Ordering for Your Parents in India From Abroad: Sizing, Payment and Delivery Explained

By Aasra Editorial Team | India's First Adaptive Clothing Brand

Buying something for a parent in India when you live abroad sounds simple until you try it. You cannot measure them, you are not there when the parcel arrives, your card is issued in another country, and if the size is wrong you are not the one who has to arrange the return.

This guide covers the practical mechanics: how to get sizing right remotely, what payment options actually work from overseas, how delivery and cash on delivery function in India, and what to do when something does not fit.

Sizing, without being able to measure them

This is the single biggest reason parcels go unworn, and there are three reliable ways around it.

The label method, easiest. Ask whoever is with your parent to photograph the size label inside a garment your parent already wears comfortably. This takes thirty seconds and removes all guesswork. If the label has washed out, photograph the garment laid flat next to a measuring tape.

The measurement method, most accurate. Two numbers cover almost everything: chest measured around the fullest part, and waist at the natural waistline. Measure over light clothing, not bare skin, and do not pull the tape tight. Someone with no experience can do this in two minutes over a video call with you watching.

The comparison method, when nobody is available. Ask your parent what size they buy in ready-made clothing and order one size larger. Indian sizing runs smaller than US or UK sizing, and adaptive clothing is meant to be loose.

Whichever you use, size up rather than down. Post-surgical swelling, bandages, braces and general weight change all argue for room. A garment slightly too large gets worn. One slightly too small does not.

Paying from another country

Most established Indian online retailers accept international cards. In practice:

• International credit and debit cards generally work, though some Indian gateways decline foreign cards intermittently. If a payment fails, trying a different card or browser usually resolves it.
• Cash on delivery is widely available in India and is often the simplest route. You place the order from abroad, and whoever is at the address pays the courier in cash on arrival. This sidesteps card issues entirely.
• UPI, if you still hold an Indian bank account and phone number, is the smoothest option of all.
• Asking a relative in India to pay and settling with them separately is common and entirely practical.

One thing worth knowing: prices on Indian sites are in rupees and typically far lower than equivalent Western products. Adaptive clothing that costs the equivalent of 60 to 90 US dollars from a Western brand generally costs a fraction of that in India.

Delivery, and what to tell them to expect

Delivery within India generally runs three to eight business days depending on the city and the shipping option chosen. Metro addresses are quicker; smaller towns and rural addresses take longer.

A few practical points that matter more when you are not there:

• Give a phone number that will actually be answered. Indian couriers call before delivery, and an unanswered call frequently means a failed attempt. Use your parent's number if they will pick up, or a neighbour's or attendant's if not.
• Add a landmark to the address. Indian addresses often rely on them, and a courier who cannot find the building will mark it undelivered rather than search.
• Warn whoever is at home that a parcel is coming. Elderly parents living alone are sometimes wary of unexpected deliveries, particularly cash on delivery ones.
• Order before you need it. If a parent is having surgery, order in the week before, not after discharge. The first week home is when the clothing is most needed and least convenient to arrange.

What if it does not fit

Most Indian retailers offer a return or exchange window, commonly seven days. The practical difficulty is that returns require someone at the address to hand the parcel back to a courier, and elderly parents often will not initiate that themselves.

Two things reduce the problem. Order a single item first to check fit, then order the rest once you know the size works. And where a brand offers advice before purchase, use it. Many Indian retailers, including us, will help you choose a size over WhatsApp if you describe the person's build and current clothing size, which is faster and more reliable than guessing from a chart.

Buying Indian styles rather than shipping from where you live

Families abroad often assume it is better to buy locally and carry the items on their next visit, or ship them. It is usually worse, for three reasons.

Sizing and cut. Western garments are cut for different proportions, and elderly Indian parents frequently find them unfamiliar and simply do not wear them.

Style. A parent who has worn kurtis or kurta-pyjama every day for fifty years generally does not want a Western tracksuit, even a well-designed adaptive one. Clothing cut in familiar Indian styles gets worn; clothing that looks foreign tends to sit in the cupboard.

Cost and time. Shipping to India is slow and expensive, and customs duty on clothing can be substantial. Buying in India costs a fraction and arrives in days.

The exception is anything genuinely unavailable in India, which for daily clothing is very little.

A practical ordering checklist

• Get the size from a label photograph or two measurements, then size up one
• Confirm the full delivery address including landmark and PIN code
• Use a phone number that will be answered
• Decide payment: international card, or cash on delivery if simpler
• Order one item first if you are unsure of fit, then the rest
• Tell whoever is at home that a parcel is coming, and roughly when
• For a planned surgery, order in the week before, not after

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know what size to order for my parent in India?

The simplest method is to ask someone to photograph the size label inside a garment your parent already wears comfortably. Alternatively take two measurements, chest at the fullest part and waist at the natural waistline, over light clothing. Then order one size up, since Indian sizing runs smaller than US or UK sizing and adaptive clothing is meant to be loose.

Can I use my US, UK or Canadian card on an Indian website?

Usually yes. Most established Indian retailers accept international cards, though some payment gateways decline foreign cards intermittently, in which case a different card or browser generally works. Cash on delivery is a reliable alternative, where whoever is at the address pays the courier on arrival.

How long does delivery take within India?

Typically three to eight business days depending on the city and shipping option. Metro addresses are faster; smaller towns and rural addresses take longer. Give a phone number that will be answered, as Indian couriers call before delivering and an unanswered call often means a failed attempt.

Is it better to buy in India or ship from where I live?

Buying in India is almost always better. Western garments are cut for different proportions and elderly Indian parents often will not wear unfamiliar styles. Shipping is slow and expensive, and customs duty on clothing can be substantial. Indian-made adaptive clothing in familiar styles costs a fraction and arrives in days.

What happens if the size is wrong?

Most Indian retailers offer a return or exchange window, commonly seven days, but returns need someone at the address to hand the parcel to a courier. To avoid this, order one item first to confirm fit before ordering more, and use any pre-purchase sizing help the retailer offers.

How much does adaptive clothing cost in India?

Well below Western brands. Current prices are listed on each product page. Equivalent products from Western adaptive brands typically cost 60 to 90 dollars, so buying in India is substantially cheaper even before shipping is considered.

If you are choosing what to actually order, see our guides to what to send after a stroke and what to pack for a hospital admission.