Add Phase 2 content: onboarding guides and FAQ

Onboarding guides cover the five core user flows: getting started, connecting store accounts, setting up price alerts, reading the dashboard, and comparing stores. FAQ addresses common questions about how CartSnitch works, data privacy, supported stores, and troubleshooting. All guides include screenshot placeholders for integration once staging is available (blocked on CAR-60). Ref: CAR-114 Co-Authored-By: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>
2026-03-20 02:08:15 +00:00
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+---
+title: "Comparing Stores"
+status: draft
+version: 1.0
+last_updated: 2026-03-20
+description: "How to use CartSnitch's store comparison feature to find the best prices."
+---
+
+# Comparing Stores
+
+The same item at two different stores can differ by $1-2 on any given day. CartSnitch's store comparison shows you exactly where each product costs less — so you can make smarter choices about where to shop.
+
+---
+
+## How to Compare
+
+1. Go to **Products** and find the item you want to compare
+2. Tap the product to open its detail page
+3. Tap **Compare Stores**
+
+CartSnitch shows every connected store that carries the product, sorted from cheapest to most expensive.
+
+`[SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER: Store comparison page for a product showing Meijer, Kroger, and Target prices sorted by lowest first]`
+
+---
+
+## What the Comparison Shows
+
+For each store, you'll see:
+- **Store name and icon**
+- **Current price**
+- **Last updated date** — when CartSnitch last saw this price
+- **Best price highlight** — the cheapest option gets a green border
+
+If there's a meaningful price difference, a savings banner appears at the top: "Save $1.47 by shopping at Meijer."
+
+---
+
+## Getting the Most Out of Comparisons
+
+**Compare your regulars.** The biggest savings come from items you buy every week. A $0.30 difference on eggs doesn't feel like much once, but over a year that's $15 — and it adds up across your whole cart.
+
+**Check before you shop.** Before heading out, search for the 5-10 items on your list and compare. You might find that this week, Kroger beats Meijer on dairy but Meijer wins on produce. A quick check takes 2 minutes and can save you $5-10 per trip.
+
+**Connect multiple stores.** Store comparison works best when you have at least two stores connected. The more stores you link, the more comparison data CartSnitch can show.
+
+---
+
+## Why Prices Differ
+
+Store pricing is complicated. Factors include:
+- **Regional pricing** — the same chain can charge different amounts in different zip codes
+- **Loss leaders** — stores intentionally underprice certain items (like milk or bananas) to get you in the door
+- **Promotions and sales cycles** — most grocery items rotate through sales every 6-8 weeks
+- **Store brand vs. national brand** — store brands are typically 20-30% cheaper for equivalent products
+
+CartSnitch tracks all of this so you can see the patterns without doing the research yourself.
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+---
+title: "Connecting Your Store Accounts"
+status: draft
+version: 1.0
+last_updated: 2026-03-20
+description: "Step-by-step guide for linking Meijer, Kroger, and Target loyalty accounts to CartSnitch."
+---
+
+# Connecting Your Store Accounts
+
+CartSnitch pulls your purchase history directly from your store loyalty accounts. No receipt photos, no barcode scanning — just your existing login credentials.
+
+---
+
+## Supported Stores
+
+| Store | Loyalty Program | What CartSnitch Imports |
+|---|---|---|
+| **Meijer** | mPerks | Purchase history, item prices, digital coupons |
+| **Kroger** | Kroger Plus | Receipts, item prices, digital coupons |
+| **Target** | Target Circle | Purchase history, deals |
+
+More stores are on the roadmap (Walmart, Costco, Aldi). Request yours in the app.
+
+---
+
+## How to Connect
+
+1. Open CartSnitch and go to **Settings**
+2. Tap **Connect a Store**
+3. Choose your store (Meijer, Kroger, or Target)
+4. Enter the email and password you use for that store's loyalty program
+5. Tap **Connect**
+
+CartSnitch will verify your credentials and start importing your purchases. This usually takes under a minute for your recent history.
+
+`[SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER: Account Linking page showing Meijer connected, Kroger connected, and Target available to connect]`
+
+---
+
+## What We Access (and What We Don't)
+
+**We access:**
+- Your purchase history (what you bought, when, and how much you paid)
+- Item prices and package sizes
+- Digital coupon availability
+
+**We never access:**
+- Payment methods or credit card numbers
+- Personal information beyond what's needed to log in
+- Your store account settings or loyalty points balance
+
+Your store credentials are encrypted and stored securely. CartSnitch never shares your data with third parties.
