Does this exist?

[stroker]

We've got some very smart people here. I'm reading a book on "lean" entrepreneur-ships and start-ups. It gets me to thinking.

What I want is a program on my computer that interfaces with my bank and my grocery store. I go to my bank and grocery store websites and download my transactions for the last time period "X". My software then takes that information, itemizes what I bought, compares it to my pre-set (and variable) preferred inventory. It calculates my purchase frequency and cost. When I get close to running out of inventory the software notifies me that product "Y" is on sale (from the grocery store interface) and that I should buy some--it basically gives me my shopping list based on past purchases and how long it's been since I bought those items. At the end of the year the software gives me an itemized printout of how much I spent on the major product categories (Utilities, Entertainment, Automotive, etc.) and my grocery shopping (Dairy, Produce, etc.) so I can see where my money went. In an ideal world, a Bot would notify me of what other vendors have the same products at better prices when it's time to buy.

I'm assuming that for security purposes I would need the information flow to be one-way, from the vendors to my computer, not the other way around. Is this something that could be pitched to the stores and banks so they'd use common software for this purpose? Or is some group like Microsoft, Wal-Mart and Bank of America going to have to get into bed with each other before such a thing would be considered?

[cameraman]

Much of it exists but it is the stores and credit companies tracking you and selling the info, they are not going to let you access it

[Elmo T]

https://www.mint.com/ does some of that with monitoring budgeting and banking. It will also monitor your spending and place it into categories. It also creates sample budgets for you. It won't monitor specific items at the store OR give you sale locations.

My grocery store (Wegman's) does have a system that monitors purchases and allows me to make shopping lists.

[Insomniac]

The itemized list part is the most difficult. The only 2 who definitely have it is the consumer and store. From a CC stand point, many of them provide end of the year summaries that break purchasing down by category (based on the retailer's categorization), but that's not the level of detail you want.

You may notice that grocery price comparison is not all that prevalent compared to many other consumer products. For many grocery stores/chains, the only pricing they publish online are their sales. Grocery shopping on the internet has yet to really mature. When that happens, you will see services designed for grocery price alerts everywhere.

[cameraman]

When that happens, you will see services designed for grocery price alerts everywhere.

Which is why the grocery stores have no incentive whatsoever to play along. If people can comparison shop online at the click of a button and have the on-sale groceries dropped off at the house by some Amazon drone then the profit margin of the stores will evaporate.

[Insomniac]

Which is why the grocery stores have no incentive whatsoever to play along. If people can comparison shop online at the click of a button and have the on-sale groceries dropped off at the house by some Amazon drone then the profit margin of the stores will evaporate.

They may have no choice. Amazon Fresh is into groceries. There are others as well. It makes sense for them to do it only in large markets, but the grocery chains are very well positioned to do the majority of the country if there is demand. Walmart already has their non-fresh food prices/availability online.