Need help finding a shopping app

[Coronach]

Yes, another one of these threads. Sorry.

I'm looking for a shopping list application with some specific features. I have tried many (most? all?) of the free apps that I can find in the Market, but none seem to really do everything I want. I'm willing to buy an app, but I'm not willing to buy one without knowing that it has the features I want. For instance, I've hard Grocery King is great, and I'm more than willing to spend $4.99 to use it, but I'm not willing to just spend $4.99 to try it without knowing that it at least does what I want it to do.

FYI, I'm using a Moto Droid.

Must-Have features:

MUST have the ability to organize shopping lists by store and aisle. Must.

Must have ability to easily check-off items in the store. I shouldn't need to flick through screens or perform multiple functions just to take something off of a list.

Ability to update/share the list from Droid to Droid.

Ability to remember multiple stores and aisle patterns (as in, I sometimes shop at Wal-Mart and sometimes at Kroger, it should arrange the list for whichever store I say I'm going to).

Ability to populate the list based upon recipes (as in, I know we're making Beef Stroganoff, so I should be able to click on beef stroganoff and it will put everything needed to make it on the list)

Nice-to-Have Features:

Price tracking.

Barcode scan IF IT WORKS WELL.

Ability to specify amounts in standard units (cans of X, oz of Y, lbs of Z, etc) and ability to easily modify the amount up and down.

Ability to organize stuff by store by default (as in, you can use the app for more than just one type of shopping, and it will know that if I'm going to Home Depot it should not put oranges on the list, and if I'm going to Kroger it will know not to put roofing nails on the list, even though I may have put both of those on a list (or the list, depending on how it is organized).

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Coronach]

No one?

 

[MountainX]

Check out these options:
Compare Everywhere; GoCart; Amazon; ShopSavvy; Yellowbook.com; OI Shopping List; Astrid; Remember the Milk;

Here's a decent review:
Shopping with Google Android: Which app is best? | The Download Blog - Download.com

 

[RyanB]

Personally, I'd recommend Grocery King. It's a pay app, but it will allow you to scan barcodes* to add items to your list. If it recognizes what it just scanned, it'll give you the option to add a price, tax, and categorize it (if it doesn't already know where it would be long) in categories ranging from fruit, veggies, snacks, frozen, etc. When compiling the list, you also have the option of selecting from the list of generic items by either category or by typing in name and it will search its database with options, that you can add to the list right from the search feature. When you get to the store, you just scan the same barcode and the item is stricken from the list. You also have the choice to simply touch the listed item, and it will come off the list as well. Though I have used the quantity feature, it does have one so it should reflect that in the list. If you keep up with the pricing, it'll tally your cost as you cross items off. It has a myriad of other features (like email) that I haven't even figured out for myself yet, but I would recommend giving it a good hard look as it's done exactly as it's promised and met my shopping list needs admirably.


*when you go to do this the first time, the Droid should give you the choice between using the app you're in or Barcode Scanner. I take the latter for all my scanning

EDIT: Barcode Scanner is a seperate app.

 

[Coronach]

Thanks MountainX and RyanB.

RyanB, you've used Grocery King? If so you may be able to answer to 64-cent question: can it organize items by aisle? Not category, but by aisle? As in, is there a field where you can put in a numeric value and have it organize the "needed" list by that value? Categorical organization sounds fine, but so many stores don't divide stuff up the same way (juice is in one aisle, OJ is in another, etc).

If yes, I agree that GK is probably the way to go, and I don't mind paying for it. But if it doesn't have that capability, forget it.

Mike

 

[RyanB]

From what I've experienced, as well as checking out their site (Grocery King - # 1 Selling App (v. 3.5.6) application in the Android Market - AndroidZoom.com), I think they equate aisles with categories. I don't see a way to assign a 'priority' or 'aisle number' to a given product; it just slots them in for you (or gives you the choice for what slot, but the slots are pre-installed and you can't really create/edit them, into aisle numbers for example) as far as I can tell.

 

[Coronach]

Well, that's unfortunate. On the plus side, you saved me $4. Thanks!

Mike

 

[kokiangel]

I am having similar issues. I came from using a Palm Treo and am used to Handy Shopper which was the most wonderful free shopping app. I could shop per store and enter the price per store so comparison shopping was actually possible. I could also assign a number per category so that my categories lined up according to how I normally progressed through my most frequented store. I had an "all" list and a "need" list and all I had to do was check the box in the "all" list to move items to the "need" list and vice versa. It was indeed a very handy app. Too bad Android doesn't have one as nice yet, paid or free. I keep searching and hoping.

