Ranking updated
How to track price drops before you buy
Prices online move all the time, and a “sale” price is not always lower than last month’s normal one. If you are not in a hurry, tracking a price for a while shows what a good deal really looks like. Then an alert tells you when it hits your number, and you buy without refreshing pages or guessing.
A simple routine, then price tracking and comparison apps, with a section for price apps rising by visits on the Censuus ranking.
Price apps rising by visits and sponsorship on Censuus
A younger iPhone app from an independent developer:
Oleksa: Shopping Price TrackerApp Storean automated price tracker that watches the items you want and alerts you to price drops.- Your app hereFree, foreverList my app
Separate wants from urgent needs
Price tracking works for things you can wait for: a new phone, headphones, a kitchen gadget, a gift ahead of time. Put them on a list as soon as you start thinking about them, so you have time for the price to come down.
Look at the history, not the label
A crossed-out price only tells you what the shop wants you to compare with. A price history shows how the price really moved, so you can tell a real drop from a sale that simply returns the price to normal.
Pick your price, then wait
Decide what you are willing to pay before big sale events start, and set an alert for it. When the alert fires, check the seller, delivery and return policy, then buy. If it never reaches your price, you have lost nothing.
Compare before you click buy
The same model can cost different amounts in different shops. Check a couple of other stores and the exact model number. Compare tools in price comparison apps.
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Keep a wish list | things you plan to buy, not urgent | time to wait for a good price |
| 2. Watch the history | how the price moved recently | see what a real deal is |
| 3. Set a target | the price you are happy to pay | decide before the sale hype |
| 4. Turn on alerts | notify when it drops to target | no daily checking |
| 5. Compare stores | same model, other shops | the drop may be elsewhere |
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a sale price is a real deal?
Look at the price history for that item. A real deal is lower than the recent normal price, not just lower than the crossed-out figure.
How do price drop alerts work?
You add an item and a target price to a tracking app or site, and it notifies you when the price falls to or below that target.
Should I always wait for a price drop?
Only for things you can wait for. For urgent needs, compare a few stores and buy.