I've long since raved about services like Tripit, which aggregate and organize your travel itineraries into a single application. Slice has been doing that for shopping for some time now, and today it announced it's coming to Android. We've been using Slice for a few days now, and it's quickly found a home in our must-have applications.
The premise is simple: You give Slice access to your e-mail account, and it keeps an eye on things, looking out of receipts, order confirmations and shipping announcements. If it spots one, it gets sucked into the Slice app for easy digestion. You've got quick access to current and previous orders, tracking codes, histories and maps.
Oh, and it'll show you your total number of orders imported, as well as how much you've spent. And you'll likely feel a little guilty and wonder where all that money went. Just saying. (Our test sucked in orders all the way back from 2008 – these things add up after a while.)
Slice's layout is excellent. The main menu takes you to open orders, shipped orders, delivered orders and full history. It's a little redundant because once you choose one of those sections, you can flip left or right to the others. But it still looks great. (Update: Slice apparently decided to change its main home screen between the time we got our advance look and launch. The home screen at right is what you should see on your phone.)
Order tracking is nicely done – you get easy access to the tracking number and service phone number, as well as the history of your package's travels. You get a Google Map, too, showing the shipping origin and destination cities, and points in between, but that's really not all that useful for any sort of real-time tracking.
The long and the short of it is that Slice is an excellent way to keep track of your online purchases and keep up with orders that are on the way. It's also got the ability to squelch iTunes and Netflix purchases, which you'll likely have a bunch of, so things stay nice and tidy.
We've got a slew of screen shots and some hands-on video -- and the download link, of course -- after the break.
More: Slice for Android
Youtube link for mobile viewing
Slice app launches for Android to Save you Time, Track Your Packages and Get You Organized
Slice Makes Package-Tracking From Your Mobile Phone a Breeze, Helps Whip Your Inbox into Shape and Simplifies Shopping for All
PALO ALTO, CA – March 8, 2012 – Today, Slice announced the availability of its free online shopping organizational app on all Android devices. The Android release is the latest addition to Slice’s suite of mobile and desktop tools aimed at simplifying online shopping. With Slice on your Android, you’ll never waste another minute sorting through old receipts or entering tracking numbers. Slice’s app is the only service that gives Android users instant access to their entire online shopping history, making tracking shipments and staying organized on-the-go easier than ever before. With the launch of the Android app, users will also be able to conveniently view and organize purchases made using Google Wallet.
Slice makes sense of the shopping clutter by automatically pulling information from the electronic receipts in your email – including shipping notifications, tracking numbers, return policies and customer service information – and compiling all the relevant data in one place for quick, easy reference. Slice parses receipts from brick-and-mortar retailers as well as traditional e-commerce and daily deals sites.
Slice has processed more than 10 million purchases to date. Slice’s service was named “the best package tracker for iPhone” by Lifehacker and the company was included in Inc. Magazine’s list of start-ups to watch in 2012.
“Our number one request in the months leading up to the holidays was for an Android release,” said Scott Brady, CEO and co-founder of Slice. “Our mobile platform is really the best way to use Slice since it puts all the benefits of the service right at your fingertips. With Slice on your Android, the days of rooting around in your email for tracking numbers or customer service information are long gone. Slice gives you all the information you need, when you need it, in the palm of your hand.”
Slice’s mobile apps simplify your shopping by eliminating some common hassles:
- Need to remember what you ordered? We automatically track all your in-progress shipments on a single map as they make their way to your front door, with detailed information about the contents of the package, not just where it’s coming from.
- Want to know where your stuff is? Our push notifications let you know when a purchase has shipped and when it gets delivered, so you’re never left wondering.
- Want to return something? Slice keeps a copy of all your electronic receipts for easy access in case you need them. Slice also provides you with often hard to find return and customer service information. Returns made simple.
- Purchase info hard to find in your cluttered inbox? Slice consolidates your shopping history in one place so you don’t have to log into multiple websites, dig through receipts or manually file emails. From large retailers and daily deal sites to mom-and-pop online shops, we’ve got you covered.
- Where’s all your money going? We provide purchase details beyond what’s provided in your credit card statement, showing you exactly what you bought down to the individual item, not just where you bought it.
Starting today, the Slice mobile app is available for all Android users in Google Play. The app is available with a downloadable widget that makes it even easier for Android users to track packages at a glance. Slice is also available as a desktop service for all Gmail and Yahoo! Mail users and for iOS devices as the Slice iPhone app in the Apple App Store. For more information, visit https://www.slice.com/shopping_intro.
About Slice
Slice provides the simplest way to organize your purchases, saving you time and money. Slice automatically pulls information from electronic receipts in your inbox and makes it easy to track the progress of your orders, take advantage of price adjustments and see everything you’ve bought, all in one place. Based in Palo Alto, CA, Slice is privately held with funding from DCM, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Michael Birch, FLOODGATE, Innovation Endeavors (Eric Schmidt), and Rick Thompson. For more information, visit www.slice.com.
