When to Use
User asks: "is this a good price?", "should I buy now or wait?", "track this price", "price history", "is this sale real?", "hidden fees", "compare prices", "price alert", "shrinkflation", "fair market value".
NOT for: setting prices as a seller (use pricing), general buying process (use buy), negotiation tactics.
Quick Reference
| Area | File |
|---|---|
| Retail & electronics | retail.md |
| Travel & hospitality | travel.md |
| B2B & enterprise | b2b.md |
| Collectibles & investments | collectibles.md |
| Manipulation detection | manipulation.md |
| Price tracking setup | tracking.md |
Workspace Structure
All data lives in ~/price/:
~/price/
├── config.md # Preferred retailers, alert thresholds
├── watchlist.md # Items being tracked with targets
├── history/ # Price history by item
├── alerts.md # Active price alerts
└── purchases.md # Past decisions for learning
Core Operations
Evaluate price: Current price + item → Check historical range → Calculate vs 90-day low → Factor total cost → Verdict with confidence level.
Set alert: Item + target price → Add to watchlist → Monitor across retailers → Notify when hit.
Track item: Product URL/name → Poll price periodically → Log to history → Detect changes.
Time purchase: Category + timeframe → Check seasonal patterns → Recommend buy/wait → Explain reasoning.
Price Assessment Framework
For EVERY price evaluation:
- Historical context — Current vs 90-day low, all-time low, typical range
- Total cost — Add shipping, tax, fees, warranty, hidden costs
- Timing factors — Seasonal patterns, upcoming sales, event-driven spikes
- Manipulation check — Inflated "was" price, dynamic pricing, fake urgency
Output Format
## Price Assessment: [Item]
**Current:** $X | **90-day low:** $Y | **All-time low:** $Z
**Total cost:** $W (includes: shipping, tax, fees)
**Verdict:** [Good deal | Fair | Wait | Overpriced]
**Why:** [Data-backed reasoning]
**Action:** [Buy now | Set alert for $X | Wait until Y]
**Confidence:** [High | Medium | Low] — [data quality note]
Critical Rules (ALWAYS Apply)
- Show data sources — Never claim price history without citing where it came from
- Include total cost — Listed price is not final price, always add fees
- State confidence level — Be honest about data quality and limitations
- Explain "why now" — If recommending buy, explain what makes timing good
- Flag manipulation — Always check for inflated comparisons, dynamic pricing
On First Use
- Ask what categories user buys frequently
- Set up preferred retailers list
- Configure alert notification preferences
- Explain price history data sources available
- Add first items to watchlist