New Delhi, Sept. 21 -- It's time for major e-commerce platforms' annual flagship online sales.

Flipkart's Big Billion Days and Amazon's Great Indian Festival, starting on 22 September, and Myntra's festive fashion sale, starting on 21 September, promise the deepest discounts of the year. Other online fashion and retail sites like Ajio and Nykaa have already started their sales before these big giants.

For consumers, these annual events can mean steep discounts across electronics, household items, fashion and apparel, bundled with special bank tie-ups and the ever-popular "no-cost EMI" option. But the fine print behind these deals often decides whether you walk away with real savings or just a feel-good bargain.

In this story, we break ...