Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay to use SmartDeals?

SmartDeals offers both free and premium tiers. The free tier lets you track up to 3 products and view the last 3 price changes per product. Premium ($2.99/month) unlocks unlimited product tracking, complete price history with charts, real-time updates, instant alerts, and advanced comparison tools.

Which stores does SmartDeals support?

SmartDeals primarily tracks products from Woolworths supermarkets in Australia. We also provide Coles product information for price comparison purposes, but Woolworths is our main focus.

How often are prices updated?

SmartDeals now uses real-time search powered by our remote database. All searches return the most current pricing and product information without any manual updates. Premium users also receive instant notifications when prices change on tracked products.

Can I use SmartDeals on multiple devices?

Yes! Your account syncs across devices. Sign in with the same email and password on any device to access your watchlist.

What's the difference between free and premium tiers?

Free Tier: Track up to 3 products, view last 3 price changes per product, manually trigger updates, and explore the catalog.
Premium Tier: Unlimited product tracking, complete price history with charts, real-time updates, instant notifications, price prediction, access Coles comparisons, and priority support.

Why should I subscribe to premium?

Benefits for You: Premium unlocks unlimited tracking, real-time price updates, instant notifications, and advanced features that help you save even more money.

Supporting the App: Your subscription is the main source of revenue that allows us to keep SmartDeals running. It covers:

• Database hosting and storage for price history
• Server infrastructure for real-time updates
• Data collection and processing systems
• Authentication and security services
• Ongoing app development and improvements
• Customer support

By subscribing, you're not just getting premium features—you're helping us maintain and improve a service that gives shoppers the price transparency that retailers typically don't provide.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?

Yes, you can cancel your premium subscription at any time through your device's subscription settings. You'll continue to have premium access until the end of your current billing period.

What happens if I downgrade to free tier?

If you have more than 3 tracked products when downgrading, the app will automatically remove excess items (newest first). Your existing data will be preserved, but you'll lose access to real-time updates, instant alerts, complete price history, and premium comparison features. Free tier users can only view the last 3 price changes per product.

Do you offer annual subscriptions?

Currently, we offer monthly subscriptions at $2.99/month. We're working on annual plans that will provide better value for long-term users.

Is there a free trial?

Yes! Every new account receives 21 days of Premium access at no charge. During the trial you can track unlimited products, receive instant alerts, and explore every feature.

What happens when the trial ends?

You'll see an in-app subscription offer before the trial expires. If you subscribe, Premium continues uninterrupted for $2.99/month. If you decide not to subscribe, your account seamlessly shifts to the Free tier (track up to 3 products) with automatic removal of excess items if needed.

Why am I not receiving notifications?

Check these common issues:

• Notifications are enabled in your device settings for SmartDeals
• You have an active internet connection
• You're on a premium subscription (real-time notifications are premium-only)
• Your device isn't in Do Not Disturb mode

How often will I receive notifications?

Premium users get real-time notifications when prices drop on their tracked products by the threshold percentage you've set (default 10%). Important: Only price drops trigger notifications—price increases are ignored. Free tier users can check their watchlist to see price changes, but won't receive push notifications.

Can I customize notification settings?

Yes! You can set your price drop alert threshold in the SmartDeals app:

1. Open SmartDeals Settings: Tap the gear icon (⚙️) in the bottom navigation
2. Set Price Drop Alert Threshold: Adjust the percentage threshold (default is 10%)
3. How it works: You'll only receive notifications when a tracked product's price drops by the percentage you've set or more

Note: Make sure notifications are also enabled in your iPhone's Settings app (Settings > SmartDeals > Notifications) for notifications to work. Real-time notifications are only available for Premium subscribers.

Will I be notified of all price changes?

No, you'll only receive notifications when a tracked product's price drops by your set threshold percentage or more (default is 10%). This prevents notification spam from tiny price fluctuations. You can adjust this threshold in Settings to be more or less sensitive based on your preferences.

