Track price changes on a public web page
Last reviewed
There are three common ways to be told when a price drops: the store's own price alert, if it offers one; Google's price tracking, for products Google lists; or a page watcher that reads the product page itself on a schedule. A page watcher can be pointed at a public page the other two do not cover, and it shows the old and new price as evidence.
Three ways to get a price drop alert
- The store's own alert. Some shops offer a price or wish-list alert on the product page. When it exists, it is the simplest option.
- Google price tracking. Google's help pages say you can track a product's price on Google and get a push notification and an email when it drops below your target price. Google lists the feature as available in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and India.
- A page watcher. A monitoring service reads the exact product page on a schedule and alerts you when the price you are watching changes.
How a Peekivo price watch is designed to work
- The price is read as an amount with its currency, not as a piece of text.
- You set a rule on that price, such as below $120. The rule is strict: with below $120, a price of exactly $120 does not notify you.
- A rule compares prices only in the same currency. If the page serves the price in another currency, the rule does not count it as a drop.
- When the rule matches, the alert shows the old and the new price side by side.
What can go wrong
- Some prices are drawn by scripts after the page loads. Those pages need a full browser read rather than a plain one.
- Many stores show different prices and currencies by country. A watch reads the version the store serves to it, which may not be the one you see.
- Some stores block automated reads. Peekivo does not get around bot walls or CAPTCHAs; the watch reports the read as blocked.
- A product page can show a list price and a sale price. Pick the price you mean, or the alert follows the wrong number.
Watching competitor prices
The same kind of watch works on a competitor's pricing page. Competitor monitoring covers that case, together with plans, changelogs and terms.
When another tool fits better
- Amazon products: Amazon-focused trackers keep long price histories. Keepa, for example, describes itself as an Amazon price tracker.
- Flights and hotels: fares change by search and date, and fare trackers on travel sites are built for that.
- Products Google already lists: Google's own price tracking may be all you need.
Example sentences
Common questions
How do I set up price drop alerts?
First check whether the store offers its own alert. If it does not, use Google's price tracking when the product appears on Google, or point a page watcher at the product page, choose the price and set a rule such as below $120.
Can you set a price drop alert on Google?
Yes. Google's help pages say you can track a product's price on Google and get a push notification and an email when it drops below your target price. Google lists the feature as available in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and India.
Is there a way to be notified if something goes on sale?
Yes. Use the store's own alert where it exists, Google's price tracking for products it lists, or a page watcher on the product page with a rule on the sale price.
Is there a Chrome plugin that can track prices?
Chrome has price tracking built in: Google's Chrome help describes tracking product prices and getting price drop notifications for people in Australia, Canada, India, Japan and the US. Third-party extensions exist as well. Peekivo's browser extension is not available yet.
How do I set up a price tracker?
Pick the product page, decide which price you mean, list or sale, choose how you want to be told and set the rule. With a page watcher you also choose how often it reads the page, within what your plan allows.
Related pages
- Competitor website monitoring
- Restock alerts
- Terms and policy monitoring
- Proposed plans
- About Peekivo
- Peekivo home
Sources
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