Here we have compiled a few topics that we've found to be commonly asked and answered. If you have a question that isn't answered here, feel free to contact us directly using the comment/suggestion form.

Please select from one of the following:

Back to Ajaxo search!

OTHER - Advanced Searching, Tips, Features, etc.:

For Partners and Local Businesses [new!]:

What IS Ajaxo.com? Top

Ajaxo.com is a search engine for groceries and more - things like products, business services in your community, and community postings. Empowering people with information - Ajaxo.com helps families to quickly compare prices of thousands of groceries from different supermarkets in their community in seconds, saving hundreds of dollars a month and thousands a year on their food budget!

Coast to coast. Simply. Easy. No signing up or registration necessary.

Find groceries. Compare prices. Plan out meals using the Ajaxo Recipe Search. Get great savings! Try searching today!

Search compare and save - www.Ajaxo.com

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

How can Ajaxo.com help me? Top

Ajaxo.com can't shop for you.

We're not going to tell you to go to a particular store simply because we shouldn't. Ajaxo.com's main objective is to provide families, people, consumers the information they need to make the most educated decision about their purchases.

Apples to Apples, Oranges to Oranges

Ajaxo.com is a search engine for groceries. It lets you quickly compare the price of a particular grocery across multiple stores that happen to carry the item on sale. NOTE: Keep in mind, the way supermarkets put things on sale, you can't always get an apples-to-apples comparison. Same net-weight, cost-per-unit does not apply from one store to the next. Let's look at an example:

• Say if someone searched for "Folgers coffee"
• Folgers coffee is sold at 3 different supermarkets - A, B, and C.
• Folgers coffee is sold in a 2lb. can at Store A, sold in a 13 oz. can at Store B, and Store C doesn't carry Folgers - they carry a generic brand on sale in a 2.5 lb. can.

Let's telescope this example to all kinds of groceries like orange juice, cereal, meats, etc. Substituting brands? Differing package quantities? It can all get rather complicated very, very fast. For this reason, Ajaxo.com cannot dictate to you or any consumer where to shop nor what to buy/substitute, but rather, tries to give consumers all the information and the power to make the final judgment call.

Saving tangible amounts of money on your groceries

Let's face it. Food is a basic necessity. You can cut back on everything, but you can't cut back on food. It's the one thing you have to spend on. Think of Ajaxo.com like a utility - an information resource. The Ajaxo Shopping List we put out week to week isn't out there to tell you what to buy, but a use example of groceries you CAN buy and savings you CAN achieve! I'm talking about tangible savings that you can use to pay for tanks of gas, Internet, and what have you. The list, just an example, when applied to ONE person's food budget can create really big lunches and dinners for TWO weeks for just $20/week. That's some intense savings.

Savings for you, savings for everybody!

You can identify savings and e-mail them to a friend or family. I remember countless times how my friends were calling home for money for food. Parents can create budget plans for their kids wherever they are from the comfort of their own home. Identify groceries, pick out dinners/meals/recipes with the recipe search, and e-mail! Deliver savings not just for you and yourself but to loved ones near and far.

And so much more. Cliche. I know, but so true. While our biggest emphasis is on groceries - nationwide - right now, look for us as we begin to expand with local businesses and special bargain promotions (try searching Yogurt or Holiday Cleaners in Cupertino, CA [zip code: 95014]). Local business owners can pick up their own accounts to update real-time promotions and specials. 20% off on Yogurt? Why not! Check it out now and stay tuned as we grow and expand :)

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

What can I search for on Ajaxo.com? Top

You can for pretty much anything! Everything's a keyword. Take for example "Rancher's Reserve Sirloin Steak". You could search for "Rancher's Reserve" to see if that brand's on sale! OR you could search "sirloin" or "sirloin steak" OR you could even just search Beef and see all the sales going on for Beef!

Try it out! telescope out the example to other things like pork, milk and dairy.

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

How much money can I "really" save with Ajaxo.com? Top

Anywhere from 40% and UP on your groceries. And that's in the Cupertino-Sunnyvale-San Jose area - the heart of the Silicon Valley where we carry one of the highest average price of gas of all 50 states.

But what does 40% really mean?

Well, let's ask ourselves what're we buying? Let's take out one of the recent Ajaxo Shopping List - for more information check here:

The Ajaxo Shopping List defined: An example of how to use Ajaxo.com. Using Ajaxo.com, we identify groceries to create 7-meals for a family of four.

