Argos Stock Checker - CheckArgos.com (Jul 15 - Preview of new site now avaialbe)

witnessmenow · 08-09-2011 01:16PM #1

EDIT: I got a huge response to this, much bigger than I expected. Im going to take down invites for the moment as im just spending too much time replying to pms!

Myself and BK will hopefully work on it over the next few days and get it prettied up, but the next thing on my todo list is increasing the speed.

Thanks for the interest

Hi guys,

I've been working on a simple Argos stock checker this week as a proof of concept. I'm not a web developer so its far from pretty but it does do the job.

Its seems a shame to have it fully functioning (I think!) and it not to be used.
Its way too alpha for public release but if some people want to PM me I'll send them a link to it.

Thanks to black_knight as well for some help starting off.

Thanks

delly · 08-09-2011 02:15PM

If it can't check HP Touchpads, then I don't wanna know :pac:

paddyp · 08-09-2011 02:24PM

delly wrote: »

If it can't check HP Touchpads, then I don't wanna know :pac:

Here ya go: http://pipes.yahoo.com/paddyponchero/multimax

TriStar6 · 08-09-2011 02:50PM

I'll send you a PM, Jeez if I see another hukd.ie link from Basq for something that I probably don't even need from Argos but isn't in stock ANYWHERE!!!!!!

madmoe · 08-09-2011 02:53PM

delly wrote: »

If it can't check HP Touchpads, then I don't wanna know :pac:

LOL

tfitzgerald · 08-09-2011 02:55PM

TriStar6 wrote: »

I'll send you a PM, Jeez if I see another hukd.ie link from Basq for something that I probably don't even need from Argos but isn't in stock ANYWHERE!!!!!!

It seems anything reduced in argos is not in stock at all

Tinie · 08-09-2011 02:58PM

witnessmenow, I pm'ed you for the link, did you get that PM?

Basq · 08-09-2011 03:03PM

TriStar6 wrote: »

I'll send you a PM, Jeez if I see another hukd.ie link from Basq for something that I probably don't even need from Argos but isn't in stock ANYWHERE!!!!!!

To be fair.. I check more-often-than-not if something is in stock near me.. and if it is, I post it.

I'll left out numerous Argos deals I couldn't find stock of.. but some do creep in.

tfitzgerald · 08-09-2011 03:17PM

Do me a favour basq keep posting somebody is bound to get good value until argos pulls the deal which is what I think happens . I could have done with that lawnmower

Basq · 08-09-2011 03:49PM

tfitzgerald wrote: »

Do me a favour basq keep posting somebody is bound to get good value until argos pulls the deal which is what I think happens . I could have done with that lawnmower

Well, witnessmenow's page should put an end to those products that can't be found anywhere.

But people are so quick to dismiss a product as being out-of-stock everywhere if it's not in their local (or nearby).. there's a deal up on HUKD.ie somewhere where some guy dismissed an Argos product as being of stock everywhere. I then posted a screengrab of it in stock in 2 stores I think.

EDIT: Aha.. here it is.. but user deleted his comment after that.

PS - witnessmenow, I'm a web dev so if you want some help in sprucing up the page a bit.. I've no problem with helping out.

Black_Knight · 08-09-2011 03:58PM

witnessmenow wrote: »

Thanks to black_knight as well for some help starting off.

Awh, im touched, though ive not really contributed enough yet. Ill see if I can do anything tonight, once I get my hands on that code of yours!

At the very least, ill make the page..... less ugly. :pac:

witnessmenow · 08-09-2011 04:02PM

Hi guys, just back from a trip into town and I have over 20 pms!

I'll respond to them now.

TriStar6 · 08-09-2011 04:21PM

Basq wrote: »

To be fair.. I check more-often-than-not if something is in stock near me.. and if it is, I post it.

I'll left out numerous Argos deals I couldn't find stock of.. but some do creep in.

Don't worry Basq, if nothing else it's keeping hukd.ie going with the help of a few offers from the hut and I'm sure there is some stock in the Connaught Stores....

Great efforts from all, just Argos are damn annoying!

witnessmenow · 08-09-2011 04:49PM

Black_Knight wrote: »

Awh, im touched, though ive not really contributed enough yet. Ill see if I can do anything tonight, once I get my hands on that code of yours!

At the very least, ill make the page..... less ugly. :pac:

How dare you, its got early 90s charm!

Basq wrote: »

Well, witnessmenow's page should put an end to those products that can't be found anywhere.

But people are so quick to dismiss a product as being out-of-stock everywhere if it's not in their local (or nearby).. there's a deal up on HUKD.ie somewhere where some guy dismissed an Argos product as being of stock everywhere. I then posted a screengrab of it in stock in 2 stores I think.

