The next batch of one of the most coveted smartphones this
season will go live tomorrow on August 26 at 2 pm. This time there will be 20,000 units of the Xiaomi Mi 3 going on
sale.
If you’ve tried buying one before, you’ll know that grabbing
a unit on Flipkart is not easy. The sales always close in seconds, leaving a
bunch of people high and dry. This time, Flipkart has received 1,00,000
registrations for the phone, which means it is going to be even harder to bag
the phone.
But if you are determined to get your Mi 3 smartphone this
time, here are a few tips that can up your chances of getting one:
1. Start early: Flipkart tends to crash or takes time to
load closer to the opening of the sale. So make sure you have logged on to
Flipkart with your registered account at least two hours before the sale
starts.
2. Enable cookies: Cookies allow websites to recognise you
when you return to them, which makes the browser to load webpages faster. When
you register on Flipkart and save your contact details, make sure you’ve
enabled cookies on your computer. To do this, you’ll need to go to your browsers Settings page and
look for the cookies option.
3. Use multiple web pages: To better your chances of getting
a phone, try opening the page on separate devices such as a tablet or a
smartphone. If you don’t have a separate device, open the page on multiple
browser windows (windows, not tabs). Press Alt+Tab to quickly switch between
windows. Getting a friend to click on different pages for you might be useful.
4. Use a single account: Many may tell you to register more
than one account to boost your chances of obtaining an Mi 3 smartphone.
However, Flipkart’s policy is against people trying to buy the phone using
multiple accounts. Even if you do manage to buy the phone doing this, there’s a
good chance of the purchase getting cancelled later on.
5. Type quickly: All of Xiaomi’s sales in the past have
lasted for no more than 5 seconds. This means you’ll need to type in your
details as fast as you can. If you can’t, try getting a friend who can type
fast for you. One of our readers suggested memorising card details to speed up
the purchase time. Also, try keeping your typing-time to the minimum by save
your shipping address and contact details beforehand.
6. Click before you see ‘Buy Now’ : Don’t wait for the
countdown to end to click on Buy Now. Like an impatient kid, start clicking few
seconds before you see the button. Make sure you place the mouse pointer
slightly above the countdown box, as that is where the button would appear.
7. Ignore add-ons: Gift wrapping, 1-day deliveries etc can
wait, but the Mi 3 smartphone does not. Opting for these add-ons could
complicate the purchase process and crash the website, so stick to the normal
delivery mode to keep the process as simple as possible.
8. Buy until you get a confirmation: According to one of our
readers, stop only once you’ve received a confirmation of your purchase. To be
sure that the phone has been added to your cart, check the orders page.
Flipkart has now allowed users to complete the purchase after adding phones to
your cart. This means you can try adding as many phones you want and pay
Flipkart later that day.
For those too lazy to follow the steps, e-tailer
Buyhatke.com has a one-click extension that claims to add the device to your
cart immediately. You can check it out here.
If you are wondering why the the Mi 3 has attracted so much
of attention, note that it packs high-end capabilities for a meagre Rs 13,999.
Read our Xiaomi Mi 3 review, to find out if it is worth buying. For those who
don’t wish to be a part of the herd, check out some alternatives to the Mi 3.
