Ask Pius Bot
Where to buy your pick: why Pius Bot settles the product first, how it chooses a shop on stock, delivery and returns, and what to check before you pay.
Once Pius Bot has picked the product, it tells you where to buy it: a shop that has that exact product in stock, delivers to you and is clear about returns. Shops in your country come first. Commission plays no part in the choice.
Preview: products.ai chat opens soon. This page describes where to buy as it works at launch.
Why does Pius Bot pick the product before the shop?
So no shop can decide what you buy. Pius first settles which product fits your brief: what it's for, what you can't do without and your budget. Only then does it look at the shops that sell that product.
Those shops are matched on the product's barcode (GTIN), not on its name. The shop Pius names sells the same box it picked, not a lookalike one digit away, like the Sony WH-1000XM4 next to the WH-1000XM5.
How does Pius Bot choose the shop?
It looks for the place where buying is simple and safe, and checks four things:
| What Pius checks | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Stock | The shop has it now. A listing without stock is no place to buy. |
| Delivery | The shop delivers to your address, and you see how fast. |
| Returns | How easy it is to send back if it isn't right. |
| Your country | A shop in your country usually delivers sooner, and a return doesn't cross a border. |
In the headphones example, 23 shops sold the Sony WH-1000XM5. 17 had it in stock and 9 delivered to you. Pius named bol.com: €226,99, in stock, free delivery in 1–2 days.
What does Where to buy show you?
The shop Pius Bot recommends, marked Best pick, with its price, the date the shop listed it, stock, delivery time and a Go to store button. Other shops that have the product in stock and deliver to you are listed below it, so you can also buy where you already have an account.
Every price comes from an offer a shop listed, with the shop's name and that date. Pius never writes a price itself. A listing keeps its date, even when it's old: the Siemens EQ.300 in the coffee example shows "last listed 18 July". Treat an old date as a reason to look at the shop before you count on it.
What does "Second chance" mean?
It marks an offer outside your brief that may still suit you, such as refurbished when you asked for new. In the example, a refurbished XM5, grade A, from €179,00 showed up as a second chance. It sits next to the pick, not in its place.
If refurbished is fine with you, say so in your question. Refurbished or new helps you decide, and Countries, currencies and local shops covers buying from a shop abroad.
What should you check at the shop before you pay?
The shop's own page, at the moment you order, is what counts. Shops change stock, delivery times and prices all the time, and the report shows each offer as it was on the date listed. Before you pay, check on that page:
- That the product is in stock.
- The exact model: color, size and version. If the page shows a barcode number, it should match the GTIN in the report.
- The delivery time and any shipping cost.
- The return policy.
- The price.
If something differs from the report, look at the listed date first. An older date usually explains it. If the date is recent and it still doesn't match, see Troubleshooting.
Does commission change which shop Pius Bot names?
No. Pius picks the product on fit before it looks at a single shop, and affiliate links are added only after the shop is chosen. Some links to shops are affiliate links: if you buy after clicking, the shop may pay us a commission. Every one is flagged.
Shops can't pay to be recommended. A shop gets named by having the exact product in stock, delivering to you quickly and making returns easy. The details are in Affiliate links.
Something unclear or out of date? Email [email protected]. View as Markdown