 

[Coronach]

Yep. I used HandyShopper, too. After having used an app that will organize stuff by aisle, I really see no reason to go back to something less well-designed.

Mike

 

[widgethut.net]

Hey Mike, You might check out TurboList. It's not a "shopping" app per-say, but we designed it to be super simple to use. It's free (ad-supported) so it might be worth an eyeball.

Features from your list that it does NOT have:
Categorization
Barcode Scanning
Quantities

Features that it does have:
Share from droid to droid (over sms)
Voice dictation of lists
Separate lists by stores

As i said, it's not specifically designed as a shopping app, but it may have a few features you'll dig. If ya like it, let us know.

Don
WidgetHut.net Developer

 

[JasonRK]

Did the OP ever end up finding an app? I'm looking for the same, although I would prioritize lists by recipe over organization by aisle.

An app called GroceryIQ came out a few days ago. It looks like it's an iPhone app and it may do everything (s)he wants, plus only $0.99. Has anyone used this app before? Is it any good?

GroceryIQ on Androlib: Grocery iQ v2.0 Application for Android | Productivity

 

[jeffdlb]

MUST have the ability to organize shopping lists by store and aisle. Must.

I'm in the same situation as you--I organize my grocery list by aisle on my Palm Centro, and will need a replacement for Android.

I'm hoping that in the near future we can walk into an unfamiliar store and have the store transmit the aisle information to the device.

 

[gregnx]

In case you're still investigating (I know I am), ToMarket looks promising.

It's funny to see the apps out there that seem to emphasize the whizbang feature to the exclusion of the basic useful stuff.

HandyShopper is still elusive. I paid for Grocery King for my wife, and she's stopped using it. We're using Upvise, but it's got some serious problems (poor support, instant and unintentional wiping of your lists, online view broken).

 

[iamnotme]

I have been using ToMarket Lite and have found it to be an excellent app for shopping. Full barcode scanning, (though it doesn't recognize everything I scan) and the ability to program the aisle, price, notes, whether or not you have a coupon for that item, etc. Well worth the free download to give it a shot. I will most likely be upgrading to the paid version. Very impressed.

 

[x.mapcase]

For those using Grocery King - does it allow you to enter price PER STORE? That's one feature of HandyShopper that I really miss....unlike Coronach I wasn't always consistent about aisle use, so the progs that sort by category are okay with me, but I do need/want to be able to edit/add categories myself, and note multiple stores per item with the ability to add a different cost for each store if I want. Like others I don't mind paying to get what I want, but would really like to know before spending my money. Any suggestions?

 

[kwest12]

This looks like a good thread to post this in:

I recently did a comparison of OurGroceries and Grocery iQ. Surprise, surprise, neither had all the features I want/need. Unfortunately, using both apps is horribly inefficient, so I have to pick one.

IMO, OurGroceries has far more potential but Grocery iQ is a superior time saver as of right now. If my main priority was list synchronization, OurGroceries would be the way to go, but since my main priority is in-store-efficiency, Grocery iQ is the easy choice, especially if I shop at more than one store on a regular basis (I do). The main reason Grocery iQ does make in-store-shopping so much more efficient is b/c of the ability to set up different stores and set the store aisles. You can then apply any shopping list to any store and it will sort things by aisle for you.

So am I settling for Grocery iQ you ask? Not exactly: below is an email I sent to the OurGroceries team (support@ourgroceries.com and info@ourgroceries.com both got the email bc I wasn't sure which to go to first).
HINT: I suggest that you send similar emails if you feel the same as me about the needed additions to OurGroceries... I mean who doesn't want an uber app?!

I wanted to email to express my gratitude for the excellent app you've produced. It has helped me be more productive and thorough when shopping already.

The next part of the email is suggestions. I'm sure you get these all the time, and I apologize for joining the crowd, but I recently found an app that puts me between a rock and a hard place when it comes to choosing between the two apps. Before I get going, I want acknowledge that I am not paying for your app, and therefore, this email should be taken as a humble request: I am by no means suggesting that I deserve these features or that you owe me them. I completely understand that the only real reason you for making changes is to stay competitive, so I'm simply hoping to provide some suggestions to assist you in doing that. It appears that your only real competition on the Android platform is Grocery iQ, so that is the other app I will focus on.

