Add your feedback on energy supplier Powershop

fewkeste

neilsedaka wrote: »

As I conduct a huge amount of research before buying almost anything, I don't think I can be classed as a naive customer.

I'm not suggesting you are a naive customer but, looking at some of the questions we get on this thread, it's clear there are many customers who don't fully understand what's happening wrt discounts throughout the year and may not in practice be able to attain the Top Shopper rate that attracted them to PS in the first place.

Umiamz

I feel the same as neilsedaka and am happy to wait until my first year is up. The discounts over the summer months are lower, but so is the amount of energy I'm using.
Looking at what I've been charged for the 4 months that I've now been with PS, only one of those months is actually greater than what I was paying every month with my previous 2 suppliers, and only by £10.

Quentin

Umiamz wrote: »

Looking at what I've been charged for the 4 months that I've now been with PS, only one of those months is actually greater than what I was paying every month with my previous 2 suppliers, and only by £10.

Comparing the monthly charges you pay now with your previous suppliers doesn't really prove anything! (Unless you use exactly the same amount of power each month as you did with your previous supplier for the same corresponding month!)

Umiamz

It does when the winter payments are less than their summer payments!

fewkeste

Umiamz wrote: »

I feel the same as neilsedaka and am happy to wait until my first year is up. The discounts over the summer months are lower, but so is the amount of energy I'm using.
Looking at what I've been charged for the 4 months that I've now been with PS, only one of those months is actually greater than what I was paying every month with my previous 2 suppliers, and only by £10.

Those four months are the highest discount months and that discount has to be 'shared' with the other eight less well discounted months. To make a comparison based on just the last four months' cost is misleading.

Umiamz

fewkeste wrote: »

Those four months are the highest discount months and that discount has to be 'shared' with the other eight less well discounted months. To make a comparison based on just the last four months' cost is misleading.

Yes, that's why I'm waiting until the year is up to see what I've actually saved.

fewkeste

Having been a PS customer for nearly two years, I've realised that the PS annual discount profile is roughly 8 months with a sub-optimal discount level (i.e. less than that required to achieve Top Shopper rate) and roughly four months with a higher than needed for Top Shopper discount level.

I'm looking at alternative suppliers with a price equivalent to a 21% PS discount all year round for when my higher discounted credit is used up.

I'm a bit uneasy with having 8 months of billing at below Top Shopper discount, compensated/offset with 4 months of higher than Top Shopper discount.

Tafrock

I just keep an eye on my monthly payments. Up to now they've been between 29 and 31 pounds. This is the lowest rate I've paid in recent years. However it does look like this will rise due to the appalling low summer discounts. If it goes up to over 35 pounds I leave. Because I can get a cheaper tariff than that elsewhere. For this month it's forecasting 38.87. Therefore it's at critical point for me.

Umiamz

Wow - that was a pleasant surprise. Two Mum's the One powerpacks totalling £31 at a 40% discount

Tafrock

Only one available to me but it brings this month's bill down to £34.02 instead of yesterday's projected 38.87. Just shows how even small but heavily discounted packs can affect your monthly bill.

£34.02 is just low enough to enable me to stay with powershop.

Weirdly I've used exactly the same amoubt of electricity this month as last year. My bill has increased from £27.91 to £34.02 (over 20%) in a year as a result of diminishing powerpack discounts and increased rates and standing charge