54% Kiwis Haggle for Better Price

21 September 2011

54% Kiwis Haggle for Better Price

Kiwis are changing the way they shop with 54% of consumers regularly haggling with retailers on price, according to the findings of a survey on electronics retailers.

The survey by Canstar Blue revealed that increasing numbers of New Zealanders expect to be able to negotiate on price when buying new electronics goods. Aucklanders were the most keen to negotiate with retailers at 55%, with those living in Dunedin and Wellington also pretty keen to haggle to get a better deal.

Derek Bonnar CANSTAR CANNEX – New Zealand National Manager said 2,500 kiwis were asked to rate their satisfaction with the electronics retailer they most recently purchased goods from. Electronics retailers included in the ratings were: 100%, The Good Guys, Harvey Norman, Dick Smith, JB Hi-Fi, Noel Leeming, The Warehouse and Bond & Bond.

“Kiwi owned 100% took top billing in all six categories we rated, including: overall satisfaction, price, service at point of sale, service post sale, range of products on offer, and the appearance of the store.

“Our results indicate a change in the way Kiwis are shopping. People are no longer taking the advertised price at face value. They are prepared to haggle to get a better deal. The change in behaviour may also be indicative of the current tight financial times.

“The survey also revealed that 76% of Kiwis use the internet to research where the best deals on electronic goods are before buying. Wellingtonians were the most likely to use the internet to research where to spend their cash, with 82% cruising the web before heading out to the shops.

“Nearly a third of those surveyed (30%), admitted that in the last 12 months whilst shopping for electronics they had ended up buying more items than they had originally intended to purchase,” Derek said.

Derek also commented that 30% of survey respondents confessed to ‘electronics envy’ when visiting friends and family. Gen Y Kiwis are the most likely at 48%, to harbour envious feelings.

Amongst those surveyed the most common gripes about electronics retailers include:

• Customer service
o Sales staff either pushy or disinterested.
o Being handed from sales person to cashier - would prefer to have one person completing entire transaction.
o Lack of knowledge about the products they are selling.
o Lack of after sales service for follow up for orders and repairs.
• Cluttered stores - hard to move around and find what you are looking for.

Canstar Blue commissions Colmar Brunton Australia to survey 2,500 New Zealand consumers every few months to measure their satisfaction across a range of products and services.

Canstar Blue is the brainchild of financial research and ratings company, CANSTAR CANNEX which has been operating in New Zealand for nearly a decade.

Canstar Blue provides New Zealanders with the latest customer satisfaction ratings on products and services free of charge via the website www.canstarblueco.nz.

“Consumers will undoubtedly feel more confident about a purchase if hundreds of other Kiwis rate it highly,” said Derek.

To view the full results of the Canstar Blue survey go to: www.canstarblue.co.nz

ENDS

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