+
+---
+
+## Disconnecting a Store
+
+Changed your mind? Go to **Settings > Connect a Store**, find the connected store, and tap **Disconnect**. CartSnitch stops importing new data immediately. Your existing purchase history in CartSnitch remains available unless you delete your account.
+
+---
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+**"Connection failed" error**
+Double-check that you're using the same email and password you use to log into the store's website or app. If you recently changed your store password, use the new one.
+
+**Purchases aren't showing up**
+Some stores take a few hours to make recent purchases available through their systems. If you just shopped, check back later. If it's been more than 24 hours, try disconnecting and reconnecting the store.
+
+**Two-factor authentication**
+If your store account uses two-factor authentication, you may need to temporarily adjust your security settings to connect. We're working on native 2FA support.
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+---
+title: "Getting Started with CartSnitch"
+status: draft
+version: 1.0
+last_updated: 2026-03-20
+description: "First-time user onboarding guide — from signup to first savings insight."
+---
+
+# Getting Started with CartSnitch
+
+Welcome to CartSnitch. Here's how to go from zero to tracking your grocery prices in about two minutes.
+
+---
+
+## Step 1: Create Your Account
+
+Open CartSnitch and tap **Create Account**. Enter your name, email, and a password. That's it — no credit card, no subscription, no trial period.
+
+Once you're in, you'll land on your dashboard. It'll be empty for now. That changes fast.
+
+---
+
+## Step 2: Connect a Store
+
+This is where CartSnitch gets useful. Head to **Settings > Connect a Store** and link at least one loyalty account:
+
+- **Meijer** — your mPerks account
+- **Kroger** — your Kroger Plus account
+- **Target** — your Target Circle account
+
+CartSnitch uses your store credentials to pull your purchase history automatically. No receipt scanning. No barcode swiping. Your past purchases start appearing within minutes.
+
+For detailed instructions, see the [Connecting Your Store Accounts](connecting-stores.md) guide.
+
+---
+
+## Step 3: Explore Your Dashboard
+
+Once a store is connected, your dashboard comes to life:
+
+- **Recent purchases** — your last few shopping trips, pulled directly from your store account
+- **Price trends** — sparkline charts showing how prices are moving on everyday items like eggs and milk
+- **Triggered alerts** — if any prices you're watching have dropped, you'll see it right at the top
+
+`[SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER: Authenticated dashboard showing recent purchases, sparkline charts, and alert banner]`
+
+---
+
+## Step 4: Set Up a Price Alert
+
+Spot something you buy regularly? Set a price alert so CartSnitch tells you when the price drops.
+
+1. Go to **Products** and search for the item
+2. Tap the product to see its price history
+3. Tap **Set Alert** and enter your target price
+4. CartSnitch notifies you the moment it hits
+
+For the full walkthrough, see [Setting Up Price Alerts](setting-up-alerts.md).
+
+---
+
+## Step 5: Compare Stores
+
+If you've connected more than one store, you can compare prices side by side. On any product page, tap **Compare Stores** to see where it costs less.
+
+CartSnitch highlights the cheapest option and tells you exactly how much you'd save by switching stores.
+
+See the [Comparing Stores](comparing-stores.md) guide for details.
+
+---
+
+## What Happens Next
+
+CartSnitch keeps working in the background. Every time you shop, your new purchases are imported automatically. Prices are tracked. Shrinkflation is flagged. You don't need to do anything — just shop like you normally would and check in when you want to see what's changed.
+
+---
+
+## Quick Reference
+
+| Feature | Where to find it |
+|---|---|
+| Connect a store | Settings > Connect a Store |
+| View purchases | Purchases tab |
+| Search products | Products tab |
+| Set price alerts | Product detail > Set Alert |
+| Compare stores | Product detail > Compare Stores |
+| Browse coupons | Coupons tab |
+
+---
+
+## Installing CartSnitch on Your Phone
+
+CartSnitch is a web app that works like a native app on your phone. When you visit CartSnitch in your mobile browser, you'll see an "Add to Home Screen" prompt. Tap it, and CartSnitch gets its own icon on your home screen — no app store download needed.
+
+It works offline too, so you can check prices and your shopping list even when you're in a store with spotty reception.
