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After some teething problems like the not-so-exciting deals in the first year and the site crashing for a day in 2013, the Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF) finally had a great time sailing this year. To mark the beginning of GOSF this year, <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword> and its partners started pre-party celebrations (from Dec 9) and launched contests, games and surprise gifts. This, obviously, was Google’s well-thought and well-timed strategy to build ample anticipation around India’s biggest shopping gala. With a patronage of more than 450 partners, <keyword id="2622320" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="GOSF-2014">GOSF 2014</keyword> had set the stage for a never-seen-before shopping frenzy. However, all was not rosy during these ‘72 hours of crazy’ shopping. Like all things colossal, this extravaganza, too, was marred with some snags. 
 
Mehul Jobanputra, CEO and co-founder of DesiDime.com, India’s largest online shopping community, shares a few hits and misses of GOSF 2014. 
 
HIT: No Speed-breakers Ahead 
Of all Internet errors, the ‘500 internal server error’ is the most annoying and most common. But, despite experiencing more than twice their usual traffic, most GOSF partner websites successfully run during the sale without going offline even for a minute. This year, both Google and the merchant sites were well-prepared to stand steady under the sheer weight of massive numbers, thus giving shoppers a bump-free ride. 
 
HIT: The Rs 299 Corner 
 
This unassuming offer won the highest number of fans for GOSF 2014. Be it fashion apparels, shoes, watches, soft toys, sunglasses, cookware, home décor items, kitchen appliances, almost everything was up for grabs at this small sum. However, the modesty of price did not translate to humble goods. The products on offer in this section were vast in quality, quantity as well as range. Coming from known brands and trustworthy merchants, goods from this corner were seized in big numbers, far and wide. 
 
HIT: The Great Social Media Buzz 
Google made optimal use of the micro-blogging site Twitter during the run-up to GOSF 2014 as well as during the main event. It encouraged word-of-mouth publicity with various Twitter contests, which eventually led to shoppers sharing their experiences and discussing deals of GOSF 2014. #72HoursOfCrazy and #GOSFWithSnapdeal were the most trending GOSF related hashtags on day 1, while the former had become the 5th most trending topic worldwide on day 3. 
 
HIT: Small Merchants, Big Show 
The rule of the jungle did not apply here. Relatively smaller and lesser known merchants put up an equally strong show against the much familiar giants. Paytm, Limeroad, Zovi, Yepme, Justeat, Foodpanda and Trendin were some of the underlings who turned out to be the dark horses in this Derby of discounts. While Paytm won the day with its fat cashback offers, Limeroad took the cake away with its Buy One Get One offer across all categories. In short, customers got a wider variety to choose from this GOSF. 
 
HIT: Online Real Estate Arrives 
Who would have thought that the erstwhile apprehensive Indian buyer, who found it hard to trust the virtual space even with its most trivial shopping requirements, could be lured in to investing in real estate online? According to reports, Tata Housing received around 10,000 bookings and a Bangalore-based real estate developer, Purvankara booked 125 homes on the first day itself. The numbers were beyond the wildest dreams of both GOSF as well as of the realty partners. GOSF 2014 certainly succeeded in asserting the online presence of the Indian real estate category. 
 
MISS: No Flipkart 
 
India’s big shopping festival felt so incomplete without Flipkart. The latter’s loyalists would have surely missed its absence sorely, thereby dampening their enthusiasm for GOSF 2014. True that Flipkart launched its own Big App Shopping Days for them, but it did miss out on the greater bulk of customers, who still prefer making online purchases on desktops and laptops. This one was a miss for GOSF, Flipkart and the consumers, alike. 
 
MISS: Mobile phone deals, less than wow 
Although statistics indicate that mobile phones and tablets were the most popular products in GOSF 2014, the discounts on these were less exciting than expected. The ones that were truly mind-blowing lasted for about a few hours, and in some cases, only a few minutes. Some of the craziest deals on mobile phones were: iPhone 6 at Rs 26,750 on Shopclues, Micromax Canvas A1 at Rs 5,999 on Amazon India and some lesser-known mobile phones at Rs 299 on Shopclues. 
 
