If you haven’t already heard, we released our new app recently and we wanted to go over some of the main exciting features we’ve included and show you what it looks like.
We’ll go through all the main points of the app, from our new re-design, the station pages, reviews and more! We hope this helps you to get a better understanding of the app and what we plan. You can read Jason’s (our MDs) letter from last week here, in which he explains a bit more about the company, its future direction and what the main benefits are of the new service.
Installing the app
On first installing the new app, users don’t need to do anything other than accept the terms and conditions and then they can start searching. This is what we call “newbie mode” and for many people who don’t like to share personal data and just want prices, this is the best option for you.
However if a user wants to use the other functions in the app, (e.g. search preferences, garage, report prices, leaderboard, account) they will need to register an account and that means some information needs to be provided. In future when rewards are launched, these can ONLY be received if a user registers an account.
The new homepage!
The purpose of the new app homepage is to get you to the most important functions of the app quickly and explain what benefits you get from using each important part of the service. The homepage will become more dynamic in the future and will be used to promote new services, or display things that are more personal to you, such as recent searches or garage information.
We quite like the simplicity of the homepage here at PetrolPrices, and hope you do to!
List view
Our ever-popular list view has had a bit of a makeover and an extension! On the old app, we used to show a maximum of 10 stations per search, but we’ve only gone and done 5x that with the new search! Yes that’s right, you’ll see up to 50 stations in any one search.
We limit the number of stations we show to 50 stations to make sure we don’t overload the system and slow the app down while giving users far more stations per search.
On the list view, you’ll see the station name, it’s review score, the current price we have for that station, plus the date it was updated and by whom. If you see PetrolPrices, that means it’s a fuel card transaction price that we’ve received from Experian Catalist. Anything else means it’s a crowd sourced price. The more price updates that happen means that our search engine becomes more and more accurate for everyone else!
Pricing
On to pricing, we have an agreement with our data partner to display 10 prices from them on any search.
This is where we want you to get involved and give us prices and reviews. We know that the price information from our partner is old and can be inaccurate, so you will earn points each time you give us that information on the app. The more you give the more points and other rewards you will receive.
One final point on this, we have implemented a series of checks to make sure that the price supplied by users is as accurate as possible, but its still based on trust. The users must consider that when they supply information its for the benefit of other users to save money, so please make sure its accurate.
Our filters
In previous app iterations filters were limited and didn’t match what was on the website. Well, we’ve now changed that and have introduced a harmonisation on the search on web and app. This means that search will work the same and has the same filters on both web and app, although it will look a bit different!
We’ve also got default search preferences back in the app, and it’ll be coming on web soon! This means that you can save your prefered radius, fuel type, brand and map or list view.
Map view
You can use the same filters on the map as you can on the list view search, and your default search will apply on the map as well as list view. You can also interact with stations and click on them to view the station page. The station with the star is either the cheapest or nearest, depending on what you have selected in the filters.
Station pages
Station pages are new and are filled with all the information you could possibly want! You can now update and confirm prices, see facilities and update the facilities at a station, review and see others reviews of a station.
They also have a directions button, and some have opening times, although we’re working to get more and more opening times. Soon we hope to have update stations feature, allowing you to report if a station is closed permanently, temporarily or just to update the branding of a station.
Review a station
We’ve now got a reviews platform, so you can either answer some simple star-based questions or provide a longer written review about your experience at the station. It doesn’t have to be anything special, just a couple of lines about what you think overall, the more the better for other users.
The additional questions (e.g. how is the customer service?) are really important for the future. Once we have accumlated enough reviews in these specific topics we will show them on the station pages too.
The Garage
Another new feature for 2.0 is the garage, our latest way to help the motorist. As well as seeing details about your car you’ll also get MOT and tax reminders for when the time comes. The purpose of the garage is to deliver value to members in various ways connected to the vehicle that sits within it.
This is the first iteration of the garage, and we’ve got some big things planned which we can’t wait to share with you soon!
Leaderboard
Our final new thing for V2 is the leaderboard, something that is in a beta mode as we plan out how best to utilise it. We know a couple of things for sure, the first is that points mean prizes and the second is that we will have some good prizes 😉 We want to get some friendly competition going here, where winners will get more points and rewards.
In the meantime, you can earn points by completing tasks such as reviewing stations, updating prices and station data, putting a car in the garage and more!
Account settings and preferences
Yes we know it’s the boring screens at the back of the app but very important. Shortly we are about to go live with an update that will mean that all the fields that you can change on the website can also be done on the app, (Please note you need to be a registered user to do this).
We’ve heard many of you want to change the username or set up alerts from the app. If you complete your profile in the account then you will earn a completion bonus and more points.
Our app is getting better and better, so why not download it now to use it for yourself!
As always, any questions can be answered by our support team by emailing: support@petrolprices.com and you can check our FAQ’s here: https://www.petrolprices.com/support/
How do I download an app without an iphone? Can a ‘Windows’ computer receive this or do we continue to receive normal price updates?
It works on Android 6 and upwards or iPhone devices. The app does not work on Windows, but the website does and it will continue to send price updates.
Hi Jason. Sorry but… Nope you don’t. I havent had petrol alarts since this started and I cannot access the site as the map locator just keeps ‘spinning’ and all the other buttons are ‘dead’. Windows Edge on Windows 10. Not sure if this is a site issue or a google-ish issue or suchlike ?
I used to get alerts now I dont so PP is now USELESS to me, I may as well delete my ‘free’ membership… but I can’t as the map locator function makes all the PP function buttons DEAD. Oh and yes I have reported it.
I have supported PP’s activities and written to my MP on PP’s behalf etc, but not anymore, its very sad. Cheers
Have used petrol prices for a number of years but now cannot download new app on present phone due to android five upwards so will have to wait until I choose to update phone?
It might work on Android 5, but we don’t develop the app to support this operating system because its 5 years old. All we are saying is that we support devices Android 6 upwards.
Can I put 2 vehicles in the garage, one petrol, 1 a diesel camper (which aslo uses gas for the living area)
I found that I could only enter one vehicle and no options for my motorhome using LPG for heating/cooking.
I have been using your very useful app for years. I went on the updated app and was very disappointed to find that there was no map view which I find useful for unknown areas. On hearing map view is now there, I will start using the app again.
How do I change user profile picture icon in the app?
I would like to be able to add a second car to my garage