Prices: frequently asked questions
How often are prices updated?
Regularly.
To see when a particular price was last checked, use the “Details” button on that offer: the panel shows the date under “Last Price Update”. That panel is the only place the date appears; it is not shown on the offer itself. If the date looks old, use “View Offer” to check the live price on the retailer’s site before you buy. There is more detail on our methodology page.
Is the price I see the price I pay?
The price shown against an offer is the retailer’s price for the item. Offers are listed by that price, cheapest first. Delivery is separate: the retailer charges it on its own terms at the checkout, and it plays no part in the order the offers appear in.
So the offer at the top of the list is the cheapest on the item, and not necessarily the cheapest once delivery is added. A retailer a few pounds dearer that delivers free can work out cheaper overall. Delivery charges vary by basket value, destination and speed, so check the total on the retailer’s page before you order.
What you pay is the retailer’s own price. We never add anything to it, and we never change it.
Can I see how a price has changed over time?
Yes. Product pages show how the price has moved over recent months, which is the quickest way to tell whether a “sale” price is genuinely low or simply the usual price with a label on it.
The price history shown on our product pages does not include Amazon offers.
How can I be told when a price drops?
Use “Set up a Price Alert”, just above the list of offers on the left of every product page. There are two kinds. One tells you when the price drops, and you set the smallest drop worth an email; the other tells you when the price reaches a figure you name. Either way, we email you when it happens.
Alerts are managed from your account, which costs nothing to create: register with an email address and password, or use your Google account. You need an account only to keep track of your alerts, never to compare prices.
Price alerts do not cover Amazon offers. An alert created on a product applies only to the other listed retailers.
A price looks wrong: what should I do?
It happens. A retailer changes a price and we have not caught up yet. Two things to do:
- Use “View Offer” to check the price with the retailer directly. The retailer’s price is the one that counts, not ours.
- Tell us, at support@magicprices.co.uk, with a link to the page and the price you found. We will put it right.