Is this lunch or dinner?

7 meals save you $38.97. Multiply all the grocery quantities twice to get 14 meals for lunch and dinner covered AND double your savings to $76.00. Look at the recipes. Look at the raw ingredients we've listed out to make these meals. You can create substantial meals. Fulfilling. It's not something that leaves you with a compelling need to do a midnight fridge run.

Okay, so 40% savings.. but what about my gas? Bye bye savings?

Not quite. Well, if I'm shopping for my family of four for 14 meals, I'm saving $76.00. Let's assume it takes me an ENTIRE tank of gas (300 miles of driving) to drive from store to store and back home - I'll go ahead and take out $40.00. By the time I get home, I still save $30.00+ savings that I wouldn't have had AND I've got groceries for the week.

• Buy more @ once.
• Plan out your dinners, get the groceries together to maximize savings.
• If you're driving 300 miles to go between stores, then you're either in a big city or you need to plan around the stores that are closer to you. Focus on savings @ local stores instead! The savings will always be greater than if you didn't compare prices.

What if you're single? I mentioned it before, so I don't want to sound like a broken record, but for $20/week for LUNCH and DINNER groceries covered? That's a lotta bang for the buck. The money you save isn't just the price of the groceries, but the price of buying on whim, impulsive buying, etc. I used to walk out of the store with at least $10.00 of groceries every time I went to buy groceries for dinner in college. That's easily $50-70/week. If I plan, and shop smart with price comparisons, all of a sudden I can do $20ish a week. I can use the money inbetween to pay for Internet, utility bills, etc. etc.

Big savings adding up for even bigger rewards. And that's Ajaxo.com

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

How much money can a single guy/girl save with Ajaxo.com? Top

So I was doing some math the other day (c'est impossible, non? D:) and I realized that the Ajaxo Shopping List doesn't address single people - well directly anyhow. (Note: Skip to CONCLUSION if you don't want me to impress you with my sub-par math skills :P)"

To briefly re-cap, it contains groceries for 7 meals for a family of four - that's 4 (actually depending on the meal it can be a lot more) servings a meal...for a grand total of 28 servings. So what about people feeding one? That's simple. Take the total servings and divide by 2 (lunch and dinner) for 14 days (lunch and dinner covered).

In Conclusion:
That means the list right now can feed a single person for 2 weeks - lunch and dinner. As I noted in my previous entry, the list this week's a bit pricier than usual. The week before 'holidays savings' arrived was about mid $30s.

...

That's NOT BAD!!! $30-somethin for one person for TWO whole weeks! I wish I knew about that in college. I remember going out to Safeway was guaranteed to be at least $10/meal. Ridiculous.

Can you do better? Check out the list today @ suggestions/feedback box!

What is the $4 Challenge? Why did Ajaxo.com do it? Top

(Taken from one of our blog entries)

"What can I say? The last few weeks have certainly been a sobering and educational experience for all involved."

"We started the Ajaxo $4 Challenge Series in one part to prove to ourselves and to the world that it can be done - that people can eat a fulfilling meal without having to eat less or turn to processed foods. The $4 Challenge Series was our litmus test: Can it be done? Can Ajaxo.com function as a (helpful) resource for people looking to provide a fulfilling meal on a limited budget? The answer at the end of the ride has been a resounding, 'Yes, you can.'"

"It starts with staying informed."

"While we have a lot of information at our disposal, it doesn't mean we have access to it - or know how to. You can't blame anyone, either. Just think about it. Create a meal for a family of four on $4. It's nuts. In fact, the Ajaxo $4 Challenge Series encountered a lot of friction from the very beginning. A lot of us - myself included - were quite frankly extremely skeptical. We knew you could save *some* money, but operating on $4/meal for a family of FOUR? That seemed like it was taking things a little far."

"I have to admit, the premise was certainly noble, but the constraints seemed borderline crazy. Then we dug in. We started reverse-engineering a meal based on the exceptional values we found on Ajaxo.com - always keeping meats and vegetables a top priority."

"And we did the first video. We weren't film pros - I know you guys are loving the arthouse quality - but we showed it could be done. And it wasn't just eating on the cheap with calorie-saver portions, there was plenty to go around and then some. We showed that it could be done not just once, but again and again and again - always using fresh meat and produce."