MISS: Weekend Shoppers 
Like every year, GOSF arrived on a Wednesday this year, too. Although it lasted for a good three days, it was over before the weekend began. While this is obviously because the online shopping arena witnesses a surge in traffic during weekdays, Google misses out on the weekend shoppers every year. 
 
(About the author: The article has been submitted by desidime.com) 
 
(Image courtesy:www.<a href="http://offoindia.com/">offoindia.com)</a>

Hits & Misses of Of GOSF 2014

GOSF 2014 is about to end in next few hours. With the shopping extravaganza coming to an end, this is time to look at how successful GOSF 2014 proved to be, did e-tailers deliver on the promise they had made, and what are the products that caught Indian consumers’ fancy. If you ask us, then we feel that GOSF 2014 wasn’t as great as we thought it would be. The deals that were offered, the shopping patterns that were observed couldn’t impress us much. 
 
However, Rohan Bhargava, Co-Founder of CashKaro.com, says, “The Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF) by Google has evidently given an impetus to the growing e-commerce industry in India. Retailers offered some never seen before deals across product categories with Rs 299 corner and Exclusive launch section being the highlight of the shopping festival. 
 
Taking a tip from the recent online shopping festivals, retailers were definitely better prepared in order to handle higher site traffic and consumers did not face any major technological glitches as such. We at CashKaro.com saw a splurge in traffic by 450 per cent and 350 per cent increase in revenues during GOSF. The average order value also doubled as compared to normal days. With the success of GOSF this year, the stakes for next year are set to be even higher.” 
 
To back up his thoughts, Rohan has shared an infographic depicting the GOSF 2014 trends for all three days. Take a look! 
 
(Please note: This data is specific to India alone and has been shared by cashkaro.com, one of the India’s largest cashback &amp; coupons site)

GOSF Roundup: A Look
At The Shopping Trends In The Last Three Days

The shopping frenzy that begin today with the <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword>’s <keyword id="6357762" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Online-shopping">Online Shopping</keyword> Fest (<keyword id="1968281" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="GOSF">GOSF</keyword>) 2014, wherein over 400 retailers have come together to participate, has completed 18 hours. While Google is anticipating multi-fold increase in traffic, the traction doesn't look that great in comparison to GOSF last year--absence of Flipkart from GOSF could be one of the reasons. Let's take a quick look at the shopping trends for GOSF 2014-Day 1. 
 
· Today, the web traffic increased by 450% and revenues increased by 350% increase in comparison to normal days. 
· The average order value today was Rs 3,500, which is usually Rs 2,000 on normal days. 
· The top 5 retailers today were: Amazon, Jabong, Shopclues.com, snapdeal and myntra.com. You don’t see Flipkart on this list, because they opted not to participate in GOSF. 
· Mobile &amp; Electronics were the most sought-after category at 40% while fashion was the second at 35%. Baby care and travel come in next in the list, and could grab only 8% of buyer’s attention. 
· If like us, you also thought that women are shopaholics, then today’s shopping patterns will prove you wrong. In contrast to 76% male buyers, only 24% females participated in GOSF today. 
· Most of the shopping was done by youngsters as 50% of buyers aged between 25-34. 
 
(Please note, this data is specific to India alone. This data as well as infographics has been compiled by cashkaro.com, India’s largest cashback &amp; coupons site)

GOSF Day 1 Over! Let’s Take A Look At Today's Shopping Trends

<keyword id="2622320" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="GOSF-2014">GOSF 2014</keyword> was a huge success, and it has now started a new war of thoughts in the retail industry i.e. “online v/s offline shopping”. Although the fact of the matter is that <keyword id="6357762" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Online-shopping">online shopping</keyword> is getting more and more popular, there are many who still feel that the traditional way of shopping is truly a good experience. 
 
However, with changes in the lifestyle and perceptions, the growing Commerce sphere has truly influenced those who have been shopping the conventional way. Shopping at a mall might be a great way to catch up with friends, but fighting through a super crowded maddening rush during the sale season, is an area of frustration offline shoppers can do without. If you still feel the need to rush out to a market or a mall every time a sale is announced, here are a few reasons why you might be missing out. 
 