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+---
+title: "Reading Your Dashboard"
+status: draft
+version: 1.0
+last_updated: 2026-03-20
+description: "Guide to understanding your CartSnitch dashboard — purchases, price trends, and alerts at a glance."
+---
+
+# Reading Your Dashboard
+
+Your dashboard is your home base. It gives you a quick read on what's happening with your grocery spending without digging through menus.
+
+---
+
+## What You'll See
+
+### Triggered Alerts Banner
+
+If any of your price alerts have fired, a green banner appears at the top of the dashboard. It tells you how many alerts triggered and links directly to the Alerts page. This is your "time to buy" signal.
+
+### Price Trend Sparklines
+
+Small charts that show recent price movement for key items. These aren't detailed analyses — they're quick visual checks. Is the line going up or down? That's what they're for.
+
+Each sparkline shows:
+- **The product name** (e.g., "Large Eggs — Meijer")
+- **The current price**
+- **A trend line** over recent data points
+
+`[SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER: Dashboard sparkline cards showing egg and milk price trends with current prices]`
+
+### Recent Purchases
+
+The last three shopping trips from your connected stores. Each card shows:
+- **Store name and icon**
+- **Date** of the purchase
+- **Total spent**
+- **Number of items**
+
+Tap any purchase to see the full receipt breakdown with individual item prices.
+
+### Quick Actions
+
+Links to the features you'll use most:
+- **Products** — search and browse tracked products
+- **Alerts** — manage your price watches
+- **Coupons** — see available deals from your stores
+
+---
+
+## When You First Sign Up
+
+The dashboard starts empty. That's normal — it fills in as soon as you connect a store account. Within minutes of connecting, you'll see your purchase history and price data start flowing in.
+
+If you've connected a store but the dashboard is still empty after 15 minutes, try pulling down to refresh, or check **Settings > Connect a Store** to verify the connection status.
+
+---
+
+## Dashboard vs. Other Pages
+
+The dashboard is the summary. For deep dives:
+- **Purchases** gives you your full purchase history with search and filters
+- **Products** lets you explore individual product prices and history
+- **Alerts** shows all your price watches in detail
+- **Coupons** lists available deals from your connected stores
+
+Think of the dashboard as the headlines. The other pages are the full articles.
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+---
+title: "Setting Up Price Alerts"
+status: draft
+version: 1.0
+last_updated: 2026-03-20
+description: "How to create, manage, and use price alerts in CartSnitch."
+---
+
+# Setting Up Price Alerts
+
+Price alerts let you set a target price for any product. When the price drops to your target (or below), CartSnitch notifies you. It's the easiest way to stock up when prices are right.
+
+---
+
+## Creating an Alert
+
+1. Go to **Products** and search for the item you want to watch
+2. Tap the product to open its detail page
+3. Tap the **+ New Alert** button
+4. Select the store you want to watch (or all stores)
+5. Enter your target price — this is the price at or below which you want to be notified
+6. Tap **Create Alert**
+
+That's it. CartSnitch checks prices automatically and notifies you when your target is hit.
+
+`[SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER: Price Alerts page showing triggered alerts at top and watching alerts below, with + New Alert button]`
+
+---
+
+## How Alerts Work
+
+CartSnitch tracks prices from your connected stores. When a price update comes in that matches or beats your target, the alert triggers.
+
+Triggered alerts show up in two places:
+- **Your dashboard** — a green banner at the top shows how many alerts have fired
+- **The Alerts page** — triggered alerts are separated from active watches so you can see what's ready to act on
+
+---
+
+## Managing Your Alerts
+
+### Viewing alerts
+Go to the **Alerts** tab to see all your alerts. They're grouped into:
+- **Triggered** — prices have hit your target. Time to buy.
+- **Watching** — still waiting for the price to drop.
+
+### Deleting an alert
+Tap any alert card and hit **Delete** to remove it. You can always create a new one later.
+
+---
+
+## Tips for Better Alerts
+
+**Use price history to set realistic targets.** Before creating an alert, check the product's price history chart. If eggs have bounced between $3.49 and $4.99 over the past six months, a target of $3.49 is realistic. A target of $1.99 probably isn't.
+
+**Watch staples, not impulse buys.** Alerts are most valuable for things you buy every week — milk, eggs, bread, chicken. A $0.50 savings on something you buy 50 times a year is $25 back in your pocket.
+
+**Set alerts across stores.** If you've connected multiple stores, set the alert to watch all of them. The same product can vary by $1-2 between stores on any given week.