Right now I'm left wavering between your OurGroceries app and Grocery iQ app. Here's my comparison to help you understand what I'm looking for (and based on the comments on the market and in a few forums I'm a member of, it isn't just me):

OurGroceries app advantages:
> Better syncing between more devices (Grocery iQ only does btwn other phones)
> Recipe feature (not present in Grocery iQ)
> Quicker/more simple adding of items
> Ability to text message a list (Grocery iQ does emailing only which means I need to copy/paste to send via text message)

Grocery iQ app advantages:
> Stores feature (the draw of this is the ability to enter aisle numbers for different stores and then filter my shopping checklists by aisle for a given store. This is a HUGE time saver.)
> Ability to add item prices and more detailed info

Both apps are missing:
> The ability to check off or uncheck all items at once (a check all/ uncheck all feature).


Right now since my need to be more efficient outweighs my need for sharing, Grocery iQ seems to be the better choice, simply because it keeps me organized by asile at all my regular stores. As I mentioned before, this is a HUGE HUUUUGE time saver. Overall, I like OurGroceries better, but the store/aisles feature in Grocery iQ is really indispensable. Please let me know if you are planning to include a similar functionality any time in the near future for your Android version of OurGroceries.

Since I copied and pasted from the other two threads I posted this in, I'll add a bit more info to satisfy this thread specifically.

Grocery iQ does seem to have barcode scanning although I haven't tried it personally. OurGroceries doesn't have that feature. OurGroceries does have the recipes feature as mentioned above, while Grocery iQ does not.

 

[adrian.durlester]

So-the hunt goes on. Has anyone yet located the one feature that has been elusive: PER STORE PRICING? After all, if I can't comparison shop, how can I really save money? I'm willing to put in the effort to enter prices per store (and update them based on sales circulars, etc.) In fact, even HandyShopper lacks the thing I'd really like most: to have items with PER STORE prices with a SEPARATE "Sale Price" field so I can simply enter a sale price on an item without having to change its regular price. The ultimate step will be when all grocery stores make their current prices available in some accessible databases and we have an app that works like those that compare and search online. That would be brillaint.

 

[Cyansmoker]

My own research has so far led me to the same conclusions.
Note another difference between ourgroceries and grocery iq:
Somehow, ourgroceries syncs instantaneously whereas it takes much longer for grocery iq to sync.
So, if you're shopping at, say, Costco with your family, the former offers a better option to avoid duplicate items than the latter.

 

[Walton1]

I've been trying to get Grocery iQ but can't find it in the Android Market. Is it available in the UK? Any help appreciated.

 

[A3G]

Hi, here an Android app to manage the shopping list: eMyShoppingList - Lista de la compra.

The app is in Android Market with the following features:

Multi-lingual: Spanish and English. No need to configure the language in the application. The language is set out in the phone and the items preloaded on the application are those of the phone language. If the phone language is not English or Spanish, then the default language will be English

Easy to use and quick

Extensive database of preloaded items: over 360 in Spanish and over 250 in English. The items are loaded into the database the first time you start the application

The application has a tab that displays the items of the shopping list, a tab with usual items that can be copied to the shopping list, another tab to add products to the lists and / or database and a tab to change the name of any item preloaded into the database or delete it

The application has been tested to avoid the occurrence of errors that impede its use. It has been tested on devices with Android Platform 1.5, 1.6, 2.0.1, 2.1 and 2.2

User can send shopping list by email

More info: eMyShoppingList - Lista de la compra

Use QR-CODE to download it and enjoy!

 

[A3G]

Any comments about de new version 1.1?

Thanks.

 

[Tracebooks]

Any of you who have used all these apps know if any will do the one uber thing on my list: allow you to scan an item and get a coupon for it?

 

[g_kishor]

UK customers shopping at tesco.com can get an android app from:
Android app to shop Tesco.com groceries | Kishor Gandham's personal blog

 

[electromag.11]

I was trying to find a shopping list app, and I found this thread incredibly helpful.

