Motoroids
It would be safe to assume that we Indians and our traditionally driven ways aren’t always logic or data driven. Most of us would still consult our friendly neighbour for advice, instead of researching online. A wide majority of us believe that Fixed Deposit is better than Mutual Fund, or that buying a used car always spells trouble. Almost all of us also believe, almost like the gospel truth, that gold is always a good investment. These deep-rooted and rather traditional beliefs demonstrate that although as a nation our ambitions have soared loftily to the Red planet, somehow, a corner of our modern mindset still breeds a strain of conservative thoughts.
It’s surprising, but we demonstrate similar behaviour while buying accessories and spares for our beloved vehicle as well. Those looking to adorn or fix their cars would still prefer taking a tiresome walk across the crowded Lamington Road in Mumbai or Karol Bagh in Delhi, instead of conveniently scrolling through an e-store from the comfort of their homes. They can’t be blamed, as their conventional notions about buying auto accessories are oriented towards physical stores. Never would they pause for a moment and think about the money and time they could save by browsing through buying all that stuff online.
In this special feature, we will try and highlight the advantages an online store offers for buying accessories and spares for your vehicle over the conventional, physical store. We also have a surprise bonanza in store for you within the article. Read on to learn how you can save thousands of rupees and tons of hassle while purchasing accessories or spares for your car or bike.
*Special offer from M2ALL for Motoroids readers at the end of this article*
Online Vs Offline: The advantage is clear
Some may argue that offline shopping will offer you health benefits as you walk for hours comparing prices from different stores to get the best deals. Well, to start with, it isn’t exactly the proverbial walk in the park. The smoke on the streets would likely choke your lungs while the hassle of jostling through the crowded streets would only add to your mental stress.
Offline shopping limits your choices by a great margin. More often than not, you tend to get limited variety, high prices (physical stores have to pay a lot more bills than their online counterparts), lack of discounts, at times the scare of counterfeit products and sometimes no warranty. Then there is the time which you invest for travelling to the market and back multiple times. This time could be much better utilized for your personal and professional commitments.
In addition to the hassles of it, sometimes you don’t even get any control over the stuff that’s being bought for your car. When it comes to getting our vehicles repaired, most of us blindly follow the advice of self-trained and mostly ill-equipped local mechanics, who often pompously rely on their sixth sense to pin point a problem with the car. In their misdirection, we gag our wisdom and leave it on them to decide as to which variety of the spare part, accessory of for that matter, engine oil, to buy.
Truth be told, most roadside mechanics often lie about the right spare part as recommended by the car maker. They would instead make you believe that the one they procure is the best, or even better than what has been specified by your car company! This helps them pocket a bigger margin, as authentic spares are typically more expensive than their cheap imitations. The funny part is, when dealing with a local mechanic, a part of our mind knows that we are being taken for a ride, but then as long as it gets the car back on the road, we tend to overlook.
The story is similar in case of auto accessories. Your local physical stores for car and bike accessories are riddled with nondescript brands which are often cheap, but almost never have a proven track record and don’t carry a warranty. You’d also be surprised by how big the counterfeits market is in India. Often, the accessory you paid twice the amount of money for as compared to an unknown brand is an imitation of the original, and is equally bad in terms of performance and longevity. Just walk into an in-car entertainment accessory store and those among you with an eye for detail would witness a heap of counterfeit speakers and head units bearing expensive brand names.
Thus, as important it is to go for a quality label, it is equally important to source it from the right vendors. Reputable online stores offer a great solution in this regard. The companies running these stores are often multinational conglomerates who lay a lot of importance to their brand name and don’t indulge in scrupulous trade practices. Their sourcing happens directly through original equipment makers, thus hedging the customers against fake products.
Accessories, Spares, and the online options in India
The first names that come to mind when you think of buying online are brands like Amazon and Flipkart in the Indian context. However, these brands cater primarily to high volume, broad categories such as clothing and consumer electronics. When it comes to a specialized category like auto accessories or spares, you’d rather want to go with a brand which has operated in the field for a long enough time and has the requisite expertise to cater to the more specific needs of the consumer.
This segment still remains largely under-tapped in India. Of late, however, Mahindra, one of the most trusted names in the auto industry in India has come up with its auto oriented e-marketplace – M2ALL.com to cater to all kinds of automotive needs of customers. The M2All has a blend of auto accessories and spares and in the current scheme of things is probably the most reputable of all online stores catering to the shoppers in the auto space. With M2All, Mahindra is not only selling its own genuine spare parts & accessories, but has as assortment of accessories to choose from a variety of brands along with spares made by other OES (Original Equipment Suppliers) as well.
M2ALL.com is an Automotive e-Marketplace initiated by the Mahindra group. It’s a one stop online portal for all the Automotive needs. The website offers a wide range of Car & Bike Genuine Spare Parts & Accessories from reputed brands at the best prices. From body styling kits to clutch plates to parking sensors, the website will spoil you with choices. Highlights, apart from a wide variety of products, include friendly return / exchange policies, so you can exchange your products without any hassle and at your door-step. Paying for the products is a breeze too with a plethora of options such as credit / debit card payment, net banking services, cash on delivery and e-wallets.
All you have to do is get your vehicle inspected by a mechanic, and ask about the spares that need to be replaced. Then head over to M2All.com and order them online at really competitive prices. In return, you save money, get genuine spares, your vehicle’s life gets enhanced and get membership benefits too.
But that does not end here. We love our readers and want them to have a great experience in buying spares and accessories online. So for being an avid Motoroids reader and follower, you get an INR 200 Paytm cash back promo on select products which may cost as less as INR 499. Yes, you heard that right, INR 200 Paytm cash back on buying stuff only worth 499 – and the offer is exclusively for Motoroids readers.
You can choose to buy products from M2All from the following categories:
Car Accessories || Car Spare Parts
Bike Accessories || Bike Spare Parts
Use coupon code: MOTOROIDS
– Shop for minimum INR 499/- or more and get INR 200/- PAYTM Cash
– Validity: 1 Month (Till 4th Feb)
– Offer Valid on All Car & Bike Accessories and Merchandise.
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