Powershop
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Type of site
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Subsidiary of listed company on NZX and ASX |
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| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Area served | In New Zealand: Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo, Napier, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Wairarapa, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown, Invercargill |
| Founder(s) | Ari Sargent |
| Key people | Ari Sargent, CEO |
| Industry | Electricity retailing |
| Products | Electricity |
| Employees | Over 200 |
| Parent | Meridian Energy Limited |
| Slogan(s) | Your online Energy Store; Same power, different attitude; A better power company; You've had electricity, now you have power. |
| Website | powershop |
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| Founded | 2012 |
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| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia |
| Area served | In Australia: Victoria, New South Wales, and South East Queensland |
| Key people | Ed McManus, CEO |
| Industry | Electricity retailing |
| Products | Electricity |
| Employees | 50 |
| Parent | Meridian Energy Limited |
| Slogan(s) | Same power, different attitude; A better power company; You've had electricity, now you have power. |
| Website | powershop |
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| Founded | 2016 |
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| Headquarters | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
| Area served | In the United Kingdom: England, Wales and Southern Scotland |
| Key people | David Winter, Head of Powershop UK |
| Industry | Energy retailing (Electricity live, Gas in development) |
| Products | Electricity, Gas in development |
| Employees | 10–50 |
| Parent | NPower |
| Slogan(s) | Switch it. Control it. Own it. |
| Website | powershop |
Powershop is an online electricity retailer, founded in New Zealand and also available in Australia and the United Kingdom. Powershop is a 51% New Zealand state-owned enterprise and claims to be the first electricity company in the world where consumers can choose between different brands of electrical power listed on the website and switch between them with the click of a button. Different brands of power may offer lower prices, sponsorships or environmental benefits. Users can either let the system automatically buy power from the cheapest supplier, or log in regularly to take advantage of specials. Powershop claimed it would always be the cheapest company for the "typical" consumer in New Zealand, but this claim was later dropped.
Powershop was found to be the cheapest electricity retailer for the typical consumer in the main centres by the Ministry of Economic Development in a 2009 survey. It was the best company in Consumers' Institute of New Zealand's 2011 survey of electricity companies. 96% of Powershop customers found it 'good' or 'very good'. Powershop was rated 96% again in 2012.
Meridian traditionally had been a major electricity generator, but only a small retailer. In 2006, Ari Sargent, an electricity industry veteran, had an idea to increase Meridian's market share in the retail market: turn electricity from a utility into a consumer good. Initially, it was planned to sell electricity tokens in supermarkets, but that idea was scrapped due to cost and they turned the idea to the Internet.
Sargent, with Simon Coley, a design specialist, founded Powershop in September 2007. In September 2008, Powershop bought its predecessor, Meridian Energy's Marketplace Innovations Business Unit, for NZ$1.26 million in stock. After 14 months of private beta, it officially launched to the public on 22 February 2009 and was unofficially available in the weeks prior.
Once a user signs up to Powershop, there is no need for them to visit the Powershop website any more. Powershop will buy the cheapest "Everyday" electricity for them automatically. However, users that do visit the Powershop website can take advantage of the "Specials" and "Powerpacks" that are on offer from time to time.
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Wikipedia