E-commerce retailers in India have been vying for the top spot for quite some time now. Since the emergence of Amazon India in the region, things have only gotten tougher for the other players in the industry. But we might get to see the real winners in the e-commerce space as early as next week, as all three major e-commerce players of the country – Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal – have announced their annual mega sales on almost the same days, taking each other head-on.
While Amazon will hold its “The Great Indian Festival” from the 1st of October to the 5th of October, Flipkart’s “Big Billion Day 2016” and Snapdeal’s “Unbox Diwali Sale” will be held from Oct 2 – Oct 6.
Amit Agarwal, the country head of Amazon India said “These marathon 120 hours of the event mark our continuing commitment to work closely with our partners and together bring the biggest sale yet for our customers, with the best ever shopping experience powered by Prime.”
With Amazon offering a free Prime subscription for the first three months, faster delivery options will be a feature of these sales. While Flipkart also offers expedited shipping for its Flipkart First subscribers, it is still a paid affair. Perhaps Flipkart will start offering free subscriptions to its customers during the sale.
Snapdeal has recently launched Snapdeal Gold, which offers expedited shipping and delivery to the customers. This, in addition to discounts of up to 70%, could be a highlight of the retailer’s five day sale period. The Unbox Diwali Sale might attract a different set of customers given the diversity of products on its platform.
Shopclues is also holding a sale during the same time, but it will last until the 10th of October. While Shopclues is not a big fish like the aforementioned e-commerce players, the fact that it has its sale for a longer period will ensure that it grabs a lot of eyeballs.
Now that you know the deals that the retailers are holding, here are a few things you need to keep in mind before you prepare for the raining discounts.
Make sure you’re using the mobile app to avail maximum discounts on products. Also check for retailer subscriptions for expedited shipping and exclusive deals. Amazon is offering a 3-month trial of Amazon Prime, which can give you early access to some deals. The same can be said about Flipkart and Snapdeal offerings as well.