Ryan Haines / Android Authority
As an avid runner in the middle of marathon training, I go through a lot of shoes — like, a lot of shoes. When averaging 50 miles per week, I can burn through a pair in a little over a month, and then it’s time to treat myself. That said, I’m not made of money. I can’t just run out and pay full price every time I need fresh foam under my feet. So, I have to be careful about looking for deals and spending wisely. And now, a new Chrome extension has made that easier than ever. Here’s how.
Chrome keeps tabs on my tabs for me
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
The idea of an extension to track product prices in a web browser is nothing new. My colleague Rita praised the popular Amazon tracker CamelCamelCamel when she asked me if I’d tried Google’s version. At the time, I hadn’t given Google’s shopping insights a shot yet, but I’d used (and liked) the version that Microsoft introduced to Edge a while back. The only problem is that I mostly work on a MacBook Air, and the last thing I need is a third browser kicking around.
When I found out that Google had added a similar feature to Chrome, which I use across my Android phone of the week and my laptop, I was ready to try it out. And, as it turns out, the setup process couldn’t be more straightforward — open a product page, tap the Track Price button, and wait to see how it fluctuates over time. Naturally, I took it as a sign to monitor about half a dozen running shoes.
I always liked Edge's shopping insights, but they're much more useful on Chrome... because I actually use it.
See, right now, I’m in the market for a faster daily trainer that I can use for a few workouts. That means a relatively new launch like the Adidas AdiZero Evo SL, New Balance Rebel v5, or the Asics Novablast 5. So, I opened all their product pages, added the Skechers Aero Spark for good measure, and set up my price tracking reminders.
At this point, I’ve only been following my selected footwear for about a week, so there hasn’t been much movement. That said, a few of the shoes — the Evo SL and the Aero Spark — have been on the market for long enough that they’ve gained pricing history. I can slide along a timeline for both shoes, noting when they’ve been discounted and hoping for new deals.
Would you use a Google-based shopping tracker? 27 votes Yes, I use shopping insights in Chrome already 44 % No, I use another shopping tracker 15 % No, I'm not interested 41 %
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