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"Obviously, the hi-techists haven't become destitute, but even there they ask how to get discounted safari tickets."
This is what Sefi Pels, deputy to the CEO of the Hitechzone consumer club,
which operates a customer club and credit card,
says in an interview with "Maariv Business"
. The club said they are reducing purchases at the supermarket. The main reasons: the high-tech crisis and the cost of living.
"You can't look at the high-tech community as an exception when it comes to the story of the cost of living," Pels explains. And senior employees, and a CEO can fly with a premium vacation and luxury restaurants, but not everyone can afford it.
The cost of living is something that affects all of us, and even those who earn more will be happy to pay less.
It's important to remember that there are people in this world in junior jobs, in student jobs, and any savings they make now will help them in the future."
Peles refers to the downgrading of Israel's credit rating by Moody's last month. According to her, "The most significant thing that has happened in recent times has had an impact and will continue to have an impact This is the fact that our credit rating was lowered.
We all know what the consequences are for the economy and the consumer audience."
Does it really meet everyone?
"Yes, at the macro level.
And it is also important to mention that this is not a surprising move.
The situation in the country is still before the war, and I'm talking about everything that happened in the past year with the legal revolution and how it was portrayed to the outside world, indicating that it might happen in the future.
But at the same time they are talking about the fact that our economy is solid, and indeed there is already a recovery after October 7th.
Among other things, we see a continuous increase in credit expenses."
The recovery in the economy is also related to reservists returning home and many industries returning to almost full activity. "It is true that in terms of socioeconomic status, high-tech workers are really at the top, but as mentioned, everyone is looking for ways to save, everyone is troubled by the situation in the country and the forecasts for the economic situation in the years the coming ones, and this made us do some rethinking about how we bring the best offers even on normal days but also on reduction days.
How do we help those who reduce shopping at the supermarket and make it easier for them in these things as well."
Sefi Pels, deputy to the CEO of the Hitechzone consumer club/Omer HaCohen
"A customer club has become a daily necessity"
Fells explains that every consumer club today must provide a tighter and more relevant answer with the understanding that whoever is not there for the clientele and attentive to their needs will lose ground: "The story with the customer clubs in recent years is particularly interesting. In the past, everything that was connected to the world of benefits and clubs was naturally considered part of From the worlds of leisure, luxury, vacations, gadgets, etc. Today, the customers' club has become a daily necessity and I see it here as well."
How is it expressed?
"First of all, there is a general understanding that the role of customer clubs is to make life more accessible and to ease expenses. Finally, there is an economic aspect here. What does it mean to make life more accessible? As mentioned, it is at the level of a discount on the bread and butter in the chains, it is the winter clothing for the children, these are the diapers and wipes, ointments The teeth and also restaurants and vacations are of course something that still exists, but the understanding is that the buying power of each club as a club allows to get the most correct deals for the target audience, with a purchase that also touches on everyday matters. From a macro perspective, I think that consumer clubs are redefining especially these days what it is The world of consumerism. The understanding that everything our environment experiences on a daily basis is translated into need and expense."
There are things that never existed in customer clubs and certainly not in a club like yours.
"When we realized that we had to deal with a major economic event, we didn't think at first that we would go into Colgate and boxes of diapers. Hitechzone pulled up towards the brands, to the most affordable chains, the most affordable electrical products and gadgets. And although it is important to say that the world of leisure also remains there, there is a perspective here slightly different".
This is perhaps also the way to live the leisure because the cost of living really almost does not allow it anymore.
"The understanding comes from the premise that one must continue to live and nourish the soul because it is critical for children, couples and families to maintain a quality of life, certainly along with everything that we are going through. But again, we are not in the place of 'Nice Two Heb'. Today with the lowering of the rating, and with the whole story This of an economy in crisis, we see it in our pocket, and first of all we have to preserve purchasing power against all the so-called corporations and entities and companies that burden us."
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What do the hi-techists buy?
So what are the hi-techists buying lately?
Hitechzon points to an average increase of 30% each month in purchases of vouchers that help to cope with the cost of living.
This is an activity that was launched in July with chains such as Rami Levy, Shuk Ha'ir, Beitan Wines, Victory and Superfarm.