"And that's just it. It's not about giving up certain food groups (steak, shrimp), but knowing when to buy, where to buy. Of particular interest to some, it should be duly noted that at no time did we exercise a single coupons (although that's not to say I am disputing their effectiveness). We wanted to take the lowest common denominator - extreme bare minimum requirements - and apply it to Ajaxo.com to show families, college students, anybody and everybody that you could create fulfilling meals in a timely manner WITHOUT spending hours coupon clipping or circular page flipping on the kitchen table. We feel that the time factor is very important - especially when more and more people find that they have less and less time in their schedules. By being able to efficiently drill down into information to find your savings (with copious examples of how to apply groceries into delicious dinners), we found (and tried to show with the Ajaxo $4 Challenge Series and more series to come) that Ajaxo.com can be a very timely and helpful resource."

"You may or not have noticed the shopping basket icon present on the front page! What that is, essentially, is a sample basket of groceries - groceries to feed a family of four for a week. You could think of them like a localized, Ajaxo Consumer Price Index (CPI)."

"I'll have a post that describes all of that later. But I just wanted to say thanks everybody for keeping up with us for the last couple of days, watching, re-watching, showing your support. There'll be more series to come. And of course, we hope that Ajaxo.com proves to be a helpful resource to you, your family, your friends and colleagues."

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

How do I make a search using Ajaxo.com? Top

Wow this is a great idea, so how do I use Ajaxo.com?

Searching on Ajaxo.com is fast and easy.
1. Click on the search bar and type in what you're looking for.
2. Click on the locale bar and type in where you'd like to search.

You can type in a zip code (i.e. 95014) or a city followed by a comma and a state abbreviation (i.e. Cupertino, CA). Remember to type either one or the other. You cannot type the zip code and the city and state together (example: Cupertino, CA 95014).

The right way is to choose either a zip code or a city, state.

Example 1:
Search: Milk
Locale: 95014

Example 2:
Search: Milk
Locale: Cupertino, CA
Notice the format! It's the CITY followed by a comma and then the state's abbreviation - CA for California.

Click search when you're ready.

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

How much money can a single guy/girl save with Ajaxo.com? Top

So I'm searching. How do I read the results? So let's say we're searching for

Example 1:
Search: Milk
Locale: 95014

At the top, all those links are stores that carry your search on sale or promotion! Think of it like a mini-menu or index of results. Click on the store you want to jump to OR you can just scroll down thru each store.

Each store has a 'store header' - this helps you separate the promotions from each store. The store header will have information like the stores address, their store hours, and helpful links.

The first link is called "map" - this allows you to map the location of the store. If you don't know where the store is, now you do! And you can get directions in a jiffy!

The second link is called "email" - this is a really cool function. "Email" allows you to email yourself, a friend or family groceries you think are great deals!

1. Remember the checkbox? Check the items you want to e-mail.
2. Click the E-mail button located in any of the store headers to jump to the bottom of the page.
3. Type in your e-mail address you want to send it to.
4. Put it an optional message if you'd like and send!

Parents can create budget plans for their kids wherever they are from the comfort of your own home. Identify groceries, pick out recipes using the recipe search, and e-mail! Deliver savings to you, your family and loved ones near and far!

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

Why can't I find what I'm looking for? Top

Well, there's a few reasons why...

1. The item isn't on sale/discount

Right now you can only search for groceries/promotions that are "on sale" or discounted. So for example if you search for and can't get results on avocados or sirloin steak they might not be on sale this week - try next week. Perhaps you'd like to try something similar? Try searching for something else in a broader category like beef (if you couldn't find steak) or fruits (if you couldn't find avocados). It's not about giving up steak or any particular food, but knowing where and when there is a bargain to shop for it. It doesn't mean you have to change tonight's menu. Try substitute with something similar!

2. The item(s) you're looking for aren't in the stores we've covered so far - we haven't gotten there yet!

Our main focus is to help people save money first and foremost on their food budget. People still have to put food on the table every day, every week. While we've been pretty good at getting a lot of the stores, keep in mind we're rolling out as fast as we can! We appreciate any and all feedback. If there's a supermarket/grocer/merchant that you don't see up there, drop us a line and we'll get on it ASAP!

3. Have you double-checked your spelling?

If you're searching by City,State - make sure your city was spelled correctly. The same goes for your item. Have you tried using the "Look-Ahead" (the drop-down menu of items) option to cross-reference?

