Price mistakes (for products) are a lot like mistake fares. A couple of days ago, I happen to get one of my automated IFTTT alerts about a price mistake reported on Slickdeals. The deal? A Nest 3rd Generation Thermostat for ~$22.

Nest — but mistake pricing was fixed.

Surprisingly,  it was still working when I saw it, so I jumped on board for a few from a couple different accounts.

Much like with mistake fares, you want to jump, don’t think, just do. In my case, I saw that the sale price was roughly 10% of everyone else, a clear mistake.

The difference here though is the real tough wait is usually only until the product ships and is delivered (and yes, I’ve had products ship, that were recalled by the vendor). Whereas, mistake fares, I’ve often felt nervous up until I’m onboard, and we actually make it into the air. This can be eased somewhat by reading forums about others who have flown successfully.

Why am I sharing this?

Because it goes back to the old saying: always be prepared.

• For mistake products: have an shortened analysis process, a short subset of criteria that determine whether you will buy.
  • Things to consider: Is it free after rebate or coupon? Do you have a need? Can you resell it?
• For mistake fares: always know what dates you can travel. Know whether or not you are covered by the US DOT 24 hour cancellation rule (e.g. free cancellation within 24 hours). Book the ticket, don’t hold it (we learned that from American). A sooner travel date means greater success.

Have you been successful with an awesome price mistake? Or flown on an awesome mistake fare? Please share your story in the comments.