How to Source Rare Items with Claude
Use Claude and ToolRouter to find rare and hard-to-get items across multiple marketplaces and regions.
Tool
Find hard-to-find products by checking which marketplaces serve your region and searching all available sources. Claude adds value by reasoning about which sources are most likely to carry niche inventory and helping you refine search terms to catch variant listings.
Connect ToolRouter to Claude
1Go to Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector
2Enter the details below and click Add
Name
ToolRouterURL
https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp3Done — works on Claude chat, desktop, and mobile
Steps
Once connected (see setup above), use the Marketplace Search tool:
- Describe the item you are looking for, including model variants, common misspellings, and any regional naming differences.
- Use `marketplace-search` with `source_coverage` to see which marketplaces are active in your target regions.
- Run `search_listings` across all available sources using broad terms first, then narrow based on results.
- Ask Claude to assess which results look like genuine matches versus search noise, and suggest alternative search terms to try.
Example Prompt
Try this with Claude using the Marketplace Search tool
Use marketplace-search to find a Technics SL-1200 MK2 turntable in Europe. Check source coverage first, then search across all available marketplaces. Suggest alternative search terms I might be missing and flag any listings that look like genuine original units rather than newer reissues.
Tips
- Run source coverage first to avoid wasting searches on regions with no relevant marketplaces.
- Ask Claude to generate variant search terms including common abbreviations and misspellings.
- Cast a wide net on the first search, then narrow by condition and price on subsequent passes.