New research commissioned by The Warehouse reveals New Zealand is a nation of bargain hunters who love the feeling of finding a great deal now more than ever. Despite the cultural pressure of high-end labels, 96% of New Zealanders feel proud when they get a good deal on a quality product, and 93% believe they can get quality products at bargain prices.
The research also uncovered that almost 80% of Kiwis are now more budget-conscious due to Covid-19.
In a world where big spender culture is celebrated, bargain hunting was highlighted as the ‘new normal’ with more than half of respondents (51%) revealing they now actively search for bargains, wait for specials, and use discounts.
To reflect this cultural shift, The Warehouse’s iconic catchphrase ‘Where Everyone Gets a Bargain’ has been reinvented to showcase the smarts of small spenders. The new campaign ‘Hey, Small Spender’ celebrates savvy, smart Kiwis who love the feeling they get when they find stylish, quality products at low prices.
The research confirms that almost 60% of Kiwis feel like they’re spending smartly when purchasing comparable products without the big brand names, or waiting for discounts.
Sarah Kelsey, the 23-year-old Gen Z founder of financial literacy and personal growth podcast The OneUp Project, says the survey findings reflect the current cultural climate.
“I think people want to be able to afford things before they go into debt, and financial freedom has become much more of a focus. They want to build sustainable habits for the future like spending small in a smart way.”
The research echoes Kelsey’s sentiment, with 3 out of 4 New Zealanders (76%) saying they don’t believe they need to spend a lot of money on things to make them feel confident.
Jonathan Waecker, Chief Customer Officer at The Warehouse says, “With the cost of living increasing and the ongoing impacts of Covid-19, there’s never been a better time to bring New Zealanders great value – now more than ever we need to celebrate feeling great about spending small and this coincides with a range of significant price drops that we’ll release in the coming weeks.”
