchases with my own Amex card. Will keep you posted.

    1. Niraj Kumar says

      Still no updates from google store, I’m still waiting for order to ship using AMEX card. In meanwhile, I’ve arranged a Physical VISA prepaid Debit card netspend which can be loaded by sending money from Paypal India to Paypal US account and subsequently withdrawing the sum to Prepaid debit card. You can use this card on google playstore. Its life time free card with clause that you have to use it once in 90 days. Loading through paypal is free. Please refer the below link for more details.

      https://www.netspend.com/

      You can get it delivered to US Comgateway.com address and get it shipped from there to India. Once you have received the physical card you can activate, load and use it on Google playstore. If you are

      If you decide to become a NetSpend customer, both you and me can get a $20.00 bonus.

      In order for you each to get the bonus:

      You need to order a card. Type http://www.mynetspendcard.com?uref=2273039238
      If you are asked to enter a referral code, use 2273039238.
      Activate the NetSpend Visa Card card you ordered once you receive it in the mail.
      Add at least $40.00 to your new NetSpend Visa Card account. You can add money by Paypal
      Once you’ve completed these steps, you and me each get referral bonus of $20.00!

      I’ve used it and it works great better than usunlocked.com. Its a physical card with US address as compared to Usunlocked.com virtual card which is a virtual card and by the it is not accepted on Google Playstore.

      Enjoy your day!

    2. Niraj Kumar says

      The latest update. My order got shipped using AMEX. So it is confirmed only AMEX card is working currently on Google Play. Neither Mastercard nor VISA paymnet got through. So people who have AMEX card can use it to order phones. Now I’ve placed request with AMEX to activate my card so that I can use it for future purpose. I’m going to order 2 more tonight.

      Cheers!
      Niraj.

      1. Ruchir Varma says

        Hi Niraj,
        Could you let me know which address you put as your billing address for you Amex while oredering the phone?

  102. jatin says

    Ne updates on the much awaited launch of Nexus in India.??

  103. Siddharth says

    Thank for the inspiration. I did it and got it.

  104. sarwan says

    Hi Arun Prabhudesai, Just my order was cancelled because of Indian card payment. can i use usunlocked website for billing and payment. Let me know your suggestion please?

    1. Niraj Kumar says

      Hi sarwan,

      Have you used Mastercard? I’ve used Mastercard HDFC and google rejected 4 of my orders. However, 2 weeks back I used VISA credit card the transaction got through. Try with VISA card or AMEX. I’ve ordered another one with my VISA card let me see if it gets through again.

      Thanks,
      Niraj.

      1. Arun Prabhudesai says

        @niraj – Thanks for the information. I guess many will benefit from it… What this means is Mastercard is a issue, but VISA and AMEX both work…

        1. Niraj Kumar says

          Even VISA got rejected. I was using comegateway.com address for last 5 orders all got rejected. 4 orders using Mastercard and 1 order using VISA all got rejected. Now will try with amex and see.

  105. Dev says

    Latest news is GN4 is ship with few changes in design , mostly on backside & some kind of camera flash.

  106. Clayton says

    Hey, i had ordered my Nexus 4 and it just got declined because of the payment details. i ordered it through an indian credit card and was getting it delivered to my aunt. can someone please help me.

  107. Shrey Mehta says

    Hey, I’d like to know, how come u didn’t have to pay octroi on ur cell phone?
    Also, if duty was only 1%, thn shouldn’t the duty work out to be less than Rs. 250??
    Also, Nitish said his customs charges came to Rs. 3,712, whereas yours came to only Rs. 612!! :S

  108. Nitish says

    Bought the Nexus 4 recently. Total came out to be INR 25,343 ($363 Google, $23.44 shipping and INR 3,712 customs). I would recommend HopShopGo as you can save ~$32 in sales tax as compared with SnS. Amazing phone. Highly recommended!

  109. Dev says

    As Nexus 7 is officially available in Google Play , GN4 is likely to launch in few weeks.
    My frend in US will get GN4 in few weeks , My question is (1) some of the website u mention here
    ( hopshopGo,comgateway,shipandshop) do they ship the phone that wasn`t buy via them ( the website ) . (2) what r the charges ?? (3) if they not ship , are any other alternate to ship the GN4 from US to here at cheap rate.

  110. Akshay says

    Hi Everyone, I got the Nexus 4 delivered to my firend in US who will be getting it while coming back to India. Google accepted the Amex credit card issued in India and shipped within 2 days of ordering. I had ordered on 23rd March and got it delivered on 27th. I gave my name as for billing but with the same address as shipping address and the order was processed without any issue. I have now ordered one more with same address but using my CitiBank Platinum credit card issued in India. The status is shown as “Pre-order” on Google play store and hoping to get it shipped soon.

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Congrats Akshay – It is quite surprising that while it works for some it does not work for others. Take for example Niraj Kumar or few other commentators whose orders have not gone through using the same method. So, I am really not sure what the problem is…

      Count yourself one of the lucky ones..

      1. Akshay says

        Citibank card got rejected !!! I had earlier bought with the same CitiBank card prior to Google having this new method of rejecting non US cards. But now the transaction got rejected saying

        ” It appears that you have created multiple accounts in order to take advantage of our current promotion. However, creating accounts in this manner is not allowed under the terms of this promotion. As a result, we have suspended your account and its associated transactions. You may continue to make purchases with your original Google Wallet account at this time.

        The promotion terms were developed to ensure a positive user experience for everyone. If your account use continues not to comply with these terms, you may not be eligible to make purchases through Google Wallet in the future.”

        This time the shipping and billing addresses were different. Not sure if that was why it got rejected.

        However, tried once more with Amex and got shipped. It was same address as the one used earlier in case of Amex card. So now 2 transactions got accepted with Amex card issued in India but with same billing and shipping addresses.

        My fried has now ordered one with different shipping and billing addresses using his Amex card. The status is “In processing” and hoping to get the shipping soon.

