https://visualping.io/pages/refurbished-steam-deck-alerts-4931735 Ever wonder what the internet is really paying attention to? Every month, Visualping scans millions of websites, giving us a unique window into what content people want to keep their eyes on.

From shoppers snagging the new iPhone 17 to professionals tracking regulatory changes, Visualping helps them be the first to know.

So, what was everyone watching in September 2025? Let's dive in.

#5 - The Digital Watchdogs: Tracking Chemical and Clinical Data

This month, a significant number of new tracking jobs were set up on highly specialized, regulated databases like clinicaltrials.gov and chem.echa.europa.eu. This trend highlights a mission-critical use case for professionals in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing.

For professionals in these industries, this kind of monitoring is essential. A pharmaceutical company might track a competitor's entry on clinicaltrials.gov to get an instant alert when a trial status changes from “Recruiting” to “Completed”, a powerful signal about their product pipeline.

Similarly, a manufacturer using a specific chemical could track the EU's European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) database. For more on this, check out our guide on how to use Visualping for regulatory compliance monitoring

The Takeaway: For any highly regulated industry, key government and scientific websites are not static libraries; they're dynamic rulebooks. Automated, precise monitoring of these databases is a key risk management and competitive intelligence strategy.

#4 - Gotta Track 'Em All: The Pokémon TCG Gold Rush

The Pokémon trading card game (TCG) market remains white-hot, and the launch of the "Mega Evolution" expansion on September 26 poured fuel on the fire. This set, featuring the return of fan-favorite Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, triggered a spike in new monitoring jobs on Pokémon TCG products in September.

Highly anticipated TCG sets are notoriously hard to buy at retail, and this expansion was no exception. Hobbyists and investors alike immediately set up alerts to:

• Catch fleeting restocks on major retail sites that often lasted for only a few minutes.
• Find local inventory by tracking regional game shops for their smaller, equally sought-after stock drops.
• Watch the secondary market on sites like eBay and TCGPlayer for any dip in the inflated resale prices.

Tip: To learn how to get your own Pokémon card restock notifications set up, you can read our Pokémon restock tracker guide.

The Takeaway: For today's TCG enthusiasts, the hobby has evolved into a full-fledged market. Web monitoring is now a crucial tool to track not just product availability, but also the competitive scene, grading populations, and speculative trends that define a card's real-time value.

#3 - Handheld Heaven: The Hunt for a Refurbished Steam Deck

The Steam Deck is the ultimate handheld PC, but the high price tag of the new units, especially the OLED models, puts it out of reach for many.

That’s why Valve's official refurbished models are so popular. They offer the same great performance for significantly less.

The problem is scarcity. Refurbished units are released in small batches and sell out in minutes. To beat the odds, many Visualping users set up alerts on the official Steam Deck Refurbished page so they can get notified the instant the "Out of Stock" text changes.

The Takeaway: The market for high-end refurbished electronics is booming, but the supply is tight. For high-demand tech like this, monitoring for availability isn't just convenient, it's the only way to get a great deal without dedicating your life to the refresh button.

#2 - The Deal Hunter's Head Start: Prepping for Holiday Sales

The holiday shopping season seems to start earlier every year, and September was proof. Visualping saw a major spike in new alerts on product pages of major retailer websites like Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Staples, well ahead of the Black Friday rush in November.

Two big trends likely drove this activity. First, shoppers were anticipating Amazon's "Prime Big Deal Days" event in October by monitoring key product pages for early announcements or price drops. Second, some savvy shoppers were already doing some early prep for Black Friday by tracking prices on big-ticket items like 4K TVs and appliances to see how prices changed leading up to the sale season.

You can learn more about this strategy in our post on how to get the best Black Friday deals with alerts.

The Takeaway: Modern shoppers are more strategic. Instead of waiting for sales to be announced, they use monitoring tools like Visualping to keep an eye on the specific products they want, getting notified automatically of any price drops or special offers.

The Apple Gold Rush: Scoring the New iPhone 17

Unsurprisingly, the number one spot goes to the tech world's hottest product launch: Apple's iPhone 17.

Following Apple’s product launch announcement on September 9, Visualping saw a staggering 1,272% spike in users setting up alerts on Apple products. This surge was nearly 10 times greater than for last year's launch, showing just how much the consumer 'hunt' has intensified.

This year's stronger-than-expected demand meant the iPhone 17 was sold out everywhere, almost instantly. Users set up alerts across retailers from the Apple Store to Best Buy, to local electronics retailers to instantly notify them of new stock.

Tip: Learn how you can set up your own Apple in-stock alerts in this guide to be ready for the next big launch.

The Takeaway: For massive launches like the iPhone, stock sells out in minutes. Automated monitoring has become the essential 'tech hack' for consumers to beat the bots and the endless refresh button, giving them a real chance to get a product before it's gone again.