If your alerts trigger every day or for tiny drops, you’ll stop trusting them. The goal is to get notified only when a price hits a level where you’d genuinely buy.
The 3-tier alert method (use this)
- Target price — “I will buy now.”
- Great price — “This is a strong deal (rare-low zone).”
- Error price — “This looks unusually low; verify checkout and act fast.”
Step 1: Choose the exact item you want
Alerts fail when the product is vague. Match the exact item:
- Model number / variant
- Pack size (very important for groceries)
- Colour / storage / spec (electronics)
If the app tracks a category instead of an exact product, your alerts will be noisy.
Step 2: Find the “normal” price (your baseline)
Before setting the target price, learn the baseline: what does this item cost most of the time?
Baseline rule
If you don’t know the normal price, set an alert and you’ll either set it too high (no savings) or too low (you’ll never trigger). Baseline first, then alert.
Step 3: Set your Target price (the decision line)
Your target price is not a guess — it’s your “buy now” line. Ask: If it hits this price today, would I actually buy?
- If yes → good target price
- If no → your target is too high (or you don’t really want the item)
Step 4: Add Great price + Error price alerts
AGreat price
This is where you stop thinking and start smiling. Set it meaningfully below your target, not just 1–2% lower.
BError price
Rare, unusually low prices happen (sometimes mistakes, sometimes stock clearances). When this alert triggers: verify quickly and act fast.
Step 5: Prevent alert noise (the reason people quit)
Alerts become useless when they trigger too often. Here’s how to keep them sharp:
- Ignore tiny drops that don’t change your decision.
- Track total cost (delivery fees can kill the deal).
- Watch pack sizes (a “special” might be a smaller pack).
- Limit your watchlist (start with 10–25 items).
Pro Tip: alerts work best with a deadline
If you need the item soon, set a slightly higher target so you don’t wait forever. If you can wait, keep your target strict and let the drop come to you.
When an alert triggers: what to do next
- Verify the product (variant, size, spec).
- Check total cost at checkout (shipping, service fees).
- Check return policy (especially electronics & appliances).
- Buy if it meets your target — don’t “wait for another R50” if it already hits your decision line.
Use DiscountFinder to compare faster
Alerts are powerful—but they’re even better when you can compare quickly across sources. Use DiscountFinder to confirm the best available offer before you buy.