        1. Akshay says

          Google accepts Amex card issued in India. Mine other 2 Nexus too got shipped which were ordered by my friend having different shipping and billing addresses.

        2. Niraj Kumar says

          what was the conversion rate charged for a dollar in Ammex. HDFC is charging 54.3 rs / dollar and no extra charges. Will you please confirm if Amex is levying any extra charges for dollar coversion?

  111. Stumped user !!! says

    Jugaaaad !!!!

  112. Ashish says

    Anyone wants to sell their N4?

  113. VinodVinod says

    Hi , So will I have to unlock to use my sim card ? or can i directly start using it ?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      @Vinod – This is an unlocked phone…you do not need to unlock it..

      1. Umamahesh says

        ishopinternational site is asking for 21000 for 8 GB version and 24000 for 16GB version Including all Buying,shipping ,customs and delivery charges.
        Is this a reliable site?.

        1. Bhuvnesh says

          Hey Umamahesh,

          i am not able to see any price quote there

          can you share the link

  114. Bhuvnesh says

    I ave ordered on 19 bt still its showing Pre-ordered in the Google play store, and it showing that it will be shipped by 29 March.

    is any one getting the same ?

    1. Niraj Kumar says

      For me they have cancelled the order stating the reason that credit card address doesn’t match financial institution.

  115. Priyam Malhotra says

    So Got my N4 just now.. Ordered it on 19th and have it in my hands on 25th wohoo!! less than a week..

    Here is what the total came out to be. Banks in India put a really stupid conversion rate :-/

    n4 – 362.99 USD – Actual – INR 19,700 – Bank – 20,578
    Comegateway – 25.44 USD – Anctual INR 1,380 – Bank – 1.439
    Customs – INR 2,745

    Total – 24.762

    An ebay seller was selling nexus 4 16gb for limited time recently for 25k.. Considering all the hassle that would have been a much better thing to do… but international tracking and shipping has it’s own experience :P

    An advice for all future buyers.. comgateway doesn’t ask for bill. You can put in a lesser value for the phone. The dhl delivery guy suggested this. Maybe 300 or 275 instead of 350. It can help lower custom costs..

    Nevertheless it’s a beautiful phone.. better than my S3 which isn’t even an year old..

    Cheers!!

    1. Shubham Dubey says

      I think banks are smart enough to get you to pay at a higher exchange rate, the exact opposite of stupid. Well on a serious and informational note, every bank has a spread on buying and selling of currencies and actually that’s how they make money from almost every business. When you sell them dollars, they will buy at a lower rate but when you have to pay for dollars you have borrowed from them, you pay at a higher rate.

  116. Tushar says

    @Arun

    I have HDFC CC, I added it to the Google wallet by putting my temp US Add from comgateway as billing address. Access that play store via VPN but still when I click on the button “Sign in and purchase” it saying that item is not available for my country. I cant understand how is it?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      I think your HDFC CC shows that you are from India and hence it is saying that it is not available for you country. Earlier, when I ordered, it did not give that message..but looks like it has started giving that message now, as they check the actual billing address provided by the card.. Thats my guess though

  117. Vedh says

    I also placed an order on March 17th using Tunnelbear on the Google Play Store. The payment was made using the HDFC Netsafe facility. I was charged approximately 19,700. Although it is clearly stated in the receipt that Google will only charge me when they ship the order. As i noted in the previous comments other users who used this workaround got their orders rejected by google. As of date i haven’t received any response from google since the initial receipt of the order. Keeping my fingers crossed for the order to be shipped to my ComGateway Address. If the order by any chance is rejected by google, my only concern is of the amount being credited back to the account associated with Virtual Card

    1. Tej says

      @Vedh
      I have ordered again on 20th using HDFC CC after my first order got rejected on 17th. Till now no update after that so I called the customer support number in the google wallet receipt. They told me that my order is updated in their system on 22nd and it will take 2 business days to process it for shipping. So latest by monday i will get to know my order status (cancelled/shipped).

      In such a case, it depends when your order got updated in their system and from that date its 2 business days for processing it for cancelling/shipping

      As suggested by Arun usunlocked is in my active consideration. I will be going for it after exhausting all other available options.

      1. Vedh says

        @Tej
        You can also consider the BuyForMe Service from comgateway. One of my acquaintance placed an order via this method. He placed the order with comgateway on March 7th and received the device on 21st March. Comgateway keeps you informed right from order confirmation,shipment processing to the final delivery receipt. It is hassle free as you pass the buck to comgateway for the order to be shipped.
        As for me I willingly cancelled my order and am now waiting for the amount to be credited back to my a/c. There after I intend to place my order via comgateway. The only thorn in in the bush is that of the Indian Customs. As noted above when Arun placed the order there was no countervailing duty levied by Indian customs on his order but now it seems the custom officials are playing hard ball to ensure fair competition. Now you have to cough up approximately Rs. 2800 as taxes and duties here in Delhi.

        1. Vivek Chaudhary says

          In how many days do u got the refund??

  118. Priyam Malhotra says

    Just here to update about my experience till now. comGateway has been very professional till now. But since the phone arrived early i had the option of getting it through a friend, but comGateway won’t do shipping within US and UPS didn’t change my delivery address for heavenly reasons :-(

    So I have to pay customs + shipping charges. The total cost of the device was 362.99 $. Comgateway has charged 25.44 $ for standard shipping. One of their live chat executive upgraded it to express shipping free of cost which would have been 5$ extra.. In total it’s 388.43 $. which is about 21,000 INR

    Duty calculator says i need to pay a custom fees of about 2,300 so it would come out approximately to 23,000 – 24,000 . Will update you guys once I get it in my hands :)

    Thanks again Arun for this guide..

    1. harshad kamble says

      i got it from i bhejo.com for 24,432.. wid one year seller warranty, scratch guard and a cover free..

