Ecommerce marketplace GrabOne found sharing isn’t always caring according to one-tenth of its customers, with some Kiwis purposefully hiding online shopping deals from friends and family.
Online shopping is a common activity for Kiwis, whether it’s ordering groceries for delivery or making a few late-night ‘shopcidents’. A recent survey from ecommerce marketplace GrabOne found that over 1 in 10 of their shoppers are ‘gatekeeping’ bargains from friends and family. The survey from the Kiwi-born deals site found that not every shopper is willing to share their secrets to saving success. In a time when the nation has entered a technical recession and the cost of living and inflation continue to rise, the secretive mindset of some shoppers is interesting to GrabOne General Manager Shanelle Mataia.
“We know people are money-minded and looking to save a few dollars at the moment. About 4,000 GrabOne deals are shared amongst friends and family each month, so we know Kiwis are generous with deals, but to know some are keeping tight-lipped on where they find their deals is really interesting and sheds light on some current shopping mindsets,” says Mataia.
GrabOne’s survey interviewed 796 customers, and most respondents said they are willing to share their online shopping hacks so that others can benefit from them too. However, of the 13.9 percent that keep their money-saving cards close to their chest, 24 percent said it was because they didn’t want to appear cheap to their loved ones.
“That’s understandable,” says Mataia. “It’s a tough economy at the moment and while people still want and need to shop online, not everyone is in a position where paying full price won’t break the bank.”
“That’s why deal-specific sites are win-win. Local retailers and small business owners are happy to discount their offerings to gain some new customers, and the customers can enjoy life and make a saving at the same time. The deal is all part of the fun!”
Other respondents to the survey shared sentiments that they don’t share deals with others because they don’t want other people getting those same deals. A few respondents agreed that they gatekeep the deals in case the sales are limited, with the increased competition potentially leading to them missing out on future deals if they were to share their savings secrets.
The fear of missing out (colloquially known as FOMO) is real, particularly when deals become popular life hacks and gain traction on social media, such as the LED downlight craze, or the PVC pipe drink bottle hack that saw some hardware stores sell out of the material.
“Sometimes deals are time or quantity-limited, based on the capacity of the merchant,” says Mataia. “But we are always trying to source more, so shoppers won’t have to worry about FOMO. We saw sales of our sensor LED wardrobe lights increase 800 percent month on month after the trend took off on Tik Tok.” Auckland social media influencer Sabby Jey is loved by her followers for her “boujee on a budget” series, finding deals around the city at a fraction of the normal price so you can continue living life luxe in a recession.
“In this economy everyone is looking for ways to cut back, but cutting back means a balance. Living boujee on a budget is finding affordable ways to maximise luxury by capitalising on deals, happy hours and bargains. We’re no longer seeing stigma attached to coupons or deals, it’s about finding options.
“Searching for deals or the best price is a must when it comes to everyday products and services like car detailing, home products, or even brunch and manicures. Living boujee on a budget doesn’t mean you compromise on quality, those experiences that are normally out of reach just become everyday.”
Mataia and the GrabOne team will be celebrating the brand’s 13th birthday this month. Mataia says “we’ve got great deals and flash sales on site from July 18th for 3 weeks for this year’s birthday. They’ll be so good even the gatekeepers will be convinced to share the news.”
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