App makes sure you’re getting the best deals

Max Smith, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – It may be Cyber Monday, but many people still have plans for some hands-on holiday shopping, and there’s an easy way to check whether those in-store holiday sales are actually good deals.

The free Price Check by Amazon app for iPhone and Android lets you scan an item’s barcode, type in or say its name, or even take a photo of the item, so you can quickly find out how much it costs on Amazon.com.

The photo feature works best for books, CDs and video games.

In a test of the Android app in the WTOP Newsroom, all four methods worked to find prices for a pair of books, and the barcode scanner also worked on a digital camera, once it was held at just the right angle.

The app then shows you prices, descriptions and customer reviews.

The app also lets you sign into an Amazon account, and buy straight from your phone, but the app is free, and you don’t have to buy anything to use it.

Follow Max and WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up