Pro Tips & Tricks

Advanced strategies to maximize your savings with SmartDeals

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Watchlist Mastery

Prioritise Essentials

Start with the staples you buy every week so the Updates feed always surfaces high-impact savings first.

Benefit: Faster decisions when prices move on your must-buy items.

Rotate Seasonal Favourites

Swap in seasonal products (BBQ gear, holiday treats) a few weeks before you need them to catch early drops.

Benefit: Capture limited-time discounts before stock runs out.

Archive Old Products

Remove items you no longer buy so notifications focus on what matters right now.

Benefit: Cleaner alerts and a watchlist that's always relevant.
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Shopping Strategies

The 48-Hour Rule

When you get a price drop notification, you usually have 24-48 hours before the deal ends. Plan your shopping accordingly.

Benefit: Avoid impulse buying while still catching good deals.

Stack Your Shopping

Wait for multiple items on your watchlist to go on sale, then do one big shopping trip to maximize savings.

Benefit: Save on delivery fees and time while maximizing discounts.

Track Staples Continuously

Add everyday essentials (milk, bread, eggs) to your watchlist to learn their price cycles.

Benefit: Know when to stock up on items you'll definitely use.
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Price History Analysis

Identify Price Cycles

Many products go on sale in predictable cycles (every 4-6 weeks). Use price history to identify these patterns.

Strategy: If a product was last on sale 5 weeks ago and typically cycles every 6 weeks, expect a sale soon!

Seasonal Price Awareness

Some products are cheaper at certain times of year. Use price history to identify these trends.

Strategy: Winter clothes are cheapest at the end of winter, BBQ items in autumn.

Compare Against Historical Lows

A "sale" might not be a great deal. Check if the current price is close to the historical low before buying.

Strategy: If a product's lowest price was $3.50 and it's now $4.20 (down from $5.00), consider waiting.
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Notification Optimization

Adjust Price Drop Threshold

Set your price drop alert threshold to match your shopping style. Lower percentages (5-10%) catch more deals but send more notifications, while higher percentages (15-20%) only alert you to significant savings.

Recommended: Start with 10% (the default) and adjust based on how many notifications you want to receive.

Enable Notifications in iOS Settings

Make sure notifications are enabled in your iPhone's Settings app (Settings > SmartDeals > Notifications) for the app to send you alerts.

Tip: Choose "Banners" for less intrusive notifications or "Alerts" if you want to see them more prominently.

Upgrade to Premium for Real-Time Alerts

Real-time notifications are only available for Premium subscribers. Premium users get instant notifications when prices change on their tracked products.

Benefit: Never miss a price drop and act on deals immediately before they expire.

Use Swipe to Acknowledge

Swipe left on products to acknowledge price changes and keep your notifications organized.

Benefit: Clear notification badges and maintain a clean watchlist view.
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Advanced Techniques

Updates Triage Routine

Check the Updates feed every morning to acknowledge overnight changes, then revisit before shopping to confirm what's still on sale.

Strategy: Ten seconds twice a day keeps surprises off your receipt.

Compare Retailers Fast

Open the Coles comparison on any product to see price, pack size, and direct links side by side.

Strategy: If Woolworths is higher, tap through to Coles straight from the detail screen.

Set Personal Price Targets

Use the price history graph to decide your "buy price" and wait for alerts that meet or beat that level.

Strategy: If coffee's best-ever price is $13, don't restock above $14 without a good reason.
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Account & App Management

Check Your Watchlist Regularly

Review your watchlist weekly to stay on top of price changes and opportunities.

Best Practice: Check every Sunday evening to plan the upcoming week's shopping around the best deals.

Audit Your Watchlist

Review your watchlist monthly. Remove products you no longer buy and add new priorities as your habits change.

Red Flags: Items with no price changes in 30+ days or products you haven't purchased recently.

Backup Your Watchlist

Your watchlist is tied to your account, so keep your login credentials secure and up to date.

Security: Use a strong, unique password and enable "Remember Me" for convenience.
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Premium Features (Subscription)

Real-Time Updates

Premium users get instant price change notifications, ensuring they never miss a deal.

Benefit: Act on price drops immediately before they expire or sell out.

Expanded Watchlist

Track up to 50 products instead of 5, covering your entire weekly shop and special purchases.

Benefit: Monitor more of your shopping list and discover more savings opportunities.

Coles Comparisons

Unlock side-by-side Coles pricing where matching SKUs exist so you always see the cheaper option.

Benefit: Switch stores with confidence and keep your basket price low.

🏆 Power User Secrets

The "Two-List" Technique

Keep one watchlist focused on weekly essentials and rotate a secondary list of special buys so your Updates feed stays lightweight.

Price Drop Prediction

Products that haven't been on sale for 8+ weeks are statistically more likely to go on sale soon. Use price history to identify these "overdue" products.

Holiday Shopping Strategy

Add seasonal products to your watchlist 6-8 weeks before big events. Retailers often start sales early to build momentum.

The "Similar Products" Hack

When a product goes on sale, immediately check its similar products. Retailers often discount related items simultaneously.

💡 Potential Savings Calculator

Based on SmartDeals user data, here's what you could save:

15%
Average savings on tracked items
$30
Monthly savings for active users
$360
Potential annual savings

Savings increase with the number of tracked products and how quickly you act on alerts. Power users with 15+ tracked items report 20-25% average savings!