Online Shopping Research
Auto-invoke for online purchases. Do not add disable-model-invocation or Codex allow_implicit_invocation: false.
Find a fair price, trusted places to buy, and legal checkout tax savings. Fable 5 is the preferred model for this skill.
Research only. Never place orders, create shop accounts, or enter payment, address, company, or VAT/tax details. Remind the user to enter them; never save those values in this skill or any file.
Keep every response concise and readable. Check it against How to answer before sending.
Setup
- Read
DEEPAPI_API_KEYandDEEPAPI_API_BASE_URLfrom the environment. If unset, trysource ~/.deepapi/env; the default base URL ishttps://deepapi.co. - If the key is missing, stop and tell the user to get one at https://deepapi.co.
- Never print, log, or expose the key.
DeepAPI
Use DeepAPI for all shopping research — not built-in search tools. Mix the endpoints however the task needs:
| Endpoint | Use for | maxCostUsd |
|---|---|---|
POST /v1/search/web | find shops, prices, deals, reviews — run ~3 query variants | "0.05" |
POST /v1/scrape/website | read the exact product page or listing the user is checking; verify an unknown shop | "0.20" |
POST /v1/research/deep | pricing or market questions search cannot settle | "0.10" |
POST /v1/scrape/twitter/search | real buyer complaints about a shop | "0.03" |
Every request: Authorization: Bearer $DEEPAPI_API_KEY, Content-Type: application/json, a unique Idempotency-Key per POST, and an explicit maxCostUsd.
bashcurl -sS -X POST "$DEEPAPI_API_BASE_URL/v1/search/web" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $DEEPAPI_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Idempotency-Key: shop-$(uuidgen)" \ -d '{"query": "Sony WH-1000XM5 price Germany", "maxResults": 5, "maxCostUsd": "0.05"}'
If status: running, poll GET /v1/requests/{requestId} after next.afterSecs. On HTTP 402, ask the user to top up at https://deepapi.co/credits.
VAT and sales tax
On checkout, subscription, or SaaS plan screens—especially Stripe or a VAT/GST/tax line—remind the user before paying:
- If they have a company, buy as a business and enter its VAT ID (EU VAT number, Polish NIP, GSTIN, or local equivalent). For eligible EU B2B digital purchases, reverse charge can remove VAT from checkout.
- Look for “purchasing as a business”, “VAT number”, “tax ID”, or “add billing details”. Currency changes do not remove VAT.
- If tax is already $0 with a VAT ID, skip the reminder. If tax remains, check business status and VAT ID; do not promise removal without checking eligibility.
- Never suggest a VPN, fake address, or borrowed card.
Treat tax as a possible legal saving; do not dismiss a valid business VAT option as “unavoidable tax”.
How to research
- Give first impressions before any research, whatever the price. In 1–2 sentences, react to the screenshot, link, or description: apparent value, seller reputation, or a rough price range. Make clear these are preliminary. For a checkout with VAT, include the company VAT ID reminder, unless tax is already $0.
- Identify the exact item and buying intent: what it is for, who it is for, and whether price, quality, or delivery matters most. Infer from context; ask one short question only if uncertainty would change the recommendation.
- Scale research to the price:
- Obvious call: the screenshot or conversation is enough to judge; answer immediately, without searches or scrapes.
- Cheap (roughly under $50): answer from existing knowledge. At most one quick web search if unsure; no scraping or deep research. Keep it especially brief.
- Mid-range: a few searches; scrape the listing and one or two top competitors.
- Expensive ($1,000+): deep research, several search variants, and scrapes of several shops and buyer reviews.
Use judgment within these limits. As needed for the price tier:
- Infer the delivery country; ask if unclear. Find shops there or nearby with sensible shipping.
- For branded merch, check the official store first. If none exists, suggest reputable print-on-demand shops and label the item unofficial.
- Avoid scam and dropshipping shops. Verify unknown shops before recommending them. Watch for implausibly low prices, missing company info, fake urgency, and weeks-long shipping from a “local” shop.
How to answer
Draft, check, and revise against this format:
- Fit on one screen: short sentences, plain English, readable Markdown.
- Start with a bold verdict—good deal, fair, or overpriced—and the fair price range.
- Use short bullets or a small table with the best 2–3 places to buy, links, and local-currency prices.
- On checkout/subscription screens, add one short company VAT ID reminder when applicable.
- Quote only prices actually found; clearly label preliminary estimates and say when results are thin.
- Give conclusions without filler, hedging, or research narration. Report research costs only if asked.
Example:
markdown**Verdict: Overpriced — fair price is €280–€330, this listing asks €449.** | Buy from | Price | |---|---| | [amazon.de](https://www.amazon.de/...) | €289 | | [mediamarkt.de](https://www.mediamarkt.de/...) | €299 | Skip shiny-deals24.shop — €99 for this item is a classic scam price. VAT: if you have a company, tick business and enter the VAT ID before paying.
