Wairarapa powers world-first web shop

The people powering the first online electricity shop in the world at least when you call on the blower will answer you from Masterton.
Powershop chief executive Ari Sargeant said powershop.co.nz is "ushering in a revolution in the way New Zealanders buy their electricity" and as a means of keeping overheads and staff turnover low, the firm call centre that employs 14 Wairarapa operators is based in Masterton.
Mr Sargeant said Powershop offers an easy way to access a range of competitively priced electricity products from several providers through a single website.
"The age of being tied to a single power company is over.
"Powershop is the retail electricity revolution everyone has been waiting for since the electricity market was deregulated," Mr Sargeant said.
"For the first time consumers can buy their power in the same way as they buy groceries," he said.
"You can buy products from different suppliers without having to worry about switching between them because you are buying your electricity through Powershop."
He said the service is available to date in only the main centres although Wairarapa is at the head of the queue when the company starts its regional rollout within the next three months.
A prime time television advertising campaign for Powershop was launched on Sunday with celebrations marking the media blitz, held at the call centre on the fourth floor of the Departmental Buildings in Chapel Street, centre manager Rod McIntyre said yesterday.
He said call centre staff come from towns throughout Wairarapa and range from school-leavers to "more mature workers" with the business model and available office space allowing for expansion for up to 60 operators as the novel enterprise penetrates the market and wins custom.
"We're all really excited about it and it truly is a great idea and something that some of us have lived for the past couple of years.
"Basing the call centre in Masterton and making Wairarapa first in line for regional service is a boon for the whole region," Mr McIntyre said.
"There is an amazing range of skills in the regions and I hope that soon our operators will be ambassadors of the service because we'll all be customers as well."
The "revolutionary" new website, which features Argentine guerrilla leader Che Guevara and Mr Winky the hotpoint happy face as brand characters, will also open up opportunities for companies from outside the energy industry to start selling power, Mr Sargeant said.
"Powershop provides the opportunity to save power, save money and if you want help save the planet by being a more conscious energy consumer.
"The internet has transformed the way we shop for everything from music to airfares and now we are harnessing the power of online shopping to radically shake up the electricity market. For the first time we are giving the power back to electricity consumers," he said.
n To find out more about how Powershop works visit www.powershop.co.nz and watch the online demonstration.