Never go shopping unless you're armed with a cell phone.

by Paul Michael on 4 June 2007 comments

Cell Phone

"It seems like a great deal, but maybe it's cheaper somewhere else?" I've said those words a lot, maybe not out loud but certainly in my head. The thing I love about shopping online is that I can instantly see if something is cheaper at another store. But, when you're out and about, how do you do the same thing? How do you keep your advantage? Well, if you take your cell phone with you, FruCall may just be the answer.


FruCall works off a very simple premise - barcodes. Almost every product has one. And if you were smart enough to set up a database, matching products to every published price available, well you'd have a database with which to comparison shop, just like the online sites we all use. FruCall has such a database.

Just sign up for a free account and you can tap that database anytime you like, as long as you're armed with your cell phone. Let's face it, who doesn't carry the preverbiable ball and chain with them everywhere they go?

I've been using FruCall on and off for about three weeks now, and I'm very happy with it. Whenever I'm out and about and see a purchase I'm interested in, I whip out the cell phone and hit my speed dial FruCall number. Then I input the barcode and wait for the results.

The automated voice takes a little getting used to. It's a cross between a human and a speak 'n' spell. But once you get used to her strange voice, you soon get the lowdown on the bargains out there. She'll tell you the price range of the item you're currently looking at, new and used, and where to buy it. So, if you see a cool TV for $1000 and find out someone else has that same TV for $800, not only do you know of the deal, you can actually order it right there and then through your cell phone. You can also use the service using text messages and mWeb. Handy.

FruCall has some other handy features, including VoiceNotes which remind you of products you've been hunting for. You can also set a bottom-line price for a product and the service will alert you when that product hits that rock-bottom price.

I couldn't go shopping without this handy feature. And when I'm not out and about, the website has a bunch more tools for bargain hunters, including gift ideas and product searches. It's all free and very easy to use. Give them a try folks. A free service that saves you money is always worth a look.

Main image courtesy of Nemo's Great Uncle.

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