"PC Web App wireframes" now online

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roBman

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Aug 4, 2009, 12:54:35 AM8/4/09
to price_check
Hi,

I've just uploaded the PC Web App wireframes.

Click on http://groups.google.com/group/price_check/web/pc-web-app-wireframes
- or copy & paste it into your browser's address bar if that doesn't
work.

All feedback and suggestions welcome...


roBman

polypep

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Aug 4, 2009, 5:45:35 AM8/4/09
to price_check
I've looked at the PC Web App wireframes. I can't suggest any
improvements, it all seems straightforward and easy to use.

Are we going to be concerned with more than one of each type of store
in a postcode? E.g. my postcode is 4500, and there are at least 2
different Woolworths stores and 2 different Coles stores within that
postcode. If those 2 Woolworths stores have the same product at
different prices, won't that cause problems with the data?

Jacki

Rob Manson

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Aug 4, 2009, 6:02:38 AM8/4/09
to price...@googlegroups.com
Hey Jacki,

we've discussed this a little and are open to other opinions.

Currently I think it makes it a lot simpler if we just simplify it down
to 1 brand price per postcode and assume that the data will balance this
out.

Can you find any specific examples that suggest this won't work?

Also, I'd like to look at extending how we present the price update
info. e.g. perhaps we should also present the highest & lowest prices
listed for that brand in that postcode recently. And also present a
graph of historical prices too. This may help make this clearer.

Thoughts?


roBman

Damien Donnelly

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Aug 4, 2009, 6:44:15 AM8/4/09
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A trended graph is exceptionally important, will encourage more people to add data as well. 

Damien Donnelly
http://www.damiendonnelly.com

Rob Manson

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Aug 4, 2009, 7:02:15 AM8/4/09
to price...@googlegroups.com
Hi Damien,

I agree...one problem is that to begin with the trend line will be very
short 8)

So may be a phase 2 thing...


roBman

Luke Durrant

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Aug 4, 2009, 10:45:43 AM8/4/09
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maybe have a 2nd cheapest price aswell so if
u cant make a store u might be able to make it to another

Rob Manson

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Aug 4, 2009, 6:39:58 PM8/4/09
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Hey Luke,

how would you like to see that presented on the "view item" screen do
you think?

http://09253543644999350098-a-g.googlegroups.com/web/priceCheck_PC_wireframes_p3.pdf


roBman
--
Rob Manson
Managing Director

MOB - Start something!
Innovative mobile & online business
http://MOBusiness.com.au

m: +61423215731
e: roB...@MOBusiness.com.au
l: http://www.linkedin.com/in/robertmanson
t: http://twitter.com/nambor
s: http://slideshare.net/robman


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't miss our presentation on Pervasive Computing
and Business Strategy at Web Directions South 2009
http://south09.webdirections.org/program/business#pervasive-computing

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Richard Ferrers, Melb

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Aug 4, 2009, 9:13:46 PM8/4/09
to price_check
Rob,

I think Store is an essential field that needs to be kept in the data
model, between postcode, and product, even though
it adds complexity. Here's why.

> Currently I think it makes it a lot simpler if we just simplify it down
> to 1 brand price per postcode and assume that the data will balance this
> out.

When I use (and others pls add how you would image using the system)
Price check, I want to know
which store in my local area:
a. gives the best prices
b. has some specials that I am interested in

so i can decide where i want to shop this week.

I am less interested in whether Sydney prices are different from
Melbourne, or that Apples are cheap in Brisbane, when I live in
Melbourne.

I want to know in Prahran, where I shop at Safeway, with a Coles next
door, that if I shopped at Coles, the
basket price for my shopping list would be $Z more expensive (X% more
expensive),

but if particular items are cheaper at Coles - say 2L fruit juice
$1.50 off, if there are enough specials,
I will shop for some things at the Coles store, and other things at
the Safeway store.

> Can you find any specific examples that suggest this won't work?

