# How to Ask an Assistant to Research a Purchase Ask an assistant to research a purchase using requirements, current official sources, a budget, and a separate order approval. By Righthand Team · 2026-10-08 Source: https://www.righthand.ai/blog/how-to-ask-an-assistant-to-research-a-purchase ## Quick answer Ask an assistant to research a purchase by describing the job the item must do, your must-have requirements, and your total budget. Request a small shortlist with current official specifications, purchase links, and unresolved questions. Keep ordering, payment, and subscriptions outside the research scope unless you separately authorize a concrete transaction. Product research often goes wrong when the brief starts with a category instead of a use. “Find a monitor” invites a generic list. “Find a monitor that fits this desk, connects to this computer, and supports my daily work” gives the assistant criteria it can actually compare. ## Translate preferences into requirements List the existing equipment or environment the purchase must work with. Include measurements, connection types, expected use, and any nonnegotiable constraints. If you do not know a technical requirement, ask the assistant to identify the missing information rather than guess compatibility. Set a total budget, including delivery, required accessories, and taxes where they can be verified. If the budget is flexible, define the exception rule: for example, show an over-budget option only when it resolves a requirement that cheaper options do not meet. Separate your priorities: - Required: physical fit, compatibility, or a necessary function. - Preferred: appearance, brand, or a convenient extra. - Excluded: subscriptions, used items, or unsupported accessories if those matter to you. The exclusions are particularly helpful. They stop the assistant from recommending a seemingly cheaper product whose operating model you do not want. ## An illustrative desk purchase Suppose a remote worker needs a desk lamp for a narrow workspace. They have limited clearance beneath a shelf and prefer adjustable brightness. They want to compare a few options without placing an order. The assistant should use the supplied measurements and current manufacturer specifications. If a listing omits the base dimensions, it should flag that gap rather than infer fit from an image. If an accessory is necessary, the comparison should include it or identify its cost as unresolved. A useful shortlist explains why each option remains eligible and what trade-off it introduces. It does not claim that the assistant personally tested the lamps or invent customer satisfaction data. A research recommendation should be honest about the evidence supporting it. ## A purchase research brief > Research up to three options for the item described below. Use my requirements and total budget as the filters. Verify decision-critical specifications with current manufacturer documentation or official listings, and link the sources. Show required accessories, known exclusions, and questions that need checking before purchase. Separate documented facts from your interpretation. Do not order, subscribe, contact sellers, or enter payment information. If no option fits, explain the constraint that prevents a match. Add your region or delivery location at the level needed to check availability. Avoid sharing full payment or identity details for research that does not require them. ## Use a decision rule you can defend Ask the assistant to recommend the lowest-cost option that meets all requirements, or the option best matched to a specific priority. “Best overall” is less useful because it hides the weighting behind the conclusion. When two options are close, request the decisive difference. A small price saving may not matter if an item requires an awkward adapter or has unclear return terms. Have the assistant show that trade-off plainly instead of adding an artificial score. Before ordering, recheck the selected item, seller, availability, payable total, and applicable terms. These can change after research. Approval should reference the actual option and amount, with a rule for what happens if either changes. Confirm that your assistant service supports the intended purchase workflow before authorizing it. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can the assistant use review sites? It can use them as additional context, while identifying their nature and limitations. Require current primary sources for decision-critical specifications, compatibility, and purchase terms. ### Should I share my exact budget? Yes. A budget makes trade-offs explicit and reduces irrelevant suggestions. State whether it is a hard cap or a preference and what it includes. ### Can research turn into an automatic order? Keep those permissions separate. A recommendation is not authority to spend. Approve the actual transaction and verify current support for it. Righthand's [task delegation](/features/task-delegation) and [executive assistant role](/roles/executive-assistant) are relevant starting points for bounded research and administrative preparation.