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**MSE Martin** · 12:24 PM

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How?

A consumer scheme's being set up to use bulk buying consumer power to negotiate a big petrol discount from a major retailer. You simply register for a free card that allows you to get the discount.

This already happens in the corporate market with fuel cards, so its great to see the consumer version.

When does it start?

That's the catch-22. To get the card up and running a critical mass of people are needed. Having said that, the number needed is apparently 10s of thousands, yet with 350,000 recieving my email tip, I hope we can help get close to that. (im not linked with the scheme, i just support the concept). (If you don't get the free weekly email tip, just go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips to sign up)

Who runs it and how much do they make?

Fuel campaigner Ben Scammel runs the http://www.pipelinecard.org/ website (note if the site doesn't work, that may be due to the huge traffic following the email tip send, so try later). He says the card will be completely free, but of course organisation costs need to be met, yet this will come out of the discount negotiated, as will his profit I suspect. Not that it's an issue with a free card anyway.

How realistic is this?

The proposition is a good one and Ben claimed to have already negotiated the discount and have it up and running, just needs enough people now.

How safe is this?

You're going to register for a webstie. Ben's reputation is as a fuel campaigner. I hope it is legit, I don't know though simply because the full details can't be released during the negotiation period. Therefore I cannot put a full "MSE says YES" stampa of approval on it, however it appears to be legit (you need to make that call yourself).

Therefore I prefer to ask the question what can you lose. The site only requires your name and email address - which is a good start (no credit card details are asked for). This means the worst that can happen is it spams you with sales pitches, though that seems unlikely. The real most likely 'bad event' is it doesn't get off the ground and nothing happens. So nothing lost. Hence I've registered personally. Cross your fingers.

Once the scheme is up and running, I will take another look at it then and re-evaluate it based on the concrete details.

What to do

Go to http://www.pipelinecard.org/ and sign up. (note if the site doesn't work, that may be due to the huge traffic following the email tip send, so try later)

Martin

FIND THE CHEAPEST PETROL PRICES: There's a new price comparison service

Please feel free to discuss the scheme below

PS Ben is also a site user so i've invited him to discuss on this thread too

Update Some Further Thoughts 22 November

A few further points. One thing I noted on the site is there's no 'unsubscribe' option, I've pointed this out and been told it will come in a day or two.

It's also easy to question the economics of this - where will the 5p-10p come from as margins aren't that large (though it should be remembered part of fuel tax is in the form of VAT which reduces with price). I think 5p is feasible, yet it may be 5p off average fuel prices not 5p off supermarket prices. However all this is sadly just supposition at the moment, to see if it'll be any good, we need to wait for the numbers.

However as this site only requires a registering of interest and no payment, there is very little to lose. A fuel discount card with 100,000 users would be a powerful consumer weapon and bring prices down for many. Fingers crossed....

rach1973 · #2 rach1973 21-11-2005, 6:04 PM

I've just registered, sounds like a good plan to me...hopefully it will work and we can get our money off.

Thanks Martin

cheekymole · #3 cheekymole 21-11-2005, 6:08 PM

If Martin believes in, then who are we to argue - thanks Martin

mike_paterson · #4 mike_paterson 21-11-2005, 6:24 PM

Looks like a good thing to me too !

Millionaire_Wannabe · #5 Millionaire_Wannabe 21-11-2005, 6:34 PM

Intresting.
Thanks Martin. Keep up all the good work, love this site!

thepearce · #6 thepearce 21-11-2005, 6:36 PM

I'm in. Looks fresh.... saw there are few press clippings........hope the site can cope come the MSE email.

dave92 · #7 dave92 21-11-2005, 6:39 PM

Just signed up too. Looks a good idea to me. Cheers Martin

Pete.g · #8 Pete.g 21-11-2005, 6:43 PM

Count me in!

greytroot · #9 greytroot 21-11-2005, 6:47 PM

Looks Good and if it really does come off we will be quids in.

love2save · #10 love2save 21-11-2005, 6:48 PM

Worth a try...Thanks!

toozie · #11 toozie 21-11-2005, 6:55 PM

Just signed up for me and other half.

Looks good

HRS · #12 HRS 21-11-2005, 6:58 PM

I'm in...Thank Martin!

Kazzea · #13 Kazzea 21-11-2005, 7:00 PM

Well - I have signed everyone in the household up and emailed as many friends and family as possible so heres hoping it gets off the ground - I wish I knew what retailer the agreement is with though. Although I understand that as it is only a provisional agreement at the moment this is probably why it is not being made public at the moment