Comparison website shopping hits SA – but beware

South African consumers are fast catching on to the convenience of comparative shopping on the Internet.An increasing number of people are discovering that the internet is the most cost effective and quickest way of comparing prices, from cellphones to microwaves, cars to quad bikes and tummy tucks to insurance.In South Africa this is still a cumbersome and onerous affair: surfing the multitude of well known and popular websites to find a product, comparing the prices and finding the best deal.American and European consumers, for some years now have websites doing the comparing for them and the trend has begun to catch on in South Africa with websites such as www.ratesdirect.co.za which compares commodities such as credit cards, financial services, insurances and broadband Internet and is busy expanding its bouquet on an ongoing basis. The recently updated website certainly appears to look much less complicated and easier to use.“Firstly we believe that it is essential for any reputable company to review and update their site on at least a six-monthly basis. As everyone knows, technology is not static and internet users benefit from the regular upgrades, it also enables us to add new products and build the site according to our users' needs and wants,” says Erez Atia, RatesDirect Managing Director, “and secondly we monitor and update prices on an ongoing basis, ensuring that users always have the latest information on hand with at least four independent quotes for the same or similar product.”While presently still concentrating on financial services, ratesdirect.co.za aims to expand to a more comprehensive product comparison site such as www.kelkoo.com in the UK which compares most household items and includes customer reviews and specials from the more well-known stores.“Whilst currently we are concentrating on the financial product side of things, expanding into other consumer products is something that we are planning to develop. We want to create a service that is unique, user-friendly and pertinent to the South African market”, continues Atia.Other similar websites in South Africa include the insurance comparison site www.hippo.co.za, they offer 4 or 5 insurance quotes from what appear to be independent providers. With a little research it becomes apparent that all the products offered all come from the same holding company. This somewhat defeats the objectivity of this type of site, thus not giving an accurate reflection of what really is available on the market.“It is essential when looking for a product, to be aware of the most reputable players in the market and make sure the comparisons made are indeed independent. That should always be a good indicator of whether the comparing website has its finger on the pulse and is aware of the market and the reputation of the service providers,” advises Atia. Contact Details:Erez AtiaRatesDirect079 396 9600This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.www.ratesdirect.co.za