Instagram is where the most beautiful Indian clothes, jewellery and home items are sold - and most of those sellers only ship within India. Here is how to buy from any of them, wherever you live.
Scroll through Instagram for five minutes and you will find it: a handloom saree from a Varanasi weaver, a set of silver earrings from a Jaipur artisan, a block-print kurta from a boutique with 80,000 followers. You DM them. They reply warmly. Then: "Sorry, we only ship within India."
It happens constantly, and it is not because sellers do not want your business. Setting up international shipping is genuinely difficult - rates, customs forms, carrier accounts. Most small boutiques simply cannot do it. But you can get around this entirely with a forwarding address inside India.
How it works
You give the seller your AAunty India address as the delivery address. To them, you look exactly like a domestic Indian customer. They ship via their usual courier. The parcel arrives at our address in India, we receive it, and we forward it to you in Canada or the USA.
What about payment?
Many boutiques on Instagram only accept UPI, NEFT or a specific Indian bank transfer. If you do not have an Indian bank account, you have a few options:
- Ask a family member in India to pay on your behalf and you reimburse them.
- Use AAunty's purchase service - we can pay the seller on your behalf and add it to your invoice. You pay us once for everything.
You do not need an Indian bank account, card or phone number to shop from Indian Instagram sellers. You just need an India address.
DM the seller, confirm the details
Before placing an order, check a few things with the seller:
- Is the item in stock, or is it made to order (and how long)?
- What are the measurements, and can they customise sizing?
- Are there any existing buyer reviews or feedback you can see?
Instagram boutiques with strong followings almost always have dozens of happy customers whose stories are in the comments. Do a quick read-through for peace of mind.
Share the tracking with us
Once you have ordered, share the tracking number with us so we know to expect the parcel. When it arrives, we photograph the contents and let you know.
Combine with other orders
The real savings happen when you buy from multiple sellers in the same window. Instead of separate international couriers, everything comes to us first and ships together in one consolidated box. Three sarees from three different boutiques: one shipment to your door.
Ready to try it?
Message us on WhatsApp with the Instagram link to what you want. We will guide you through the address, help with payment if needed, and get it to you.
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