Do you ever get that nagging feeling that the Amazon ‘bargain’ that you’re looking at, may not be all it’s cracked up to be? That the huge discount on the item you’re looking at is only the result of the price being hiked briefly the day before? Well, the oddly named CamelCamelCamel is an excellent website for finding the best prices on Amazon, but also receiving alerts when it drops below the price that you set.
How to learn more about a product’s price history
- When viewing an Amazon product that you’d like to know more about, copy the URL from your browser’s address bar
- Head to uk.camelcamelcamel.com
- In the search bar at the top of their site, paste the Amazon URL and press Enter
This is what I got when I searched for an electric razor that’s currently on a deal…
As you can see from the graph, it’s had a checkered price history with more ups and downs than a teenager’s mood. Chances are that if you miss the offer now, it will be back soon enough. In fact, although £61.99 now it’s been as low as £39.99 (albeit three years ago). In this case, I’d say “go for it” – the price hasn’t been this low for a while.
You can also see details of third-party prices too, both new and used.
Tracking the best prices on Amazon
The best part of the site is its ability to track and report on product prices when they drop below a threshold that you define.
If we go back to the above example, you’ll see near the top of the screen is a red-topped box where you can enter prices and either an email address or Twitter account. Once the price drops below that value it will contact you, depending on which communication method you specified. You can also provide different prices for Amazon and third parties (both new and used).
Personally, I’d recommend registering on the site – it’s free, they know your communication preferences automatically and it’s a lot easier to change the products you’re tracking, too.
I particularly like to use this option when I’m looking at something that I’d like to buy, but the current price puts me off. What would entice me? Put that price in and wait for it to happen (assuming it does). Then that Pat Butcher Canvas Clock can be yours.
Adding it to your browser
The site also has a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox and Safari called the Camelizer.
If you’re shopping on Amazon, click on the little camel icon in the top right of your browser and you’ll get a small pop-up window showing the item’s price history, allowing you to see if it’s a good time to buy. Prices can fluctuate several times a week, so if you’re in no great rush to get the product, it can pay to wait.
Main pic credit: russellstreet/Flickr
