Samples

[ladysj]

I'm adding a samples section to my website. I'm thinking of offering them for $1.00 shipping included. What do you think about this idea? For those of you that offer samples how do you do them? I figured this would be a good way to at least get some of my product out there. I am getting visits to my site so I thought this might be a good opportunity.

[kidsngarden]

I don't think I would send out samples without a real purchase, mostly because I don't want to spend the time on that.

I do however ALWAYS send out samples with orders.

Bethany

[beesweet]

I second that. You would be surprised at the number of people who will buy samples and never a "real" order. You'll waste all your energy on samples when you could be working on other means of getting your products "out there".

[Kimberly]

I totally agree with the other 2 posts. I am working on my website also and I have plans of offering "Free Sample with EVERY Purchase". Taking my cue from Alan and Nachelle:D

Even now, if someone orders candles...I always add a B&B sample. If someone orders B&B...I some sort of candle sample like a tart or votive.(this is if they are strictly a B&B customer)

I have had people ask to buy samples and I always tell them they are not for sale...But FREEE with a purchase!

[BLSoaps]

I've seen some that offer sampler packs. It includes a half dozen or so of your most popular products. But by knowing exactly what you're selling in this pack, it's easier to make up the sets ahead of time, and have them ready to toss in a box when they're ordered. I kind of go both routes, but this is more for our supply business, rather than our retail business. I have samples available of our lotion, and sell quite a few of them. For me, it's definitely beneficial. But selling samples will be time consuming. So make sure whatever you decide to do, that it works out time wise for you. And one bit of advice, I don't 'advertise' that I include a sample in every order. I almost always do, but if I forget, or if I find myself without any made up, I'm not going to have an upset customer when they get a box without a sampler. Well, maybe with the exception of Shannon, who has admitted she loves seeing what lip balm I've tucked in her box this time! LOL!

But selling samples can be very beneficial. But make sure they're priced right for the size you're selling (my lotions are two oz jars), and also that it doesn't end up being overwhelming for you time wise. If you get tons of orders of little samples, and they're all different, that's going to be a lot of labor for you, and not a whole lot of compensation coming in for it.

[RobinInOR]

I'm always making up soap samples - I give them away free with an order, I give them away at fairs and markets, and I sell them on my website in a multiple set. On my site I get about the same amount of $ as I'd get for a bar of soap the same total weight, and it's not too onerous to cut and wrap them. The customer can try 5 different scents instead of one, and I've found that about 65-70% come back and order full bars.

[mystical_angel1219]

Samples are a small investment in future sales.

Plus everyone loves the word *free* in any context.

[HeavenScentU]

That would be great if you can ship a sample and include postage all for $1.00? That might bring you alot more business. It is worth a try.

[Crafty1]

i sell and give away samples with every order. i don't advertise "free samples" with every purchase for the same reason that Lindsay said. I offer a soap sampler pack, which consists of 4 (1 oz or so) soaps, that comes out a little more than a bar of soap. i also offer a sampler pack, which is not on my site, that consist of 1 oz of body wash, 1 oz lotion, lip balm, and 1 oz body butter. they sell very well for me at craft fairs and from that i get repeat customers. to me it is a way for customers to sample your products without committing to a large qty.

samples have been very beneficial for me. from them i have received repeat customers who come back and buy full product and then in turn buy more sample packs to give away to friends/family, who talso come back and buy. They are also great for the holiday gift-giving season.

as for the time involved, i don't make up a special batch just for samples, i always have more than enough lotion, body wash, etc left over from filling full size products that i in turn use for samples.

i hope all that i said makes sense. HTH

[Crafty1]

oops! forgot to mention, try the sample thingie on your site, you will never know if it will work for you if you don't give it a shot. what may sell well in other areas may not do as well in some and vice versa

[kidsngarden]

I do like the idea of a "sampler pack" Something you could sell for between 5-10 bucks. That's a good idea.

I do give out TONS of samples. At the bank, at the store, at church. And I do get at least 2/3 of the folks buying from me. But that's all just in my day to day. I don't have to make a special effort mailing, etc.

Someone told me that the other two soap vendors at the farmer's market I'll be at this summer NEVER hand out samples - what a mistake!

Bethany

[Noodle]

I don't think I would send out samples without a real purchase, mostly because I don't want to spend the time on that.

I do however ALWAYS send out samples with orders.

YES! YES! YES! This is great advice. I used to sell samples and it was a nightmare. You made practically nothing and it was very time consuming.

[MarsBars]

I too used to sell samples and it was too much work for a little bit of money. Now I premake them and throw them in with orders and I offer a sample pack for very cheap with a $15 minimum order and a limit of three sample packs per order and have priced it for more.

[Candle Man]

I give out some Free samples but mostely I sell Trial Size Sets in B&B. My set includes Lotion, Body Mist & Shower Gel all in a 1oz size for $6.00. That way the customer can try before they buy the larger size. Some customers want to see if they like the scent, can wear the scent (not everybody can wear the same scent because of body chemistry) or the quality of the product. Then I know some are buying them for cheep gifts, this town is full of cheep people. They want something for nothing.

[jldorrington]

where does everyone get their sample containors from?

[kidsngarden]

Container and supply

Elements bath and body

SKS

Specialty bottle

Those are the companies I have used so far. I really like container and supply because you can really mix and match lids to bottles, etc. And since I'm in WA and most of thier things ship from ID I get them really fast.

The majority of my packaging though has come from Elements bath and body. They have limited selection, but they are the only place I have found .5 oz twist tubes for my body balm. Great customer service too.

Bethany