How accurate is the pricing and product information?

We strive to provide the most accurate information possible, but please keep in mind:

• Price Updates: Prices change frequently at retailers. We update our catalog regularly, but there may be a brief delay between when retailers change prices and when those changes appear in our app.
• Product Categorization: With thousands of products across multiple categories, automatic categorization can be challenging. Sometimes products may appear in unexpected categories or be difficult to find.
• Always Verify: We recommend verifying final prices on the retailer's website or app before purchasing, especially for large purchases.

I can't find a product I'm looking for. What should I do?

If you're having trouble finding a specific product, try these strategies:

• Use Different Search Terms: Try the brand name, product type, or partial words (e.g., "org milk" instead of "organic milk").
• Be More Specific: Add extra keywords to narrow results (e.g., "cadbury dairy milk" instead of just "chocolate").
• Try Broader Terms: If being specific doesn't work, try broader terms and scroll through results.
• Scroll for More Results: Search results load in batches of 50. Scroll to the bottom to automatically load the next batch of results.
• Send Feedback: If you still can't find the product, use the feedback feature in Settings to let us know. We can investigate and improve our search.

I found incorrect information. How can I report it?

We greatly appreciate your help in improving SmartDeals! To report inaccuracies or issues:

1. Access Feedback: Go to Settings > Tap "📝 Send Feedback"
2. Add New Feedback: Tap "Add New" button at the top of the feedback screen
3. Provide Details: Enter your feedback including product name, what's incorrect (price, category, availability), and any other relevant information
4. Submit: Tap "Send" to submit your feedback (empty feedback is not allowed)
5. Track Status: Check the feedback list to see status:
   • New (black text) = Can be edited or deleted
   • Acknowledged (green text) = Read-only, may have developer response
6. View Responses: Developer responses appear in blue text below your original message

Your feedback helps make SmartDeals better for everyone! You can edit or delete feedback while it's still "New" status, and view developer responses once your feedback is acknowledged.

How much data does SmartDeals use?

SmartDeals uses minimal data for real-time searches and notifications. Since we no longer maintain a local cache, there are no large data downloads. Each search and sync uses only a small amount of data, typically a few kilobytes per request.

What devices are supported?

SmartDeals requires iOS 13.0 or later and is optimized for iPhone and iPad. The app automatically adapts to different screen sizes and orientations.

How secure is my data?

Your personal data is encrypted and stored securely. We use industry-standard authentication and never share your information with third parties. Your watchlist is private to your account.

How do I reset my password?

On the login screen, tap "Forgot Password?" and enter your email address. You'll receive a password reset link via email. Follow the link to create a new password.

Can I change my email address?

Currently, email addresses cannot be changed after account creation. If you need to use a different email, you'll need to create a new account and transfer your data manually.

Is my data backed up?

Yes, your data is automatically backed up to our secure servers. When you sign in on a new device, all your watchlist items will be restored automatically.

The app is slow or crashing

Try these steps:

• Close and restart the app
• Update to the latest version
• Clear your device's cache
• Restart your device
• Check your internet connection

Prices seem outdated

We update prices daily from retailer data. All searches use the most current information from our database. If you notice a price that seems incorrect or outdated, please use the feedback feature in Settings to report it. This helps us investigate and ensure our data quality.

I can't find a specific product

Try these solutions:

• Use partial product names in search
• Try different search terms or brand names
• Add more specific keywords if you're seeing too many results
• Use broader terms if being specific doesn't work
• Scroll to load more: Results load in batches of 50 as you scroll

How do I acknowledge price changes?

To acknowledge price changes and clear notification badges, swipe left on any product with a price change notification. The acknowledge action only appears when there are unseen updates.

How do I delete products?

To remove items from your watchlist:

• Swipe Right: Swipe right on any product to delete it
• Confirmation: The item will be removed immediately
• Cannot Undo: Deleted items cannot be recovered, so be careful