Have you ever been tempted to offer bait-and-switch advertising?

[stevemarr]

Some businesses make unbelievably good offers in an attempt to bring people into the store. But when customers arrive, the store promptly substitutes a different product. Though a few gullible customers may be enticed to buy, most will go away with a very poor view of the business. The Prophet Hosea wrote, “Judah’s leaders are like those who move boundary stones. I will pour out my wrath on them like a flood of water” (Hosea 5:10 NIV).

Local laws and ordinances regulate bait-and-switch tactics in many places, but some businesses are experts at wiggling through the regulations. Some may offer only one item of the too-good-to-be-true sale item, and present the offer in such a way that most customers will not understand the limitation. Of course, when the customers show up, the sale item is “out of stock.”

Other businesses, while still offering the advertised special, will do everything possible to shift the customer toward another, more profitable, product using high pressure sales tactics.

In reality, anytime we advertise a product with the intent of shifting customers over to something different and more profitable, we have moved a boundary stone. In biblical times, moving a boundary stone was tantamount to stealing a neighbor’s property. Using bait-and-switch tactics is another form of stealing, even if it’s done legally.

Some customers will become disgusted when they learn the truth, resulting in a loss of business and reputation. Other customers, who are cajoled into buying the substituted product, are likely to suffer buyer’s remorse and are unlikely to return as repeat customers.

King Solomon wrote, “All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord” (Proverbs 16:2 NIV). Keep your advertising ethical and on target to develop customer relationships that last.

[Gary Barzel]

Aside from it not being a righteous thing to do, it will also affect your image and reputation in the long run. Nobody likes being forced into buying anything they don't completely feel comfortable with. If you deal with people honestly you will reap the rewards in the long run. But if you deal with people in an honest manner, eventually it will catch up with you.