      1. Priyam Malhotra says

        It must be 8Gb.. We are talking about 16Gb version here

    2. shariq khan says

      Received my phone today morning, comgateway was excellent. I ordered for shipping on 19th through express shipping (didn’t know about this discount :( neways once u look at nexus 4 u will realize its worth every extra penny spent. So total was $(362.99 + 30.16) + Rs. 2865 (custom duty which was more than what I had expected). In all it took 10 days ( I ordered on 12th and recieved it today). Have to get an adaptor for the power plug n a case.
      Thanks Arun

      1. Arun Prabhudesai says

        Dear Shariq,

        Great to hear that you were able to get it… I have been receiving atleast 10 messages (on FB, Google, mail, here) everyday for past few days that they ordered using this method…and have successfully received it.

        I am glad that this article helped so many of you!

      2. Shubham Rajdhar says

        Hi Shariq, did you order through indian credit card? which bank card it was?

        1. shariq khan says

          I ordered through HSBC advance platinum credit card

  119. Karthik GK says

    Hey guys, I ordered for the N4 + W/L charger + Bumper case on the 15th, order got processed by 18th considering the weekend and got shipped on the 19th to my MyUS.com Suite and reached them on the 20th and they’ve shipped mine yesterday (21st march) via DHL express and i’m expecting delivery by 26th EOD. I’ve chronicled my entire experience/process and will be posting it soon (When my phone reaches me) Until then good luck to all others trying to order the same. FYI : Used my Citibank card and it worked perfectly fine without any of the hassles mentioned by others in their comments. Do let me know if I can be of any help and I’ll do my best to help in any way I can.

    1. Arjun says

      Hi Karthik,

      I would need a small guidance from you, Could you please provide any of your contact information?

  120. Sid Saxena says

    Hey Arun,
    I ordered the phone on 17 March and it got cancelled on 19 March.
    I ordered it again on 19 March and awaiting the processing to get over. Now that I read your comment why it got cancelled I am wondering that can I use a Virtual Credit Card ?
    I payed before with Citibank Credit Card. I checked their site and Citibank provides a way to use a Virtual Credit Card for shopping online easily. Is this gonna work ? Please tell me ASAP.

  121. Punit says

    Kudos to you man… I was kind a desperate to get my hands on the phone.. Finally had to begged someone to get it for me… If i had read this before…
    But now whats with the warranty part!!! My phone rings really low volume.. not possible to hear it in crowded areas..
    Any suggestions..

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      I guess just go to the nearest LG service center and try your luck.. Not sure what else to tell you other than this..

  122. Sid Saxena says

    Hey Arun,
    I ordered the phone on 17 March and it got cancelled on 19 March.
    I ordered it again on 19 March and awaiting the processing to get over. Now that I read your comment why it got cancelled I am wondering that can I use a Virtual Credit Card ?
    I payed before with Citibank Credit Card. I checked their site and Citibank provides a way to use a Virtual Credit Card for shopping online easily. Is this gonna work ? Please tell me urgently.

  123. Priyam Malhotra says

    Hi Arun,

    Thanks for this guide. I ordered N4 16GB yesterday and got it shipped to comGateway. Withing 24 hours google has shipped it. Let’s see how the whole process goes… looking at the comments about increase customs am a bit worried.

    Cheers!!

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      @Priyam…Glad that this guide helped you. Can you also let everybody else know how you managed the credit card scenario? Many users have faced that problem with Google…and you seem have successfully done it.

      Can you please tell, so others can also take advantage of it?

      1. Priyam Malhotra says

        @Arun I used a Visa, HSBC card and used the address of the card same as provided by comGateway and it was no hassle. Google accepted my order with just one click…

        1. rakesh says

          Even I used HSBC and gave the same address as comgateway but failed..

  124. Siddharth Jaiswal says

    @Ravindra :
    The phone is factory unlocked and doesn’t need to be unlocked when brought to India.

  125. Ravindra says

    Hi Arun, my friend from US is coming to India in May and i’ve asked him to get one for me. He’s checked it online and confirmed the rate as 300$.
    My questions to you : 1) Will the mobile have to be unlocked here in India?
    2) Can it be done? and
    3) How?
    Regards,
    Ravindra

    1. avinashpatwari says

      Hi, Ravindra, Can you ask him to buy one more for me? I can pay 1000 Rs more :)

  126. rakesh says

    Just ordered N4 through comgateway, fingers crossed…

    1. chinmay says

      How can u take such risk..didnt u see the above comments

      1. rakesh says

        It got cancelled … :(.. I think Tej is right, but did anyone try the usunlocked.com

        1. Swaroop says

          You got complete refund?? Or bank charged for currency exchange??? please let us know. Thank You

        2. suhas says

          They are charging $15 for registration

  127. Bhuvnesh says

    I have mailed to Hassan yesterday regarding the total expenses to get the nexus 4 to India
    he told me that the Duty is 7% on mobile phone..

    but i have seen it is actually 1%
    why they are charging extra ??

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Dear Bhuvnesh – Hassan is right. If you had ordered before Feb 27th, it would have been only 1 percent duty. However, after the budget the duty on mobiles has increased from 1 percent to 6 percent. Later on Finance minister also announced 1 percent extra calamity surcharge on import of mobile phones and hence it turns out 7 percent.

      The above is for everyone’s information… The total duty now is 7 percent and not 1 percent..please bear that in mind before ordering. Nexus will turn out to be around 1200 – 1400 rupees more expensive than what it was earlier!

      1. Bhuvnesh says

        according to You how much will be the total cost.

        if it is around 24500 or 25K then i can order it through ebay as well

  128. rohit says

    I ordered a nexus 4 on saturday and today I received a mail stating the below. Any idea what went wrong
    I used comgateway as the shipping service. Paid the entire amount to ggole using my ICICI credit card and set the home & billing address as the comgateway one. Thanks in advance

    “Thank you for using Google Wallet. In an ongoing effort to provide a safe
    purchasing environment, Google reviews orders on a regular basis.

