AEP Ohio is the first utility in the world to deploy the Enervee Checkout application which enables customers shopping on the AEP Ohio Marketplace to take advantage of instant and dynamic discounts for energy-saving products, in partnership with online retailer lightbulbs.com. 

Customers can now take advantage of instant discounts while shopping online, reducing the up-front cost to purchase the product and speeding up the process of traditional, after-purchase rebates. For AEP Ohio, Checkout enables real-time verification of users, increased flexibility in terms of customer verification method (e.g. by zip-code, API call or flat file), as well as the ability to set - and change - underlying rules for incentive eligibility (e.g. by product, quantity or timing). 

Checkout also enables AEP Ohio to create and deliver targeted incentives - based either on user responses during the Checkout process (via fully customizable qualifying questions), or via data provided by the utility. For example, special incentives on the most efficient products could be offered to income-qualified customers, addressing the up-front purchase price barrier.

The AEP Ohio Marketplace launched in 2018, offering the company's 1.2 million residential customers the most energy efficient products to meet their needs. The AEP Ohio Marketplace offers features not available through other channels, including an Enervee Score showing how energy efficient a model is compared to other products in the same category. The Enervee Score is based on a 0-100 scale; estimated energy bill savings over the life of the product, compared to typical, similar products; and product price comparisons pulled from e-commerce sites around the country.

In contrast to other instant online incentive solutions, Checkout allows AEP Ohio to partner with retailers, rather than compete. Tech-savvy lightbulbs.com proved to be an ideal partner for Enervee to bring Checkout to the utility sector.

"We are thrilled to be deepening our partnership with AEP Ohio so soon after our relationship began. Checkout is just one step in a detailed and far-reaching product roadmap that we develop with our partners," said Matthias Kurwig, CEO of Enervee. "We know the IDEAL Marketplace can deliver significant savings and increased customer satisfaction at scale, and with AEP Ohio being the first to bring Enervee Checkout to the market, we're excited to see how energy-smart buying decisions become even simpler and more personalized, and how AEP Ohio continues to demonstrate its commitment to be its customers' trusted energy advisor."

Enervee | enervee.com 

AEP Ohio | aepohio.com