Free sample

A product sample is a sample of a consumer product that is given to the consumer free of cost so that he or she may try a product before committing to a purchase.

A free sample or "freebie" is a portion of food or other product (for example beauty products) given to consumers in shopping malls, supermarkets, retail stores, or through other channels (such as via the Internet). Sometimes samples of non-perishable items are included in direct marketing mailings. The purpose of a free sample is to acquaint the consumer with a new product, and is similar to the concept of a test drive, in that a customer is able to try out a product before purchasing it.

Although an expensive method of targeting customers, conversions to sales can be as high as 90% making it one of the main marketing strategies for certain markets. With effective sampling, marketers can create brand loyalty and assist in the launch of a product through the word of mouth.

Many consumer product companies now offer free samples through their websites, to encourage consumers to use the products regularly, and to gather data for mailing lists of potentially interested customers. Paint chips are samples of paint colors that are sometimes offered as free samples.

Companies such as C.A. Courtesy, Costco, Sam's Club, Food Courts and Grocery Stores give out free samples to customers to persuade a customer to buy the product.

The expansion of online marketing with regards to promotional giveaways has facilitated the rise of "Freebie sites" that seek to aggregate all promotional free sample offers in one place. These sites will often compile free product samples from all over the World Wide Web and categorize them by type. Some product sample offers may require consumers to complete a survey or refer a friend in order to qualify for the freebies. When all requirements are fulfilled, the product samples are shipped to the consumer. Some sample products might be digital goods, where sample might be closely related to a product trial.

19th Century soap manufacturer Benjamin T. Babbitt was one of the first known people, though not the first ever, to offer free samples of his products.

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Wikipedia