4. Is your formatting right?

In the "Locale" bar make sure you type in the correct format! If you're using a zip code, make sure it's correct! If you're using a city,state make sure it follows the format: City, State Abbreviation

Example: Columbus, OH or Tampa, FL

(side note: Did you know you can also search in MULTIPLE locations now? Check out our post on how to search in more than one city at once! - a handy dandy feature if you're working and living in different cities.)

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

Did you know that in addition to searching for groceries, you can also search for a store name? Go ahead and type it in i.e. Safeway, Target, Whole Foods. It'll show all the specials for that store - as well as all the stores located in your specified area!

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

How do I create/manage my own Shopping List? Top

How do I Create a Customized Shopping List?

To create a shopping list, you have to be a member. Signing up is easy, and we don't use your information for purposes other than identifying and verifying that you're human and not a robot. Usernames are determined using the beginning portion of your email address before the @ (ie. ilovefruit@email.com -> ilovefruit).

1. Sign in by entering your e-mail address and clicking submit.
2. After you click the OK button, you should see it says your username's shopping list. (ie. "ilovefruit shopping list") If you click on that, you'll see your shopping list is empty, so let's go ahead and add some items.
3. Do a search for some bargains/deals (ie. "fruit" in "95014").
   Note: The results will vary from week to week, depending on what's on sale, so what we have listed here will not be the same as what you may see!
4. Scroll down and find some items you like, and then click the check box to the left of each entry that you want.
   
5. Go to the end of the results page (or if you're at a Store's header, you can click the "Email someone|Add to shopping list" link).
6. At the bottom, you'll see you can do one or both of either sending an email, or adding the item to the shopping list. For our purposes, we only want to add to the shopping list. Make sure the checkbox "Add checked entries to my shopping list" is checked, and then click "Send email / Update shopping list."
   
7. You'll return to the main page. Now, scroll down and click your "username shopping list."
8. And there you go! The items you checked are now part of your shopping list. You can repeat the search and add steps to build up your shopping list.
   
   

Removing items from my shopping list

1. While viewing your shopping list, uncheck the check box to the left of the item(s) you want to remove under the "Keep" column.
2. Click the "submit" button.
3. If you now check your shopping list again, the item(s) are gone.
   
   

How to automatically calculate your shopping list

How it works: We've implemented an easy way for you to selectively calculate certain items on your list. For example, if I have Gala Apples, Navel Oranges, and Watermelon in my shopping list, I can choose to calculate various combinations of the 3 as a total, thereby giving me flexibility and freedom to experiment with what works for my budget!

1. While viewing your shopping list, the column "Quantity@Price Comment" allows you to mark how many and at how much of each item you want.

Example 1: "Sweet Strawberries selling for $4.99 for 1 lb", and you want 2 lbs
then you would type 2@4.99
Example 2: If however, the sale is "2 lb for $1.00", and you want 2 lbs
then you would type 2@0.50

What's the difference?
In Example 1 you are just buying 2 counts at $4.99 each, so it would be 2@4.99
In Example 2 however, you are buying 2 counts at $0.50 each (2@1.00 would mean you're buying 2 at $1.00 each). Likewise if it is a 2/$4.00 deal, and you purchase one, it is 1@2.00.
You divide each item to a per unit cost!


2. To see the total amount, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click "submit & calculate", the final amount will show at the bottom above the "Publish shopping list" check box

NOTE: The format is quantity@price, with no dollar signs included, and on the first line of each "Quantity@Price Comment" box, otherwise it won't be calculated into the total cost.
You can also type additional comments after the Quantity@Price,
ie. "2@1.00 great deal, going to use them in making strawberry shortcake!"

Also, items without a Quantity@Price comment will not be calculated into the total cost, but will still remain on your shopping list. A great tool to reference different items but not necessarily calculate them into your budget!

To see an example, here is an example from Seattle, WA

To publish your list, read the next entry.

How do I publish my own Shopping List? Top

How do I publish/share my shopping list?

You can view published shopping lists by clicking the "view published shopping list" link at the bottom of the main page. Each shopping list is designated by a shopping cart icon to the left and can be made either anonymous or referred to by username.

Usernames are determined using the beginning portion of your email address before the @ (ie. ilovefruit@email.com -> ilovefruit).