    It appears that you have created multiple accounts in order to take
    advantage of our current promotion. However, creating accounts in this
    manner is not allowed under the terms of this promotion. As a result, we
    have suspended your account and its associated transactions. You may
    continue to make purchases with your original Google Wallet account at this
    time.

    The promotion terms were developed to ensure a positive user experience for
    everyone. If your account use continues not to comply with these terms, you
    may not be eligible to make purchases through Google Wallet in the future.”

    1. Tej says

      Same problem here. All workarounds clicked and i celebrated for ordering a N4 for myself. But Google gave a jolt to me. Ordered on 15th and received the above mail on 17th. Used comgateway address as ma billing and shipping address.

      Goggle mail says my card is not charged. Now i have to chk if I am charged for forex markup conversion charges which is 3.5% + ST on the $363 which comes to Rs.775/-. If this is charged my total loss is Rs 775/- + Rs. 54.26 ($1 google wallet authorization amt) + Rs. 2.13 (forex markup charges on $1) = Rs.831 (rounded).

      I can digest the loss and i wanna give a second try for a successful order. I am unaware as to what went wrong. Please help me.

      1. Tej says

        GOOGLE PLAYS SPOILSPORT!!

        To all the Nexus fans in India. This is with heavy heart i bring to your notice that we no more can import devices through the workarounds suggested by Arun.

        Google play now accepts only US credit cards with US address. It does a check on every credit card by verifying the address registered with the issuing bank. If it matches with the US address provided your order is through (which never matches with the address we provide) or else declined. Also it does not accept VCC (Virtual Credit Cards) [double whammy]

        But how could Arun and some others do it successfully?
        Because the above new policy is effective from February 21 2013. People ordering before that date are the lucky ones.

        Overall nice work by google. They plugged the loophole. (How can you be so mean. Irony to the story is that top posts in google are headed by Indians and the devices are not released in India)

        Correct me if I am wrong about the above story.

        Source: http://play.google.com/intl/en_us/about/device-terms.html

        1. Arun Prabhudesai says

          @Tej – Thanks for pointing it out. While I went through the terms, I did see that they have made some changes, and probably now the payment billing address needs to be same. Also, Indian Virtual Credit cards should have problems because of billing address as well…

          However, if you are willing to go to lengths I have a workaround for this problem as well. Please see the Note updated for 19th march in the article.

          Go to usunlocked.com and create your own US card with US billing address, even though it is a virtual card, I am 100 percent sure it will work.

          Also, if anyone does use it, please make sure to let people know, so they can make use of it as well….

  129. Sri says

    Hi arun.
    i m planning to buy nexus 4 from borderlinx. can i use US address provided by borderlinx for credit card details? k indly let me know

  130. chinmay says

    Heyy..

    please let me know what to do if a faulty Nexus phone arrives to me or if it gets damaged on a later stage.

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Hmm…interesting question Chinmay… but like I have said in one of my previous comments… you cannot do anything much other than sending it back to Google for replacement… The problem is that is a tedious job…and you have to make sure that you face this risk when you use above given method to order nexus phone..

      1. chinmay says

        Thanks Arun for the reply.
        but can i repair the Nexus 4 with LG by paying some extra money

    2. Kasyap says

      If it was in good condition while it arrived at ur US address(you never know in this case) but was damaged while transit, you can claim a refund. In addition to shipping charges, your shipper charges you transit insurance which covers the transit damages.

  131. Dev says

    Todays deal in ebay india is GN4 16 GB at INR 25700 , I think one should go 4 it , as it cost extra INR 3500 compare to U.S price. also sellar provides quick delivery .

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      I know the guy personally who is selling it on ebay… If you dont want to go through all the hassle, you can definitely buy from him..

      1. Bhuvnesh says

        hey Arun can you please send the sellers details @ [email protected]

        1. avinashpatwari says

          Please let me know details of that seller also?

  132. Manish says

    Arun what about warranty?? …….. nexus 4 is all glass and easily damageable is there anything like an indian warranty from LG which i can avail of and if so how much extra would that cost..

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      @Manish – As far as I know… LG India may not provide you any warranty support for any Nexus 4 that you buy. It is the same if you buy it from anywhere else… you have to understand that..

  133. chinmay says

    Very Nice Article buddy…
    If the phone gets faulty or its gets damaged on the in future..what can i do

    1. chinmay says

      sorry…I meant if the phone is in faulty condition when i receive or if it gets damaged in future what step i shoulf i follow

  134. Anuj says

    For the Premier subscription MyUS offered services like consolidating and shipping. One could choose how much to consolidate and when to ship. Something very effective for me was their willingness to open multiple packets and pack and ship items as one package. Served me well in bringing down shipment costs, especially when i used to order clothes and other items from different sellers, by reducing the weight of multiple bags/cartons.Again, you have the choice of similar goods being packed together.
    Duty, as far as i can remember, is always paid at your doorstep. They get it customs cleared, based on your declaration and accompanying invoices, and then charge you at the time of delivering the parcel. Can’t recollect facing too many issues there.
    Shipment, and I think you have the option for duty as well, was charged to the CC itself. I don’t recollect the exact terms but the service being tied to Credit card does give you basic protection on the transaction from your CC company.
    Talking of updates, there was a big show yesterday on S4 launch here at NY.Beyond the enhanced h/w, the added software features are getting all the coverage. Wonder with all this added to stock 4.2.2, how easy its going to be for Samsung to roll out timely upgrades. Guess a lot of mobile users don’t put too much emphasis on the same.
    Have a nice weekend!

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Thanks for letting us know details about MyUS, guess one should give a try to their services as well..

