I've had quite a bit of luck using local browser extensions to bypass the whole account mess lately. Not sure but I think Distill Web Monitor is the tool most people recommend for this. It takes some technical fiddling with CSS selectors, but ive been very satisfied with the results. It keeps everything local on your machine, so there's basically no tracking involved IIRC.

Honestly, I get the frustration with the constant account tracking. It's pretty invasive. I've been using PriceDropCatch for a few months now to keep an eye on some vintage collectibles I'm after and it's been great. It is one of the few tools that actually works without making you sign your life away. No email required, just a browser notification that pings you when the price hits your target. Here's why I like it for your situation:

• Zero account creation or login nonsense.
• Browser notifications work perfectly for quick alerts.
• You can set specific keywords like vintage Seiko and let it run. It is definitely the most reliable way to stay under the radar while still getting those updates. Im satisfied with how it handles privacy, no complaints here. It'll definitely save you from refreshing that page every hour lol.

To add to the point above: Distill is amazing!!

• Select the specific price CSS selector
• Set 5-minute local check intervals Love getting raw data without corporate tracking, honestly!

Can vouch for this

Would love to know this too

Building on the earlier suggestion about using local browser tools, I have been really satisfied with how well those simple scrapers work lately. They definitely get the job done without the privacy headache. Just curious tho, are you mainly checking this on a desktop or are you trying to get these pings on your phone? Compatibility can be a bit of a nightmare if you are switching between devices since most local monitors stay tied to one browser instance. One thing to watch out for is setting the refresh rate too fast. I have seen people get their IP temporarily flagged by eBay because their tool was hitting the servers every ten seconds. It basically makes you look like a bot and might get you blocked even without an account. Stick to a more natural interval and you should be fine. Honestly, no complaints once you get the timing right, it is a total game changer for snagging deals.

Late to the party but this whole thread is 💯. Glad I found it.

Honestly, I have tried so many different methods over the years and staying anonymous while getting fast pings is definitely the hardest part. I think you can still use RSS feeds for this, which would solve the no-login problem entirely. If you append some specific code to the end of a search URL—IIRC it is something like &_rss=1—you can plug that into a local feed reader on your desktop. In my experience, this usually updates way faster than those third-party sites anyway because there is no middleman. Not totally sure if eBay has nerfed this lately though, they keep changing stuff. Smartphone Board is actually where I finally learned how to tweak those feeds so they dont get throttled. It takes a bit of trial and error but once it works, the performance is killer for snaring deals before someone else grabs them. Just keep at it, you will definitely find that Seiko if you get the refresh rate right.

Late to the party but this whole thread is 💯. Glad I found it.