When we built CompareIdea, we assumed the interesting number was the launch price. It took exactly one day of checking real stores to learn otherwise. Here is what the data on our own catalogue is already telling us.
Lesson 1: Some phones get much cheaper, fast
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra launched at ₹1,54,999. On 31 October we verified it at ₹1,24,999 on Flipkart — ₹30,000 less — and ₹1,39,999 at Croma. Same phone, same week, three prices ₹30,000 apart depending on where you click. The Galaxy S26+ is 21% below its official price. Sony’s Bravia 3 II TV is 20% down at Flipkart. Festive-season discounting is real, and it is not evenly distributed.
Lesson 2: Some phones quietly get MORE expensive
The opposite happens too. The Realme 16 Pro+ launched at ₹39,999 and now sells at ₹53,999. The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro: ₹39,999 at launch, ₹49,999 today. iQOO 15R: up 20%. A memory-chip shortage pushed a wave of quiet hikes through early 2026, and almost nobody announced them. If a review quotes the launch price months later, it may be flattering the phone by ₹10,000 or more.
Lesson 3: The same phone can cost different amounts at different stores on the same day
The S26 Ultra again: ₹1,24,999 (Flipkart), ₹1,39,999 (Croma), ₹1,54,999 (Vijay Sales) — all verified by us on the same day. “The price” of a phone is a fiction. There are only store prices, on dates.
What we do about it
Every product on CompareIdea shows both numbers, labelled: the official launch price, and a “Prices from stores” table with each retailer’s current price and the date we checked it. It is slower than copying a number from a press release. It is also the entire point of this site. Read more in how we check prices.
