How Scoura Works
Scoura turns 'I need this part' into comparable supplier quotes in six steps: you upload what you have, Scoura identifies the item, finds relevant suppliers, emails them on your behalf, collects the replies in one inbox, and extracts the price, stock and lead time from each one.
What does the workflow look like?
What are the steps, exactly?
- Start a request: upload photos, PDFs, screenshots or links, or just describe the item in plain words.
- Scoura's AI identifies the item — brand, model, part numbers and key specifications where they can be read from what you provided.
- Scoura searches for relevant suppliers for that specific item and shortlists the ones worth contacting.
- Scoura emails those suppliers on your behalf, asking about price, stock availability and lead time.
- Supplier replies arrive inside Scoura — not scattered across your personal inbox — and Scoura extracts the pricing, stock and lead-time details from each reply.
- You compare the quotes side by side, ask follow-up questions through Scoura, and choose who to buy from. Scoura also sends polite follow-ups to suppliers who haven't answered.
What do I receive back?
| Supplier | Price | Stock | Lead time | Alternative offered | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier A | $48.00 | In stock | 2–3 days | No | Bulk pricing for 10+ |
| Supplier B | $61.50 | To order | 2 weeks | Yes — newer equivalent | Price includes freight |
| Supplier C | — | No stock | — | No | Suggested another distributor |
Instead of reading every email yourself, you get the extracted answers lined up in one comparison — price, stock, lead time, whether an alternative was offered, and any notes — with the original supplier reply always available underneath.
What do I need to start a request?
- Photos of the part or product — including its label, nameplate or any printed part numbers.
- Screenshots of a listing, an old order, or a page where you saw the item.
- PDFs such as manuals, spec sheets or old invoices.
- Links to a product page, even a discontinued one.
- Or just a written description — brand, model, size, what it does, what it fits.
You don't need to know what the item is called. Identifying unknown items is the first thing Scoura does.
What does Scoura do while I wait?
- Tracks which suppliers were contacted and which have replied, per request.
- Extracts pricing, stock and lead time from each reply as it arrives.
- Flags supplier questions that need your answer.
- Sends polite follow-ups to suppliers who haven't responded, so requests don't stall.
What happens after suppliers reply?
- Every supplier reply lands in your Scoura inbox, attached to the request it belongs to.
- Scoura reads each reply and pulls out the price, stock availability and lead time so you don't have to dig through email threads.
- You see all quotes for a request side by side and can compare them directly.
- You can reply to any supplier from inside Scoura — Scoura can even draft the reply for you.
- Suppliers who go quiet get a polite automatic follow-up, so requests don't stall.
What happens when identification fails?
Sometimes the AI can't identify the item — the photo is too blurry, the label is unreadable, or the item genuinely has no distinguishing marks. When that happens, Scoura tells you plainly that identification failed instead of guessing and sending suppliers the wrong thing. You can add more photos, a clearer shot of the nameplate, or extra written details, and run identification again. The request isn't lost — everything you uploaded stays attached to it.
What happens when suppliers don't reply?
Not every supplier answers — that's the reality of sourcing, and no service can force a reply. Scoura sends polite automatic follow-ups to suppliers who go quiet, and your dashboard always shows the honest state of each request: who was contacted, who replied, and who hasn't. If nobody replies or nobody has stock, Scoura says so directly rather than padding the results — you can then widen the search, allow alternatives, or contact more suppliers.
Who uses Scoura?
- Repair and maintenance technicians who need a specific replacement part to finish a job.
- Tradespeople — electricians, appliance repairers, mechanics, plumbers — sourcing parts between jobs.
- Facilities and operations managers keeping equipment running.
- Procurement and purchasing staff who need several quotes quickly.
- Small business owners sourcing products or components without a purchasing department.
- Anyone stuck with a broken item, an unlabelled part, or a discontinued product they need to replace.
Scoura at a glance
What Scoura is
Scoura is an AI sourcing agent. You show it what you need — a photo, PDF, screenshot, link or description — and it identifies the item, finds relevant suppliers, emails them on your behalf, and collects every reply in one place so you can compare price, stock and lead time.
Who it helps
Repair technicians, tradespeople, facilities and operations managers, procurement staff, small business owners, and anyone stuck with a broken, unlabelled or discontinued item they need to identify and replace.
When to use it
Use Scoura when you need to find a hard-to-source product, part, supplier or quote, identify an item you cannot name, source a discontinued part or a compatible alternative, or contact several suppliers at once — and you would rather not spend hours doing it by hand.
When not to use it
Skip Scoura if you need same-hour delivery, already know exactly where to buy the item, only want to compare marketplace listings, or need a guaranteed in-stock emergency part right now. Outreach depends on suppliers replying, which usually takes hours to days, and no sourcing service can guarantee stock or a reply.
How it works
- Upload photos, PDFs, links or descriptions
- AI identifies the item
- Scoura finds relevant suppliers
- Scoura sends enquiries
- Supplier replies return to Scoura
- AI extracts price, stock and lead time
- You compare options and decide
Ready to stop chasing suppliers?
Upload a photo or describe what you need. Scoura finds it, quotes it, and keeps every reply organised.
Start a RequestSee How It WorksFrequently asked questions
What is Scoura?
Scoura is an AI sourcing agent. You show it what you need — with photos, PDFs, screenshots, links or a description — and it identifies the item, finds relevant suppliers, emails them on your behalf, collects their replies in one inbox, and extracts pricing, stock and lead times so you can compare quotes.
Can I upload photos?
Yes. Photos are the most common starting point. Upload pictures of the item, its label or nameplate, and Scoura's AI reads what it can — brand, model, part numbers, specifications — to identify the item.
Does Scoura contact suppliers for me?
Yes. Once suppliers are found, Scoura writes and sends the enquiry emails on your behalf. You don't need to write the same email ten times or manage the thread from your personal inbox.
Where do supplier replies go?
Replies come back into Scoura, attached to your request. You get one organised inbox per request instead of a scattered email thread, and Scoura extracts the price, stock and lead time from each reply.
Can Scoura compare prices and lead times?
Yes. Scoura extracts pricing, stock availability and lead times from supplier replies and shows them side by side, so comparing quotes takes minutes instead of an afternoon of re-reading emails.
Can Scoura find alternatives?
Yes. If the exact item is discontinued or unavailable, you can tell Scoura that an equivalent is acceptable, and it will ask suppliers about compatible alternatives and replacements, not just the original part number.
Does Scoura guarantee results?
No. Scoura cannot guarantee that a supplier has stock, replies, or offers a good price — no sourcing service honestly can. What Scoura does is the legwork: identifying the item, finding and contacting relevant suppliers, organising every reply, and telling you plainly when nothing was found.
When should I not use Scoura?
Skip Scoura if you already know exactly where to buy the item, need same-hour delivery, just want to compare marketplace listings like Amazon or eBay, or need a guaranteed-in-stock emergency part right now. Scoura's outreach depends on suppliers replying, which usually takes hours to days.
Who should use Scoura?
Anyone who needs to find a product, part, supplier or quote without spending hours doing it manually: repairers, tradespeople, facilities managers, procurement staff, small business owners — or anyone stuck with a broken item they can't identify.
How do I start?
Create a free account at scoura.com.au and start a request. New accounts get free credits, so you can try a full request — identification, supplier search and outreach — before paying anything.