The average credit card purchase in November 2008 was NIS 505, 16% less than the average purchase of NIS 602 in November 2007, according to data compiled by Gama Management and Clearing Co. Ltd. The data is based on the clearing of 1.7 million transactions amounting to NIS 850 million.
The average credit card purchase in November 2008 was just 1.4% more than the average purchase of NIS 498 in November 2004, back in the previous recession.
The drop in the average credit card purchase was across the board. The largest drop, of 36%, was in photography equipment, which fell to NIS 692 in November 2008 from NIS 1,080 in November 2007. The average credit card purchase in the opticians (glasses, contact lenses, etc.) segment fell 27% to NIS 635 from NIS 877, and the average credit card purchase of musical instruments also fell 27% to NIS 503 from NIS 688.
The average credit card purchase at pharmacies fell 23% to NIS 119 in November 2008 from NIS 154 a year earlier, and the average purchase at computer stores fell 22% to NIS 800 from NIS 1,024. The average credit card purchase of clothes and footwear fell 9.5% to NIS 312 from NIS 345.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 17, 2008
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