Utilities Warehouse. Will it be cheaper or more expensive? slightly awkward situation

1carminestocky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teMlv3ripSM

Mike_by_the_Sea

Quentin wrote: »

You are avoiding answering the questions!

If you come and use these forums to promote your company, then expect to be questioned on the misleading claims you make (even if they are written on a badge!)

You know the answers to the questions, but for others who may be watching this as their paint is already dry ......

The badge says "save 5% on food and fuel" - This refers to the fantastic opportunity given to UW customers to save 5% on their shopping at Sainsbury's and 5% on fuel purchased at Sainsbury's Petrol Stations - Obviously there are conditions to this wonderful opportunity, but it is only a badge, and as such there isn't room to add any more. The purpose of the badge is to stimulate people to ask what it means. Sometimes it is worn upside down - research has shown that people are more likely to notice things that, at first glance, are not as they expected.

There is nothing misleading about the words on the badge - not a great surprise as it only has a few words. One may take this as an absolute statement of fact and as such will want to spend a considerable amount of time listing all the reasons why this is an inaccurate statement - others may see it as a stimulus to ask for more information. It will be interesting to see if there is any feedback to this post.

I doubt there will be as I am sure that the majority of people will be able to understand the purpose of such material and will be happy to be stimulated or otherwise.

Mike

PS I am an independent distributor for UW - and I wear the badge with pride.

Quentin

Mike_by_the_Sea wrote: »

The badge says "save 5% on food and fuel" - This refers to the fantastic opportunity given to UW customers to save 5% on their shopping at Sainsbury's and 5% on fuel purchased at Sainsbury's Petrol Stations -

As already posted, this is totally misleading.

UW customers cannot save any money at all on their shopping at Sainsburys.

All they can do is get some discount off their expensive utilities from the UW.

Via a convoluted route they must first sign up to be a member of the UW, pay their monthly membership fee, then take their expensive utilities.

Then buy their risky (as the money on the card is not safeguarded, nor is there any purchase protection) prepay card, load it upfront (pay the charges to do this), then use it to shop at Sainsburys. There is nothing at all knocked off their food bill.

They then get a discount (not 5% as there are ongoing charges to be deducted from any savings), not off the shopping as you claim, but off their expensive UW bill!

Mike_by_the_Sea

Quentin wrote: »

As already posted, this is totally misleading.

UW customers cannot save any money at all on their shopping at Sainsburys.

All they can do is get some discount off their expensive utilities from the UW.

Via a convoluted route they must first sign up to be a member of the UW, pay their monthly membership fee, then take their expensive utilities.

Then buy their risky (as the money on the card is not safeguarded, nor is there any purchase protection) prepay card, load it upfront (pay the charges to do this), then use it to shop at Sainsburys. There is nothing at all knocked off their food bill.

They then get a discount (not 5% as there are ongoing charges to be deducted from any savings), not off the shopping as you claim, but off their expensive UW bill!

It is just a badge. :rolleyes:

Quentin

Whatever way the uw use this, it isn't true, and is just another of their deceitful methods for getting business. Were it reproduced in an advert the ASA would deal with it as false and misleading.

NigeWick

Quentin wrote: »

You are avoiding answering the questions!

So do you.

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

Whatever way the uw use this, it isn't true, and is just another of their deceitful methods for getting business. Were it reproduced in an advert the ASA would deal with it as false and misleading.

The "save 5% on petrol and shopping" claim or a variation on that theme is made on a number of authorised advertising materials available to distributors, so we can assume one of the following;

a) nobody but you has noticed the deceit
b) the big6 + BT etc have noticed but are feeling generous lately, or their lawyers are on strike or something.
c) you are wrong.



UW distributor

NigeWick

Quentin wrote: »

UW customers cannot save any money at all on their shopping at Sainsburys.

Anybody can save money by shopping at Sainsbury's. There are many items for which they have the lowest prices available. They have own brand goods at excellent prices. They have loss leaders that beat other stores. They have specific items they buy in priced to attract customers. Prospective customers can also save money on their electricity and gas by going with Utility Warehouse in the right circumstances.

I am an Independent Distributor with Utility Warehouse and any opinions expressed here are my own and may not be shared by the company.

Quentin

It is deceit - you don't get any money at all off your shopping with the UW "risky" prepay card.

I say "risky", because the risks are highlighted by the UW in the first lines of the ts + cs for the card:

By activating your Card you accept these Terms and Conditions and confirm you understand and accept the risks highlighted in clauses 2(b) and 18(d) of this Agreement.

2(b).....The e-money associated with this Card is provided to you by us, and will be denominated in Pounds Sterling. In the unlikely event that we become insolvent, the e-money on your Card may lose its value and become unusable, and accordingly you may lose your e-money.....

18(d) The Financial Services Compensation Scheme is not applicable to the Card. No other compensation schemes exist to cover losses claimed in connection with the Card.....

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

They then get a discount (not 5% as there are ongoing charges to be deducted from any savings), not off the shopping as you claim, but off their expensive UW bill!

I'm surprised you want to take us down this road...

My parents are UW customers for phone + internet. By using the UW cashback card in sainsburys and several of the other stores in the scheme they have acheived massive discounts on their UW bill every month, sometimes over 100% (including membership & top up charges).

I am a UW customer for gas, electric, phone & internet. By using the UW cashback card I frequently earn a discount of over 25% on my combined utility bill (including membership and top up fees).


UW Distributor