What is Offline is Also Online, Just Cheaper 
 
 
 
So, you like that new Zara jacket in the store, but you don’t like the price? Not to worry, online retailers are here to save the day. When you buy something online, sale or no sale, it will still cost you less than what you would have to pay offline. 
 
Online is a better place to avail discounts and offers on the online shopping portals. Often we see festive discounts and off-season sales where one can avail discounts from 20% to 70% at any time of the year. One can also get notifications of such deals when you subscribe, which is not possible in the conventional way of shopping. 
 
When you buy online, there is an option to avail and discount coupon from coupon sites. Moreover, there are cashback sites which provide cash back over and above the discounts you get, and thus, result in huge savings. 
 
Everywhere Convenience 
 
 
 
Image Source :<a href="http://www.creamuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/How_Tablets_Are_Overtaking_Smartphones_in_MCommerce.jpg">Cremuk</a> 
 
When you compare the online and the offline shopping world, you will realise that online shopping is quite convenient, because you can do it right from your office or your home or even when you are on a holiday. You can also shop at any time, during the day or even at midnight. Online portals are open 24x7. This is especially useful for people who are always busy and do not have the time to run from one shop to another. Unless you shop with an added objective of getting some exercise, there is no reason why online shopping isn’t for you. You can even try on the clothes at your convenience and return what doesn’t fit. 
 
A Paradise For Those Who Hate Crowds 
 
 
 
Any offline sale, especially if there is a big brand involved, manages to pull crowds from everywhere around that store. This at times means spending your precious time and energy in long queues, which surely no one enjoys. Even after you have selected what you want to buy, there is still the issue of waiting in a queue during the time of billing. 
 
And it is not just at the mall, where the problem of “crowds” come in. The traffic you have to go through while driving to the store and the parking issues that you will face after you reach the destination are enough to make you want to rethink your shopping preference. And these are problems that you do not have to face while you shop for a sale at home. 
 
More Products and Even More Products 
 
When you shop online, even during a sale, you can check thousands of styles, designs and colors along with the price range very quickly, without the need of a salesperson to help you. 
 
There are many times where you need to buy for the whole family, and, in the case of offline shopping, this means visiting multiple stores with different offerings. This makes for a very daunting task. But, when you shop online, you can select from a variety of products right from electronics, jewellery, kitchenware, beauty products, apparels, toys, shoes, handbags, and many more. And you can buy all of these items from just one online store! 
 
Shop from Multiple Stores Simultaneously 
 
There are many shopping websites online, and you might want to check prices of one product on different sites during the sale. Price comparison websites let you see the price of the same product on different sites. If you have already decided what you want to buy, and from where you want to it buy from, there are several <a href="http://www.pennyful.in/extension?sitevariant=desktop">browser plugins</a> available that tell you if you can save more money while buying that product. 
 
Out of stock? You’ll Get a Piece Anyway 
 
Another dreadful thing about going for an offline sale is that most of the good products are gone before you even know they exist. There are also many instances where you find what you are looking for, but not in your size. If you find that the product of your choice is out of stock online, you can click the option that alerts you when your product comes back, and you will be notified in your email or a store representative will call you and you can buy then buy it. So there is no chance that you will lose the product you fell in love with. 
 
About the author: The article has been written by Ravitej Yadalam, CEO and Founder of <a href="http://www.pennyful.in">Pennyful</a> which is one of the leading coupons and cashback sites.

What Makes Online Shopping So Popular?

With the increasing frenzy and surge in <keyword id="6357762" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Online-shopping">online shopping</keyword> festivals, various <keyword id="35621" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce">e-commerce</keyword> websites provide unbelievable discounts and offers. But there is always a confusion risk involved. How do you ensure that you are getting the best bargains? How do you make the most of online shopping frenzy? 
 Sameer Parwani, founder and CEO of <keyword id="1970786" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Coupondunia">CouponDunia</keyword>, shares few tips that can help you survive online shopping frenzy as well as save money during <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword>’s Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF)—a three-day long shopping festival that is happening between December 10-12, 2014. Take a look! 
 
