How to Search with PulseMyHobby
A practical, step-by-step guide to getting useful results from PulseMyHobby Search, from your first search to watching a product for later.
Getting started
Search is PulseMyHobby's paid feature. Every new account gets a 7 day free trial, no card charged upfront. After your trial ends, continued Search access costs a once-off R100 for 3 months, with no monthly subscription and no long contract.
You'll need to sign in to use Search. Classifieds is separate and completely free, with or without a paid Search plan.
Quick facts
7 days free on sign-up · then R100 once-off for a further 3 months · Search requires sign-in · Classifieds is free and unaffected by your Search plan.
Searching for a product
Type what you're looking for into the search bar. PulseMyHobby is built for RC and model hobby search, so it works best with specific hobby terms rather than generic shopping words.
Specific model names, brands and part numbers generally produce better, tighter results than very broad searches. For example:
A specific search doesn't guarantee an exact result: it just gives PulseMyHobby the best chance of matching what you actually want.
Understanding search results
Each result shows what's actually known about it, so you can compare without opening every link:
- Product photo (or a "No image" placeholder when none is available)
- Product name, brand and retailer
- Price, or "Price unavailable" when a retailer doesn't publish one
- Stock status: In stock, Low stock, Out of stock, Pre-order, Back order, or Stock unknown
- A match badge such as Exact, Close match or Alternative, plus helpful call-outs like Cheapest, Cheapest In Stock or Only Shop Found where they apply
- A "Last checked" time, so you know how fresh the price and stock information is
Some results are marked Second Hand. These are matching listings from PulseMyHobby Classifieds, shown alongside new retailer stock so you can compare new and used prices in one place.
When several shops carry a close match to the same product, PulseMyHobby groups them into a comparison card showing how many shops were found, how many have it in stock, and the lowest listed and best in-stock prices.
Price and availability disclaimer
Retailer prices and stock can change at any time. Always confirm the final price and availability on the retailer's own site or in-store before you buy.
Filters
Above your results, filter chips let you narrow what's shown:
- All – every result for your search
- In Stock – only results currently shown as in stock
- Exact Matches – only results PulseMyHobby is confident are the exact product you searched for
- Alternatives – close and related matches, useful when there's no exact match available
You can also toggle individual shops on or off in the source filter panel, and change the sort order of your results.
Opening a retailer
PulseMyHobby helps you locate a product, it doesn't sell it. Clicking a result's "Open result" link takes you to the retailer's own website to view and complete your purchase there. The actual sale is between you and that retailer: PulseMyHobby is not a party to it.
Watched products
Found something worth tracking? Click Watch Product on an exact-match result, or Watch Search to track an entire search instead of a single item. The button changes to Watching (or Watching Search) once it's active.
Everything you're tracking appears on your Watched page, where each entry shows its latest price, when it was last checked, and gives you three actions: Refresh Now, Edit Watch, and Stop Watching. Selecting Stop Watching removes it from your Watched list.
Better search tips
- Lead with the model number or part number when you have one: it's the fastest way to a tight, exact match.
- If an exact search comes back empty or thin, switch to the Alternatives filter to see close matches instead.
- Not sure of the exact model? Search the brand plus a general term (for example
Spektrum receiver) and use the filters to narrow down from there. - Watch a search instead of a single product when you're open to more than one matching item, so you don't miss a good result.
Retailer availability
PulseMyHobby searches a growing list of supported South African hobby retailers. New sources are added over time, so the exact list keeps growing.
Occasionally an individual retailer's site may be temporarily unavailable or slow to check. That doesn't necessarily mean PulseMyHobby Search itself is down, just that one source is having a moment. Other sources will still return results as usual.
Need more help?
Check the FAQ for quick answers, or contact us if you're still stuck.