Review: Paribus, the Price Tracking App

Online Shopping has been giving so much convenience to the world for years. Imagine not having to spend time in traffic to be in the mall just to go shopping and being in the comfort of your own home while everything is just a click away.

But have you ever encountered an online retailer that has a price drop policy in which they promise to give you a refund of the difference of your purchases in case its prices drop days after? Amazing is it not? You can continue enjoying your usual shopping without worrying that the next day the item might be on sale since you can request for a refund anyway.

Review: Paribus, the Price Tracking App

To do this all you really have to do is to wait and check the online retailer you shopped with every hour or so to know whether the item you just bought is put on sale and then email the shop to claim your refund. Sounds easy right? But in this very busy world who really has time for all that? You cannot be confined to your laptop for hours just to make sure you are able to get your money’s worth!

This is where the incredible service of Paribus comes in. This app takes all the hassle of getting you refunds while all you really have to do is to sit back and wait. Read more into this review to get to know the app more and be able to decide whether or not you should sign up.

What is Paribus?

Paribus is a price tracking app which syncs with a user’s email account to scan for receipts and haggles with online retailers to refund the difference if there is a price drop right after a purchase.

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Paribus has already worked with eighteen major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Macy’s and many more. To put simply, it is an online service that tracks online purchases for lower prices and requests refund if it finds a lower price.

How Does it Work?

Signing up for a Paribus Account is as easy as creating a social media account: Everything is absolutely free. It is a new feature that their clients enjoy as it no longer takes a percentage of the refund you get. You are able to get 100% of your refund savings and pay nothing for their services.

And if you have an Amazon account, you can now link that account to Paribus so you can be eligible for a refund on the shipping costs of your items in case your purchases did not arrive on the agreed shipping date.

To further understand the step-by-step process, here is a detailed guide on how you can create your account and see how all the process of getting your refund works.

Let's Get Started:

  1. Create your Paribus Account and Register your Email Account

Sign up for a Paribus Account on their website at www.Paribus.com, and register the email address that you will use to register all of your shopping receipts since the app needs access to your email. Though this may seem scary at first, Paribus only gains access to emails related to your purchases and not to any emails with personal information.

  1. Connect a Credit Card

All online purchase refunds are credited back to the card used for the purchase. Paribus does not charge a fee for this service and all credit card information is handled by Stripe.

  1. Approve Price Adjustment Requests 

After finding purchases that are eligible for price adjustment refunds, Paribus shall inform the user through his registered email of these openings, but don’t fret because all notifications are subject to the user’s approval.

  1. Get your Refund

The refund process shall depend on the online seller’s discretion. The process normally would effect immediately after such refund is approved, or in some cases may take for about a few days.

Is it Safe?

Of course! Paribus is safe to use as it is recognized by major retailers in the United States and they have also adapted sufficient security measures to protect its clients. It is very understandable though that the issue of safety with Paribus makes us worry because obviously, it is a total risk of privacy when you give someone access to your private email and credit card accounts.

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Although the app recognizes these security worries and is already equipped with the necessary security to protect its clients’ privacy, we can never tell when a certain bug or virus or even a hacker gains access to these private accounts. But to help you decide whether to sign up your account or not, here is a list of the pros and cons of using this app:

Pros

  • It does the entire job for you!

The primary purpose of this app is to find a refund for you, so you would not need to put in hours to search for price reductions, request refunds, and talk to customer representatives. This also gives you more time for more important matters like spending time with your pets.

  • A member of Capital One

Capital One is a giant credit card company that handles the credit card transactions for purchase refunds. They also ensure that all personal information is handled with outmost privacy and security.

  • You get additional savings in the form of refunds

This is the primary reason to sign up for this online service; you get refunds and save your money’s worth.

  • Has a wide range of webmail providers

The app supports most major webmail service providers including Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, AOL, Hotmail and more. Because of this, clients can choose the webmail provider they are most comfortable to use.

  • Uses bank-level security

To increase their security measures and keep your personal information safe, Paribus has adapted a 25- bit SSL encryption; they also use multi-level security mechanisms such as intrusion prevention systems, virtual private network (VPN) services, stringent access controls, and firewalls.

  • Respects client’s privacy

Though they will need access to your email accounts, Paribus does not scan all of your emails and are only checking those with transactional data to scan your sales receipts.

Cons:

  • Services are not enjoyed worldwide

Although they are supported by major retailer brands, Paribus’ services are limited and are only available in the United States.

  • Trust issues

This is probably one of the major concerns of everyone as Paribus will need access to a lot of personal accounts such as email and credit card accounts. Despite the high-security standards, there is always a possibility of a security breach especially in the type and advancement of technology that we have nowadays.

  • Online service app only

Being an online service app, this service is limited to purchases made online only. If you are not a fan of online shopping, then this service might not be a smart choice for you.

  • Not all major brands support Paribus

Although a lot of big brands supports them, there are still a lot of popular brands that do not accept Paribus’ services which gives limitation to the brands you can earn refunds from.

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The Bottom Line

Ultimately, there are risks in every decision that we make, but if the risk is not greater than the benefit it will inure, why not? We understand that shopping, as relaxing as it could be for most people, can also be so time-consuming and we basically do not have that time to spare roaming around looking for that sheer top, which mostly ends up in a futile battle against your feet.

If you like shopping – and we know you do – but do not have the time for it, then this alternative will just be perfect for you. You do not need to skip on another party just to get that item on sale, consider this problem over!

The issue of privacy might not be as grave as you think it is, for you can also check your favorite online retailer if they support Paribus and if it has a price-drop policy. With this, you can be assured that subscribing to Paribus and entrusting your most valued information is not such a risk as you think it was.

The privacy policy and agreement provided by the app might help you to understand further the protective measures that the app caters to strengthen the safekeeping of every piece of information disclosed with Paribus.

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For credit card accounts, you can try requesting your bank to ask for a password every time you make a purchase online to ensure that the purchase is known or is consented by the credit card holder. Through this mechanism, customers are able to monitor every sales transaction that their accounts encounter.

Just a reminder: If we have successfully convinced you into stepping in the new face of shopping and using the app, please be on the lookout if the app is available in your locality as Paribus’ scope is still limited. If this is the case, you can ditch Paribus and just keep yourself informed on the availability and the latest updates of the app.

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