Do Free Samples Make You Buy?

Craig1981

Craig1981

Craig1981

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I noticed on my recent holiday to York that a lot of the shops were giving out free samples. Mostly edible stuff. Chocolates. Cheeses. Bread and olive oils. Even booze! And more often than not I found myself buying some of the product in question, whereas I might not have otherwise.

Do free samples have a similar effect on any of you?
 
Sometimes. Not quite what you asked but...

...I got some free samples of Tyrell's crisps through after making a complaint to them. Certainly helped me want to buy that brand in future. Simlarly, I got a £10 voucher from Tescos after buying some dodgy lamb and a £25 voucher from John Lewis for messing me about with a delivery. I'd happily give any of the above my custom again.

Compare this to the two letters of complaint I sent to Morrison's after experiencing some of the worst service I've ever had on multiple occasions (too long to list here). They gave me squat - barely even an apology. I haven't shopped there since.
 
Not really, unless it's exceptionally good and I'm unlikely to come across it again. I'm not very easily persuaded by that kind of thing.

Unlike my wife or MIL who are a salesman's dream, it's almost like they feel some sort of obligation to buy something because they've had a free sample or spent a few minutes talking about something. I've heard my MIL say "well it felt bad not buying anything" on more than one occasion, which I find hard to comprehend. You've just bought something you neither need nor want because you talked to the salesman about it for a while...?!
 
Sometimes.

In Westfield the pretzel store just baked some fresh pretzels and they were giving out samples and I couldn't help but buy one! I rarely ever do.
 
WillyNelson said:
Not really, unless it's exceptionally good and I'm unlikely to come across it again. I'm not very easily persuaded by that kind of thing.

Unlike my wife or MIL who are a salesman's dream, it's almost like they feel some sort of obligation to buy something because they've had a free sample or spent a few minutes talking about something. I've heard my MIL say "well it felt bad not buying anything" on more than one occasion, which I find hard to comprehend.
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Thats almost the way I was in York. Dont get me wrong. If I didnt like the product then I didnt buy it. But if I did enjoy it then I almost felt like I needed to buy something to save face.
 
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Yup Costco is fatal for it always end up with a case of something after a free samole
 
Yes. But then, I do buy for my business, and wouldn't even dream of ordering stuff from asia without a sample of the product.

And yes in normal life as well! Doesn't MAKE me, but certainly helps choose that product over another.
 
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