Price Watch and Purchase Research Log

Who this is for

Every price you see, in one place. Log each price for the item you want with the seller, the date, delivery and condition, so you can see how it moves and buy at a time and place you chose.

Anyone waiting to buy something costly who wants to know a fair price for it, and people shopping across new, refurbished and used sellers who need the figures on one page.

What this helps you track

• The exact model or specification you are pricing
• Each price seen, with the seller and date
• Delivery cost and condition, so prices compare fairly
• When each offer ends
• The lowest price seen, and what you finally paid

How to use it

1. Write the item, the exact model or specification, the price you would be happy to pay and the date you need it by.
2. Each time you check a price, add a row with the date, seller, price and delivery cost.
3. Record the condition and when the offer ends, and note anything that affects value such as warranty or included extras.
4. Keep the lowest price seen, with the seller and date, up to date in the field at the top.
5. When you buy, write the date, seller and final price in the bought field so the sheet shows how the research paid off.
6. Use the paper version on shopping trips, or the browser version, which saves in your own browser.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

What is the target price for?

It is your own figure: the price you have decided is worth paying. Writing it down before you start stops a so-called offer setting the benchmark for you. The sheet does not suggest one.

Why record delivery separately?

Because a low price with a high delivery charge can cost more than a higher price delivered free. Keeping them apart shows the real comparison and which sellers add costs at the checkout.

Should I log refurbished and used prices too?

Yes, if you would consider buying them. The condition column keeps them distinct, so you can compare like with like and see how much the new price costs you.

How is this different from a wishlist?

A wishlist collects many things you might want. This log follows one decided item across sellers and weeks, which is what you need to judge timing.