Add your feedback on energy supplier Powershop

Umiamz

It was £40 for me (two Xmas special packs). I wonder if they are trying to make up for the ones I missed so far...

Tafrock

Maybe or it could be because your a new customer. Often powerpacks have substantially higher values for new customers

fewkeste

I have noticed that the total value in a given month of Special Packs is not that great. I seem to recall a post (or possibly an email I received from PS) suggesting that Future Packs should offer approximately 50% of any month's consumption each accounting period. The remainder being comprised of Special Packs purchased in-month or in the previous month.

This worries me because it means that for the accounting periods that use the poor value March and April Future Packs, that up to 50% of that accounting period's spend is going to be covered by Future Packs of low discount.

That is really going to drag the achieved monthly discount well below the 29% needed to achieve the Top Shopper rate and, potentially below the approximately 19-20% threshold where an alternative supplier (Bulb) would be cheaper.

I will of course try and build up credit from well discounted Special Packs so that I will use the minimum of the poor value Future Packs but, given the relatively scarce and low value of decent discount Special Packs, I don't know how easy that will be.

One way of thinking about this is the limiting of well discounted Special Packs is a form of stealth price rise.

Tafrock

The 50% came from a Facebook conversation I had with a powershop representative which I then reposted here
Part of this conversation was 'Future Packs are now sized to cover 50% of a customer’s total monthly usage.'

Like yourself I'm still not convinced powershops top shopper rate will be met. Once spring arrives our discounts will return to being low. I'm at £98 credit at moment. That won't cover my usage from March til November. Low discounts tend to run over those months

DocFrog

I joined Powershop towards the end of November 2018 although, due to an error on their part, the facility to purchase powerpacks was not available to me until December. Their initial estimates of my (high) gas usage were extremely low, resulting in my being offered inadequate powerpacks.

Since then I have made a few calls to Customer Services, where I spoke with two extremely helpful employees, Sam and Craig. They were both swift and efficient in resolving my issues and questions, so I thought it might be helpful to others if I were to outline the resultant outcomes here.

1) My first month's bill is to be settled at the Topshopper rate.
2) I received a small ex gratia payment for the inconvenience.
3) My usage estimates have been correctly readjusted along with powerpack sizes, including the
February future packs.
4) PS intend to release enough powerpacks each month to cover that month's usage.
5) PS issue future packs with the intention that those wishing to accrue credit might do so.
6) PS do not intend to reintroduce multiple purchase opportunities.
7) To achieve Topshopper rates it will not be necessary to buy absolutely every powerpack - there is
"some" leeway.

I am satisfied to date that I have made a wise switch to PS and wish to extend my thanks and compliments to Sam and Craig

Tafrock

The claim that in order to achieve topshopper rate you had to buy all powerpacks never made sense to me. Sounds like you had a useful chat there. Thanks for sharing this info

Umiamz

Thanks to £40-worth of Xmas Special power packs I've also achieved Top Shopper rates in my first month.

My first billing period should have ended on the 26th, but each day it kept being moved on one day for some reason. I rang them up and they gave it a kick which reset it to the 26th and issued the statement. I'm now about 8 days credit into my new billing period and hoping there'll be a (generous) New Year powerpack...

Tafrock

My first 6 months had variable end dates on my statement before it eventually settled on the 13th of each month where its stayed since 13th December 2017

Umiamz

Tafrock wrote: »

My first 6 months had variable end dates on my statement before it eventually settled on the 13th of each month where its stayed since 13th December 2017

Interesting. Did the same thing happen to you - the circled date on the power organiser kept moving forward one day, each day?

fewkeste

Umiamz wrote: »

Interesting. Did the same thing happen to you - the circled date on the power organiser kept moving forward one day, each day?

You've just sparked a memory about my early days with PS. This moving the circled day forward thing happened to me at the beginning.

I think (just a guess mind you) that it happens when your online account has been set up but PS have yet to receive details about your annual consumption and/or possibly the final meter readings with your old supplier.

Remember, I'm only guessing that's the reason why - why not ask PS what the reason is and post their reply on here?