1. Do your research well: Research is the foundation for smart buying decisions. The better prepared you are with your research, the more you stand a chance to strike the best deal—especially if you are buying expensive items like laptops, mobiles, home furniture, etc. Always have a clear idea of which brand and model you want. These aren’t impulse purchases, so you need to do your research ahead of time 
 
2. Sign up and registrations: Make sure that you register yourself at all the major shopping sites. Do not waste time filling in your shipping details when you could be buying on GOSF days! The best deals will go quick. And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to browse around a bunch of e-commerce sites that you might shop from on GOSF in advance; this way you’ll be familiar with the website and would know how to find what you want and quickly. 
 
3. Banking details: Just like all other details, make sure you fill in your credit/debit card details beforehand. Also check your debit balance and credit limits. It would be an epic failure if you are not able to shop just because you forgot to pay down your balance. 
 
4. Sizes are always a problem: If you are buying clothes online, be aware that your size will vary from site to site. So, it’s a better idea to keep a list of your size per site handy. Even better, order in multiple sizes and take advantage of free returns (wherever allowed). For furniture, measure your space ahead of time so that you can get stuff like cool bar stools from Pepperfry or frames from Poster gully. Nothing frustrates you like buying something and realising it doesn’t fit. 
 
5. Wishlists are a must: Have your wish-lists ready in each category. People get side-tracked and stuck in the same category and miss out on other things. Make sure you have a priority list across categories and keep switching between categories. It will help narrow down and focus your shopping efforts; and there’s a higher probability you will get more things. 
 
6. Planning: GOSF is a brilliant time to shop in advance for those occasions where you’ll need to gift: birthdays, wedding anniversaries, showers, bachelorette parties, Christmas, New Year’s…bring it on! Make two lists: one with generic, good quality gifts that can be gifted at any time of the year. And a second list of gifts for loved ones and their eccentric tastes. You’ll be able to find some awesome gifts (without spending a fortune) simply by buying their favourite things in advance! 
 
7. Keep yourself updated: Maximize advance alerts. Now is a good time to sign-up for email alerts from your favorite retailer and follow their social media platforms. Download their mobile apps so you receive their push notifications with offers. Also, check out the plethora of GOSF guide sites that will invariably spring up and subscribe to the relevant and trustworthy mailing lists to get daily updates of the best offers-to-come. Figure out the one you like and trust, and then stick with it. 
 
8. Policies check: Check return and exchange policies. Site policy can change for GOSF deals. Make sure you know what the return and exchange policy is for the product you’re buying. Determine if a return is even possible. Be alert to merchandise sold as a “final sale” item. Remember to keep the receipts, purchase order and delivery package in case you need to return the item. 
 
9. Shop Smart: Take advantage of the GOSF Rs 299 corner where you will be able to find products that usually sell from Rs 500–2,000 being sold for Rs 299 only! You’ll get free shipping and COD on top also. 
 
10. Patience is the KEY: Be patient. Don’t get frustrated. There will be glitches, there will be crashes, and there will be frozen check-out pages. The biggest disappointment of all, some of the best deals will go off even before you are able to buy them. In such situations, keep calm and continue shopping. It’s not realistic to expect to be able to snag every amazing deal, so stay calm and move on to the next thing in your list. [Tip: Have coffee ready on the side and if you must vent, keep Twitter handy on a separate tab.] 
 
This article is written by Sameer Parwani, CEO-<a href="http://gosf.coupondunia.in/">CouponDunia</a>, which is a leading coupon website and a subsidiary of Times Internet (TIL).

10 Tips To survive The Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF) Frenzy!

December is here. It is that time of the year, when most of us plan to take a break from our hectic schedule—plan a holiday, soak up the late winter sunshine, spend quality time with family and loved ones, pursue our hobbies, and enjoy ourselves to the hilt. And oh, did we mention shopping? Isn’t this the time, when most of us also splurge—after all this is also the season of sales, discounts and offers. Yes, we agree, this year e-retailers like Flipkart and <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> spoilt us rotten, but December has again brought for us an exciting shopping fest—the <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword> <keyword id="6357762" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Online-shopping">Online Shopping</keyword> Fest 2014. 
 This three-day fest, which is starting today (10 December) and would end on 12 December, has a lot to be excited about. For instance: exclusive launches by e-tailers across industries and Rs 299 corner. But, what’s more electrifying is the fact that this sale, organized by a non eCommerce player (Google that is), is not just limited to electronics, apparels, and books. <keyword id="1968281" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="GOSF">GOSF</keyword> 2014 is beyond that and brings to you offers across 23 categories. These include: Gifts &amp; Flowers, mobile apps, automobiles &amp; accessories, real estate, jobs, finance/insurance, healthcare &amp; sports/fitness, travel, telecom, bridal collection, education, online matrimonial, online games and more. 
 
