How to Spot a Fake Diwali Sale Discount (Before You Pay)

We named this site Asli Discount for a reason. During every festive sale we see products marked "70% off" that cost the same, or less, two weeks earlier. Here's the checklist our team runs before calling anything a real deal.

1. Ignore the MRP, look at the price history

MRP is the maximum a seller is allowed to charge, not what the product normally sells for. A phone with an MRP of ₹24,999 may have been selling at ₹15,999 for months. A "Diwali price" of ₹15,499 is then a ₹500 discount, not 38%.

Check: paste the product link into a price-history tracker and look at the last 3 months.

2. Read the bank offer terms

"Extra 10% off with XYZ card" often has a cap (say ₹1,500), a minimum order value, and sometimes applies only to EMI. Work out what you'll actually save on your order.

3. Watch out for countdown timers

"Deal ends in 02:14:59" is designed to rush you. Many deals come back later in the sale, sometimes at a lower price. If you weren't planning to buy it an hour ago, close the tab and come back tomorrow.

4. Compare the exact model number

Sale editions sometimes have a slightly different model, like less storage, an older chip or a missing accessory. Match the full model number before comparing prices across stores.

5. Check who the seller is

On marketplaces, the same product can be sold by several sellers. Look for a well-rated seller, clear return terms, and "fulfilled by" badges if you want faster delivery and easy returns.

6. Add up the final price

Delivery charges, convenience fees, gift wrap and extended warranty pop-ups can quietly eat the discount. Look at the number on the last screen before you pay, not the first.

Our rule of thumb

A real deal is a lower price than this product's own recent price, on something you already wanted.

That's the bar for every deal on our deals page. If something doesn't pass it, we don't post it.

Shopping for Dhanteras? Our Dhanteras buying guide covers gold and silver purity checks too.