Discount Calculator

The maths behind a discount

A discount is one of the simplest calculations in commerce, yet sale-day pressure makes it easy to fumble. The rule is straightforward: the amount you save is the original price times the discount percentage, and the final price is what remains after that saving is removed. A ₹2,000 item at 25% off saves you ₹500 and costs ₹1,500. This calculator does that instantly and shows the split between what you pay and what you save.

• You save = Original × discount ÷ 100
• Final price = Original − You save

Stacked discounts are not additive

The most common mistake shoppers make is adding percentages. A 20% discount followed by a further 10% is not 30% off. The second discount applies to the already-reduced price, so ₹2,000 becomes ₹1,600 after the first cut and ₹1,440 after the second — an effective 28% off, not 30%. Always apply stacked offers one after another. The same logic runs in reverse: to recover an original price from a sale price, divide by (1 − discount/100), so a ₹1,500 price after 25% off implies a ₹2,000 original.

Reading discounts in the Indian market

Festival sales, flash deals and "flat 50% off" banners are everywhere, but a bigger percentage is not always a better deal. Some sellers inflate the original price before slashing it, leaving the final price no lower than usual. The defence is simple: compare the final price across sellers, not the headline percentage. Watch too for "up to" wording, which promises a maximum discount that may apply to only a handful of items.

The true cost of a purchase

The sticker discount is only part of the story. GST is charged on the discounted invoice value, which works in your favour, but shipping, coupons and cashback all shift the real amount you part with. Cashback in particular is not the same as a discount — it returns money later, often with conditions, rather than cutting the price now. And an offer like buy-one-get-one-free is a genuine 50% saving only if you actually want both items. Judge every deal by the final rupees leaving your pocket for what you truly intend to buy, and the flashiest discount will not fool you.