Shop smartly this online sale season

With hordes of online sales lined up during the festive season, how do you know you're getting the best of the deals? We give you some tips that will help you make the right choices.
Juggling with a crowd to pick the best products, braving long queues outside the trial rooms, endless wait at the billing counter and more during the sale season is just so passé -it's time for the great Indian online sales, this festive season! While the wait -though online in the comfort of your living room or office -and `out of stock' tags are still a possibility, consumers seem to be a happy lot with online retail portals declaring jumbo sales, one after another.For those who have ditched physical shopping for the click of the button, it is the best time to make their purchases.
Shopaholic Ankita Gupta, who has also been studying consumer behaviour, says, “While shopping has always been an addiction, it has grown to a different level with such lucrative offers at the click of a button. Earlier, when I had to shop, I would plan in advance, but today, I can log on and start shopping. So there's more chance of me shopping now than it was earlier.“ But, there are certain things you should keep in mind while you shop online, especially during the sale season.Chetan Deshpande, an online media specialist, says, “With more and more e-portals gaining popularity, we all like to do online `window' shopping these days. However, our shopping is not need-driven anymore. People shop because they see a heavy discount and not because they need a certain thing.“
So, here's the first thing you need to keep in mind -don't buy it if you don't need it. “Don't get tempted by discounts and offers. Instead, buy things only when you need them.Otherwise, you will end up stocking too much stuff that you don't need.“
But once you've decided what you want to buy , the smart thing would be to compare prices before falling for a discount. Shopping blogger Mukta Jain says, “While all these offers are lucrative, it is advisable to cross check prices on multiple portals before you zero in on anything. And I speak from experience. During a sale, I looked for a cosmetic item online, which had a 30% discount. But when I compared prices on other portals, I realised that it was cheaper on other sites.“ The next step would be to look for coupons. Mukta says, “There are a plethora of coupons available these days. So, whenever I buy something online, I check for coupons. They get me an added discount and make the purchase cheaper.“
Also, the time of the day you choose to shop is important as well.Ankita says, “Most people shop online during the day . So, to save myself from out-of-stock situations and site crashes, I always shop early morning.Not many people try to shop at that time and the speed is great as well.“
Once everything is done, and you are about to make a payment, make sure you choose cash on delivery .Chetan says, “Whenever there are big sales happening on a portal, the chances of hacking are much higher on that site. So, either choose to pay on delivery or make use of an account that has minimal balance.“
Cash on delivery also gives you the option of checking out the product and then paying. “I always opt for paying on delivery because I can then check the product. And just in case it is faulty or there's some problem, I can refuse to pay . Returning the product is too much of a hassle and takes a lot of time as well.“
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF ONLINE SALES
Shop wisely: Discounts may be tempting, but it doesn't mean you have to shop. Buy things only if you need them.
Compare prices: While discounts may be a good way to save money, sometimes portals, other than the one having a sale, can have competitive prices as well.
Scout for coupons: Along with sale, many website offer coupons as well.
Perfect timing: Whenever there's heavy sale, websites get over crowded with traffic and might crash sometimes. Shop early morning or late night to make the most.
Cash on delivery is best: Hackers are always on a lookout for these sales, as more buyers would mean more chances of snooping into someone's account. So, choose cash on delivery to avoid chances of hacking.