The internet has revolutionised shopping and the advent of price comparison websites has meant tracking down the best prices has become easier. But online prices are extremely volatile with today's bargain suddenly becoming cheaper tomorrow. But 'when' you buy is just as important as 'what' and 'where' you buy.
Is the price about to drop?
While you may think you have found the cheapest place on the internet for that digital camera you are after it may not be the best price by historical standards.
camelcamelcamel.com can plot a graph of the 90 day price history for any product that Amazon sells. You can see if the price has recently gone up or if it is on its way down, which might indicate that an even better price is imminent. In addition, you can sign up to receive email alerts for when the price drops on your desired item.
While camelcamelcamel.com works exclusively on Amazon's prices and products, price comparison website foundem.com charts the 'best price' for the last 90 days across a variety of websites.
The best time of year to buy anything
The prices of just about everything vary throughout the year due to supply and demand. Consequently, there is an optimum time to buy just about anything in order to get the best price. Fortunately American website Lifehacker.com has analysed price information on a range of products and produced the following infographic on when to buy anything in 2012. (click on the image twice to enlarge). Enjoy
