Is Paytm's pre-GST sale worth your money?

Ahead of the rollout of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) across the country on July 1, Paytm's e-commerce portal – Paytm mall – has announced a three-day long "Pre-GST Clearance Sale" which will not only see sellers offering heavy discounts on a wide range of products, but also cashback offers of up to Rs 20,000. 

Paytm said in a statement: "This Pre-GST Sale will see customers buy items including televisions, consumer durables, premium laptops and DSLRs at up to Rs 20,000 cashback." 

Paytm has also said lucky consumers will also be eligible to win an iPhone 7 with a shopping of minimum Rs. 1,000 during the Pre-GST Sale. 

What's on sale?

As we have mentioned, many of the products have been put on sale with cashback offers. The iPhone 7 32 GB is being offered with a cashback of Rs 5,750, while the top of the line 256GB iPhone 7 Plus is being offered with a Rs 10,000 cashback. 

Airconditioners are being sold with cashback of up to Rs 5,000, while select television sets will earn customers Rs 20,000 in cashback. Laptops are being sold at 8 per cent cashback. 

Good news for retailers and customers

Starting July 1, taxes on many products will significantly rise. With the new GST tax in place, prices of electronics, especially products such as televisions, cameras, ACs and refrigerators will change. 

Smartphones, which carry a levy of 13.5 per cent, will see it drop to 12 per cent, while other electronic goods, such as refrigerators and televisions will get costlier, with a tax of up to 28 per cent. Computers and accessories, which carry a levy of five per cent, will be taxed at 18 per cent once the GST is in force. 

As such, Paytm mall's sale is not only good news for customers but will also help retailers clear their stocks ahead of the implementation of GST. 

What's in it for Paytm?

Paytm's sale comes close on the heels of similar sales by e-commerce giants such as Flipkart and Amazon. The two had earlier slashed prices for products ranging from fashion to home appliances to mobile accessories and other segments.

With more than 6,000 retailers from across 500 brands, this is arguably the biggest sale conducted by the e-commerce unit of the company and will surely make it more popular among users of the fast-growing e-commerce space.

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