How pre-purchase alternative evaluation processes and customer behaviour factors determine the selection of an electricity supplier in a deregulated environment for a large user of electricty in Australia

Factors such as deregulation and the changing demands of customers have meant that businesses have had to change the way they operate, and to seek new ways to differentiate themselves from their competition. This is particularly the case in an industry such as electricity where there is no product differentiation on the core product. Using the results from pilot in-depth interviews, this study highlights some of the pre-purchase alternative evaluation factors that business ·users expect from their electricity supplier, and gives an insight into the decision making process for a business that is a heavy user of electricity.