# Why prices don't update

If you've noticed that product prices in your store differ from the target website, don’t worry—this is **usually expected behavior**. Real-time price updates are not possible when using web scraping methods. Some stores frequently change their prices, while External Importer syncs products on a set [schedule](/synchronizing-products/general-information.md).

If you suspect that prices are not updating as they should, follow these steps to identify and resolve the issue.

### Troubleshooting Steps

#### 1. Check the Last Synced Date

* Navigate to the **product edit page**.
* Locate the **External Importer Sync** widget in the right sidebar.
* Verify the **Last synced** date.
* If needed, manually trigger a synchronization by clicking **Sync now**.

<figure><img src="/files/byB1hbHLgUwBQhAq8s32" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### 2. Review Synchronization Settings

* Go to **External Importer > Settings >** [**Synchronization**](/synchronizing-products/general-information.md).
* Confirm that **Price synchronization** is enabled.
* Check your **Update period** settings to ensure they match your expectations.

<figure><img src="/files/BKMwIl1WcJJNzsUb34yL" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### 3. Verify if the Source Domain is Throttled

If the source website is throttling requests, price updates may be delayed.

* Go to **External Importer > Settings > Extractor**.
* Check for messages about:
  * **Exceeding the daily request limit**.
  * **Too many consecutive errors**.
* You can adjust or disable limits to improve synchronization.
* Visit **External Importer > Logs** to check for errors related to throttling.

<figure><img src="/files/l6XikeYeKRMouBCAPIop" alt="" width="368"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="/files/NajsG1t2J1vXpgS5diXA" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

![](/files/-MJM4JHT1rac0wVN9Ajc)

#### 4. Check for HTTP Errors and IP Blocking

* In the **Product Synchronization** widget, look for HTTP-related error messages.
* If your **server IP is blocked** (you will see errors like **503** or **403**) by the source website:
  * Consider activating a [**scraping service**](/extracting-products/crawling-services.md) to bypass restrictions.
  * Try extracting the product using **External Importer > Import Tool** to get more details about potential scraping issues.

<figure><img src="/files/FEmImaTbl2PiA0zhz678" alt="" width="336"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="/files/cwWfz0gLhU3p3D4yBatd" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### 5. Test Synchronization with Different Methods

If you are using **Cron synchronization**:

* Switch to **Frontend synchronization** and refresh the page.
* If the price updates successfully, Cron may not be working correctly.

<figure><img src="/files/sWn31CjFfFzqZ3QX1LW7" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

To fix potential Cron issues:

* Go to External Importer > Settings > Synchronization and **re-save your settings** to restart all scheduled tasks.
* Please install a cron manager plugin such as [WP Crontrol](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-crontrol/) to check and manage scheduled tasks. Then go to **Tools > Cron Events**, locate the “**ei\_sync\_products**” task, and confirm that it is running on time and not overdue.
* Ensure your website has **regular traffic**, as WordPress cron tasks rely on visitor activity.
* If your website has low traffic, set up a **real Cron job** on your server to ensure scheduled tasks run consistently. Contact your hosting provider for assistance.

#### 6. Understand Cron Synchronization Limits

* The synchronization script runs **every 10 minutes**.
* It can update **up to 2,500 products per day**.
* If you have a large inventory, consider adjusting your synchronization strategy.


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