I chose Grocery King, because it appeared to have the best functionality, and the most robust development history. Initially, it seems to work well, however, it lacks some basic functionality that was present in older, free applications like HandyShopper. Here are some suggestions for optimal functionality:

Ability to choose multiple stores for a single item:

• Adding items is specific to a shopping list
  • A specific item could be purchased in multiple stores, so a user should be able to create an item, and add it to multiple lists
  • Once the item has been checked and cleared from the list, it should be cleared from every other lists it appears in

Example:

1. If I add vegetables, they should show up only in grocery lists
2. If I add lumber, it should show up in only hardware lists
3. If I add light bulbs, they should appear in multiple lists
4. I should have the option of adding it to all applicable lists while creating the item
5. Once light bulbs have been cleared from the list, they should disappear from every other list they appear on
6. When I go to the history, find the item, and add it to a list, it should again appear in every applicable list

However, unlike HandyShopper, this isn't how it Grocery King works. Users first chose a list or store, then create an item specific to the list or store.

To add the item to other lists, the user must go to each applicable store where the item could be purchased, search for the item, and add it to each list. When the item has been checked and cleared on one list, the same item continues to appear in every other list it was added to. This is counter-intuitive and does not reflect real-world shopping.

Scenario:
I'm down to my last light bulb, so I scan the barcode

• I add light bulbs to all applicable lists and/or stores
• When I purchase the item, it is removed from all lists
• Later, when I search for the light bulbs in the history of any list and add it, it appears again in every list and/or store I originally specified
• Editing light bulbs provides the option of adding or deleting it from other lists and/or stores

Ability to add items from a website:

GroceryIQ offers this very useful function. It provides the ability to create, maintain, share, and back up lists directly from their website. I haven't used the share or backup function on Grocery King, but the GroceryIQ approach seems simpler and more intuitive.

Accessing the user guide from the website:

The Grocery King help function appears adequate. However, it can only be accessed from within the app. It is very long, not well categorized, and requires excessive scrolling, making it difficult for novice users like myself to get started using the app.

The help guide should be available on the website, so users can read the guidance while simultaneously using the application on their phone. Additionally, a quick start guide should be provided.

The ability to create, maintain, backup, and share lists directly from the website would also benefit novice users.

 

[mmckaibab]

I'm really surprised, but after a lengthy and frustrating exploration of almost every grocery/shopping app out there I can say none of them really get it right. It's almost as though the developers of these apps have a single idea they develop around but don't seem to get how things work in the real world.

In the past few days I've looked at: Our Groceries, Grocery King, Out of Milk, ToMarket, My Pantry, Shop n Stock, Mighty Grocery, Grocery Gadget, Grocery IQ and probably some others. For quite a while now we've been using Upvise for our shopping so I'll include that in these comments.

Essentially, a grocery/shopping app should let me:

1. Scan a bar code on an item to get it into my system. Our Groceries and Upvise don't do this. If the barcode isn't recognized, the app should let me fill in info for that barcode anyway. Grocery IQ doesn't let me do this. I couldn't tell if Grocery Gadget could do this because I would have to pay to get the scanning features of the app.

2. Put the item I've just scanned into my "pantry" by specifying where I've stored the item and how many I have on hand. Shop n Stock is the only app that would do all this. My Pantry tracks how many of an item I have on hand, but doesn't provide a location.

3. Once the item is in the pantry, the app should let me specify at which store or stores I purchase this item. ToMarket is pretty much the only app that does this.

4. Once I've specified which stores I purchase the item from, the app should then let me specify which aisle of the store (or stores) has the item. ToMarket, GroceryIQ and Our Groceries (I think) let me do this; none of the other do.

5. When I use an item, the app should let me scan the barcode and automatically reduce the number I have on hand. As far as I can tell, none of the apps does this.

6. When I am getting low on an item, the app should allow me to scan the barcode and have the item placed in the "needed" lists for the stores from which I buy the item. ToMarket does this nicely. Grocery King does it awkwardly and I'm not sure if any of the others have this capability.

7. At the store I should have a list, in aisle order, of the items I need and be able to easily check them off as I add them to my cart. Pretty much all of the apps do this.

8. If I'm not doing the shopping but someone else in my family is, my list should be readily available for them and everyone's list should update as anyone adds items or buys items. Upvise does this. Grocery King, Grocery IQ, Mighty Grocery, Our Groceries all appear to do this. The is the one glaring failure of ToMarket.

The result is, nothing does everything properly and I'm left unsatisfied and confused that developers don't seem to get the big picture. Makes me wish I knew how to develop my own apps.