# 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](https://ei-docs.keywordrush.com/synchronizing-products/general-information).

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="https://2204606725-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MJHhS3qgDA1lCM6b1Nw%2Fuploads%2FHCoRPF71l5bJfNnf3iSO%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=374a7fe6-5871-4a67-836a-d726658f2f1e" alt="" width="563"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### 2. Review Synchronization Settings

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

<figure><img src="https://2204606725-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MJHhS3qgDA1lCM6b1Nw%2Fuploads%2Fe0pkHLEi9xHKT6LlfBk6%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=ffe29363-d0f8-48ea-90a2-155049f1feaa" 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="https://2204606725-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MJHhS3qgDA1lCM6b1Nw%2Fuploads%2FlpaXHHrb7I9VF0GBQgbV%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c6d9b34a-787e-400a-95bd-aad3af2c580c" alt="" width="368"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://2204606725-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MJHhS3qgDA1lCM6b1Nw%2Fuploads%2FxANlXOcJlZ1rulAvd8Bn%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=3d2d786c-0358-4a7a-bcca-b998bfcfa627" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

![](https://2204606725-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MJHhS3qgDA1lCM6b1Nw%2F-MJM44uRGkdDs_NGcecM%2F-MJM4JHT1rac0wVN9Ajc%2Fexternal-importer-39.png?alt=media\&token=b95650e3-5f42-4836-9004-8d05ea6d48ed)

#### 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**](https://ei-docs.keywordrush.com/extracting-products/crawling-services) to bypass restrictions.
  * Try extracting the product using **External Importer > Import Tool** to get more details about potential scraping issues.

<figure><img src="https://2204606725-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MJHhS3qgDA1lCM6b1Nw%2Fuploads%2FpyNXm4jlZIsJQKcGdOlO%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=ec7b1322-32b4-4264-aa9e-291592796d94" alt="" width="336"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://2204606725-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MJHhS3qgDA1lCM6b1Nw%2Fuploads%2FhUg2XzuhTsC3JBNv3pbz%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4c4902b4-91eb-44b1-8b31-6e6ae34532d0" 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="https://2204606725-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MJHhS3qgDA1lCM6b1Nw%2Fuploads%2FhINH1Dl83F9H0yXpMYTM%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=e35eb8c6-3858-46f5-8832-1ea2968f8e94" 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.