It's no secret now that Steve Jobs is issuing a $100 store credit to all iPhone customers who purchased a phone between June 29th and the recent price reduction. Anyone who has ever used a store credit knows first hand that you always wind up spending more money than the amount of the credit. Plus with the entire markup on the products Apple offers in its store they will probably break even or more than likely, make money.

So, can we consider the $100 store credit a gracious gesture or simply clever marketing?