I had an all-too-familiar experience yesterday at a drive-through oil change shop.
It started with just an oil change — the service I’d actually come for.
Then came the suggestions:
- “You’re due for an oil system flush.” (I agreed)
- “Your fluids are low.” (Sure, top them up)
- “Your air filter is dirty.” (Fine, let’s replace it)
- “Your wiper blades are worn.” (Erm, okay…)
By the time she suggested a coolant flush and a pricey replacement radiator cap (mine could start leaking, y’know!), I was starting to feel like I was being taken for a ride.
What had started as a $69.99 oil change was quickly becoming a $300+ service.
Was this value-adding or predatory upselling?
The line is remarkably thin, and I’m reminded of this constantly in my product strategy work.
I once had a client who manufactured an air purifier that required multiple expensive consumables — several filters that needed frequent replacement and proprietary parts, microchipped to prevent generic replacements.
From the CMO’s perspective, this was BRILLIANT: predictable, high-margin recurring revenue from each unit sold. Their financial projections looked spectacular.
But the customer reviews told a different story. Folks felt ambushed by the unexpected ongoing costs. What seemed like a reasonable initial purchase became an expensive commitment they had NOT knowingly signed up for.
Trust was broken, and the brand suffered.
In I Need That, I discuss how successful products create what I call the Coveted Condition™ — a specific future state buyers imagine achieving through ownership.
But there’s a critical corollary: the path to that Coveted Condition must feel fair and transparent.
Product Payoff: Costco’s tire center has mastered the balance between upselling and trust-building. When you purchase tires, they include free lifetime rotation, balancing, nitrogen tire inflation and flat repair — services competitors charge for. This seemingly profit-reducing move actually drives their tire business because customers feel the relationship is fair.
Action for today: Audit your revenue model through the “trust lens.” Ask:
- Are all potential costs visible to customers before purchase?
- Do your upsells genuinely solve customer problems, or primarily serve your profit margins?
- Would customers still feel the initial purchase was fair if they understood the full lifetime cost?
Remember: The most profitable customer is rarely the one you extract maximum value from once — it’s the one who TRUSTS you enough to come back again and again.
What is your experience in balancing profitability with customer trust? Tap that never-overwhelming reply arrow and tell me.
Or reach out anytime to my team of product marketing strategists at Graphos Product.