Topaz Card Changes

_Kaiser_ · 20-08-2013 4:28pm #1

Afternoon all,

So I'm just after getting the below email from Motorcheck/Topaz about my (private) fuel card:

We'd like to tell you about some important changes to your fuel card that will take effect from September 1st.

Save 2 Cent Per Litre
Currently your card offers a fixed price per litre at any Topaz station nationwide. Whilst competitive it means that the benefit enjoyed from station to station differs depending on the pump price on offer when you fill up.

From September the 1st this will change to a fixed discount off the pump price. After this date every transaction you make will receive an automatic discount of 2 CENT PER LITRE (regardless of the location or pump price on offer).

The discount will be applied to your account electronically and automatically reduce your bill by 2 cent per litre. That's 1 Euro for every 50 litres of fuel purchased.

Pay Weekly by Direct Debit
The second change to take effect will be the frequency of the direct debit. From September 1st your fuel bill will be charged by direct debit on a weekly basis.

You will still receive up to 14 days interest free credit on your fuel purchases but payments will now occur every Monday on a weekly basis.

Why do I get the feeling this is going to end up costing me money despite the supposed "savings" ?

Also the move to weekly payment defeats the whole point of the thing for me - one bill, once a month.

coylemj · 20-08-2013 5:04pm

I have a Topaz card from Axa and got that in an e-mail last May, haven't spent a penny in Topaz since. The new system means a maximum of 14 days credit whereas the credit card give me up to seven weeks credit.

If they did the slightest bit of research, I'm sure that they'd have found that being billed weekly has no particular attraction for motorists given that most people are paid monthly.

And the Topaz online system for checking your balance or to get the current price per litre was/is complete crap, you couldn't check your balance after 6 p.m. most evenings or at weekends so it's no great loss to me to wave them goodbye.

20-08-2013 5:19pm

Mine is changed also since May, Its lost most of its appeal tbh. The fixed price was working out much better than the 2 cents off as its really only an advantage if the station is particularly and I really liked the monthly billing. I still use it though as it usually no more expensive than other places and if its near the end of the month you can use the credit to pay the bill from next months wages. You also get the free stuff every month from the topaz game.

rovoagho · 20-08-2013 5:21pm

Also got it in May, immediately asked them to close the account. Asked Motorcheck if they were planning to do the same thing, they said it wasn't for me. Read into that what you will.

colm_mcm · 20-08-2013 7:10pm

My local topaz just went up 3 cent a litre to 163.9
Haven't noticed other brands increasing

_Kaiser_ · 20-08-2013 7:22pm

Well I've had a chat with Topaz themselves this evening and he confirmed what I suspected - people on the Axa/Benchmark/Motorcheck schemes have been defaulting on the bills, hence the change above.

I in turn advised him that this change negates the two benefits of the card:
- Single monthly payments (bearing in mind most people are paid monthly)
- Fixed pricing (discount is nice, but the saving above is negated by either higher prices to start with, or having to drive around to find the cheapest one)

I also pointed out that I've spent thousands on this card and never had even one missed or late payment in the 4-6 years I've had it.

So he's to go and have a look to see if there's any product that may suit my needs better and come back to me tomorrow/Thursday.

Not holding out much hope though but will let ye know.

drunkmonkey · 20-08-2013 7:45pm

I got no email and I'm still billed monthly, have to jump ship if they change me as I live beside one of the most expensive topaz in the country, 2cent is nothing.

slimjimmc · 20-08-2013 8:07pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

My local topaz just went up 3 cent a litre to 163.9
Haven't noticed other brands increasing

163.9 :eek:. I filled up at my local (non-Topaz) indy for 155.9/litre yesterday. Diesel was 149.9/litre.

I never sign up for those loyalty cards, my loyalty generally lies with who ever is the cheapest at the time and that's usually not Topaz.

coylemj · 20-08-2013 8:14pm

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Well I've had a chat with Topaz themselves this evening and he confirmed what I suspected - people on the Axa/Benchmark/Motorcheck schemes have been defaulting on the bills, hence the change above.

So the solution is to effectively abandon the scheme altogether? Good job for us the credit card companies don't adopt that attitude.

