How to use Wikonomi

What an account lets you do

• Add new price reports.
• Add businesses to the database.
• Create practical guides and share local knowledge.
• Rate price reports and businesses.
• Use your shopping list.
• Watch products and receive notifications.
• Edit your own submitted information where allowed.
• Help moderate wrong or duplicate data.

How to sign up

1. Click Sign Up in the top navigation.
2. Create your account details.
3. Log in whenever you want to contribute, rate, comment, or save items.

What to look at on a price card

• Product name: the item being reported.
• Price: the reported amount and currency.
• Business: where the price was seen.
• Date: how recent the report is.
• Photo: evidence or visual confirmation where available.
• Rating: community trust signal.

Useful ways to compare

• Compare the same product across different businesses.
• Check whether the cheapest price is recent or old.
• Use photos and notes to confirm size, brand, and packaging.
• Check the location before travelling to the shop.
• Do not rely only on one report if several newer reports disagree.

When viewing prices

• Use the map to see where prices were reported.
• Check whether the store is near you before travelling.
• Look for clusters of prices around shopping areas.
• Use nearby price details to compare options around a selected report.

When adding prices

• Select the business first if it already has a default location.
• Use your current location if you are physically at the store.
• Click or tap the map to set the location manually.
• Use the correct store branch when possible.

What makes a strong report?

• Clear product name and brand.
• Correct package size or quantity in the notes.
• Accurate price and currency.
• Correct store or branch.
• Recent photo of the price tag, shelf, receipt, or product.
• Precise location when the business is new.

Avoid these mistakes

• Do not mix different sizes as if they are the same product.
• Do not guess prices from memory if you are not sure.
• Do not add a business name without checking spelling.
• Do not upload blurry photos if a clearer photo is possible.
• Do not use a location far away from the actual store.

How to add a business

1. Click Post in the top navigation.
2. Select Post Business.
3. Enter the business name.
4. Choose the industry or business type.
5. Select a subcategory if available.
6. Add optional details such as opening hours, services, contact information, or notes.
7. Upload a business image if available.
8. Save the business.

What a business profile is useful for

• Showing all prices connected to that store.
• Helping shoppers find local businesses online.
• Giving small businesses visibility without needing a full ecommerce site.
• Allowing customers to rate and discuss business information.
• Making bulk inventory uploads easier for businesses.

How to create a guide

1. Click Post in the top navigation.
2. Select Add Guide.
3. Use a clear title that describes the outcome.
4. Add a short summary and the relevant business or organisation, if there is one.
5. Break the process into ordered, practical steps.
6. Add useful links, photos, costs, requirements, and warnings where relevant.
7. Preview the guide and publish it.

What makes a guide useful

• It reflects the current PNG process, not an overseas version.
• Each step tells the reader what to do next.
• Important costs, documents, offices, contacts, and waiting times are included.
• Basic Markdown can be used for headings, bold text, lists, and links.
• Readers can ask general or step-specific questions and add useful tips.

What you can do

• Add custom shopping items manually.
• Add products from product or price pages where available.
• Tick items off when bought.
• Delete items you no longer need.
• See an estimated total for unchecked items.

How to use it well

1. Add the items you plan to buy.
2. Search each item to compare store prices.
3. Use the estimated total as a guide, not a guarantee.
4. After shopping, add or update prices you actually saw.

How to rate

1. Open a price report or business page.
2. Find the community rating section.
3. Select 1 to 5 stars.
4. You can adjust your rating later if your view changes.

Suggested rating meaning

• 5 stars: clear, recent, accurate, and useful.
• 4 stars: mostly reliable with minor missing details.
• 3 stars: useful but needs more evidence or clarity.
• 2 stars: likely outdated, unclear, or incomplete.
• 1 star: probably wrong, misleading, or not useful.

When to watch a product

• You buy the product often.
• You are waiting for a better price.
• You want to know when other users add new reports.
• You want to track changes in staple goods like rice, fuel, tinned fish, or cooking oil.

How notifications help

• Alerts can point you to updates that need your attention.
• You can check when watched product prices change.
• You can respond faster to suspicious or useful new reports.
• You can mute notifications when they are no longer useful.

How to edit

1. Open the price report page.
2. Use the edit option if it is available to you.
3. Update only what needs to change.
4. Add a note or photo if the change could be disputed.
5. Save the updated report.

Why history matters

Edit history protects the community from silent changes. It helps users understand how price data has changed over time and gives the platform a better record of market movement.

Good reasons to comment

• Ask whether the price is for a specific size or brand.
• Confirm whether a sale is still active.
• Add extra context about store branch, stock, or opening hours.
• Point out that the report may be outdated.
• Thank contributors for useful information.

Commenting rules

• Be specific and factual.
• Do not insult businesses, users, or staff.
• Do not spread rumours.
• Use comments to improve the data, not to argue.

If the price changed

Add a newer price report or edit the existing one if editing is available.

If details are unclear

Leave a comment asking for size, brand, photo, branch, or date clarification.

If it should be removed

Use the deletion request option and explain why. Another user may need to confirm.