How to get best deals in the Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF) Cyber Wednesday. There will be limited stocks and considering this the first time the event is held in India and with all the hype, chances are you might not be able to grab the best deals.
GOSF is a great time for regular online buyers and first time online shoppers alike. The merchants are also geared up expecting exceptional online sale on this ‘Cyber Wednesday’, going by the outstanding success of Cyber Monday in US which was the best ever this year.
GOSF Best Deals
So how can you get the best deals of GOSF …
1. Be There First
Its best to get shopping as soon as 11 December ends at 11.59pm and deals open at 12 December. There might be limited stocks (and people who read this article might be ready!) and by the time you wake up, your deal might already be gone. Then you might be stuck with lesser deals or another online shop.
2. Keep Buy List Ready
Waiting for something to buy for a long time? This might be the right time. Most websites have already put up teaser landing pages highlighting the deals on offer. The exact deals will work on 12 December, but you can plan early and click buy as soon as it is available. It is important to plan what you actually need to buy.
3. Choose Best Deals
There are multiple sellers for the same products in the product channels. Check their GOSF pages to see what are the best deals they offer on the products you want to buy. Find the merchants which will offer the best deals. This could be cash discount, free shipping, EMIs and more.
4. Explore New Online Shops
Maybe you always buy online from your favorite online shop? You might have never imagined that there are so many popular online shops out there. GOSF brings together some of the most popular branded shops online. This give you an opportunity to find better deals on other shops as well with whom you might decide to continue shopping later also. Know more about them by following their social media accounts.
5. Find Specialty Shops
Chances are you will get better deals and more product variety on specialty shops – that is shops which sell in specific niche products (better to buy shoes from a shoe seller). If you are looking for some specific product, it might be good idea to buy from shops dealing in these special products (as compared to general online shops which sell everything)
6. The EMI trap
See which deal works best for you. Interest free EMI might be a good option if you buy expensive items with a limited budget. But usually EMI start at a minimum price range, and are they actually interest free. What happens if you default on payment? EMI deals prompt you to spend more but it is a good idea to buy only what you can afford easily. Shopping should make you happy, not take you in debt.
7. Get Free Shipping
Most online sellers will offer free shipping and it might be a good idea while shipping heavy expensive products. Free shipping makes it worth the deal to buy online rather than through your local store. Do remember to check the delivery times – sometimes the stock is limited and it may take weeks.
8. Free is Not Always Better
Don’t be enticed by gift vouchers and free accessories – check if they are worth the money and deal you opted for. Do you really need to those accessories (or you already own them). Gift vouchers have lots of clauses (be sure to read the fine print), and you might never be able to use them to your advantage.
9. Confirm Shipping Charges
Check to find how much the seller will charge for shipping fees? Unlike buying from your local market, sometime shipping might cost more than the product price!
10. Will the Seller deliver?
Does the seller deliver to your address? Many sellers might be delivering to major cities only. If you want to ship to smaller villages, the seller might not agree to ship. So it is essential to find a seller who will deliver your product to your shipping address.
11. Use Credit /Debit Cards
It seems GOSF has tied up with HDFC cards, which is offering more 5x reward points on credit card buys and assured value e-vouchers on debit card purchases (Rs. 1000 on spending Rs. 5000 and above). This converts to the extra discount you are looking for. Many sellers will not accept demand drafts or cheques. Do they offer cash on delivery – that might suit your style if you are concerned about giving out your credit card details.
12. Find coupon codes
Remember many sites are posting coupon codes on these special pages. It is essential to add these promo codes during checkout and payment to get the discount deal. Do not be surprised if the GOSF discount is not added by default as they might have different levels of payment systems.
13. Who will sell the product
Are you buying from the online shop itself like Flipkart or is it a marketplace like Ebay. The difference is that in online marketplaces, you can have thousands of sellers, who will themselves be responsible for the product they sell.
14. Refund / Returns / replacement guarantee
Most online purchases are covered by a refund/ replacement guarentee. But always remember that this varies with the seller. What is the return policy if you do not like the product quality? Do remember to check how proactively the seller will be willing to provide official product guarentee and service etc.
15. Contact Seller NOW
there is still time. If there is a question or clarification about products or shipping etc, you can communicate with the seller before the big day starts, so that you are ready to click buy when the time comes.
Happy Shopping. It’s Cyber Wednesday soon… are you ready.
