Tell us you’re stronger. Tell us you don’t melt at the sight of a BOGO sale. Tell us your three favourite words are not Prices Further Reduced. And tell us you actually look at discount deals with the scepticism they deserve. Most of India doesn’t.

Last year, Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale recorded 140 million customer visits, while Amazon’s Great Indian Festival saw 95 million customer visits in just the first 48 hours. Some 460 million customers visited Myntra during their Big Fashion Festival in 2023. Clearly, we love getting more for less, which means, as the festive shopping season rolls around, we’re likely to fall for sales tricks old and new.

The price-drop that isn’t. “There’s no single sale season anymore,” says marketing professional Sonali Shah who sold cheeky graphic T-shirts under her brand Kero India on Amazon until the pandemic. “But selling on Amazon isn’t as easy as it sounds. My grand design was to be able to cater to customers with every kind of budget. I had to inflate my prices and mark them down just so customers using the discount filter could even see my products, and hopefully buy them. Even for a T-shirt that was originally priced at ₹400, I had to mark it up to ₹1,000, then show a 60% discount.”

The year-round discount. Customers who log in only during sale season tend not to realise that some products are permanently on sale. Sahil Bansal’s travel and luggage brand Fur Jaden sells via multiple channels, including on e-commerce platforms. “We offer a fixed discount on the MRP year-round,” he says. “That ends up becoming the regular selling price, not a special offer.” The brand avoids daily discounts and flash sales. “Those can upset loyal customers and can lead to lost sales and trust.”

The newbie sneaking in. With new brands, many items are deliberately marked down. The brand factors in a few losses until it builds brand loyalty. “It’s now the norm,” says Shah. So, when an unfamiliar brand shows up alongside established ones, look at how they’re all priced. Chances are, the new brand is cheaper, hoping to wrest business away from the others. Whether you want to buy cheap and risk trying a new brand is up to you.

The fine print. Online stores use numerals, % signs, and the idea of urgency to push their products. Hence the lure of the WEEKEND SALE: 30% off + EXTRA 15% + FREE GIFT and ONLY 5 LEFT of individual items. Look carefully. It’s possibly that only a few items in the selection are really 30% cheaper. The top-up discount is capped at a measly ₹250. The gift is a water bottle you didn’t want anyway. And there’s rarely only five left. Most stores don’t let customers use more than one code or coupon, and never on already discounted carts. Oh, and always compare a Buy 2 Get 1-type deal against the item you actually want. Buying one at a smaller discount (or even full price) is cheaper than springing for a second unnecessary one just to get the third useless one for free.

The last mile. Most large-format stores tie up with specific banks so customers get additional rebates, cashback and EMI options on debit- and credit-card purchases. Ask a friend to buy on your behalf if their card turns out to be cheaper. Shah recommends starting early. “Decide what you want and wait for that item to go on sale,” she says. Bansal suggests to start wishlisting products a few days before any sale is announced on a big e-commerce platform. “Then, compare original prices against the discounts when the event begins. Prioritise value over price and stick to your budget,” he says. “It’s the best choice of all.”

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