5 Tips for Spotting Fake Discounts During Sale Season

During major sale events like the Great Indian Festival, Big Billion Days, or Prime Day, you will see banners claiming 60%, 70%, even 80% discounts. But how many of these are real? The truth is that some sellers inflate the MRP before the sale to make the discount look bigger. Here are five ways to spot fake discounts using price history data.

1. Check the price history before the sale

The most reliable way to spot a fake discount is to check what the product was selling for in the weeks before the sale. If a product was listed at INR 1,000 before the sale and suddenly has an MRP of INR 3,000 with a '70% off' label bringing it to INR 900, that is not a real discount. Use AIPriceHistory to see the actual price trend before sale season begins.

2. Compare with the lowest price seen

Every product page on AIPriceHistory shows the lowest price we have ever seen. Compare the sale price with this number. If the sale price is still higher than that, you are not getting the best deal possible.

3. Look at the discount percentage critically

A 70% discount sounds impressive, but discount percentages are calculated against MRP, which sellers can set arbitrarily. A product with a realistic MRP and 20% discount may be a better deal than one with an inflated MRP and 70% off.

4. Watch for price fluctuations in the days before the sale

Some sellers increase prices a week or two before a major sale, then 'discount' them back to the original price during the sale. This creates the illusion of a deal. Our price history charts make these patterns easy to spot.

5. Use the usual price range and the price rating

Where a product has enough history, AIPriceHistory shows a usual price range (great price, usual price or on the higher side, based on all the prices we have seen) and a price rating (Good price, Fair price or Expensive) that compares today's price with the prices we have seen. A price in the great band is low for that product's past; it is not a guarantee that the discount is real or that the price will not fall further.