  135. Kasyap says

    @Arun: Thanks for the Info. My friend order N4 from Google play with his US card, on 12th march and it was delivered to comgateway US address on 14th!!!!(Yeah I know. God takes care of good people :D). Yesterday I ordered ‘Rearth Ringke Premium Hard Case ‘ from Amazon for $9.95. Same thing costs 1900 Rs on ebay.in. It has reached an hour ago to same comgateway address. Once it is processed i’ll provide shipping instructions. Assuming there will be no customs hiccups, shipment should reach me by next friday. I’ll update more soon

  136. Anuj says

    Good info. This technique is something that I had used a lot to buy stuff, mostly electronics but also light weight apparel for my family, when i was back in India.The service I used was MyUS which was pretty decent and I never faced a problem. They do a consolidate and ship and you can schedule when to ship, am sure other providers must be offering this but since i used this exhaustively for couple of years..thought i’d mention.

    My American Express card in India allowed me to get a ‘Virtual US card’ and the problem of ‘International credit cards are not accepted’ is taken care of… MyUS had a tie-up with American Express specifically for Indian shoppers and you get one year of MyUS subscription free. One obviously needs to pay for shipment charges.

    I know how you feel, been using Nexus 4 for slightly over 3 months now (i was one of the F5/Refresh brigade) and trust me…its totally worth all the efforts.. even with the reported ‘battery could be better’, no LTE etc. I shifted from iPhone4s and still think N4 is another level…. am not new to Android though having used one right from 1.5/1.6. Remember to order backcover for the phone though..glass back does feel fragile.

    I am based in US now and have already shipped few Nexus devices (4/7/10) for friends, colleagues and family..wish i could help.

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Thank you Anuj for your comment and bringing the perspective of a person who has been using this method for long…

      Talking about virtual card, it is ok if the company (Like myUS) has a tie-up, but what happens if there is no exclusive tie-up. Many people in India are not able to order due to the debit / credit card not working problem.. Did MyUS take care of custom duties etc as well? and how did you pay for shipping whether it was before hand or was it done after it was delivered to you in India.

      About Nexus 4, I completely agree with you… Nexus 4 (apart from average battery) is probably the best phone in the market even after 4 months of launch (that is long time for mobile hardware specs).. What I am really happy about is not only the phone is fast and cost effective… I will always be the first get the latest update…and that is something.. I have used Android for 3.5 years, and it is worst feeling that even after 1 year new version release, your phone is still on the older Android version..

      I will shortly be putting up a video on my take on Nexus 4 after 45 days of usage…what I feel about it…so keep tuned..

    2. avinashpatwari says

      Hii ..Anuj.. I have frnd in US..He can buy phone for me. Can you tell how much will be cost to shipping to India? Which is best way?

      1. Anuj says

        Where are you based in India?
        If someone already has your phone here then the best way out, in my opinion, is to ask him to ship to you directly. You can reimburse him the shipment charges.Based on what value he declares for the phone you will have to bear the duty component.

  137. fakhrisoftwares says

    Thanks for the idea, I was using BongoUS to buy mobile phone from Ebay.us and ebay.co.uk but bongous.com charges more for shipping and sometimes there was also custom penalties on my product, I will try Shopandship.com and will share my experience Here.

  138. Pavan says

    Arun, I have my phone lying in the google office in California since Feb first week.. waiting for someone to get it here.. can u suggest any cheap alternatives..

  139. Pradeep Rajaa says

    Arun, I used shopandship.com to order 1 nexus 4 for my wife on sunday. Actually my friend’s friend ordered in from US play store for me. So far no mail from him about any change in status of the order. Heard the display 1-2 weeks but ship much sooner. Also they are charing additional 1% natural calamity tax for mobile imported to india now. So it will 7% for all mobile phones.

    Also is there any other way to track the status of the my order in playstore, except google wallet. Since its my friend’s friend account i don’t have access to it and also i don’t want to bug him daily for status updates.

    1. Pradeep Rajaa says

      Guys got my N4 ordered on 10th march and delivered on 19th march. Used shopandship.com, Ordered phone by my friend in the US.

      So total cost was

      Phone USD 395 – 21750
      Shopandship charges – 620
      (Usd 10 + service charge)
      Duty – 1530
      ————
      Total Rs 24,000

      Also note octroi is not charged in my state tamil nacu

  140. shariq khan says

    thanks Arun for opening this door :)
    have ordered one 16gb piece, it said ‘will be shipped when available’. I used comgateway, taxes were 0 but google charged $13 for shipping so total was $362. comgateway looked genuine, gave an address instantly also it asked for no information like in shop&ship (this made me a little skeptical), still took the risk, lets see how it goes.
    If someone has had any experience with comgateway, let us know.
    will update the status

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      @shariq It should be shipped in less than a week…dont worry… Do let us know your experience with comgateway once you get the nexus 4 in your hand, it will help others as well…

    2. mahesh says

      Im already facing problem with comgateway. Its not exactly with comgateway, but the name itself carries some problem with it. Since past few weeks, the number of mobiles being imported through that gate way increased exponentially and that bugged customs officers, hence they are expressing some doubts about the comgateway, for business transactions and they are holding the shipment for longer periods.
      I ordered my nexus from Ebay.com and had it shipped to my US address in gateway express. then paid the express shipping fee of $40 and got it shipped. they shipped it through DHL express , and now from past 4 days , my device got struck with customs. And customs charges are extra which i didnt know initially. have to pay when i get the delivery. Now, just waiting for my device to reach me.

      1. Arun Prabhudesai says

        @mahesh Interesting… and thanks for letting know other readers as well… To everyone I have spoken to… Shopandship has done a good job of delivering the phone / shipments on time.. I have heard good words for hopshopandgo as well… However, yours is the first reaction I have heard about comgateway..

        Would love to hear anyone else having problems with comgateway services? Do write…

        1. harshad kamble says

          instead doing so much of hard work.. buy it from ibhejo.com they also provide 1 year warranty..i buyed it from the same

      2. shariq khan says

        @mahesh let us know when you recieve it and what you paid for it. Mine is still to be shipped from google to comgateway. does express shipping offer more guarantee of product delivery? Will opt for it in that case.