The 2c reduction is no good for me. According to www.pumps.ie just now the Topaz filling station on Rochestown Ave. is charging 161.9 while Maxol in Sallynoggin is 157.9 so why would I buy at a higher price and have to pay sooner?

Bpmull · 20-08-2013 10:12pm

I'm just curious how the card works. So if I took one out on the first of September whatever fuel I buy in a week they charge me that price minus 2 cents on a Monday. If I don't use the card for 6 months etc do they charge me anything? Is there any hidden charges? Also do they just automatically take the money out of my current account or how do you pay?

As if there is no charges it might be worth my while getting one. As paying it weekly wouldn't bother me. Also I only buy topaz fuel anyway so I would be saving two cents?

colm_mcm · 20-08-2013 10:39pm

slimjimmc wrote: »

163.9 :eek:. I filled up at my local (non-Topaz) indy for 155.9/litre yesterday. Diesel was 149.9/litre.

I never sign up for those loyalty cards, my loyalty generally lies with who ever is the cheapest at the time and that's usually not Topaz.

I only went there this evening cos I was stuck for time. Usually go to topaz near work but they're gone up in price too. Texaco still reasonable. I hate going in to topaz, try to fleece you with muffins, try to sell you a bandy lighter if you're getting fags, ask if youve done the lotto, always asking if I want to use my topaz game card and when I tell them I don't have one they try and sign me up, they don't do cashback and the food is awful.

coylemj · 20-08-2013 11:53pm

Bpmull wrote: »

I'm just curious how the card works. So if I took one out on the first of September whatever fuel I buy in a week they charge me that price minus 2 cents on a Monday. If I don't use the card for 6 months etc do they charge me anything? Is there any hidden charges? Also do they just automatically take the money out of my current account or how do you pay?

As if there is no charges it might be worth my while getting one. As paying it weekly wouldn't bother me. Also I only buy topaz fuel anyway so I would be saving two cents?

If you only buy Topaz then it will work as you stated and there is no debit if you haven't bought any fuel. No hidden charges.

21-08-2013 12:12am

slimjimmc wrote: »

I never sign up for those loyalty cards, my loyalty generally lies with who ever is the cheapest at the time and that's usually not Topaz.

With the fixed pricing on the card it didn't matter what topaz you went to you paid the fixed price and in general it was the cheapest. Very rarely did I see anywhere cheaper than the fixed price for petrol. It was great never having to be wondering what the shop down the road is charging or what the other topaz was charging just fill up and pay the fixed price.

I also really liked the monthly billing.

Fiona · 21-08-2013 2:05pm

I have the Topaz fuel card with AA and have not heard anything like this, you get billed every 2 weeks though as oppoed to monthly.

hugo1941 · 21-08-2013 2:38pm

Got the same email-weekly billing no good to me. Can anyone recommend any other fuel card with monthly billing?

JoeA3 · 21-08-2013 2:59pm

I have one of these cards only a few weeks and I've not heard anything about the terms changing - I got it here - http://www.fuelcard.ie/
That website doesn't mention any changes to policy either. Is this the same card you guys are talking about?

hugo1941 · 21-08-2013 3:12pm

JoeA3 wrote: »

I have one of these cards only a few weeks and I've not heard anything about the terms changing - I got it here - http://www.fuelcard.ie/
That website doesn't mention any changes to policy either. Is this the same card you guys are talking about?

If it is issued by motorcheck.ie then it is same. Seems not everyone using cards got email.

hugo1941 · 21-08-2013 4:49pm

Just checked out fuelwise.ie. Seems they are also doing weeky billing for personal customers.

Motorcheck · 21-08-2013 6:53pm

Hi Guys,

Yep. As of September 1st all the cards will move to the 2 cent off pump price as outlined above. It was a challenging decision for us but what swayed it in the end was the goal of having an offer that was reliable on a national basis. With the current pricing it meant that for some locations it worked but for others it didn't.

Moving from monthly billing to weekly was a concession we had to make to achieve the 2 cent off. There has been some negative feedback from card holders that liked the monthly billing cycle but we've also heard from others who actually prefer weekly billing. I guess it's the benefit of not facing a large lump sum at the end of the month?