If you are wondering the kind of deals that you can expect in GOSF 2014, then well, we have digged out some of the interesting ones for you, by talking to some of the GOSF’s recent partners. See, which among these you would like to take advantage of. Happy shopping!

Google’s Online Shopping Fest (GOSF) Is Here!  5 Deals That Will Get You Excited!

If you are disappointed that with the end of Great <keyword id="6357762" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Online-shopping">Online Shopping</keyword> Festival (GOSF 2014), your last reason for shopping this year has expired; so let us tell you that’s not the case. As Christmas is just around the corner, many online stores are working overtime to ensure that you enjoy a ‘merry shopping spree’ before wishing ‘merry Christmas’. And if you are stuck with gift ideas that are perfect for everyone on your lists, here are some suggestions on where you can look to meet all of your <keyword id="1323421" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Christmas-shopping">Christmas shopping</keyword> needs. 
 
Kids 
 
 
What is Christmas without the ringing laughter and the gleeful screams of happy children? Smiles of the youngest ones are the biggest during this festival. And to see these smiles, you needn’t have to make your wallet frown. At Firstcry.com, you can fulfill all your kids’ wishes at an affordable price. Asia’s largest online baby and kids’ store is hosting a Merry X’Mas sale till 31 December, 2014, offering flat 33% off on all orders above Rs 999. This offer is applicable across all categories like apparels, footwear, baby gear, toys, games, or nursery needs. 
(Image: firstcry) 
 
Gifts 
 In Christmas, gifts are most looked forward to across all ages and genders. You can lay your hands on some beautiful Christmas Personalized Gifts like chocolate hampers, tea-light holders, bells , paintings and other such curios at the best prices on Indiatimes Shopping. However, if you wish to give some more practical gifts this Christmas, you ought to visit stores like Flipkart, Amazon India, ebay and <keyword id="6357120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="PayTM">Paytm</keyword>, which offer you neatly segregated special Christmas stores. Here, you can find the most exciting deals on everything from home décor, kitchen ware, to fashion apparels, accessories and electronics. 
(Image: indiatimes) 
 
Home Décor 
 
Christmas is definitely incomplete without some sparkles, tinsels and wreaths in the home. As temperatures dip outside, you can uplift the warm, festive spirit of your home at little extra cost this season with The Super Big Christmas Sale 2014 at Pepperfry.com. This huge online marketplace for home and living is offering up to 40% extra off on furniture, home décor, furnishing, kitchen appliances, bed and bath products and more. While FashionandYou has a separate Christmas Call section, Fashionara too has a Christmas Carnival section, offering charming Christmas themed home décor items at amazing discounts. 
(Image: Pepperfry) 
 
Clothes 
 Everyone is bit by the party bug during Christmas. So, if you have already exhausted your party wardrobe, you can rejuvenate it with the latest trends at your convenience. Two of India’s most fashion-savvy online portals, Myntra and Jabong, have launched their respective special party stores. The e-tailers have accumulated all the party apparels and accessories in one place, making your <keyword id="8203" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Christmas-party">Christmas party</keyword> shopping easier and hassle-free. What’s more? Many of these products come at a discount of more than 50%! 
(Image: Myntra) 
 
Travel 
 
If you are planning your Christmas and New Year holidays, here is another reason to smile even broader. Well-known travel site expedia.co.in brings you up to 50% additional discounts on domestic and international hotel bookings, till 22 December, 2014. Another travel site, Musafir.com is hosting Winter Carnival, giving flat Rs 600 off on domestic flights as well as a discount of Rs 5,000 on international flights. 
 
Image: expedia.co.in, Thinkstock 
 
This article has been written by Vandana Baria, Content Marketing Specialist at <a href="http://www.desidime.com/">DesiDime.com</a>

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