According to a survey conducted by the Geocartography Knowledge Group (GCKG) ahead of the High Holidays, some 60% of the public pays for their holiday shopping with credit cards.
The survey, which was ordered by the Consumer Authority, shows that 22% of consumers prefer to pay with cash, while 7% pay with gift certificates and 3% with checks. The remainder use all forms of payment.
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The survey, which was held among 500 people, also checked the level of influence that price comparison surveys and written consumer reviews have on the public's shopping decisions, suggesting that 60% of citizens are not influenced by either of them, and that the older the age of the consumer, the less he is influenced by price comparison surveys.
Yaron Levinson, general manager of the consumer authority commented about the survey's findings, saying that "although using credit cards during the holiday is convenient, it might increase future expenditures.
"I recommend that consumers cut back credit card use as much as possible, in order to increase their ability to control their budgets. Also, consumers are encouraged to follow their credit card charges closely, and make sure they match the purchases that were made.
"The survey's findings shows the maturity of the Israeli consumer, who does not rely too heavily on specific surveys and price comparisons, and takes into account other factors when deciding where to shop for the holidays," Levinson added.
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