At the risk of sounding like I'm pimping it - the card is still free to apply for with no hidden charges. Granted it won't be for everyone but Topaz do have 30% of the market today and their coverage is better than any other provider.

rovoagho · 21-08-2013 11:50pm

Thanks for posting Motorcheck. I'm a fan that recommends you on a regular basis, and I wouldn't touch your competitor with a barge pole given the service I've received from your good selves with a bit of an oddity last year. The service I received from them was simply an absence of service.

I also appreciate that you're not really selling it as an improvement, like AXA did. That's why I cancelled my AXA card immediately -- it was disingenuous, if not plain untruthful.

I would have cancelled it anyway though: 2c off Topaz prices is probably still 2c more than the indies down my way, on average, because Topaz pricing is just plain bonkers. Weekly billing, even fortnightly billing, completely negates any advantage. It'll be a long time before I buy fuel in Topaz again. I avoid them now like the plague.

I hope you'll keep an eye out for alternatives, as I'll be one of your first customers if you come up with something better than this.

coylemj · 22-08-2013 12:11am

Motorcheck wrote: »

There has been some negative feedback from card holders that liked the monthly billing cycle but we've also heard from others who actually prefer weekly billing. I guess it's the benefit of not facing a large lump sum at the end of the month?

That sounds like marketing mumbo-jumbo. Surely the majority of people these days are paid monthly so how could they possibly derive a 'benefit' from weekly billing?

They get paid once a month but you're suggesting that sending them four bills a month will be of 'benefit' to them

ted1 · 22-08-2013 12:30am

Don't forget most people pay bank charges on each transaction. Of between 20c and 26 cents, so depending on the month there paying an extra 60c/78c to 80c/ 98c

Which basically wipes out any savings made on 40litre fill.

Add that on to the reduced credit and there's more savings gone

_Kaiser_ · 22-08-2013 12:31am

Motorcheck wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Yep. As of September 1st all the cards will move to the 2 cent off pump price as outlined above. It was a challenging decision for us but what swayed it in the end was the goal of having an offer that was reliable on a national basis. With the current pricing it meant that for some locations it worked but for others it didn't.

Moving from monthly billing to weekly was a concession we had to make to achieve the 2 cent off. There has been some negative feedback from card holders that liked the monthly billing cycle but we've also heard from others who actually prefer weekly billing. I guess it's the benefit of not facing a large lump sum at the end of the month?

At the risk of sounding like I'm pimping it - the card is still free to apply for with no hidden charges. Granted it won't be for everyone but Topaz do have 30% of the market today and their coverage is better than any other provider.

That's not what I was told by Topaz directly when he conceded the change was driven by people on your (and other similar) schemes defaulting on the monthly bill.

The mail I posted in the OP was from yourselves - support@motorcheck.ie - and despite rovoagho's praise it most definitely IS pitched as a "benefit" to customers by upselling the whole 2c discount.

I'd have to agree with coylemj that what you've posted is just marketing spin and to be honest I'm not buying it either. Also the point about the change being to benefit the users nationally makes no sense as now, rather than one fixed price in all locations, you'll have variable pricing within even the same area!

Anyway, no update from Topaz today but they did say it might be Thursday so I'll wait till COB and see then.

rovoagho · 22-08-2013 12:59am

My mistake, I thought the email in the OP was from AXA. Slippery slope MotorCheck. I recommend you because you're straight and helpful. That was neither.

22-08-2013 10:15am

Motorcheck wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Yep. As of September 1st all the cards will move to the 2 cent off pump price as outlined above. It was a challenging decision for us but what swayed it in the end was the goal of having an offer that was reliable on a national basis. With the current pricing it meant that for some locations it worked but for others it didn't.

The fixed price was a far far better way of doing things and was definitely cheaper 99% of the time across the country.

I travel across the county regularly and I can count on one hand the amount of times I saw the fixed price more expensive than the pump price on the other hand many many times I've seen stations 5 to 8 cent more expensive than the card (and it was almost always at least 2 cent cheaper on the card). Where does this leave me now? Back the old way of having to drive around looking for a cheaper place while with the fixed price I could stop anywhere.