Hitechzon also launched vouchers for Walt, Roldin, BE, McDonald's and more.
In the categories of attractions for the whole family, there was an increase in all parameters, mainly on weekends and special days such as Valentine's Day, Family Day and local authority elections.
The leading categories in the field of trade: screens, mobile phones, vacuum cleaners, hair cutting machines and Ninja Grill.
Compared to last year, there was a jump of tens of percent in the demand for gas grills, dishwashers, TV screens, clothes dryers, Bildin ovens and stoves.
Peles points out the importance of sectoral association, even the smallest one, in order to become purchasing power: "There is no other way - each sector must have its own purchasing power. I'm not just talking about all the clubs we know of soldiers, policemen, etc., but for every profession and every sector it's worthwhile Let there be purchasing power that brings together the content that is relevant to it, and it can also respond to the needs of that sector."
Is this a requirement that also comes from the field?
Like purchasing groups that manage to significantly reduce prices?
"You can absolutely see the purchasing power served by sectors and how much it is getting stronger. Sometimes I am even surprised at how it grows and happens. Today every mall that manages a sales floor knows how to give its customers benefits in the stores specific to shopping. I live in Ramat Polg and there is a new shopping center that has opened here and I really know to talk to the residents of the neighborhood. And here we touch on another issue which is the issue of loyalty, how good I am doing to my client so that he stays."
It is somewhat reminiscent of what happened here during the war, the ability of citizens/associations to unite and help the general, only that there is also a business interest.
"Of course, it's also good for the business owners and they benefit from that too. And the fact that no matter what I as a club give you, you're already on his sales floor and he's doing an up sale on you. There are interests here in both directions, but at the moment the ability of the civic and business ventures to come and lend a hand when What is needed and what is needed can help a lot, I don't see any other option. In the end, when we talk about the cost of living, these are things that are bigger than us.
"We can take care of the world around us, and where we have control to make it easier.
Where there is no control, let's say if there are more downgrades, our hand may be short of saving there."
Let's close this issue once and for all: how many credit cards do I need to have in my wallet?
"Two is definitely enough.
One card of the food chain that you are used to buying from regularly, and the other card must be the club card that gives you many more benefits, vouchers and everything you need.
Member of several clubs and debating what to choose?
This of course depends on your needs.
"If you are strong in the aviation world, you have cards that specialize in this and so on. One of the things we learned from the survey is to take the credit card even outside of what is happening on the website. The ability to buy cheap whether at certain supermarkets with a discount, or to purchase, for example, a voucher for a luxury restaurant for a birthday for a total NIS 1,000 and actually pay NIS 800 at Taizo."
What about bank cards?
"Most transactions are made with bank cards, which unfortunately do not give much, and most people have these cards simply because they opened an account and continued with the card. But the business goal, not only of us but of the credit customer clubs, is for our card to be the first in the wallet, this means that in every consumer decision that You're about to do it, you stop for a moment and check which card is more profitable for you to do it. If you're at Hitechzon and your husband is with a friend, for example, it's a check you should do."
Peles adds that "we are all ultimately exposed to social media and the discussions that take place in groups. Almost everywhere people ask where I can get cheap safari tickets or any small and immediate need. We have also seen this with our customers. It goes back to the question of where we stand in relation to the economic situation. Money We don't all have free time."
What is the situation today, more than five months after the outbreak of the war?
"Different areas of our lives were completely paralyzed after October 7. The whole subject of flights abroad and leisure and recreation.
We suffered a very large drop in turnovers of almost 30%.
The war stopped the consumer world from booming in the first two weeks and the damage to e-commerce was crazy.
"Unlike the corona, where people closed themselves off and sought solace in purchases that would warm their hearts, here there was an opposite trend. But now we see a recovery in all sectors. Purim is coming, and we are also working on Passover holidays. Of course, the first thing is to adapt to the situation, to be on hand On the pulse, to give value all the time and of course to encourage uses of credit as well as to encourage the customer to check what gives more value to him, where it is worth buying for him, and what can help him in the simplest things of everyday life."
More on the same topic:
High tech
Hitechzone
consumption
Of money
economy