The Lemon Fool

a widely advertsised service Im sure many Fools are aware of...

is it really as simple as suggested? Sign up and they do the leg work, and importantly no gotchas?

Anyone any actual experience?

didds

No experience but I'm guessing they will swop you to a new supplier every year so they can pick up their commissions. I believe switching services get between £25 and £60 per switch from the principals.

That makes me think they're not acting in the bill-payers best interests.

Plus if it's that one with the really annoying repetitive advert then I refuse to deal with it on principle.
Never use companies with annoying adverts.

I'm not sure why anyone would bother really. I use USwitch once a year and do it myself.
Keep control.

absolutezero wrote:Plus if it's that one with the really annoying repetitive advert then I refuse to deal with it on principle.
Never use companies with annoying adverts.

I'm not sure why anyone would bother really. I use USwitch once a year and do it myself.
Keep control.

I come back to the UK about twice a year to visit my Mum, sisters etc, and there is one advert that never seems to go away. Some creatures -meercats?- yacking about something and a fat guy with a moustache. Not sure if I'm confusing two adverts, but I remember the phrase GoCompare. Don't the executives ever get off their fat [expletive deleted] and ask people what they think? I have no idea what those irritating animals are advertising and wouldn't want to know, apart from if they're easy to barbecue.

Adverts are sometimes too clever. I have memories of jingles and advert plots going back 30 years that I can't get out of my head, but no idea what they were advertising.

Others, like the Benetton adverts and posters, pretty much made me decide never ever to visit one of their squalid little stores! But the adverts and their disgusting posters certainly made me remember their name!

Steve

stevensfo wrote:
I come back to the UK about twice a year to visit my Mum, sisters etc, and there is one advert that never seems to go away. Some creatures -meercats?- yacking about something and a fat guy with a moustache. Not sure if I'm confusing two adverts, but I remember the phrase GoCompare. Don't the executives ever get off their fat [expletive deleted] and ask people what they think? I have no idea what those irritating animals are advertising and wouldn't want to know, apart from if they're easy to barbecue.

Well, the executives at GoCompare will be delighted to have got their name into your head as to the extent that you think of them when replying to a thread about comparisson sites. The meerkats are for Compare the M[ee/a]rket, so they're half way there as well.

James wrote:

stevensfo wrote:
I come back to the UK about twice a year to visit my Mum, sisters etc, and there is one advert that never seems to go away. Some creatures -meercats?- yacking about something and a fat guy with a moustache. Not sure if I'm confusing two adverts, but I remember the phrase GoCompare. Don't the executives ever get off their fat [expletive deleted] and ask people what they think? I have no idea what those irritating animals are advertising and wouldn't want to know, apart from if they're easy to barbecue.

Well, the executives at GoCompare will be delighted to have got their name into your head as to the extent that you think of them when replying to a thread about comparisson sites. The meerkats are for Compare the M[ee/a]rket, so they're half way there as well.

There is quite a big difference between advertising and Aversion therapy!
...or maybe not?

Steve

stevensfo wrote:I have no idea what those irritating animals are advertising and wouldn't want to know, apart from if they're easy to barbecue.
Adverts are sometimes too clever. I have memories of jingles and advert plots going back 30 years that I can't get out of my head, but no idea what they were advertising.

I have done numerous market research sessions on adverts. Where you are paid to tell them what you think. They always ask..., not how good the advert is, but how memorable. Sometimes, they show you a dozen ads at the start, and at the end ask you which you to remember. It's always just sticking the image in your mind. It doesn't have to be a GOOD image. Annoying is really powerful.

So I exactly concur with James. Their ad executives will be reading your post and rubbing their hands in glee.

Gryff

gryffron wrote:

stevensfo wrote:I have no idea what those irritating animals are advertising and wouldn't want to know, apart from if they're easy to barbecue.
Adverts are sometimes too clever. I have memories of jingles and advert plots going back 30 years that I can't get out of my head, but no idea what they were advertising.

I have done numerous market research sessions on adverts. Where you are paid to tell them what you think. They always ask..., not how good the advert is, but how memorable. Sometimes, they show you a dozen ads at the start, and at the end ask you which you to remember. It's always just sticking the image in your mind. It doesn't have to be a GOOD image. Annoying is really powerful.

So I exactly concur with James. Their ad executives will be reading your post and judging this a success.

Gryff

Annoying IS powerful. I have avoided Benetton shops for over 30 years due to their advertising.

Re. the meercats things, no doubt the fact that I can't remember what they're advertising passes them by? Or if I do know but feel sick and worn out at the thought?

I still have the Mothercare song in my head after 40 years: 'Mothercare goes up to ten'.

Didn't do their ad executives much good, did it!


Steve

stevensfo wrote:Annoying IS powerful. I have avoided Benetton shops for over 30 years due to their advertising.

Re. the meercats things, no doubt the fact that I can't remember what they're advertising passes them by? Or if I do know but feel sick and worn out at the thought?

I still have the Mothercare song in my head after 40 years: 'Mothercare goes up to ten'.

Didn't do their ad executives much good, did it!


Steve

Is this where I should be smug about not having a telly? None of those ads means anything to me.

My big gripe is shops that pipe muzak at me. Where I live it gives me a strong preference for Lidl and Tesco (always quiet) over Morrison and Coop (usually noisy). Which is a shame, 'cos Morrisons is the only bigger supermarket, and the selection at the quiet ones is much more limited.

Sadly they don't see the people who avoid them precisely because their nonsense makes them a miserable/stressful experience. So they have no data to prove they're driving customers away, and every incentive to spin a positive story.

UncleEbenezer,

I quite agree with your comments re muzac, or what passes for music these days. Which, although it doesn't affect me with not being in Scotland, makes me in full agreement with Dear Leader for banning music in pubs etc for the time being. About the only thing she has done with which I am in agreement.

A few years ago, the choral society of which I was then a member sang carols for an hour in our local Sainsburys. Thankfully, Sainsburys shut off the musak for us.

ten0rman

.......

didds wrote:a widely advertsised service Im sure many Fools are aware of...

is it really as simple as suggested? Sign up and they do the leg work, and importantly no gotchas?

Anyone any actual experience?

didds

No experience but I'm guessing they will swop you to a new supplier every year so they can pick up their commissions. I believe switching services get between £25 and £60 per switch from the principals.

That makes me think they're not acting in the bill-payers best interests.

I just came across this service too and it piqued my interest, has anyone had any experience since the original post? Addressing the point above they say this in their FAQ's:

We aren’t a comparison site – we do auto-switching! But if you’d like to compare every single deal that’s out there we’d recommend you use the Citizens Advice Comparison Tool.

In order to keep our service free, we only switch you to suppliers who will pay us a commission. Don’t worry, if a supplier has terrible customer service we won’t switch you to them even if they want to pay us!

https://lookaftermybills.com

FWIW my brother sjhoprtly after I asked cam back top me (via FB) and said hed tried it, theyd right royally stuffed his contracts up and it had taken months to sort it out and get rid of the alleged "better" deal;s that had ended up costing him far more than what hed been shifted from. His advice to me was stay well clear. That's good enough to me. (Interstingly other people also told me similar stories)