Bulb Energy Reviews: Give your feedback on the energy supplier

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Comments

  • trickytree1963
    trickytree1963 Posts: 255 Forumite
    Amazing how many first posters telling us how great Bulb is and always including a referral code. Spam Energy more appropriate name for this firm :)
  • nic_c
    nic_c Posts: 2,928 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    trickytree1963 wrote: »
    Amazing how many first posters telling us how great Bulb is and always including a referral code. Spam Energy more appropriate name for this firm :)
    :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

    I know, I mean I've been a member of this forum for ten years, but if it wasn't for a first time poster joining simply to post a referral link I would never know how great they are .... not.

    I've been buying kilo bags of salt, since I need so many pinches for all these reviews :p
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    I struggle with this type of offer. If a supplier can afford to pay £100 to secure a contract, then to my simple mind it suggests that there is clear over-charging going on. I have just run a price comparison and if Bulb knocked £75 off its dual fuel tariff, I would switch to them in a heartbeat as they would be the cheapest deal - for me - on the market. I would be happy and Bulb would be £25 better off.
  • nic_c
    nic_c Posts: 2,928 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Hengus wrote: »
    I struggle with this type of offer. If a supplier can afford to pay £100 to secure a contract, then to my simple mind it suggests that there is clear over-charging going on. I have just run a price comparison and if Bulb knocked £75 off its dual fuel tariff, I would switch to them in a heartbeat as they would be the cheapest deal - for me - on the market. I would be happy and Bulb would be £25 better off.
    Especially as they promote the idea of never having to pay for an energy bill ever again by getting referral - shouts ponzi scheme. If they really can afford to throw £100 per contract, then you would think simply reducing it by £75 would keep them top of the pile, They would be my cheapest too in that situation. I guess however that their model of using referral promotions means no need to spend money on advertising. I just can't help feeling it will all implode, with people joining and for a few months and leaving and just those getting multiple referrals staying longer. Maybe I will be proved wrong and at least we know their is a safety net.
  • SpanishBlue
    SpanishBlue Posts: 593 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post Photogenic First Anniversary
    I agree that the referral board is full of new 1st time posters but just for balance wish to point out that I've been a member here for over 12 years, and whilst I'm not a prolific poster, I do read the forums most days.

    I used the referral of an "oldie" who also promptly gave me £25 of his £50. My own referral also got used so I was £125 up virtually from day one.:j

    I found it very easy switching to Bulb from BG (who were a nightmare to switch to 12 months previously). It took about 2 minutes to switch. I was surprised how little they asked in the switching process. Their website is a joy to use, very simple and straight forward.

    The one time I phoned Bulb, the phone was answered almost immediately and my query dealt with efficiently by a friendly and professional operator.

    I do understand the scepticism about the £50 referral scheme. Bulb say it's cheaper and more effective than advertising. There is no fixed term so I am free to leave if they ever do let me down, but so far I am very impressed with them.
  • Will_at_Bulb
    Will_at_Bulb Posts: 60 Organisation Representative
    edited 30 October 2017 at 11:10AM
    I completely understand the scepticism about referral schemes, but honestly, we just prefer to give our marketing money to our members than to Facebook or Google.

    We can afford to give £100 per enrollment because our members stay with Bulb so long. Most energy suppliers pay somewhere north of £60 to MSE, uSwitch or other comparison sites for each switch, and they then see about 30% of their customers leave each year to new cheaper tariffs. Our churn is much, much lower. Firstly, we don't move people off a cheap tariff onto an expensive one after a year. And secondly (and throwing away all modesty here) our service is excellent. We pick up the phone in seconds, the person who picks up the phone can solve almost any question you can throw at them, and they own part of Bulb, so they're heavily incentivised to give you the best service they can. And we put the same amount of effort into everything we do: communications, online account management, reducing our prices, etc.

    Most energy suppliers have a referral programme, and it's used in almost every other industry, so it seems a bit unfair to me when "Ponzi Scheme" is sometimes thrown around. Nationwide are heavily advertising their referral programme at the moment, for example. The reason you see our programme posted by our members so often is because we're more generous than most companies and our members feel more comfortable recommending us. No one is investing any money, and you still get the same tariff whether you refer or not.

    We can't lower our prices by £75 a year and spend £25 per acquisition because it doesn't add up like that. We aren't making £75 profit per member per year. And we don't believe that loss leading tariffs are fair. We only make money when members are with us for an extended period because they like being with us. Our prices are already as low as we can get them, and we'll continue to lower them as we make more efficiency improvements and the cost of wholesale goes down. We've already reduced them twice this year.

    Hope this helps,
    Will
    Official Company Representative
    I am an official company representative of Bulb. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE
  • wq0pco
    wq0pco Posts: 21 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Will,

    I would reign your self praise in a little bit, based on my experience of the switch to Bulb I did on behalf of my OAP parents- 17 email's to get things sorted!!!

    The meeting readings I sent via your website going missing, not being explained clearly about the meter not being compatible, having to send you photos of the meter... the list goes on.

    Not impressed so far Will....
  • ANNBAKER
    ANNBAKER Posts: 1 Newbie
    signed up to bulb 4 months ago..and they are an amazing company.... very very easy to change over..they did all the work and kept me in touch every step of the way with emails
    there website is a joy.. very straight forward and easy to understand... puts all the big boys to shame and today I phoned there customer services and was very very surprised when I was NOT put into a que..WOW , they were very quick to answer, sorted my query out immediately and then I got an email confirming there reply.. very nice touch. very friendly company to be with..I am more than happy and can recommend them 100%
  • Finch7
    Finch7 Posts: 1,428 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Just doing my first ever switch and currently on SP.

    A VERY basic question regarding the 'standing charge' on every provider....is that as well as the KWH or upto and over?

    So for instance is the standing charge is 23p a day and the KWH is 2p... will I be charged 23p per day and the amount of KWH I have used? OR will I be charged the KWH I have used minus the 23p per day?

    I know I should probably find a more generic post but I am just about to press the button for Bulb and then thought I best check. I am more than likely going to be using more energy in my new house, so in my mind the standing charge is less important if it is in scenario two above as I will most probably always use the standing charge amount and therefore the lower KWH would be more effective for me?
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    Finch7 wrote: »
    Just doing my first ever switch and currently on SP.

    A VERY basic question regarding the 'standing charge' on every provider....is that as well as the KWH or upto and over?

    So for instance is the standing charge is 23p a day and the KWH is 2p... will I be charged 23p per day and the amount of KWH I have used? OR will I be charged the KWH I have used minus the 23p per day?

    I know I should probably find a more generic post but I am just about to press the button for Bulb and then thought I best check. I am more than likely going to be using more energy in my new house, so in my mind the standing charge is less important if it is in scenario two above as I will most probably always use the standing charge amount and therefore the lower KWH would be more effective for me?

    All tariffs have both a standing charge and a unit price (cost per kWh); HOWEVER, Ofgem allows providers to set a zero standing charge.

    The daily standing charge - in part - covers the cost of getting the energy to you. Tariffs with a high standing charge and low unit price tend to suit high energy users. Tariffs without/with a low standing change tend to have high unit prices and therefore suit low energy users.

    When you input your projected annual usage into a price comparison website (in kWhs/year not £s), the site will show you your cheapest overall deal which takes both standing and unit charges into account.

    To put the above into context. If you chose a tariff with a daily standing charge of 23p, you will pay 23p a day even if you are on holiday with all power turned off. All units consumed will add to this daily cost.

    Note: both the standing charge and unit price is subject to 5% VAT. Suppliers' sites do not always include VAT whereas price comparison sites do.
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