The ChatGPT Experience

Finding the Best Deals Without the Hassle

I wanted an electric griddle—big enough for pancakes with my grandkids, smash burgers for summer cookouts, and veggie paninis for Ed. But I didn’t want to waste hours comparing prices and reviews across multiple sites.

So, I turned to ChatGPT.

Why ChatGPT?

✔ Quick comparison of top-rated griddles
✔ Price insights without manually searching multiple retailers
✔ A way to ensure I was making a well-informed purchase

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Step-by-Step: Shopping with AI

Using ChatGPT for Recommendations

I used ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4) for deeper insights and better product breakdowns. My prompt:
➡️ “What are the best-rated electric griddles for home cooking?”

ChatGPT provided five options but before making a decision, I had some questions.

Can I Trust AI for Shopping?

ChatGPT doesn’t browse the web in real time, but it relies on:

✅ Pre-Trained Knowledge (Up to 2024) – Past product specs, reviews, and rankings
✅ General Buying Advice—Key features, best-value picks, and common use cases
✅ User Input—Personalized recommendations based on budget, needs, and preferences

Workarounds for Real-Time Info:
🔎 Google Search Prompts—ChatGPT suggests tailored Google searches
🛒 AI Tools with Live Browsing—Perplexity AI and Google Bard can fetch up-to-date product info
📝 Trusted Review Sites—Consumer Reports (unbiased), Wirecutter (research-based), CNET & Tom’s Guide (tech-focused)

Example Google search:
➡️ Best ELECTRIC GRIDDLE after 2023 site:wirecutter.com OR site:cnet.com OR site:tomsguide.com

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Comparing Prices & Finding Deals

Since ChatGPT can’t check prices in real time, it suggested this Google search prompt:
➡️ Best price for Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler after 2023 site:amazon.com OR site:walmart.com OR site:target.com OR site:bestbuy.com

🔹 Refining search results—Google Shopping helped narrow it down to the exact model.
🔹 Promo Codes—ChatGPT directed me to tools like Honey and RetailMeNot for discounts.
🔹 Price Predictions—ChatGPT analyzed past trends to help decide whether to buy now or wait.

Final Choice

I went with the Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler—versatile, well-reviewed, and from a brand I trust (our 2015 Cuisinart coffee maker is still going strong!).

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Due Diligence: Tracking Prices & Maximizing Savings

AI-Powered Price Tracking Tools

🛍 CamelCamelCamel (Amazon-only)
🔹 Tracks Amazon price history & sets alerts for price drops

🛍 Honey (Multi-Retailer)
🔹 Finds coupons & applies them automatically at checkout

🛍 Google Shopping Alerts
🔹 Notifies you of price drops across multiple retailers

🛍 Keepa (Amazon-focused)
🔹 Tracks Amazon deals & price trends

🛍 Slickdeals Alerts
🔹 Finds community-posted sales and coupon codes

Seasonal Sale Strategy
If you’re not in a rush, major sales events can save you money:
💰 Amazon Prime Day (July & October)
💰 Black Friday & Cyber Monday (November)
💰 End-of-Year Clearance (December)
💰 Presidents Day, Memorial Day & Labor Day Sales

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Smart AI Shopping Checklist

✔ Use ChatGPT (Free) for general advice or ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) for in-depth insights
✔ Ask AI to generate Google search prompts for real-time price comparisons
✔ Find promo codes via Honey, RetailMeNot, or Rakuten
✔ Use price-tracking tools like CamelCamelCamel, Keepa, or Google Shopping Alerts
✔ Cross-check AI’s recommendations using Consumer Reports, Wirecutter, or CNET
✔ Let AI help after the purchase with recipe ideas, cleaning tips, and troubleshooting guides
✔ Consider AI tools with real-time search capabilities like Perplexity AI or Google Bard

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Final Thoughts: AI Shopping—A Smart Assistant, But Not Perfect

Shopping with AI-powered tools is both incredibly helpful and undeniably flawed.

✔ AI makes shopping faster and smarter, cutting down research time and suggesting tools to track deals.
✔ It takes care of the tedious tasks, eliminating the need to manually search every site.
❌ But AI isn’t perfect—it can’t browse in real time (unless you use workarounds).
❌ Its knowledge has a cutoff.
❌ Price checks still require extra steps.

The future of AI shopping looks promising. Imagine a tool that tracks real-time prices, predicts sales, fetches promo codes instantly, and compares the newest products—all in one place.

AI isn’t quite there yet, but it’s getting closer every day. Until then, knowing its strengths and weaknesses helps make AI-powered shopping work for you.

Get The Ultimate Guide to Shopping Online with AI

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✅ Expert strategies for finding the best deals using AI

✅ A list of trusted AI shopping tools and how to use them

✅ Step-by-step instructions for setting up price alerts and tracking savings

✅ Exclusive bonus tips not included in this article

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