Is that a real price drop, or just a big crossed-out price?

Ask what the higher price represents

An RRP is a recommended retail price. A retailer's 'was' price is a claim about an earlier selling price. An observed drop is a change recorded for a particular listing between checks. These answer different questions. The ASA's RRP guidance explains why a manufacturer's recommended price alone may be insufficient evidence for a savings claim when the product is generally sold for less.

The CMA also warns about reference prices that no longer reflect an item's usual price. For shopping decisions, the useful question is what you can buy the same product for now, alongside what credible history shows. A striking discount percentage deserves closer inspection; it is not a substitute for that inspection.

Sources: ASA: Recommended retail prices · CMA: Urgency and price reduction claims

A 33% discount can still be the dearer option

Illustrative example, not a live offer: Shop A lists headphones at £80 against a £120 reference price, with £4 delivery. Shop B sells the same model, colour and condition for £78 delivered. Shop A's headline reduction is 33.3%, but its £84 checkout total is £6 more than Shop B's.

Now suppose recorded checks show Shop B moving from £85 delivered to £78 delivered. That is evidence of a £7 observed reduction during the checked period. It does not prove an all-time low. Keep the comparison window beside the claim: 'down £7 since our earlier check' is more precise than an unsupported 'lowest ever'.

Match the listing before trusting the history

Use the full model number and specification. Storage, size, colour, pack quantity, included accessories, seller and condition can all change the offer. A marketplace page switching from a new item to a used seller is not evidence that the same offer became cheaper. A two-pack falling to the price of a single unit may simply be a changed selection.

Read the retailer page and final basket before buying. A price that seems implausibly low is a reason to check the variant, stock and seller carefully. It may reflect a different product or a listing error. Tillio treats an unconfirmed anomaly as a candidate for review; it is not a promise that the retailer will fulfil an order.

• Copy the exact model or product identifier, not only the product family.
• Confirm the offer is in stock for your delivery address.
• Check whether membership, a subscription or a code is required.
• Record the checkout total and the time you checked it.

Short history needs a modest claim

Two observations show a change between two moments. They cannot show whether the price rose briefly beforehand, whether a cheaper offer appeared between checks, or how it compares with last month's sale. Longer history makes those questions easier to assess, but gaps in checking still matter.

Tillio shows the observations recorded for each listing, including gaps and the checked period. Short histories do not establish a typical annual price or an all-time low. Our selected shop coverage is incomplete, and a price with unknown delivery cannot establish the cheapest delivered offer. Live Amazon API price access is not enabled; Amazon search links are not verified Amazon prices.

Decide what would make it worth buying

Choose your target price for the exact item before reacting to a sale badge. Include delivery and any accessory you actually need. If today's confirmed total meets that budget, fits your needs and beats the comparable offers you checked, you have a practical reason to buy. If the evidence is thin and you can wait, save the item or set an alert where available, then compare the next observation.