You Read it First Here

Readers of this blog may recall that back on the 25th October last year I commented on the launch of (General Motors) Holden “Employee Pricing for All".

In that posting, I said that

"According to my sources, GMH employees get discounts of between 10% and 20% depending on their length of service. By my calculations, some of the vehicles on offer are at the lower end of that range"

Well, yesterday, this was confirmed. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that:

“…retail customers had in fact paid about $4,700 more for some models with air conditioning than employees of GH Holden”

…And that…

“…employees were offered a further discount of between 25% and 29%, which was not available to the public”

So what’s the stick? GMH have undertaken to write to people (estimated to be between 250 - 300) who purchased…

“VZ Commodores and WL Statesman & Caprices between 21st October and 9th November, offering them a full refund if they want to return the vehicle”


Sources: Porter, I (2006) “Holden forced to refund on ‘employee pricing that wasn’t” in The Age, 20th April 2006, p5

And special thanks also to “my source” - you know who you are