Force against Powershop over Darth Vader image – Michael Daly- BusinessDay

December 8 2011

The offending image of Darth Vader

Lucasfilm, owner of the Star Wars movies, has prevailed upon online electricity retailer Powershop to drop an advertisement featuring evil movie character Darth Vader. In the online advert, Vader is pictured as a kind of Maria von Trapp figure from The Sound of Music. He is dancing across a field with mountains in the background and carrying a guitar case. Lucasfilm’s lawyers said they had been instructed to write to Powershop asking it to cease use immediately of the advert, and undertake not to make further use of the Darth Vader character without the prior consent of Lucasfilm. Read more »

Powershop looks to Aussie expansion – Hamish Rutherford – BusinessDay

December 3rd 2011

Powershop, the specialist online electricity retailer, is researching an expansion across the Tasman after being named one of the fastest-growing companies in Asia Pacific. A subsidiary of state-owned Meridian, Powershop was placed sixth in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific index of the region’s fastest growing tech companies, the highest ranking by a New Zealand company. Chief executive Ari Sargent said although Powershop expected to maintain a similar rate of customer growth, the percentage figure would inevitably drop because they would compare to a higher base. Read more »

Massive growth sees Powershop on top – Hamish Rutherford – BusinessDay

December 2nd 2011

New Zealand’s fastest growing electricity retailer has been named one of Asia Pacific’s fastest growing companies. Powershop, the Wellington online electricity retailer, has ranked sixth in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific index in Hong Kong, after recording 50-fold growth over the last three years. It is the highest ranking by a New Zealand company in the 10 years the index has been running. Read more »

Powershop turns electricity retailing on its head – Richard Meadows – BusinessDay

10 November 2011

An electrifying growth rate of 5280 per cent has landed online power retailer Powershop the top place on this year’s Deloitte Fast 50 index. The index, which is released every year, compiles and ranks the 50 fastest growing companies in New Zealand according to revenue growth over the last three years. Powershop, which is owned by Meridian, had the highest recorded growth rate in the 11-year history of the Fast 50. Read more »

‘Fatigue’ blamed for drop in switching – Hamish Rutherford – BusinessDay

13 October 2011

The number of people switching power companies is dropping amid signs of “fatigue” towards a campaign to encourage consumers to shop around. Customer switching surged to record levels earlier this year as the government-funded Whatsmynumber? campaign was launched, centred around a website that allowed consumers a simple way of comparing different tariffs. Read more »

Dear Powershop Pioneers,

Powershop Loudhailer heralds a new stage in the evolution of the Scoop.co.nz/Powershop.co.nz relationship, and means the Powershop Pioneers, are being remobilised.

As its name denotes the objective of Powershop Loudhailer is to amplify news coverage and blogging about Powershop and its views about the electricity market. In this new iteration of the pioneers, we will be seeking out this news, encouraging discussion and linking to both here, and on Scoop. Read more »

The eBay of Electricity – Tony Seba – Forbes.com

August 9 2011

When Jan Adams got a NZ $300 (US $247) power bill back in April 2009 she could not believe it. A tiny one-bedroom flat could not possibly consume that much electricity. New Zealand has a competitive electricity market but shifting to competing offerings looked complicated to her. She took energy-efficiency measures such as double-glazing the apartment windows, taking shorter showers, and setting the clothes washer to use cold water and expected her bil to go down. Read more »

Smaller power companies show up larger competitors – NZPA – NZ Herald

Aug 2, 2011

New Zealanders are getting better satisfaction from smaller power companies, according to a survey by Consumer NZ. It questioned more than 11,000 of its members as part of its annual survey, which found overall satisfaction has improved. Seventy-five per cent rated their company’s performance “good” or “very good”, up from last year’s 73 per cent – an improvement on the 65-69 per cent average satisfaction ratings that electricity suppliers received in previous years.

…snip…

However, some companies still rated much better than others.. Powershop was the clear leader: 96 per cent of its customers were satisfied, up from 92 per cent last year.

Read the full story at NZHerald.co.nz

Radio New Zealand’s This Way Up – Trends In Finance And Banking

Source Radio New Zealand
23 July 2011

Trends in banking/personal finance
We’re looking at new trends in banking and personal finance with Trent Mankelow the CEO and co-founder of Optimal Usability. (10′56″)
Download Links: Ogg Vorbis MP3 Read more »

Innovative companies scoop Tuanz awards – BusinessDay – Stuff.co.nz

23 July 2011

Three Wellington companies have taken top honours in their categories at the Telecommunications Users Association (Tuanz) Innovation Awards.

Specialist power retailer Powershop, owned by Meridian Energy, won the initiative of the year award. Powershop lets customers buy power from different retailers in chunks online.

Read the full story at Stuff.co.nz Read more »