EDIT: Aha.. here it is.. but user deleted his comment after that.

PS - witnessmenow, I'm a web dev so if you want some help in sprucing up the page a bit.. I've no problem with helping out.

They must not like seat covers in Killarney:

Basq · 08-09-2011 05:22PM

Works quite well witnessmenow.. I'm impressed!

[nerd] Depending on how the script works, you could possibly use Ajax calls to populate the stock in a individual store as it iterates through them.. just so you don't just have that wait of 30 seconds. You'd then see each store populate every second or so. [/nerd]

Just a suggestion!

witnessmenow · 08-09-2011 05:48PM

thanks basq, yeah that's what im looking into at the moment. As I said earlier Im no way a web developer, but I did know some php so I just threw it together with that, even though it wasnt a great choice!

Basq · 08-09-2011 05:58PM

witnessmenow wrote: »

thanks basq, yeah that's what im looking into at the moment. As I said earlier Im no way a web developer, but I did know some php so I just threw it together with that, even though it wasnt a great choice!

If you've no problem with e-mailing me on the code, I can look into refine it a bit and send it back.

snappieT · 08-09-2011 07:13PM

Ditto, I originally made ArgosStock.com which worked great and was pretty popular last year - doing Ajax calls to retrieve each store. Then Argos changed the way their website reports stock entirely, and I didn't have time to look into it again - but if you have code to do that working now, I'm more than happy to help Ajax-ify it for you (and provide hosting too, if you're in need of that)

Schorpio · 08-09-2011 07:27PM

In a word - brilliant. It's great to have a proper stock checker for Argos again. The way they have it on their website is woeful and can be frustrating. Full marks lads for making it.

.....Oh and I also dig the simple retro look :P

holidaygirl · 08-09-2011 07:48PM

Thanks very much for this, very useful and will certainly come in handy.

brightkane · 08-09-2011 08:17PM

Are people still using this....:eek:

the groutch · 08-09-2011 08:45PM

invites closed?

Dec_ · 08-09-2011 09:53PM

the groutch wrote: »

invites closed?

Pity i did not see this earlier just spent most of the Day emailing argos about the amazing Bargains that are never in Stock.

witnessmenow · 09-09-2011 01:05AM

Quick update:
We've been working on ajax-ifying the page this evening, not fully finished but the query return time is down to between 7-10 seconds for all stores.

I think we should have something released by the weekend I hope.

Just a note, the page i'm working on isn't the one i linked to so that wont have changed.

Also thanks to all the people offering support, but i think for the moment we're going to keep at ourselves, I've learnt a lot in what I've done so far this project and hopefully will continue to learn more as we try to improve it. If i do find myself neglecting it I will open it up to people though.

Mr.Crinklewood · 09-09-2011 08:04AM

Fair play. Decent utility.

TriStar6 · 09-09-2011 09:02AM

Well impressed, though for some reason nobody seems to be posting Argos links recently!!!
Had to actually go onto their homepage to randomly pick stuff...UGH

Still taking about 30 seconds to search for me BTW

Mr.Crinklewood · 09-09-2011 09:05AM

TriStar6 wrote: »

Well impressed, though for some reason nobody seems to be posting Argos links recently!!!
Had to actually go onto their homepage to randomly pick stuff...UGH

Still taking about 30 seconds to search for me BTW

Going off topic, but I use hukd.ie And hotukdeals.com to run a search fot Argos with today's deals.

loopymum · 09-09-2011 09:36AM

I saw this yesterday and think it's a great idea, I won't pm you but keep me in mind when you need more testers. Thanks

Black_Knight · 09-09-2011 10:16AM

TriStar6 wrote: »

Still taking about 30 seconds to search for me BTW

Its not been updated. The live version is still going to take about 30 seconds, but the one thats in development at the moment is down to about 10 seconds.

Dec_ · 09-09-2011 01:22PM

Dec_ wrote: »

Pity i did not see this earlier just spent most of the Day emailing argos about the amazing Bargains that are never in Stock.

Should have said when invites open again put me on the List. My Daughter Tried to order 16 Items and only 2 were available.

witnessmenow · 10-09-2011 07:43PM

Hi Guys,

I'm after uploading the new version of the stock checker just there. I've added the link to the original page. I'll send out a couple more invites to the people who have asked for them tomorrow.

Changes:

Ajaxified - Searches should only take a fraction of the time. Also the page updates dynamically so you dont have the big long pause before any page shows up at all.

Stock Levels - Added stock numbers for each shop.

Still have a lots I'd like to implement but i start a new job on tuesday so I dont know how regular updates will be. Might get another release out by then. Will keep this thread updated.

Argos Stock Checker - CheckArgos.com (Jul 15 - Preview of new site now avaialbe)

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