We all love product samples. It is usually a free or cheap way of testing before buying. One thing I run across is most of the time the sample is not enough to get a clear picture of how the product will really work for you. This is particularly true for facial cleansers, moisturizers, shampoos and conditioners. Samples are really beneficial when determining what you don’t like.
Usually, with hair products, I will use it and initially my hair feels great. A week after buying it the product stops working and I wonder why I purchased that. With facial products, your face can react fairly strongly at first but that doesn’t mean the product is bad. It usually takes at least a week to see definable results, especially with a cleanser and you normally don’t get enough in the sample to test for that long.
As a marketing enthusiast I can tell you companies use small amounts for a reason. Smaller amounts tend to give really good results with regard to taste or performance. A famous example is the Pepsi Challenge. It was a blind taste test between Pepsi and Coca Cola and the announced winner was Pepsi. The reason is Pepsi is sweeter and subjects tended to choose it in small portions, however Coke is still the number one soda. This is because Pepsi is sweet and Coke is more drinkable it larger amounts.
There will be some products you try once and know immediately it’s not for you. There could be allergies you were unaware of or you see things you don’t like after one use. Samples can save you a bundle of cash by weeding out the products you may have been thinking about purchasing and pointing you in the direction of ones that work. If you aren’t careful you could spend a lot on trial and error.
There are always giveaways online and you can sign up for samples. This is also a way for companies to get your information to eventually use to market to you. I am a huge fan of my Birchbox subscription because for $10 a month I get a targeted number of larger samples and I don’t have to struggle through the weeds to find them. I get a great mix for a low price.
If you have a favorite way of getting samples please let us know. I love hearing from you!
Molly Beaupré 