While you may be pursuing a passion or trying to live out a dream, one of the biggest reasons why you’d go into business in the first place is to make some money. That’s an honest motivation and it’s one that is just as legitimate as any other. It’s perfectly understandable that you would want to make as much money as possible and you’d be willing to try a variety of strategies to increase your revenue. Hopefully, deceptive offers are not a part of your tactics.

Along with my MasterCard bill that I received in the mail yesterday, the package also included a pamphlet that featured a special offer “especially for our most valued” cardholders. I see these from time to time for things like magazine subscriptions and decorative plates. Sometimes, you can get a decent deal. Today, that was not the case.

The special offer was for a Garmin 250 GPS system. I got this exact same GPS navigation system on Boxing Day in 2007 for $150. Even today, you can find it at a variety of retailers for under $200. That’s the standard going price. How much was my credit card company trying to sell it for as a “special deal”? The asking price was a whopping $299.95 or you could split that up into five monthly payments of $59.99.

That’s more than $100 more than what I spent on the device over a year ago. This doesn’t make me feel like a valued cardholder. It insults my intelligence and leaves a sour taste in my mouth regarding this particular bank. If you are going to offer a special deal to your customers, at least make it a deal and not a ripoff.