Candybee Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Lately I have been getting several emails on my website from customers asking for free samples. Never ever got these before. In the past I used to get blog writers asking for samples to do reviews but this is not the same. They just ask for the samples period. Is this a new trend? How do you handle those requests? The only time I give out free samples is with a purchase or sometimes I will give out samples at a market or show I am doing but only on rare occasions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenancy Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I send samples with a purchase from my website. If someone is ordering mostly candles I might send them a soap or lotion to try but just from a request for free samples? No. I got scammed by a legit multimillion dollar yacht company and that left a really bad taste in my mouth for samples.. I also have soap samples on my display table in my store but even that gets annoying sometimes. There is always that one cheapo with the balls to take more than their share. I had one woman say she was giving them as Christmas gifts. Really ??!! I haven't gotten any requests from my site but if I did I would probably just ignore it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I simply say I do not offer free samples and leave it at that. Free samples are for paying customers. If you give out free samples to any one but a paying customer then you get put on that list that freebies seekers share that is all they are looking for is freebies. They have no intention of buy they just want stuff for free. One thing you can set up if you want to be able to offer people samples is a sample pack like where you give scent samples and they pay shipping. I did that for $2 I would put 1 cubes of 6 different scents and mail it. People that are really interested will be willing to pay that. I did that and it was pretty well received I would have customers adding on that with an order so they could check out scents that interested them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I only do it for paying customers. I used to make up small melts that I made in chocolate molds and bag & staple with a business card, but it got too costly. When I first starting selling online I thought it was a good idea to go to one of those "free things" website and place an ad and I would mail one of those melts to anyone who requested. Lo and behold I had over 21,000 requests in 4 hours. I had to put a maximum on it and say while supplies last! I was making and mailing for weeks. It did result in many new customers on the website but I don't think worth the work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 Don't worry I have no intention of sending free samples especially paying the postage for it. Was just wondering if this was a recent trend as lately I am getting several and never got them before. My site isn't exactly new either. There is no background or stories associated with the request like I own a store or write blog or I may become a customer. Just straight out requests for samples. Never seen this kind of email ever. But been getting several lately. So far I've just been deleting the emails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I offer trial sizes, an am in the process of bundling trials to raise the transaction amount to something reasonable. Nothing worse than taking the time to package tiny trial orders that make zero money. And like others include samples (of my choosing) with orders. Bold requests for free stuff by strangers, no thanks. One customer placed an order, then explained all the freebies in custom scents she expected. Where do people get the idea? Super annoying when people grab fistfuls of freebies, so I stopped that in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just2BHappy Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I agree, don't send them anything! As a customer, I know I'm taking a risk buying something scented online. I can't evaluate the product until I receive it, and relying on reviews only goes so far, as scent is so subjective. However, I would be willing to pay for small samples, along the lines of what Vicky suggested. Imagine walking into a brick and mortar store and just asking for free stuff! What kind of response would those people expect to get? "Hi Best Buy, can I have some free stuff?" (BTW, I worked in retail for a long time, and not ONCE did I have anyone do this. I've had people ask for discounts, or try to bargain to get product A free if they bought product B, but never straight up free. If they want it free, they just try to steal it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just2BHappy Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 (edited) 18 minutes ago, TallTayl said: One customer placed an order, then explained all the freebies in custom scents she expected. Where do people get the idea? This is apparently a common thing among some online vendors. I have never ordered from those who do it, but I have seen where it's sort of expected to receive some kind of "extra love" in your order. If you watch some youtube videos made by people who collect wax (the ones who have "stashes", and make "haul" and "collection" videos), you'll see it. I've even seen "Extra love received" as a permanent category on some wax review websites. ETA: I've never purchased from the vendors who do this, and as a customer I certainly don't expect it. There are also those vendors who don't include samples at all, or are upfront that they include one free scent shot per order (and it's random). I don't think any less of the vendors who don't send freebies. Edited February 28, 2016 by Just2BHappy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 31 minutes ago, TallTayl said: I offer trial sizes, an am in the process of bundling trials to raise the transaction amount to something reasonable. Nothing worse than taking the time to package tiny trial orders that make zero money. And like others include samples (of my choosing) with orders. Bold requests for free stuff by strangers, no thanks. One customer placed an order, then explained all the freebies in custom scents she expected. Where do people get the idea? Super annoying when people grab fistfuls of freebies, so I stopped that in person. When I first started out I used to have a little basket with tiny soap samples to give out to customers. I soon learned that nobody was buying. Just taking free samples. So I learned the hard way not to just give out free stuff. I think a lot of newbie sellers try it at least once until they realize it doesn't work. I even sell my end pieces of soap. I was surprized how many people loved buying them. So now every spring I gather up the end pieces of soap and sell them off. But they aren't free just half price as my regular soaps. But this trend in just sending an email simply saying "please send me some samples" with a name and address?!!! Why am I suddenly getting so many?!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Why you are getting them it is just your turn. Honestly they will just start happening and stop just as quickly when it is known you will not play their game. There are people out their that spend all their time emailing companies asking for freebies and it pays off for them amazingly enough. Companies need to stop catering to the freebie hunters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 On 2/28/2016 at 8:53 AM, Candybee said: Lately I have been getting several emails on my website from customers asking for free samples. Never ever got these before. In the past I used to get blog writers asking for samples to do reviews but this is not the same. They just ask for the samples period. Is this a new trend? How do you handle those requests? The only time I give out free samples is with a purchase or sometimes I will give out samples at a market or show I am doing but only on rare occasions. I have always gotten emails asking for free samples. Ever since I've been in business way back when (since I first had my domain back in '99). I would say, no, this is not a new trend. I get these requests on a weekly almost daily basis. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Fields Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 We only give samples to long-time customers when we have a new scent or product that we want them to assess. Otherwise they never get an opportunity to try them. Everyone else we don't. period. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted March 4, 2016 Author Share Posted March 4, 2016 I do the same with my long established wholesale accounts. Other than that I don't give out free samples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moneypenny Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Candybee I just received my first "freebie" email just yesterday. I have been in business almost 10 years and this is my first one. It was from a couple in Alabama that says they are opening a gift shop and wanted samples of my products. I will have to admit that I did toy with the idea of sending them a couple of trial sizes as I am really wanting to expand my wholesale. After reading this, I think I will delete it as I certainly don't want to be added to the "freebie sucker" list! Love this board!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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