In January 2002 the competitive electricity market was opened to include Victorian and New South Wales domestic electricity customers. This research surveyed Victoria households to obtain an understanding of their initial experience of the new market (full retail competition). It was anticipated that corporate strategies to acquire attractive customers whilst shedding unattractive ones would be apparent. Of more immediate interest was the finding that households are pessimistic about the purported benefits of this market, despite the very significant cost of its creation by the Victorian government.