Comparison Shop With Your Phone

Here at Deal of the Day, we've written several columns about the new tricks a cellphone can do, like download coupons and check an item's price online. Problem is, all of these gadgets require you have a text-messaging plan or Internet access on your phone. And not everyone is quite so cutting edge.

But thanks to new services from a company called Frucall, even the basic mobile models are good for something. All you need is a dialing finger to compare prices — and even buy — directly from your cellphone. Best of all, it's entirely free.

Here's how it works. Call 1-888-DO-FRUCALL (1-888-36-378-2255), and type in the barcode number of the item you're shopping for. The service uses Amazon, Google, Yahoo, Street Prices and Shopping.com to get results. Within seconds, an automated voice will tell you price ranges for a new item, noting in a separate range the prices for used items, if available. Shipping estimates are included.

Sign up first online, and you can access a host of free tools, including a history of your searches and voice reminders (a product you liked, an upcoming sale, etc.). You can even enter credit-card information, which allows you to instruct Frucall to order the next steal you spot in your price-comparison adventures.

Our take: Shoppers, add Frucall's toll-free number to your speed dial. We tested the service and found it highly accurate. The use of barcodes keeps irrelevant items out of the search (even so far as, say, red mixing bowls if you're looking for blue). The wide range of sources Frucall incorporates to pull up results ensures that you're getting a good snapshot of the new and used market.

For usability, the service can't be beat. It's far easier than other services we tried that require downloads, fancy phones and pricey cell provider plans. You just have to call once, and Frucall will remember your ship-to zip code the next time you call.

The one pitfall we encountered was shipping prices. Not all Frucall's were accurate. (The culprit: When the retailer doesn't advertise a rate, Frucall creates an estimate based on comparable retailers' charges.) We were disappointed to find the service's $2.71 estimate for our "Desperate Housewives" DVDs was off by more than $6. To put things in perspective, the other cellphone price-comparison tool we've reviewed, ScanBuy Shopper, doesn't take shipping into account at all. We think Frucall is a step up, but would suggest taking estimates with a grain of salt.

Here's how Frucall performed: