Add your feedback on energy supplier Powershop

Equites

In my case the Whizz Bang Special Pack has a 26% discount for 5 days worth of power.

pipeup

I'm new on here so be patient if I'm stating the obvious....

It seems that PS offers different Power Pack & Future Pack offers to customers depending what tariff they are currently on.

I'm on Baseline 2019 version 1 (Economy 7)which will end on 25 Nov, then going on to Baseline 2019 version 3/5 (versions 3-5 have same tariffs).

My current offers are/have been:

Power Packs:
1 x Whizz Bang 26% discount £11.69 worth £15.80 exp 9 Nov (which I've added)
1 x Winter Shaker 38% discount £13.06 worth £21.06 exp 30 Nov
1 x Simple Saver 19.4% discount £8.49 worth £10.53 exp 30 Nov
1 x Little Extra 15.3% discount £6.07 worth £7.17 exp 30 Nov

Future Packs:
2 x January 22% off £22.43 worth £28.75 exp 30 Nov
2 x February 22% off £21.55 worth £27.58 exp 31 Dec
2 x March 14% off £14.55 worth £16.92 exp 31 Jan
2 x April 14% off £15.04 worth £17.49 exp 28 Feb

Points To Raise:

1) I have never experienced packs being offered and then disappearing before expiry date and I log in everyday.

2) I was informed by PS that the Little Extra packs are discounts off the Daily Charge but I have found they use it against anything.

3) PS use your highest percentage discount first against your next bill.

4) Given 3) above, it would could be a no-brainer, especially with a no-exit fee, to pre-purchase all Power & Future Packs offered (purchase at the latest available date). Each bill will be discounted with the highest available percentage pack first and then in descending order, leaving the worst discounted packs in your available account.

5) Given 4) above, this would indicate that should its future discounts seem to be declining and you can find a better deal elsewhere, that you would already have used the best discounts (& had the cheapest bills) and any balance remaining (to be refunded) on departing would be the least discounted.

I pop into PS on a daily basis.
I check to see if cheaper deals are available on uSwitch & MSE on a monthly basis.
uSwitch & MSE do NOT use Power & Future Pack discounts when comparing PS Baseline to others; they only use the PS Baseline tariff without any discount when quoting for comparison.
I only compare PS with Big Name Suppliers. My reasoning is that the amount of small very cheap discounting companies going bust is increasing at an alarming rate - but each to their own.

This month is the first month that I have found any big name supplier offering a potentially cheaper deal; EDF Simply Online 1 Year Fix Nov20v6 (by a possible £20 a year)

Well that's my tuppence worth and as I said, this is my first post so apologies if its all been said before or if I'm teaching any grannies to suck eggs......

tlcgrantham

You seem to have got PS sussed. I follow similar strategies to you and agree with everything you say. Just one suggestion if you don’t already do it. Check what you actually end up paying for your electricity and compare that with EDF or anybody else. I’ve found that over a year I pay far less than Top Shopper prices. By the way I’m dual fuel and E7.

pipeup

Hi tlcgrantham

I do, as you suggest, compare what I have actually paid with all big name suppliers and against Top Shopper prices. I have found, just as you have, that I am paying far less than I would have under any other big name supplier and also beat Top Shopper over any 12 month period.

It does take a bit of work, although only a maximum of 10 mins daily (ideally 2 x 5 min daily log-in to check for intra-day offers). It also means building up an amount paid in advance (that then reduces when only less attractive offers are available, especially the occasionally uncompetitive Future Packs), which may not be possible or appropriate for some people.

All things taken however, there hasn't been cheaper tariff's available anywhere over the last two years. I'm about to enter my 3rd year this month and it is definitely a no-brainer for the following reason(s):
If PS suddenly made its Special Packs and/or Future Packs uncompetitive, given its (i) no-fee cancellation/transfer out & (ii) policy of using your highest discounted available pre-purchased packs first against current billing, means it is easy to quickly move and receive a full refund on current outstanding pre-paid balance, with the knowledge that you have already received the largest discounts possible on all bills paid to date.

Without doubt, PS imo is/has been the cheapest big name supplier tariff available since it first became available in this country. It does however take a different mindset from the consumer and will not suit everyone.

fewkeste

@pipeup - I absolutely agree with tlcgrantham. It's important to calculate the actual rate you are achieving each month, use that to calculate what your annual bill would be if you achieved that all year round and then do a comparison based on that, NOT on what PS state is your Top Shopper rate.

When I was a customer I had a spreadsheet where I entered my monthly achieved rates for Day and E7 units (from the bill) then calculated my annual spend assuming I achieved that level of discount throughout the year. That's a more realistic comparison than using the PS quoted Top Shopper rate they inform you that you can achieve.

Of course in winter (and possibly autumn and spring) your discounts should mean your effective monthly rate and hence your calculated annual figure may well be unbeatable by other suppliers but, as you start to be offered less attractive late spring/summer Future Packs and Special Packs in the new year, your achievable rate and hence the annual rate will drop. That is the time to think about moving to alternative suppliers.

I moved away in April this year because I could see/anticipate a spring and summer with relatively low discounts (compared to what I was getting in previous years)

tlcgrantham

Mustachio special pack Cost £8.54 Worth £10.67 discount 20%
Special Pack Discounts have fallen for me since moving onto the new lower Baseline Tariff last month. They also seem more consistent in discount and size with some regular lower discount packs like Jumbo and Heave Ho not being offered. As long as the high value and discount Winter Shaker packs continue I can still beat Top Shopper.

Equites

Compared to some of the dross offered over the last few months this is one of the better offerings.
Mustachio Special pack for me has a 28% discount for c.4 days worth of electricity.
(for reference 2nd yr with Powershop, single fuel, c.4kW annual usage)

tlcgrantham

Pack 1 Cost £26.04 Worth £34.72 25% discount
Pack 2. Cost £6.40. Worth £8.00. 20% discount
In total about 9 days energy

drphila

tlcgrantham wrote: »

Pack 1 Cost £26.04 Worth £34.72 25% discount
Pack 2. Cost £6.40. Worth £8.00. 20% discount
In total about 9 days energy

Been offered same discounts. Very disappointing compared to last year's Black Friday (47.6 and 45%)

Equites

Got access to one Black Friday Special Pack - 32% discount, equivalent to 4 days worth of power.
(for reference 2nd yr with Powershop, single fuel, c.4kW annual usage)