Published shopping lists are member's ways of interacting with other bargain hunters in the community by showcasing the different types of deals they've found and bundled together.
Note: You cannot undo the publishing of a shopping list, but you can publish as many times as you like!

1. To publish your shopping list, begin by viewing your shopping list by clicking the "username shopping list" link.
2. At the bottom of the page you should see two checkboxes:
   "Publish shopping list" and "Publish as anonymous".
   
   IMPORTANT: The default setting is "Publish as anonymous" checked, which will only result in the updating of your list (ie. Removing items). If you want your list anonymous, make sure both check boxes are checked. BUT if you want your username published, make sure only the 1st check box that reads "Publish shopping list" is checked. only update your list.
   
3. You can type in an "Optional comment" about your shopping list. This will show up as the heading for your list and is a great area to explain the list, along with other notes.
4. Click submit, and if you now look at "view published shopping list," your list is at the top!
   

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

Why can't I find my supermarket on Ajaxo.com? Top

To answer your question, we probably haven't gotten there yet! We're constantly expanding and adding new stores. Please drop us a line at our comment and/or suggestion box on the front page. Be sure to tell us the name of the supermarket, your zip code, and we'll get on it right away!

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

Is my city or state covered by Ajaxo.com? Top

The easiest way to find out if your city has coverage is to check out the "coverage map" - you can find the coverage map in the cluster of links below the search bar. Coverage is organized by city alphabetical order!

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

What kind of categories can I find (search by aisle)?Top

As we've mentioned before, sometimes you will get items that are similarly related to what you're searching for. We've decided to expand on that and create virtual aisles! If you search using these special terms, you'll get a broader array of results, almost as though you were walking down every aisle of each store. Note: Make sure you type it as is!

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

How do you search in more than one "locale"? Top

Why does a box pop up everytime I start typing in the search bar?

Did you know that you can search in multiple locales (zip codes and/or city,state abbr.)! It's great if you want to decide whether to buy after work or buy when you get back home. A lot of us work in different cities from where we live. Should I pick it up after work or wait until I get home? Now you'll know!

For example:
Search: milk, eggs, cereal
Location: Cupertino, CA; San Jose, CA


OR you could try mixing city+states with zip codes (if your city has a lot of zip codes) like this:
For example:
Search: "milk, eggs, cereal"
Location: "Cupertino, CA; 95110; 95129"

The important thing is to make sure you separate each location by a semi-colon (";"). Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

What's a quick way to see all the specials at a particualr store? Top

How do you narrow your searching area? Top

Have you searched on Ajaxo and wondered what that check-box is for?

Have you noticed sometimes your results pull in more zip codes than just the one you typed in? Well, the reason for that is because sometimes the store you've gone to for the last 5 years is actually physically located *just* outside your zip code.

That's what this check-mark box is for. As it says, marking this box before you search will make sure that Ajaxo.com "Limit search to the given zip code only".

NOTE:Be careful now. With this option selected, that means if you type in a city, state like Cupertino, CA or San Jose, CA - you won't find anything! The reason being you didn't type in a zip code. Selecting this option will ONLY search for zip codes.

If you type in a multiple location like 95014; 95118; Mountain View, CA - you're not going to get any results from Mountain View with this option marked!

NOTE: The "limit" function only applies to zip codes (ie. 95014), so if you check it while searching a city name (ie. New York, NY) it will not return any results. Too narrow and not enough results? You can search multiple zip codes while using the "limit" function (ie. "95014; 95015; 95113), so you can determine the exact area and amount of results you get. Try searching with and without to see the difference today!

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!

Why does a box pop up everytime I type something in the search bar? ("Find as You Type" - formely called "Look Ahead") Top

Say I want to do a search on Ajaxo.com. I click on the search bar and as I start to type, this box pops up out of nowhere. That pop-up box is called "Find as you Type" - it's a feature that provides you a list of quick suggestions when you type into the search bar. The suggestions are populated based on the characters you type into the search bar.

Say for example I'm looking for "cheese", notice as I'm typing the options change as "Find as you Type" serves up suggestions based on a changing context, ultimately giving me a list of items including things such as cheesecake, cheeseball, cheeseburgers, and so forth. Find as you type is an optional helper app - you may choose to ignore the suggestions and simply type what you're looking for.

I'm the owner of a local business, and I'd like to see my business and our promotions on Ajaxo.com! What can I do? Top

Have questions? Drop us a line @ Ajaxo.com in the suggestions/feedback box!