      3. Kasyap says

        You cant imagine my horror right now. I have a nexus 4 to be shipped from comgateway. Well please update what you had to go through to get it out of customs. I pray god for your Nexus 4 ;)

      4. Sachin says

        @mahesh Thanks for sharing your experience. I was also planning to order a N4 through comgateway, however, a bit sceptical now, after reading your post. But how did you get to know about comgateway’s differences with customs officers and increase in volume from CGW during last few days. And if that affect the final price we need to pay for N4. Please let us know when you receive your device and at what price. eagerly awaiting your post.

        1. rajkumar says

          I had used ComGateWay for my nexus 4, I got it safely.

  141. vedant says

    Hii…. i want to order 2 pieces from us, I wanted to ask whether i should get both phones consolidated in a single package because that would save me shipping charges, but will it increase my customs duty (i.e will i still be charged 1% of the total value of the package)???

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Vedant…the custom duty is now increased to 6 percent from previous 1 percent. I think both way it will cost you the same…because shipping cost depends on weight and not number of packages…

  142. dhaval says

    I am really wondering the $10 for shipping charge for shopandship is all inclusive of fuel surcharge and other taxes. ?? Pl. confirm.

  143. Manjeet Mallik says

    Is there international warranty for Nexus 4? After purchasing from US, can I avail warranty from LG India?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      No… I doubt LG India will entertain you with Google Nexus which is bought from US. But, having said that I am not sure… If someone has tried it…would love to hear it from them.

  144. Aditya says

    Hi Arun,

    Nice info you got there.
    If I use a credit card that I use here, would that pose a problem? And are these sites trustworthy enough? 23K is a lot of money…

    Thanks.
    Aditya

  145. Kiran Menon says

    Did you have any problems with the 2G/3G network in India?

  146. Manish Gupta says

    Hi Arun, I took paid membership of Sns with $10. Now i will buy it from google site using VPN. I am planning to use ICICI international debit card. Do you have any idea what amount will deduct in INR?

    like total cost is $395.21 so it should be in 395.21 * 54.71 INR. Am i right?

    Is there any hidden cost or currency conversion charges? Please let me know if you have idea as Salim faced similar experience.

    Thank You in advance.

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Dear Manish,

      The amount deducted will be equivalent to the exchange rate, + foreign exchange charge + service tax that is levied by debit card.. the extra charges are generally not too big..

      Thanks
      Arun

  147. Pankil says

    Wow… thats a brilliant idea. The site shop and shipping was exactly the thing I was Looking for.

    Can you tell me more details on the Customs and Duties part. I am planning to buy a expensive camera from USA. Costing around Rs. 60,000/. I would like to know how much would the Customs be on it?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Dear Pankil,

      Like I have mentioned in the article, SNS gives you idea about customs and duties before hand… when the item arrives at your sns mailbox, they will show the amount of custom that will be levied. It depends on Government rules. Like in this budget, the mobile phone duty was raised from 1% to 6%. So while I paid about 200-300 rupees of custom on my phone, people who will be buying now will have to pay around Rs. 1200. What SNS does is they do it on your behalf, and then collect from you when the product is delivered at your place… Hope that clears your doubts.

  148. Garg K says

    Am Selling my Nexus 4 16GB. I got it on this monday. Selling because I like Samsung UI more in my older S2. Whole box along with everything that came along with it. You can msg me @ +91-8105668386. But only if you are seriously interested.

    1. Garg K says

      Gone now!

  149. Surya says

    Hi Arun,

    That was wonderful. I’ve already setup account with shopandship. One question though. You mentioned that you provided US Billing address for your Indian Credit Card. Was this address ever been in your bank Credit Card’s records as your official billing address? Maybe thats why its accepted as the address was really in the records at some point of time.

    I make many payments with my AMEX online and if I type the current official billing address wrong then the payment gets rejected.

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      No…the address was never registered earlier on that Bank…but it was accepted… I am not sure why it is not doing it now…but it should work as far as I know

      Arun

  150. Jatin Mahani says

    Hi,
    Super awesome post for NEXUS lovers.

    wouldn’t it be cheaper if i get the product delivered to my friends place in the US and get it couriered directly to my address in India ?
    also, a much safer bet.

  151. Mayank Gupta says

    Hey Arun,

    That’s one really good article that would appeal to many prospective buyers in India. I am also looking forward to buy one but concerned about it’s serviceability as it might never get launched here.

    Two questions:
    1. What are our options if the phone comes with some manufacturing defects be it software or hardware?
    2. Can it be repaired if any problem might creep in later like broken screen or something else?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Dear Mayank,

      Buying from US has some risks and 2 things mentioned by you are the ones which actually are real problems. For point number 1, yes, you will have to send it back to US headquarters and they will replace it, because it comes with 1 year warranty. But, as you know sending it to US and getting it back from there to India is an issue and more so it is costly as well…

      You know it might be repaired, but only at very few places…because officially Nexus 4 is not launched in India and I am sure the spares are not available..

      In short, both of them are the risks one has to take when buying Nexus 4!

      Regards,
      Arun

  152. John says

    Hey, just want to ask you how is ppobox.com? One of my friends has ordered it from there.

    1. shruti rai says

      yes, PPOBOX.COM is really good, they give you a choice of New York or New Jersey address, so you can avoid the NY tax. I think their charges are a bit less than shopnship also

  153. Mohit says

    And i used HDFC Debit card is that the problem pleae help

  154. Mohit says

    Brother it keeps saying “Oops there was some technical error when we started your purchase” when i fill my shiping address which i got from comegateway.com.By the way i put same billing address as the shipping.Is that the problem.Reply soon

  155. Piyush says

    box opened or seal packed, how many days it took?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Obviously it is seal packed… and please have a look at the image that I have posted…it shows exact time line of when I ordered and when I got it here in my hands. It took about 10 to 11 days..

