Amazon, Flipkart Independence Day sales: What to keep in mind before buying mobiles

Amazon and Flipkart sales have returned once again, just ahead of Independence Day. The e-commerce platforms are hosting Independence Day sales, which kick off on August 8 with deals and discounts on products across various categories, including consumer electronics. Mobiles, especially smartphones are a key category.

But it can be confusing to figure out whether there really is an offer worth considering, especially with companies claiming huge discounts. Even after you have done all the research, it is tough to decide whether you should go for an older phone with a massive discount or stick with the newer variant at higher prices.

So what should a user do before hitting buy? We list out four key factors to consider before purchasing a mobile phone during online sales:

Double-check original prices, see which variants have discounts

Sometimes mobile phones listings look like they have a huge discount. But it is recommended to double-check the price by perhaps reading news articles around the time the phone was launched. This will give a good idea about the original price, if you are not sure about the discount. There are also websites that track the pricing of phones. 

One can also head to the phone company’s website to know the ‘actual’ price. But if a mobile is on discount on e-commerce platforms, then it is likely that the manufacturer will also display the same discounted price. Still compare prices across all websites before hitting buy.

Exchange offers: What to check for

Almost all phones listed during sales have an exchange offer. Many of these seem lucrative with promises of exchange amount as high as Rs 13,000 or more. But you will never get the entire amount for exchange. Why? Because the exchange value depends on the condition of the device you are trading in.

For example, if you are exchanging an older affordable model, say a phone that originally cost Rs 10,000, then the exchange value you end up getting can be as low as Rs 500. Only Apple’s iPhones tend to fetch more than Rs 10,000, even more than a year after they originally went on sale. For budget phones exchange value tends to be really low.

Both Flipkart and Amazon provide an option for users to enter their product brand and model to check how much discount will offered under the exchange scheme. This will make it easier to decide whether it is even feasible to exchange your older phone or just buy it without the exchange.

Finally, many times the discounted price is actually is on ‘exchange’. What this means is that the discount is not on the actual product. If the price shows an extra off on exchange, then that means you can avail that additional discount only on the exchange value.

Specifications: More RAM, storage

A basic specifications comparison of phones is recommended while looking for a phone. For example, someone who plans to play games and does not care much about the camera, should focus on a good processor and battery. For those who love to click pictures, getting a phone with a top quality camera will be important.

But the one important thing to keep in mind is to go for a smartphone with minimum 32GB internal storage. You may find good deals on 16GB ROM phones, but mobiles with less storage will most likely run out of space quickly and overall performance will be impacted. Even with expandable storage supported, it is advisable to go for phones with 32GB or higher storage.

Older phones: Whether to buy or not?

Many older phones get good deals during sales, but should you buy these? Well, it depends on what features you want in the new phone, and which ones you are willing to compromise on.

When it comes to Apple’s iPhones, there is always confusion around sales. The older models, especially over two-three year old models get discounts making them a lot more affordable. But prices of the newer iPhones remain as high as ever. Still older iPhones ensure excellent cameras and performance. But there’s a chance that Android is offering better and newer specifications at a much lower price.

Storage is another factor that comes in play again. Older iPhones like Apple iPhone 7 have just 32GB space and no microSD card, which will be a compromise in the long run.

In the Android world, older premium phones are often available on heavy discounts. For instance, the older OnePlus 6T (renewed) version is still listed on Amazon. This is a good option to consider given the top-end processor and cameras. Samsung’s premium flagships also get discounts in these sales, especially if they are more than a year old and this makes them more affordable.

In the budget category, it can be confusing though. The Redmi Note 6 Pro does not have a glass body design or 48MP camera, but it is priced at Rs 12,999 for 64GB variant. This is still a good value for money phone. Same goes for the older Mi A2, which has a massive discount. But then the newer Redmi Note 7 Pro is recommended over its predecessor in terms of performance and looks. The problem is that it might not have a heavy discount. In the end, your budget will end up dictating what you finally pick.