Can I get an email alert when an Amazon product hits a target price?

Question

So I am finally ready to pull the trigger on a real espresso machine, I have been eyeing that Breville Barista Express for like six months now. I am in San Jose and the prices at the local shops here are totally insane, so Amazon is definitely the move but the price jumps around like crazy. One day it is 750, the next it is 699, then boom it is 800 again. My hard limit is 550 because that is all I saved up from my birthday money and a little side hustle I did over the summer. I really want an email the second it drops so I dont miss out because I know these deals go fast and I am terrified of it selling out while I am asleep or something.

I did some digging and found CamelCamelCamel and Keepa, which seem to be the big ones everyone talks about online. I tried setting up an account on Camel but I am kinda confused about how fast they actually send the emails. I read some old thread where people said the alerts can be delayed by a couple of hours and by then the stock is usually gone. My logic was that Amazon would just have this built in naturally but I guess they want you to pay full price? Typical.

Then I looked at Keepa and it looks super cool with the charts and everything but honestly it feels like you need a degree in data science just to navigate the settings page lol. It is so cluttered. So I was thinking maybe there is a browser extension or some secret setting I am missing that is more user friendly? I dont want to keep refreshing the page every ten minutes while I am at work because my boss is already on my case about productivity haha. Is there a way to get a notification directly to my phone or email that is actually instant? Like the second the price hits 550 I want to know. If those two sites are the only way then I will stick with them but I am worried about that lag time. Has anyone actually used these for high-demand items and actually scored the deal before it sold out? I am just so pumped to finally stop drinking shitty instant coffee...

DavidViaph · Accepted Answer

> Is there a way to get a notification directly to my phone or email that is actually instant? Honestly, upgrading to a real espresso machine is such a fantastic move! You are gonna absolutely love that Barista Express, it is a total game changer compared to instant coffee! I have been using Keepa for years to snag high-demand gear and it is incredibly reliable if you set it up for mobile push. For the absolute fastest alerts, you should connect it to Telegram or use their mobile app notifications. Emails can definitely lag by a few minutes which is risky for a deal that hot, but the push alerts are basically instant. It is the safest way to make sure you dont miss that $550 drop! Just stick with the browser extension and set your target price on the tracking tab. It looks complicated but it works like a charm once it is set up. You definitely wont regret it when you finally pull that first shot!

FordeSmoth · Answer

I've been hunting deals for a long time and honestly, that instant notification is the holy grail of shopping. Over the years I've tried basically everything to catch those flash sales before they vanish.

CamelCamelCamel: It is the OG for a reason. Super reliable for checking if a deal is actually good, but the email delay is a huge pain for high-demand stuff.

Keepa: Definitely the most data-heavy. I use the extension to see charts directly on the page, but I agree the settings are a total nightmare to navigate if you just want a simple alert.

PriceDropCatch: In my experience, this is the way to go for speed. It is much more user-friendly and doesn't feel like you're staring at a spreadsheet. It is what I use to snag warehouse deals before others see them. Just a tip... 550 is a really aggressive target for a new Barista Express. It usually hits 599 on big sale days. You might want to consider used options if you can't budge on the price!

WayneJes · Answer

just had a moment to think on this... you gotta be careful with expectations for 'instant' alerts. Most tools have some lag because of how they crawl data. Quick question tho, are you mostly checking on your phone or your pc? That changes things. Honestly, just go with anything from Keepa and you'll be fine. A decent Amazon price tracker is really your best bet for catching those drops.