1.For instance, I buy UHT 200ml milk. Coles Prahran sell them in a six
pack at $2.50 (Saving over 20%), but
Safeway only sell the 150ml singly at $0.66. Over time this could add
up. If there is a product where
there is some funny business going on with pricing (game playing - eg
low price one week, most weeks high price)
then price_check should highlight this.

Eg look at the items on your shopping list, or normal purchases, and
show a specials report
which shows items with unusual percentage variation, from the normal
(average) price.

2.Last week for instance, 5L Olive Oil Moro?? was at $30, instead of
the usual $42 (saving 29%).
But if to justify this special, they put other prices up, to offset
then we want to sense this and flag this in Price_check.

3. Sirena Tuna 150g, usually 2.25. Last week four for $7 - saving $2
(22%).
Seeing the data by store identifies particularly good specials that
are temporary (loss leaders), which are used
to keep good customer relations.(This might be tricky to fit into the
data model??)

At the end of the day, data storage is cheap, and an extra field might
be difficult to add later.
However, you could roll the store data up easily to postcode, to still
provide the postcode functionality.

I think we need to be very careful with averages, and record as much
detail as possible - store, product, brand, size, minimum purchase.
Well maybe not the last. We can roll up to postcode level, but I want
to see at store level.

However, what does everyone else think? How would you all envisage
using the system.
Cheers
Richard in Melbourne




Rob Manson

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Aug 4, 2009, 9:28:26 PM8/4/09
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Hey Richard,

that is absolutely the intention - down to the specific supermarket in a
specific postcode - see:

http://09253543644999350098-a-g.googlegroups.com/web/priceCheck_PC_wireframes_p3.pdf

My real question was, if there are two Woolworths stores or two Coles in
a single postcode is it worth the extra complexity to track the specific
retail locations? (e.g. store id).

Or is simply the supermarket/postcode combination visualised in the PDF
above enough.

My personal feeling is that a store id level is too complex for the
first stage.

BTW: I'd also like people to shout out (here or via twitter) if they
actually DO have more than one of a particular supermarket in a single
postcode. This may simply be a corner case.


roBman

Simon Rumble

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Aug 4, 2009, 9:58:19 PM8/4/09
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2009/8/5 Rob Manson <roB...@mobusiness.com.au>

My real question was, if there are two Woolworths stores or two Coles in
a single postcode is it worth the extra complexity to track the specific
retail locations? (e.g. store id).

The Sydney CBD contains a number of Woolworths and Coles stores, and they're likely to all be in the "2000" postcode.  The smaller Woolworths, I would expect, are more expensive than the big one opposite Town Hall.

There's also the issue of sub-branded stores: the convenience stores "Coles Express" which will almost certainly have convenience prices compared to actual supermarkets in the same postcode.

What it will mean is you'll end up with the wrong price if someone enters a price from a "convenience" store instead of a supermarket.  And I'm sure the line is blurry in some places.

--
Simon Rumble <si...@rumble.net>

Megan Tucker

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Aug 5, 2009, 10:05:34 PM8/5/09
to price...@googlegroups.com
Hi, I am in Launceston, and we have 1 Woolworths in 7248, 1 in 7249.
Coles have 3 stores in the 7250 area, and  in 7249.   

Suggesting a store number as opposed to a postcode.     Woolworths have a complete spreadsheet of their stores and numbers australiawide.

Cheers

megan

Rob Manson

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Aug 6, 2009, 4:43:23 PM8/6/09
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Hi Simon,

I think that's a valid point. The price difference between the
convenience format store and a supermarket format store is likely to be
significant.


roBman

Rob Manson

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Aug 6, 2009, 4:46:45 PM8/6/09
to price...@googlegroups.com
Hi Megan,

that's an interesting point about the store id's. I'll download those
files and look at how we can integrate them into the interface.

I think we could use a Google Maps style interface to let you pick the
exact store which would then map to the id from those spreadsheets.

What does everyone else think of this?


We'll keep developing based on the existing structure and then update
this once we've looked into this in more detail.

Thanks for the feedback.


roBman
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