Sainsbury's energy...anyone had any experience?

FunkyFlowers · 6 February 2010 at 12:50PM

Did a price comparison and Sainsbury’s and EDF came out top with a possible £200 saving over year over my current provider (NPower). I defiantly want to switch because I mean it'd be stupid not to but I don’t like EDF's website much so would rather go with Sainsbury’s and wondered if anyone had any experience of them?

JennyR68 · 6 February 2010 at 1:29PM

Sainsbury's and EDF are the same thing arn't they?

http://www.electricity-guide.org.uk/providers/sainsburys.html

KimYeovil · 6 February 2010 at 1:34PM

Since Sainsbury's are just a brand of EDF I doubt that they will have a significantly different site engine. I agree that the EDF site is pretty poor but my prime criterion is how much it costs to cook and heat. I click elsewhere to have fun on the web. (Hey, you're using this site so you can't be that fussy!

)

FunkyFlowers · 6 February 2010 at 2:03PM

Yes they are the same company that's why I mentioned them in the same breath like that. Just wondered what experiences people had with them actually...

As for the EDF website...I find it rather nausiating due to the fact that they shove the global warming scam down your throat so much...The Sainsbury's site doesn't. That's the only reason I don't like it.

JennyR68 · 6 February 2010 at 2:49PM

closed wrote: »

If it's a websaver it might be cheap now, but if prices drop this year, it might not be as competitive in a few months, and you are stuck with a £50 get out fee, the only guarantee is that it will be 2% cheaper than their standard tariff.

Obviously you've got to pick a moment in time to switch, not sure this is it (summer price war?), but who knows.

http://www.edfenergyonline.co.uk/sainsburysenergy/documents/Online_Saver_v5-TCs.pdf

At a £200 a year saving though they would only have to be with them 13 weeks and the get out fee would be covered. British Gas's latest offering Websaver 6 is still 15% dearer than EDF for electric in my area. It would have to be some war!

JennyR68 · 6 February 2010 at 3:15PM

I'm electric only, so only £25 penalty. It's going to take me a whole 2 1/2 weeks to claw back

Premier_2 · 6 February 2010 at 3:41PM

FunkyFlowers wrote: »

Yes they are the same company that's why I mentioned them in the same breath like that. Just wondered what experiences people had with them actually...

As for the EDF website...I find it rather nausiating due to the fact that they shove the global warming scam down your throat so much...The Sainsbury's site doesn't. That's the only reason I don't like it.

If you prefer the Sainsbury's deal, go for it. But as you are aware it is the same supplier and tariff as EDF.

As Kim says, when people are looking to purchase gas & electricity, they usually want the cheapest price and/or may look for improved customer service.
With Sainsburys /EDF its one and the same, but as you prefer the Sainsburys website, which seems so important to you, go with them!

FunkyFlowers · 6 February 2010 at 3:43PM

closed wrote: »

Perhaps I'm cynical, but when one company stands out from the crowd as significantly cheaper, there's usually a sting in the tail, now or later, or the rest will have to compete soon.

The companies know most people will switch and then forget about it for a while.

Spring is on it's way, so the period to claw back the penalty will probably be longer than 13 weeks because heating won't be on as much.

Wholesale prices have dropped significantly since last year, edf online saver6, bg websaver 7, isave v3 can't be too far off.

It's not so much that EDF/Sainsbury's are sinificantly cheaper than all suppliers but that I'm on one of the worst tariffs with one of the worst companies for my area that I could pick. Same goes for anyone else who finds a big saving on energy on price comparison sites. NPower just happen to charge a lot for my area. Sainsburys don't. You might find it's the other way around for your area. Both Scottish Power, Swalec and British Gas also offered significant savings although not as much as EDF. I'm also only on electricity. I use my heating a lot too ...well into the spring due to health issues so I will certainly see a saving and even if I do get dropped form the cheapest online tariff there standards tariff is still much cheaper for me. Plus the price they quoted me on that site represented an average overall yearly saving so I would always benefit. My main quesion was is Sainsbury's customer service the same as EDFs?

FunkyFlowers · 6 February 2010 at 4:49PM

closed wrote: »

I would guess it will be the same call centre, but don't know.

Not necessarily British Gas have more than one...I used to work for them, Sainsbury’s, running on their own brand label might therefore have a separate one, or even if it's in the same building it might be a different ream under different management thus causing significant differences in the way customers are handled.