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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>
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title, status, version, last_updated, description
| title | status | version | last_updated | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comparing Stores | draft | 1.0 | 2026-03-20 | 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
- Go to Products and find the item you want to compare
- Tap the product to open its detail page
- 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.