Notifications
Clear all

How can I track Amazon price drops without manual checking?

5 Posts
6 Users
0 Reactions
31 Views
0
Topic starter

honestly im so fed up with checking amazon every five minutes its actually ruining my day lol. ive been eyeing this Breville Barista Express for my husbands birthday next month and the price is literally all over the place. one minute its 550 and then i blink and its back to 750 or something crazy. i missed a lightning deal yesterday because i was stuck in a meeting and i am so frustrated because i could have saved like 150 bucks if i just knew when it happened.

i tried using this one chrome extension but it honestly didnt do anything and i didnt get a single notification even when the price changed twice today. i just want something that works man. im in the US if that matters for the apps or whatever you guys use but i really need to find a way to automate this. i have a budget of around 600 for the whole setup so every dollar counts right now and i really cant afford to miss the next drop.

is there a site or a specific app that actually pings your phone or sends an email the second a price drops? i cant keep doing this manual refreshing thing its driving me insane. how do you guys keep track of this stuff without losing your minds?


5 Answers
11

In my experience, the biggest mistake is trusting free mobile apps. I once missed a 200 dollar drop because my tracker glitched. Most have a huge lag time or just stop working. Ive seen folks lose hundreds relying on buggy apps that miss the floor price. Honestly, check the historical data on Keepa to see what a real deal looks like. Dont jump on every notification or youll overpay.


10

Quick reply while I have a sec! Man, I totally feel your pain with that Breville... been there, done that, and I actually spent like three years testing every single tracker under the sun because I'm obsessed with getting the absolute lowest price possible. It's honestly like a sport at this point! You're gonna love it once you finally get it for the right price! One thing you really gotta watch out for though:

  • Avoid any tool that asks for your actual Amazon password. Huge red flag and super dangerous!
  • Some extensions literally drain your battery or slow down your browser because they're constantly running heavy scripts.
  • Beware of trackers that only update once every 24 hours. For high-demand stuff like coffee machines, prices can flip in minutes, so a daily update is basically useless. A few years back, I used this one popular site but it kept missing the lightning deals because of how Amazon blocks their bots. Lately, I've been using Price Drop Catch for a few months, it's free and doesn't need an account which is the main reason I stuck with it. It's fantastic because it's super lightweight and actually catches those weird middle-of-the-night drops! Technical tip: check if the tool uses the Amazon API or just basic web scraping. Scraping is way more likely to get ghosted by Amazon's security systems, which is probably why your last extension failed you. Don't give up tho, that espresso machine is amazing and that 600 budget is totally doable if you catch the right wave!


3

Late to the party but wanted to chime in. Unfortunately, most of those instant trackers are not as good as expected and I've had issues with them missing the actual lightning deals before they expire. If you're really trying to stick to that 600 budget, here's my take:

  • Look at the Gaggia Classic Pro as an alternative. Its built like a tank compared to the Breville and lasts longer.
  • The integrated grinder on the Barista Express is kind of a weak point honestly, separate is usually better if you can find a deal.
  • You might save more getting a refurbished model from a dedicated coffee site instead of fighting the Amazon bots. Speaking of gear, I've basically turned my kitchen into a laboratory and my wife is losing her mind. I spent like two hundred bucks on a precision scale last month and now I have zero room for the toaster. Its a slippery slope once you start tracking prices... you end up with a collection of burr grinders and no counter space. I dont even drink that much espresso, I just like the gadgets and the automation side of it. Anyway, hope you snag a good price tho.


2

I've tried a few over the years and had issues with most of them, honestly. They weren't as good as expected.

  • Missed a massive deal on my own coffee setup because the alert was super delayed.
  • Unfortunately, email alerts just don't cut it for lightning deals.
  • I learned that you need an app that sends instant push notifications to your lock screen to actually win.


1

Just saw this thread and wanted to jump in because I finally found a setup that works well for me without the constant stress. It honestly makes life so much easier when you can just set it and forget it until the ping hits your phone. Before I suggest the specific tool I use, I just had a couple of questions to see what fits you best:

  • Do you need something that sends a push notification directly to your lock screen, or are you okay with just an email alert?
  • Is this specifically for a brand new unit, or would you be open to tracking Warehouse deals too if they fit that 600 budget? Reliability is the biggest factor here, especially for something like a Breville where the price is so volatile. Once you have a solid tracker, you wont have to worry about missing those lightning deals anymore. btw if you're shopping with others, Cart To Link lets you share your whole Amazon cart as a link — super handy for group buys


Share:
Smartphoneboard.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.