Welcome to Get Shifty

Where timing is everything. Get Shifty with your power and watch the savings add up.

What is Get Shifty?

With Get Shifty (Time of Use pricing), you pay less for power used at off-peak times and pay more for power used at peak times. So instead of charging you the same rate 24/7, we charge you based on when you're using it.

Lower demand tends to mean lower rates, and higher demand tends to mean higher rates.

Run your dishwasher or washing machine at off-peak times - boom, cheaper! The trick is dodging peak times and hitting those sweet off-peak hours. You're not using less power - you're just being smart about when you're using it. Cha-ching!

Peak and off-peak times

Good news - Get Shifty is available nationwide but not all networks have the same peak times. It varies based on when people in your area actually use power. That's why checking your specific network schedule matters.

To find your specific Get Shifty hours:

Visit our nifty Get Shifty map
Select your network based on where you live
View your specific peak, off-peak, and night times (if applicable)

Find your times

Get Shifty Eligibility Criteria

To get on Get Shifty, you'll need a compatible smart meter and be in one of the networks Powershop serves. That's pretty much it! If something doesn't quite line up when you join, we'll give you a heads up and get you set up on our all-day rates instead.

Additional Powershop customer eligibility criteria apply' - to see criteria view our list of Plans, Offers and Add Ons and our Standard Terms

What is Time of Use/Get Shifty?

Time of Use pricing (or "Get Shifty" as we like to call it) is simple: you pay different rates depending on when you use power. While for a lot of networks we have peak and off-peak periods only, there are a few other time periods you might see depending on where you are in the country, here is how they generally work.  

Peak times (higher rate):  When everyone's home cooking, heating, and using appliances.  

Shoulder times (mid-range rate):  The in-between hours — not super busy, not super quiet. Think mid-morning or early evening. Rates are friendlier than peak, but there's still a bit of demand on the grid.  

Off-peak times (lower rate): Quieter periods with less demand on the grid.  

Night times (even lower rate in some networks):  Overnight when most people are asleep.  

Weekends (lower rates in some networks):  Good news — some networks charge less on weekends because demand drops right down. So Saturday morning laundry? Actually a pretty smart move.  

The idea? Shift your high-energy tasks (dishwasher, laundry, heating) to off-peak times, nights, or weekends and save money without using less power.

Wait, am I on Get Shifty or not?

If you're an existing Powershop customer, there's a high chance you're already on Get Shifty — nice!

A small proportion of our customers are on a flat rate plan, which can happen for a few different reasons depending on your meter and setup.  

Not sure which one you're on? Have a look at your bill and see if it shows peak and off-peak rates.

Still not sure? Email us at hello@team.powershop.co.nz and one of our energy wizards will confirm for you in no time.

How do I shift more of my usage to save more on my power bill?

Making the most of Get Shifty is all about shifting as much of your power use from peak to off-peak as you can.

Power-hungry appliances include dishwashers, ovens, washing machines, tumble dryers and of course heaters.

New models of dishwashers, heat pumps, etc., may have timers or even Wi-Fi controls. But let’s face it, most of your ability to shift and save will be if you’re at home at off-peak times and able to delay using those big power guzzlers till then. Here are some examples:

Delaying the dishwasher until off-peak times
Doing all your clothes washing during off-peak times
Leaving the heat pump off during peak times and turning it back on when you reach off-peak

Get Shifty isn’t just designed for those working a night shift or working from home during the day - anyone who can get creative with their cooking, washing and bathing times might benefit from this plan.

Here’s some ways to push your usage towards off-peak times:

Working from home? Pop on the laundry and dishwasher during off peak hours which are normally around the middle of the day.
Leave the dishwasher off until before you go to bed - that way it’s running off-peak.
Get the washing and drying done on the weekends or later in the evening.

Remember, peak and off-peak times differ depending where in the country you are.

Check out our Get Shifty network map to find yours.

Why is power split into off-peak and peak periods?

Short answer: Because the cost of making and delivering power changes throughout the day based on demand.

Long answer: When everyone uses power at once—think weekday mornings and dinner time—it typically costs more to buy and deliver electricity. During quieter times (midday, late evening, overnight), there's typically less strain on the grid and lower costs.

Different retailers handle these costs differently. At Powershop, our Get Shifty pricing follows the typical pattern of demand, so you can take advantage of cheaper off-peak power whenever you can.

Think of it like ride-sharing surge pricing, but in reverse—you get a cheaper rate for using power during off-peak times.