skills/find-a-cheaper-version/SKILL.md

---
name: find-a-cheaper-version
description: Find a cheaper or alternative version of one specific piece of clothing with Tailor, when the user already has the item in mind, either one Tailor showed or one they saw elsewhere, and asks for a dupe, a cheaper option, alternatives or the same look at another store. Not for ordinary searches with a budget, such as "a coat under £150"; those are plain searches.
---

# Find a cheaper version with Tailor

The goal is a piece that looks like the one the user wants, for less. Be honest that
these are look-alikes, not the same product.

## 1. Pin down the original

- **A product Tailor already showed**: use its `product_id`, `price` and
  `product_type`.
- **Something from elsewhere** (described, linked or in a photo): describe it the way
  a product page would, with colour, cut, fabric, pattern, length and details, and
  note its price if the user knows it. Work from what the user tells you: Tailor only
  searches its own index, so don't look the item up on the web or open other sites.

Also confirm the user's **country** (`za`, `us` or `gb`) and **department**. Ask what
"cheaper" means if it's unclear; by default, aim for well under the original price.

## 2. Search

- **For a Tailor product**: call `find_similar_products` with its `product_id`,
  `price_max` below its price, and the same `product_type`. Without `product_type`,
  look-alikes can include other kinds of item. To look at one other retailer, add
  `store_code`. To see only discounted items, add `on_sale: true`.
- **For something from elsewhere**: call `search_products` with the description,
  `country`, `department` and `price_max`. If one result is close, run
  `find_similar_products` on it, with the same `product_type`, to find more like it.
- **For the same item in another colour**: use `tailor_product` with the change as the
  desired result and `colour_family` set.

Pass `exclude_ids` for products already shown, to get fresh results.

## 3. Present

Each search, similar or tailor call already shows its results as cards. If one call
found the options, those cards are the answer: don't show them again with
`show_products`. If the options came from several calls, call `show_products` once
with the best 3 to 6, closest look first, and a `title` such as "Cheaper takes on
the camel coat". Either way, don't re-list the products in text. Add:

- for each option worth mentioning, how close it is and what's different (fabric,
  length, details)
- how much it saves against the original, in the same currency

Prices are in each shop's own currency and aren't converted, so only compare prices
within one country.