Be mindful of packaging and shipping costs when purchasing products from the US.
Try using historical price trackers to determine the best deals that suit you
Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Ashkan Forouzani
Black Friday 2022 is only a couple of days away, but storefronts in the US have already started listing products on sale. The annual event marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season, offering steep discounts across electronics, home appliances, clothing, and more. While Black Friday sales usually weren't common in India, several e-commerce sites have tried capitalising on the craze by promoting their own variations over the past few years. That said, if you're looking to claim the best deals from the US marketplace, now would be the best time to prepare. Below, we've prepared a simple guide on how to make the best out of these online sales from India.
Black Friday sales in the US take place right after Thanksgiving, paving way for the festive season, where people could save money on Christmas gifts. While the tradition originally involved customers camping outside brick-and-mortar stores to rush in quickly and avail the best deals on products, the internet has made it far more convenient to shop at your own pace.
While most deals run out quickly, some of them — specifically, electronics — will be available at discounts on the following working day. Dubbed “Cyber Monday,” the promotion is limited to e-commerce websites only, with sales figures hitting an all-time high in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic — $10.8 billion (about Rs. 88,400 crore) spent by shoppers.
This year's Black Friday falls on November 25.
Major retailers like Amazon ship products internationally through their own service, which while super convenient, imposes some limitations on its available inventory. Another option is to get your products hand-delivered through a relative or use a third-party shipping service to get your package delivered in India.
The key recommendation would be Shop and Ship, which even offers a shipping fees calculator on the home page. Once you select the origin and destination countries, followed by the product weight, the portal will automatically calculate the rates for you.
Preparation is key here since discounted products could run out of stock instantly. Wishlist or bookmarking the desired items before the sale goes live is a great way to get a headstart, though you might need to refresh a few times, as the servers tend to take a hit. Following media personals and retailers on social media ensures that you stay up-to-date as soon as products go on sale. This is similar to how PS5 sales work in India, where it functions in a flash sale-like format.
Comparing base prices and shipping costs with other retailers and previous year's sales is a great way to make sure you're getting the best deal. For Amazon US, you could use historical price trackers like camelcamelcamel to figure out whether the product was on sale before, and by what margin.
Setting a firm budget should help you overcome the temptation of overspending since you need to take international shipping costs into consideration. Compare US products with local pricing, and if the total comes out significantly lower, then go for it. No point in trying to save Rs. 500 on a device you could further get serviced in India.
Coming to the subject of online safety, makes sure you're only visiting the official websites, by checking the URL multiple times and looking for the HTTPS lock symbol. Try not to look for products using the Google search bar, as it may lead you to malicious links that mimic actual e-commerce portals. Type all your queries directly into the store's search bar.
PlayStation's Black Friday sales are now live across their online store and retailers across the country, offering discounts of up to 70 percent off on major releases. Understandably, digital copies will be cheaper than physical, though not by a huge margin. Similar discounts can be found on the PC side as well, with the Steam Autumn Sale that runs until November 30.
Steam Autumn Sale Kicks Off With Best Deals for PC Games
Amazon India and Croma also have electronics up for steep discounts, with the former listing a range of audio devices. The trend extends to Noise, who's adding smartwatches into the mix, with a helpful banner for devices under Rs. 2,000. Starting November 25, Tata Cliq is hosting its own version of Black Friday sales, with price drops on furniture, wardrobe, beauty products, and gadgets — all with free shipping.
The sales are also great if you're looking for web domains or VPNs for private browsing. SurfShark, for instance, is offering an 84 percent discount on a 26-month plan, costing Rs. 4,349. Nord VPN is a bit more expensive, costing $80.73 (about Rs. 6,610) for 27 months.
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