Corner shops refusing energy voucher

coconutcurls

@Jyana how do we contact Martin?

Robin9

forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com


but why ?  

ariarnia

coconutcurls said:

@Jyana how do we contact Martin?

jyana gave a link in her post to this article https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/11/energy-prepay-voucher-ebss-claim

right down at the bottom they ask people having problems to contact them at news@moneysavingexpert.com

coconutcurls

@ariarnia saw the link after I pressed the post comment button. I emailed them. Thank you 

wittynamegoeshere

That article isn't clear as to whether Paypoint shops are actually losing money as a result of accepting them - if so then I wouldn't blame the individual shops at all, and Paypoint need to change their billing system to stop making a windfall profit from it at shopkeepers' expense.

I find it hard to believe that any shopkeeper would turn away even a small profit so this seems like the most likely scenario.  For exmaple my local shopkeeper told me that they make just 3% selling postage stamps, but many do so it's not like they demand a massive chunk of every transaction, they get by on tiny margins on most things.

It definitely needs investigating properly, as many may be unfairly blaming their local not very rich shopkeeper just because he doesn't want to give his money away.

coconutcurls

wittynamegoeshere said:

That article isn't clear as to whether Paypoint shops are actually losing money as a result of accepting them - if so then I wouldn't blame the individual shops at all, and Paypoint need to change their billing system to stop making a windfall profit from it at shopkeepers' expense.

I find it hard to believe that any shopkeeper would turn away even a small profit so this seems like the most likely scenario.  For exmaple my local shopkeeper told me that they make just 3% selling postage stamps, but many do so it's not like they demand a massive chunk of every transaction, they get by on tiny margins on most things.

It definitely needs investigating properly, as many may be unfairly blaming their local not very rich shopkeeper just because he doesn't want to give his money away.

Every shopkeeper I ask gives me a different story. One of them said he is allowed to serve only 3 customers a day for the energy voucher and he prioritises his locals. I am not his local  - I had to walk far to get to him and never shopped with him before. He told me to come back another day but could not guarantee I would get served.

Then I tried another one in a petrol station  - the employer had never seen a top up card before nor a voucher....he tried, scanned twice but didn't know what to press on his till. He tried to call his manager but she was in a meeting with head office - and again told me to come back another time

I am in shock! What are people supposed to do? I have just booked for my smart meter to be installed at the end of the month and I feel lucky I had cash today but how about people who don't? this is a nightmare.

rp1974

OP,if you don't mind my asking,what reason did the Post Office give for refusing the voucher?.
Don't know much about the Paypoint malarkey but based on my limited experience of using it years ago sound like nothing has changed,certainly not for the better.
Any supposed Paypoint outlet refusing these vouchers should be removed from the scheme,imho,although it's quite possible that Paypoint themselves are the route cause of whatever the problems are.

molerat

I had an energy compo payment with a voucher and had to go round until I found a shop that would pay out cash,  they  would take payments but would not pay out cash on a voucher.  Raised a complaint but didn't hear anything back.

coconutcurls

rp1974 said:

OP,if you don't mind my asking,what reason did the Post Office give for refusing the voucher?.
Don't know much about the Paypoint malarkey but based on my limited experience of using it years ago sound like nothing has changed,certainly not for the better.
Any supposed Paypoint outlet refusing these vouchers should be removed from the scheme,imho,although it's quite possible that Paypoint themselves are the route cause of whatever the problems are.

The post office worker said that they actually do paypoint but not for that particular voucher.... he said that that particular  voucher is not to be used in post offices only corner shops! But the advice that I had from some corner shops was exactly the other way round.

coconutcurls

molerat said:

I had an energy compo payment with a voucher and had to go round until I found a shop that would pay out cash,  they  would take payments but would not pay out cash on a voucher.  Raised a complaint but didn't hear anything back.

What do you mean? Exchange the voucher for cash? I just want the money to go straight into the top up card that I insert in my meter...I've done it for my 1st voucher no problems