Checking a Deal Step by Step

Five checks in order, each under two minutes, each eliminating a specific way a listed price can mislead you.

Step one: check feed freshness. If the comparison page shows a timestamp, note it. If the retailer's own page shows a different price, the feed is stale and the listing should be discarded for now.

Step two: convert to unit price. Divide the price by the number of units or the standard measure. A 12-pack at £30 and a 4-pack at £12 are not comparable until both are expressed per unit.

Step three: add shipping and tax. Recalculate the total as if you were at the retailer's checkout. If the comparison total and the checkout total differ by more than the shipping fee, treat the listing as incomplete.

Step four: confirm stock. A price for an out-of-stock item is not a deal. Check the retailer page directly rather than relying on the comparison row.

Step five: read the return terms. A lower price with a short return window and buyer-paid postage can cost more than a slightly higher price with a standard 30-day return.

• Feed freshness — symptom: retailer page shows a different price
• Unit price — symptom: cheapest row costs more per unit
• Landed cost — symptom: checkout total is higher by a fixed fee
• Stock — symptom: click-through leads to an unavailable item
• Returns — symptom: cheap price hides return postage

Further reading

• What Comparison Sites Compare
• Who Pays for Comparison