Motorcheck wrote: »

Moving from monthly billing to weekly was a concession we had to make to achieve the 2 cent off. There has been some negative feedback from card holders that liked the monthly billing cycle but we've also heard from others who actually prefer weekly billing. I guess it's the benefit of not facing a large lump sum at the end of the month?

At the risk of sounding like I'm pimping it - the card is still free to apply for with no hidden charges. Granted it won't be for everyone but Topaz do have 30% of the market today and their coverage is better than any other provider.

The card has lost about 80% of its advantage with the changes. The only advantage remaining is yes you do get 2 cent off over what you would pay in the station but there could be a topaz a few miles away which is cheaper again so whats the point of the card really here, the whole point of the card was to ensure you got the best price regardless of the station.

The other slight advantage is you need petrol at the end of the month, you can fill it and the money won't come out of your account until the next month provided its inside the 2 weeks credit. But its nowhere near as much of an advantage as paying monthly, I cant see why anybody would see an advantage in 2 weekly billing, you might as well just find the cheapest place and pay with your debit card or cash.

Gary ITR · 22-08-2013 10:28am

I had just ordered my card, I love handiness and I'm useless at checking prices in filling stations, I've always had company fuel cards

Last night though I passed 4 petrol stations on my travels, two Esso an Applegreen and a Topaz. The Topaz was 1 cent dearer than the Applegreen and 2 cent dearer than the Esso stations.

The long and short of it is reduced credit terms and looking at nox's post reduced discount. No advantage anymore, I doubt mine will be used when it arrives

coylemj · 22-08-2013 12:48pm

Talia Black Megaphone wrote: »

The fixed price was a far far better way of doing things and was definitely cheaper 99% of the time across the country.

I travel across the county regularly and I can count on one hand the amount of times I saw the fixed price more expensive than the pump price on the other hand many many times I've seen stations 5 to 8 cent more expensive than the card (and it was almost always at least 2 cent cheaper on the card). Where does this leave me now? Back the old way of having to drive around looking for a cheaper place while with the fixed price I could stop anywhere.

+1 Despite the fact that the Topaz card only gave you 4 weeks credit whereas you could get up to 7 weeks off a credit card, the fixed (each week) price meant that in most cases it was simply a case of finding a Topaz station and filling up no matter where you were in the country and if you were in a place like Dingle where prices are higher all round, that was a great benefit to having the old Topaz card.

Not having to check the price at every station you passed was a great bonus and the Topaz and pumps.ie apps meant that you could always find the nearest Topaz station.

The old scheme had to be good for business for Topaz stations down the country because it meant that people outside their catchment area were stopping to fill up, even if the local opposition were cheaper. I know they had to sell to us at a lower price but they weren't getting hit by the credit card charge either.

wonski · 22-08-2013 1:04pm

4 direct debits a month? No, thanks.
No savings at all, not to mention it was the simplicity of having 1 separate bill for petrol a month.
2 cents cheaper? With fixed price it was simple.
Didn't get an email yet, but will keep the card for emergencies only. Back to Maxol for cheaper petrol.

rovoagho · 22-08-2013 3:06pm

+1 on the convenience of filling up anywhere.

The other inconvenience of 4 DDs a month is the quadrupled risk of missing a payment by mistake and getting hit with their ridiculous fees. Sorting it out once a month is fine, but who has the time to be arsing around with it weekly.

cjt156 · 23-08-2013 12:24pm

Yep, you've just lost another customer here, Topaz. The convenience of monthly budgeting was the big plus for me, given that Topaz isn't that much cheaper than the competition around my commute. Direct Debit very week? No thanks.

Max Power1 · 23-08-2013 1:46pm

I had(have) one of these cards through motorcheck.

I have not used it, not once, as their prices even on the old scheme were not cheaper than the local garages by me. Then they stopped texting me the weekly price, so I stopped using the card altogether.

Now with the ridiculous 2c off offer and the weekly billing, the card will be very useful. As a paperweight or something.

Topaz Card Changes

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