What Are Your Tricks and Hacks for Comparing Prices on The Web?

Sure, we have a wiki of various price comparison websites, but what it doesn't say (currently) is how to use them to our best advantage. E.g.:

What are the best ways to search on eBay, or Amazon, or AliExpress…?
I find eBay has the best search engine, given its plethora of filters and ability to use Boolean searches (hyphen for NOT, comma-delimited list in parentheses for OR). It's also the best for sorting, as it includes delivery costs in the sort. Amazon is second best (in terms of searching); it doesn't have as many filters, doesn't do Boolean searches, and the sorting doesn't include delivery. I find AliExpress a nightmare to search (@Clear is probably more proficient at it, and has some tricks up his sleeve). To get around its shortcomings — no filters whatsoever, sorting all over the place — I generally either sort by price filtering for free delivery, or I sort for best sellers to filter out duds and fakes.

Which site is best for searching for each class of product?
I find AliExpress is best for no-brand light-weight tools, toys (knock-off LEGOs), and random knick-knacks generally sold in dollar stores and Kmart. eBay is best for local stock of bulky, heavy stuff, office supplies — inkjet cartridges, print transfer sheets, etc — and for some brand stores offering better prices there than anywhere else. I don't use Amazon much, other than to read the reviews on branded appliances. Almost every time I compared it to iHerb on supplements, I ended up buying on iHerb instead. I also reckon iHerb has greater variety, and more informed reviews than Amazon.

If this thread amounts to much, perhaps we can turn it into a wiki for future reference.

Comments

  • +7

    I use ozbargain.com.au

    • +4
      • +3

        Looks like some shilling from our chief moderator as well.

        • +1

          It's OK, he'll get what's coming to him

          https://www.productreview.com.au/reviews/e3bb5766-646e-5f9a-…

          I would give the opinion if you ever see ozbargain listed on a resume, you seriously reconsider even looking at that person for future employment.

          • +2

            @onetwothreefour: My faves are the horrible customer service reports and how ozbargain owes them $750.

            • @MS Paint: I hadn't read those reviews in while, I definitely need to check them more often!

              This might be my favourite

              The dumbest and most toxic community in Australia. Racist sexist homophobic troglodytes protected by the site owner. Don't waste your time making an account, just browse the front page for deals (with an ad blocker).

      • This is gold 😂

    • Ofc, but even OzB has its tricks, like:

      • tag: to search for words within specific tags — e.g. OLED tag:tablet — which the tag search doesn't allow
      • option:titleonly or option:nocomment to filter out mentions to other products in the comments
  • Anyone done a comparison of Aliexpress vs Temu?

    • +1

      Not methodical, but personal impression, having bought from both numerous times (in case of AliEx) and a few times (in case of Temu), is that Temu has better search, but is so cluttered with marketing gimmickry — fake lucky wheels, etc — even more than AliEx! — that it turns out more difficult to find actual bargains (they seem to want you to not find them, so they maximise their fee revenue).

    • Best to compare the item you want on both platforms, sometimes one is more expensive than the other.

      Temu have a higher trigger for free shipping, and there are times where Temu doesn’t have the product listed.

  • +1

    I still use staticice.com.au (old school).

    Also https://zyft.com (new school)

  • +1

    i message on whatapp what i want and facebook gives me deals

  • -1

    Google, eBay search, Amazon search, marketplace search, gumtree search.

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