Splitting the difference - the Apple way.

I just read Steve Job's letter to all iPhone customers.Apple - To all iPhone customers The letter is awesome marketing copy. It's clear, and splits the difference.

Well, when you are going to drop the price on a product, you will find that some customers who just bought the product are pissed off. You need those customers to stay with you, and continue to be your fans - especially if they are early adopters. So you try giveaways, special deals, and the like.

Apple has done just the same - something it has (to the limits of my knowledge) never done before - PAY the customer back!!! Well almost.

The new price is 200 dollars lower than the previous price and they are going to give a store credit to their iPhone early adopters for 100 dollars. Essentially splitting the difference.

And of course if you'd also like to split hairs on this, this is money that will be spent on Apple products, so the only "loss" to apple is the material cost of the product

Nice - I wish more companies could do it.