CompuTip - ZAP: One of the Most Useful Sites in Israel N-292

Where did the Yellow Pages (Dapei Zahav) go?  They turned into ZAP - a very useful Israeli site for comparing prices. 

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Here are some statistics:

• ZAP includes more than 700 categories of sales items
• 10 million people a month visit ZAP
• ZAP includes 300,000 validated customer reviews

And here are some of my comments:

• Over the years, I've had good experience with ZAP and use it frequently.
  
  
• You can sort searches by price or by popularity.  Often searches can be refined by manufacturer or other relevant parameters.  Sometimes the end of the parameter list includes Bechirat Me'afyen (Feature Selection) which allows you to mark off several parameters at once. 
  
  
• ZAP includes store ratings.  If the price is the same or slightly higher, I opt for the best-rated store.
  
  
• Most sellers today don't provide warranty servicing.  Service is usually provided by a third-party, and usually doesn't depend on the seller.
  
  
• ZAP item reviews are usually based on a limited number of reviewers.  I usually opt for international sites for consumer or professional reviews.
  
  
• I often check international review sites for the best item (e.g. - the best AIO inkjet printer) and then use ZAP to check whether the item is sold in Israel.
  
  
• Sometimes, I find that there are cheaper prices available in Israel than those listed in ZAP.  I often conduct a Google search (anonymously) and add a word in Hebrew (eg. madpeset - written in Hebrew) to limit the search to Israel.  Here is a method for permanently restricting your Google searches to Israel.
  
  
• Here is a write-up (in Hebrew) of a ZAP competitor named RET, which sometimes gives lower prices.
  
  
• You can use ZAP even if you don't type in Hebrew - most of the items can be searched by typing in the model code, e.g. Canon MG2550S.
  
  
• You can join the ZAP club and receive points for sending in reviews, but my experience is that the point system isn't too rewarding.

Here is a very favorable write-up from Y-net.

And here is a critical write-up which describes bait-and-switch techniques used by appliance sellers which advertised on ZAP.  ZAP pointed out that the companies mentioned had already been removed from the site.

Be Well,
Ami Raz - Computer Solutions
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Cell:  (054-4373936)  Tel: (02) 648-2505 
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Teaching, Fixing, and Selling Computers Since 1985