An agent based system utilizes a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)-based, Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled information gathering agent that relies on knowledge of a shopper's physical location to support a shopping task while shopping at a mall. Shoppers indicate their shopping goals to the system. Then, as shoppers stroll through a mall, the system informs them of the availability of items of interest to them available in the immediately surrounding stores, as well as any cheaper local alternatives.