Dynamic Tariffs: What Energy Customers Really Think
Do customers want flexible prices or predictability above all? A qualitative study with 1,000+ participants on readiness, barriers, and trust in dynamic energy tariffs.
AI-powered voice interviews with real energy customers across Germany. Unfiltered opinions, deep qualitative analysis.
6
core research themes
From tariff priorities and awareness to emotional reactions, trust anchors, and trade-off willingness.
Q1
2026 availability
The study is currently in preparation. Join the waitlist to be notified as soon as results are available.
THE CONTEXT
Dynamic Tariffs Are Coming. But Are Customers Ready?
Dynamic tariffs are considered a key instrument for the energy transition. But the industry is building products based on assumptions, not on real customer attitudes.
Assumed Acceptance
Providers assume customers will adopt dynamic tariffs if savings are high enough. But what if predictability matters more than price?
Unknown Barriers
What actually holds customers back? Is it fear of higher costs, lack of understanding, or something entirely different?
Missing Segmentation
Not all customers think alike. Acceptance likely depends on household context, risk appetite, and individual conditions.
WHAT THIS STUDY IS ABOUT
What Really Drives Customer Attitudes
Six dimensions that determine whether dynamic tariffs succeed or fail in the market.
01
Tariff Priorities
Safety beats bargains: predictability matters more to customers than the absolute lowest price.
02
Awareness & Perception
Dynamic tariffs are partially known, but awareness primarily triggers skepticism and negative associations.
03
Risk Perception vs. Savings
Loss aversion dominates. The focus is on fear of price spikes, while statistical average savings fade into the psychological background.
04
Acceptance Factors & Safety Anchors
Control through guardrails. Trust is not built through price, but through protective mechanisms like price caps and maximum transparency.
05
Flexibility vs. Practicality
Flexibility is not a matter of attitude, but of capacity: household size, infrastructure, and time budget.
06
Predictability vs. Opportunity
The willingness to take risks is not a blank check, but tied to strict conditions and if-then scenarios.
STUDY CONTENTS
What the Study Will Contain
No second-hand summaries. Real customer voices, structured analysis, action-oriented conclusions.
✓
Segment-specific analysis of attitudes toward dynamic tariffs
✓
Awareness levels and perception mapping across customer types
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Emotional response patterns and psychological barriers
✓
Trust requirements and safety anchor analysis
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Trade-off acceptance by household context
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Selected original customer quotes in their own words
✓
Actionable recommendations for product and communication strategy
METHODOLOGY
Qualitative at Scale
The same proven methodology behind our switching behavior study.
Using Volto's proprietary Qualitative at Scale methodology: AI-powered voice interviews with energy customers across Germany. Unfiltered opinions, deep analysis, quantitatively weighted.
Qualitative depth at quantitative scale
Unfiltered customer voices, no synthetic data
Segment-specific analysis
Interactive study with follow-up questions
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Join the Waitlist
Be notified as soon as the study is available. No obligations.
Dynamic Tariffs: What Energy Customers Really Think