      1. Tophan Pati says

        Dear Arun. Thanks for enlightening. I’m unsure if I should count on one of my many friends in US (firangis), to collect, and ship the package to my address; that apart, what is the mfg. origin of the hand-set? (Only reason I’m not going the Flipkart way is I want a Made in Korea and NOT a Made in China) and what about the warranty for fones bought “your” way..? thanx in advance

    2. Techies Net says

      Nexus 5 & Nexus 7 are rolling to buy online for India and Hongkok in different variants such as 16GB, 32GB, White color, Black color, WIFI, LTE, Unlocked versions with different prices. Check them out here – http://goo.gl/0SeGTO

    3. Raj says

      I bought iPhone5S thru shopusa.in and they did a fantastic job of shipping. Gave excellent support and also excellent follow up.

      Raj

      1. Deepak says

        Hi,
        Mr.Raj kindly tell me at what price did you get the Iphone5S and in how many days did you recieved the phone?

  156. Nikhil Sehgal says

    hi arun,

    I am really looking forward to buy Nexus 4 – but the price at which we are getting in India a way high….

    just to inform you that i never bought anything as per the procedure described by you…plus i dont know how safe this is….
    neither i have any address in US and any US based Credit Card…..

    if you have a good experience about it – can you tell me how should i go about it…

    Please help me out with the process above – will really appreciate you response :)

    however i do trying using tunnel bear – but i was unsuccessful in using it.

    Looking Forward.

  157. salim says

    @Arun: I used Tunnelbear and shipped to it my friend’s address in UK. But the final amount deducted from my card (international icici debit card) was 48 euros extra, i.e. 288+48 euros . Read a few threads about the same issue and they talk about some VAT refund receipt .
    Give some info please if you have any idea on this extra VAT thing !

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Dear Salim,

      Unfortunately, I have no idea as to why that extra 48 euros were charged. I guess the invoice that Google gave you was for 288 euros… so the charge must have been from the bank.. I guess you will need to query the bank about this charge…

      1. MADAN says

        i want o buy nexus 5 32gb ,, my uncle is in USA if he buys it for me…how much it may be charged ……???????

    2. Manish Gupta says

      Hi Salim, Can i have email address or mobile number? Actually i also want to buy through ICICI international debit card. Just want to know your experience with it.

      Thank You in advance.

  158. mohammed fahd says

    hey arun…ill pay u 25000, can u order the phone?? please!!

    1. Garg K says

      If you dont mind getting a phone which is used for 2 days.. You can get mine.. I got it on this monday. Selling because I like Samsung UI more in my older S2. Whole box along with everything that came along with it. You can msg me @ +91-8105668386. But only if you are seriously interested.

      1. Garg K says

        Gone now!

  159. gauravbatla says

    Installed tunnelbear, activated and it says connected. But still when i go to google website to place order, it still says not available in your country !!!:(

  160. starleena says

    Its a very lengthy process , I have bought the same from ibhejo.com , they are actually dealing in products from USA. From the day , the product lauched in USA , i was running to buy the product. Got to know from one of my friend https://www.ibhejo.com/Google-Nexus-4-8GB-Black.html

    I have got even a free Black Gel Case and screen protector.

  161. gauravbatla says

    Hey,

    Just trying to order through shopandship. Just wanted to know how would the payment be made to them for their services? What if the product is delivered to them but they do not ship to you?
    You have paid the money to google and your product lies with shopandshiip. You have nothing in your hand? No fraud risk?
    – Gaurav

    1. rajat says

      exactly the same question i want2 ask.. what if they simply refuse to ship ur product/ or fraud claiming that they haven’t received nything frm google?? is there a watchdog 4 protection??

      1. Arun Prabhudesai says

        @Rajat – It is a rare possibility. You have shipping tracking mechanisms…and it is not possible because they are not fly-by-night operators.. Thousands of people order from them and have been around for years.

  162. rajkumar says

    hi Arun, In above post you mentioned “Buyers need to send shopandship proof of payment and invoice, so they can speedily process your shipment custom duties”. Here proof of payment means the receipt of payment made by you google, ryt?…. what about invoice?…. how do we send these to shopandship?. Thanks in advance.

  163. dhaval says

    One more suggestion while using shopandship is to use MA address as the tax is 6% while in NY the tax is 8%.. IF big amount than use your decision.
    :-) happy US shopping..

  164. Senthil Ramesh J V says

    Do all these methods work even if we buy from some deal sites? If we can give the US address we got and the Credit cards with US address? Also, I never lived in US. So can we just give the virtual US address we got from ShopandShip?

  165. Vaibhav Goel says

    Hey Arun.
    First of all, thanks for posting this… I’ve been looking to find a way to buy Google Nexus 4.
    A question: Is HopShopGo a safe way to shop?
    Does the phone come with any warranty(and is it valid in India)?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Phone comes with Warranty… but it is not available in India…So it is of no real use… It is a risk that you should know of.

      1. Vaibhav Goel says

        Hi Arun or anybody out there who has used HopShopGo,
        Is it safe to buy via it(i mean it’s not a small amount, so just want to confirm before ordering)?

        1. Arun Prabhudesai says

          Dear Vaibhav,

          Like I have mentioned previously, I have personally not used hopshopgo, however, I have friends who have used it and they are extremely happy about it. It actually worked out cheaper with hopshopgo because there were no taxes involved…unlike shopandship…

          Thanks
          Arun

  166. gsadiga says

    Hi Arun,
    In my case, my cousin bought the nexus 4 in US Atlanta. I want to know how much it costs to ship and custom duties on it to bangalore from there. If it goes below 1500INR then its well and good. Other wise I need to wait for him to come here :(. Don’t know when it will happen..
    Please give me some suggestions.
    Thanks in advance.

  167. Harshad says

    Meghraj can u tell me about your experince on comgateway.. i m planning to buy from the same… especially der buy for me option.

  168. Harshad says

    i m using comgateway is it safe?? has anybody used it??

