Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay to use SmartDeals?

SmartDeals offers both free and premium tiers. The free tier allows you to track up to 10 products and create up to 3 patterns. Premium tier ($4.99/month) unlocks unlimited tracking, real-time notifications, and advanced features.

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?

Free tier users get manual updates when they refresh the catalog. Premium users receive real-time price updates as they happen. All users can manually update their catalog from the Settings tab.

Do I need internet to use SmartDeals?

SmartDeals downloads a local catalog to your device, so you can browse products offline. However, you need internet connectivity to sync new prices, create patterns, and receive notifications.

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 and patterns.

What's the difference between free and premium tiers?

Free Tier: Track up to 10 products, create up to 3 patterns, basic price monitoring, manual updates.
Premium Tier: Unlimited products and patterns, real-time price updates, instant notifications, advanced pattern matching, priority support.

Why should I subscribe to premium?

Premium subscriptions help us maintain the infrastructure, databases, and real-time services that make SmartDeals possible. Your subscription covers the costs of data collection, server hosting, authentication services, and continuous development.

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 10 products or 3 patterns when downgrading, you'll need to remove the excess items. Your existing data will be preserved, but you'll lose access to real-time updates and premium features.

Do you offer annual subscriptions?

Currently, we offer monthly subscriptions at $4.99/month. We're working on annual plans that will provide better value for long-term users.

What's the difference between tracking individual products and patterns?

Individual product tracking monitors one specific item (e.g., "Cadbury Dairy Milk 180g"). Patterns monitor multiple related products (e.g., "cadbury chocolate" tracks all Cadbury chocolate products). Patterns are more powerful for discovering deals across similar products.

Why is my pattern limited to 15 products?

This limit ensures optimal app performance and prevents notification spam. If your pattern matches more than 15 products, try being more specific (e.g., "organic pasta" instead of just "pasta").

How do I create effective patterns?

Use 2-3 descriptive keywords that capture what you want to track. Good examples: "greek yogurt", "organic chicken", "dark chocolate". Avoid single words like "milk" or "bread" as they're too broad.

Will my patterns automatically include new products?

Yes! When Woolworths adds new products that match your pattern criteria, they'll automatically be included in your tracking. You may receive notifications about these new matches.

Can I edit a pattern after creating it?

Currently, you can't edit existing patterns. To modify a pattern, you'll need to delete the old one and create a new one with your updated criteria.

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?

Free tier users receive notifications when they manually refresh their catalog. Premium users get instant notifications for every price change on their tracked products and patterns.

Can I customize notification settings?

Yes! Go to Settings > Notifications to customize your preferences. You can choose between immediate notifications or daily summaries, set quiet hours, and adjust price change thresholds.

Will I be notified of all price changes?

SmartDeals filters notifications to show only significant price changes, preventing notification spam. You can adjust the sensitivity in your notification settings.

How much data does SmartDeals use?

A full catalog update uses approximately 50-100MB of data. Incremental updates are much smaller (5-15MB). The app also uses minimal data for real-time updates and notifications.

Why does the app need to update the catalog?

SmartDeals maintains a local copy of product data for fast searching and offline access. Regular updates ensure you have the latest prices, new products, and availability information.

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 and patterns are 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.

How do I delete my account?

To delete your account, go to Settings > Account > Delete Account. This will permanently remove all your data, including watchlist items and patterns. This action cannot be undone.

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 and patterns 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

This usually means your catalog needs updating. Go to Settings > Cache Management and tap "Update Cache" to get the latest prices and product information.

I can't find a specific product

Try these solutions:

• Use partial product names in search
• Check if the product is in your selected categories
• Update your catalog to include new products
• Try different search terms or brand names

Patterns aren't working as expected

Pattern matching works best with 2-3 specific keywords. If you're getting too many or too few results, try adjusting your search terms. Remember that patterns are limited to 15 products maximum.