How To... Check you are getting a good deal when buying abroad

by editor@text4price.com @ 27 April 2006 - 13:01:45

Impulse buys at airport shops, headaches trying to work out prices at French hypermarkets and haggling in Italy, are banished forever with Britain’s first European wide price comparison service direct to mobile phones.

The unique service means customers can send an SMS with the word ‘find’ plus the product name such as ‘iPod’ or ‘Chanel No5 100ml’ when they are actually in a shop and find out within a couple of minutes if it is a bargain or if they should wait and buy it when they are back in the UK.

‘We are all tempted to make impulse buys when we are on holiday. There is something about being at an airport or in the sun that makes us think we have found a bargain but that is not always the case,’ said Simon Douglas, director of Text4Price which launches its European service today. (Monday April 24)

‘Since launching our service in the UK last year we have been asked many times by customers if they can get the same service in Europe, well now they can. Whether they are buying perfume, electrical goods or cameras, they can be sure of knowing pretty much instantly if they are getting the right price. If we can’t find a price comparison then we don’t charge,’ he added.

The service also means that customers can find out if it is cheaper to buy on-line. The on-line price includes postage and packing. The results of any search give the lowest price for a specific product from a store with available stock rather than a random retailer.

The Text4price team are often amazed by the results. On a recent visit to a well known computer store to buy a printer, a text from the shop showed the same chain offered the same item online for £30 less. When confronted the sales assistant agreed to sell at the online price, thus saving a third of the price for a 25 pence text.

‘We want to bring the fun back into shopping but with all the convenience of the 21st century. It combines the instant gratification of real world shopping with the benefit of instant price comparison wherever you are in Europe as along as you have the ability to call the UK from your mobile,’ said Mr Douglas, who runs the business with three internet entrepreneur partners.

He also believes it could be a useful shopping tool for holiday home owners. They can compare prices while abroad on items such as garden furniture, televisions, washing machines and microwaves.

Text4price also offers further unique service for customers including being able to save your favourite items to a personalized shopping list online or sending them to friends and family. ‘We really are about finding the right product at the right price. We are also a safety net for shoppers. They know if they are better off making that impulse buy on holiday, buying back in the UK or waiting until they are in front of a computer and buying online,’ he added.

Text4Price also has a conventional online comparison service via its easy to use website. To register shoppers can go to the website. When they are ready to start they simply send their text to 84070 and wait for the result. The international number is +44 7781 474 397 www.text4price.com

Filed under: Miscellaneous

Permalink | Comments (0)