  169. Jom Jose says

    Hello can you help me?? I have bought a macbookpro from US last november 29,2012.. its still with my uncle in US.. Because of heavy duties I never tried of courier services.. but can you help me?? Can I use the same method as you did?? please help me..
    my mail id is : [email protected]

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Dear Jom Jose, Its not the duty, but probably shipping charges that may hurt you more. Shipping a macbookpro from US to India may cost you USD 100+ and custom duties I think are around 15 to 20 percent (I am not 100% sure thought).. So that may cost you around 150-200 USD depending on the cost of laptop. But yes, you can very easily use the same exact method described above for shipping and it should not be any problem at all.

      Also, you can do other thing. You can tell you uncle to mark the laptop as a gift, and you may not need to pat custom duties (anyone else can confirm this?)

      Use Hopshopgo or SNS address and ask your uncle to ship it to the address given by them. Both of them will take care of duties and other things…
      Hope this helps..

      1. Jom Jose says

        Thanks for your quick reply. I havent purchased anything like this. I will check and tell you if i faced any problems..

      2. Jom Jose says

        I dont have a Pan card.. So I cant register PayPal account .. :(

      3. Jom Jose says

        Can you help me in shipping it to my address??? please??? its been there for last 3months

      4. Jom Jose says

        Can you help me in shipping my laptop to my uncle?? please…?? please??
        if can you reply to [email protected]
        – jom jose

  170. Rakesh Kumar (@RakeshTheKumar) says

    Hi Arun,
    Have 2 questions for you.

    1. You said you provided your previous US address as the billing address. But what about those like me who have no connection to US whatsoever? (Except sharing his birthday with Obama :P)
    What billing address should I give in that case?

    2: You mentioned we’ll have to “send shopandship proof of payment and invoice, so they can speedily process your shipment custom duties.”
    How do I send it? Will it be as simple as forwarding them the invoice I received in my gmail account?

    Thanks for the help. I am trying to get one for myself. Just finished setting up a US VPN on my Linux.

  171. Azhar Umar says

    junglee.com is offering it at 28k. This shopandship thing seems to be cool. Should try out some day.

  172. Sadek says

    isnt’ it a long process?
    is it safe in most of the cases?
    and lastly what if I need to claim warranty?

  173. Mike Hunt says

    You know how to get it cheaper?

    Tell your auntie in the US to get it for you. Even better if your birthday is sometime close (and seriously, since they have moved there, when was the last time they got you a gift. You may have to practise up on the emotional blackmail part).

    Free Nexus 4 FTW.

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      hahaha @mike Good one.. that is absolutely the best and the cheapest way for sure :)

  174. Abhinav says

    The website is asking for 45$ fee. That’s strange. Is there any sort of coupon which can be used to waive off the same?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Abhinav,
      Try hopshopgo.com as long as you have a paypal account.. I guess the phone will work out much cheaper as well… and no upfront costs..

      1. aravind says

        You may reach out to Hasin Sheik the Customer Care person for shopandship.com in India via 7738350773. He gives you a promo code immediately.

    2. percy says

      There is a promo going on wriie to [email protected]

  175. paresh says

    Google Play currently mentions that shipping in US will take 2 – 3 weeks but you received yours in 1 week I guess. What did google play said when you ordered your phone ??

    1. mohabadru says

      Nexus 4 came back to stock on Jan 29. That time they said with-in a week.

    2. Arun Prabhudesai says

      When I ordered, it mentioned 1 to 2 weeks, Google did well by shipping it in 4 days.. Guess I was lucky. But generally, it will ship prior to what they mention on the site… that’s my experience

      1. mohabadru says

        But why 32$ tax Arun? It comes around 10%? Is it due to NY address…
        I think most other states put 5% tax only…

        1. Arun Prabhudesai says

          Yes, you are right… if the address was anywhere else other than NY, the cost would have been closer to Rs. 21,000. Probably a inherent disadvantage with sns..

      2. mohabadru says

        Sent an email to your yahoo id Arun. Can you reply for that?

      3. Megharaj says

        Try ComGateWay,as they have their facility in Oregon.. Zero Tax on Nexus !
        So you could save around $32 in tax.
        Another thing, no need to pay for registration, thus you save $45+$10 to register & ship through ShopnShip.
        Thus, you can save around $55+ net net ($87-$30 for shipping through CGW) !
        Cheers !

        1. Aditya says

          @Megharaj Did you try ComGateWay?? Did they get your shipment to your doorstep clearing all the customs formalities the way its illustrated in here by Arun via shopandship? Me too got Nexus 4 from US through VPOST (Singapore Post) but i won’t recommend that ’cause they left my package at the Mumbai customs office and I had to go there, pay custom duties and get it through!! Please advise. Thanks.

        2. vishal says

          Has anyone tried this recently?
          ComGateWay / Shop n Ship is better current situation.

  176. Rakesh Kumar Sahu says

    Great!!!

    Question:

    Shopandship India Shipping —-> 486
    Custom Duties —–> 612

    Are these above mentioned figures pre-known to you (while ordering the product) or, you came to know after the product delivered to you???

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      No… These appear on shopandship account, shortly after the product is received in your mailbox. But the prices are fixed for shipping. I think it is about USD 10 for 1 pound. You can calculate the shipping cost based on the weight from the website itself..

  177. Raj says

    I have registered at shopandhsip it is asking $45 as membership fee?

    1. Arun Prabhudesai says

      Yes they have membership fee – But like one of the commentators said, write to [email protected] and they will offer you good discount / coupon code

  178. Raj says

    Awesome man, I am heading my way to shopandship website for creating an account hope they will activate it soon.

  179. Sidd.. says

    Loved the shopandship part of it.
    There are ways to connect to a US IP, through which I use google voice, but products can also be shipped!!
    Never knew such sites existed!
    How about compiling a list of items coming cheaper through this route, than to buy in india?
    Would like to know about harddrives, mp3Players etc.
    Or maybe since trak.in isnt a shopping portal, you’ll have to open another website for that! :)

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