USwitch

Infobox Company
company_name = uSwitch
company_
company_type = Subsidiary
parent = The E.W. Scripps Company
foundation = 2000
location = 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0SR, United Kingdom
Tel: nowrap|020 7208 2929 / nowrap|0800 093 0607
industry = Price comparison service
homepage = [http://www.uswitch.com www.uswitch.com]

uSwitch.com is a UK-based price comparison and switching website. Started in 2000 and now owned by E. W. Scripps Company,cite web | url=http://pressreleases.scripps.com/release/834 | title=Scripps acquires uSwitch | date=March 16, 2006 | accessdate=2007-09-29 | work=E. W. Scripps Company press release] the site allows consumers to compare prices for a range of energy, personal finance, insurance and communications services. According to "The Times", uSwitch, together with moneysupermarket.com, is one of the two most established price comparison websites, and has been highlighted as being among the best money-saving websites for students.cite web | url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/money/article2546740.ece | title=Best money-saving websites for students | accessdate=2007-09-29 | date=September 29, 2007 | work=The Times ]

The site handles gas, electricity, water, home telephone, broadband, digital television, mobile phones, personal finance products, heating cover and car insurance, with a number of new markets in the pipeline. uSwitch.com has managed to retain its accreditation from energywatch, the energy watchdog in the UK, despite concerns regarding uSwitch's impartiality.

Business model

uSwitch.com asks consumers a range of questions about factors such as price, location, service type and payment method. The site’s calculators then use this information to scan relevant product providers and come up with a range of cheaper deals or deals that meet the user’s specific criteria e.g. green energy plans. The user can then either directly approach the provider of the deal they are interested in or, where uSwitch has an arrangement with the provider, they can switch there and then.

There are no direct costs to consumers for the service. The company receives commission from some suppliers when a customer chooses to switch through the uSwitch site.

uSwitch, like some of its competitors, promotes its business with heavy use of press releases, generally based on research; uSwitch sees itself as a consumer champion. Some of these press releases have been criticised by the organisations of which they are critical, such as the British Bankers Association, BT and British Gas for being inaccurate and misleading.

Relationship with Energywatch

uSwitch played a role in the industry consultation which led to the establishment of a voluntary code of practice — the Energywatch Confidence Code — in 2002.

Whilst uSwitch.com is accredited by energywatch, the energy watchdog in the UK, the relationship between the two organisations has not always been harmonious. In September 2007, Energywatch found that information provided by uSwitch's energy price comparison website was 'biased and not impartial' and uSwitch were provided with notice that the Energywatch Confidence Code had been breached.PDFlink| [http://www.energywatch.org.uk/uploads/Management_Board_minutes_20_September_2007.pdf Management Board Meeting Minutes and Action Notes] , "energywatch", 20 September 2007]

The September 2007 minutes of the Energywatch Management Board Meeting, and press reports, show that the company was asked by Energywatch to change how it displays comparison results and information so that consumers can enjoy unbiased results.cite web | url=http://money.guardian.co.uk/utilities/story/0,,1969281,00.html | title=uSwitch accused of misleading customers | work=The Guardian | date=December 11, 2006 | accessdate=2007-09-29 ] cite web | url=http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/consumer/bills/article.html?in_article_id=424305&in_page_id=510 | title=uSwitch forced into website change | date=September 13, 2007 | work=thisismoney.co.uk | accessdate=2007-09-29 ] The company complied with these requests and has remained accredited.

Company history

uSwitch.com was the brainchild of Lord Milford Haven. It was set up in September 2000 with an initial £4 million investment to take advantage of the UK’s deregulated gas and electricity markets. The company subsequently expanded into the telephony and communications markets in 2001. In the same year it also bought competitor buy.co.uk followed by local community information website UpMyStreet.com in 2003.

uSwitch.com was itself acquired by US media conglomerate, E.W. Scripps Company in March 2006 for £210 million ($366 million). The purchase added a second freestanding interactive media business to its portfolio alongside leading US product price comparison site, Shopzilla.

In February 2008, E.W. Scripps Company recorded a $411 million pre-tax charge releated to the uSwitch acquisition, contributing to an overall $256 million loss for Scripps in the last quarter of 2007. The scale of the writedown reflects more realistic revenue expectations due to lower than expected levels of switching. [http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=PR&date=20080229&id=8265305 Scripps Files 10-K, Reports Final Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Results] , "MSN Money", February 29 2008]

Partners and affiliates

uSwitch works with more than 130 direct partners and 2,000 affiliate partners, providing their web sites with co-branded comparison tools for a range of essential home services. uSwitch’s calculators also appear on many other websites.

Major partners include Yahoo, MSN, AOL, Wanadoo, Orange, Virgin Media, People’s Champion and Johnston Press.

References

External links

* [http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/money/consumer_affairs/article1908870.ece Beware ‘biased’ switching sites] , "The Sunday Times", June 10, 2007
* [http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/money/consumer_affairs/article2529383.ece Energy firms are the worst offenders for inaccurate billing] , "The Times", September 25 2007