---
name: research-a-purchase
description: Research a product purchase against the buyer's must-haves and budget, using current web sources. Returns a cited comparison table, a clear pick, and the trade-offs. Use when the user asks "what should I buy", "compare X vs Y", or "find the best X under $N".
license: MIT
metadata:
  library: TriedSkills
  job: Research a purchase
  version: "1.0"
---

# Research a purchase

## Inputs
A buyer brief: what it is for, budget ceiling, must-haves, nice-to-haves, deal-breakers. If any of these is missing, ask once, then proceed with stated assumptions.

## Steps
1. Restate the brief as a checklist of **must-haves** (pass/fail) and **nice-to-haves** (scored).
2. Search at least **two independent sources**: hands-on review sites that say they tested the products, plus the manufacturer page for specs. Prefer pages updated in the last 12 months.
3. Build a shortlist of 3–5 candidates that appear in more than one source.
4. Check every candidate against each must-have. **Drop** any that fail and say why. Never quietly relax a must-have.
5. For each remaining candidate, record price, key specs, and one strength and one weakness, **each with a source URL**. If sources disagree, show both values.
6. Make one recommendation, plus a "budget alternative" and an "if you can stretch" option where they exist.
7. List what you could **not** verify (e.g. live price, materials, warranty).

## Output format
Brief checklist → comparison table (Model | Price seen (source, date) | Meets must-haves? | Strength | Weakness) → recommendation → unverified items → sources.

## Guardrails
- Prices change daily. Label each one "seen on <site>, <date>" and tell the user to confirm at checkout.
- Disclose any affiliate links. Never let them change the pick.
- Don't make claims about safety or health beyond what a source says.