Energyshop.com

Energyshop.com is a natural gas and electricity contract price comparison service that displays consumer choices to help shop for and make a decision on contracts. Energyshop.com provides price comparison charts based on the zip or postal codes and provides many pages of market information for consumers to use. [cite web | title = Shop Around. | publisher = Toronto Star | url = http://www.energyshop.com/es/contactus/Shop%20around.pdf | date = 2007-01-11 ]

Deregulation of energy markets in North America

Deregulation swept through many industries, including airlines, financial services and energy. Many states and provinces now have deregulation of energy supply to varying degrees. [cite web | title = Deregulation of Natural Gas. | publisher = Northern Illinois University Library | url = http://www.lib.niu.edu/1993/im930217.html | date = 1993-02-11 ] . Energy delivery in the form of pipelines or transmission lines and distribution infrastructure has retained monopoly status, but supply has not. This has created choice for consumers; which some consider a boon and others consider a bane.

History

Energyshop.com was founded in 1999 by Gregg Scott and Ian MacLellan. They have, respectively, extensive gas and electricity market experience. The initial web site content was related to natural gas for homeowners in Ontario, Canada. Over subsequent years it has expanded content to cover deregulated gas and electricity jurisdictions in Canada, and many US States.

There have been many other commercial energy price comparison sites, but most have discontinued this service (ie Energy.com, energyon.com, lowermybills.com). There are several still in operation, such as Whitefence [cite web | title = Whitefence. | publisher = Whitefence | url = http://www.whitefence.com/home-utilities.html | date = 2008-06-13 ] Saveonenergy [cite web | title = Saveonenergy. | publisher = Saveonenergy | url = http://www.saveonenergy.com | date = 2008-06-13 ] electricitytexas [cite web | title = Texas Electricity Deregulation. | publisher = Electricity Texas | url = http://www.electricitytexas.com | date = 1993-02-11 ] and Energyshop [cite web | title = Electricity and Gas Price Comparison. | publisher = M3 & W Inc. | url = http://www.energyshop.com | date = 2008-06-13 ] . Some jurisdictions have a regulator controlled or mandated price comparison site. Examples in Canada are British Columbia [cite web | title = Natural Gas Prices in BC. | publisher = Terasen Gas. | url = http://www.terasengas.com/Homes/CustomerChoiceApply/RateGuide/GasMarketersRates/default.htm | date = 2008-06-13 ] . and Alberta [cite web | title = Alberta Electricity and Gas Price Comparison. | publisher = Alberta Regulatory Commission. | url = http://www.ucahelps.gov.ab.ca/4.html | date = 2008-06-13 ] . Examples in the US are Michigan [cite web | title = Michigan Electricity and Gas Price Comparison. | publisher = The State of Michigan. | url = http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/mpsc/gas/choiceceaddress.htm | date = 2008-06-13 ] and Texas [cite web | title = Texas Electricity Price Comparison. | publisher = The State of Texas. | url = http://www.powertochoose.org/_content/_compare/compare.aspx | date = 2008-06-13 ] . Deregulated suppliers in those utility areas are required to post their prices.

Consumer issues in the deregulated market

There are two significant issues in the deregulated markets affecting consumer confidence.
# Consumer confusion and indecision [cite web | title = Are fixed price natural gas contracts worth it? | publisher = Bankrate.com | url = http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/sav/20060821a1can.asp | date = 2008-06-13 ] . Historical analysis suggests that most consumers who enter into long term fixed price contracts save money. [cite web | title = Does Locking In Save? | publisher = Energyshop.com | url = http://www.energyshop.com/es/homes/gas/lockinginsave.cfm?r | date = 2008-06-13 ]
# Misleading or dishonest practices by door to door marketers. [cite web | title = Retail Unbundling - Georgia. | publisher = US Dept of Energy | url = http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/natural_gas/restructure/state/ga.html | date = 2008-06-13 ]
# Volatile prices. The price of natural gas and electricity can change daily. [cite web | title = Natural Gas Weekly Update | publisher = US Energy Information Administration | url = http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/ngw/ngupdate.asp | date = 2008-06-13 ]

ee also

* Deregulation
* Online shop
* Price comparison service

External links

* [http://www.energyshop.com] Natural Gas and Electricity Price Comparisons
* [http://www.telecomparisons.com] Long distance cost comparison
* [http://www.publicutilityhome.com] Public Utility Information
* [http://www.insurancehotline.com] Insurance cost comparison
* [http://www.comparecellular.com] Cell Phone Comparisons

References