We’ve covered where to get freebies, how to get them, and how to know if they are legitimate. But what happens once you receive them?
The supplier is hoping that you will fall in love with their product and become a new loyal customer. Of course, you should not feel obligated to do so just because they sent you a free sample. It’s possible you did not even like the product.
But what if you do? Are freebies a temptation to spend more? It is a worthy question to ask yourself.
I recently received a sample of Instant Cream of Wheat. Food samples do not last long in my house. I enjoyed it the very next morning for breakfast.
I honestly could not remember the last time I ate Cream of Wheat. Probably not since childhood. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised! It was delicious, and I ate every last drop.
The sample smartly included a $1.00 coupon. Sure enough, a box of Maple Brown Sugar Instant Cream of Wheat is now sitting in my pantry. I am hooked. Their marketing strategy did its job.
I certainly cannot say this of the many, many samples I have tried. I do appreciate the way free samples come in handy, and even help stretch our budget. But every once in a while, a free sample becomes a new favorite.
What freebies have you tried that you liked enough to actually purchase? Do freebies affect your purchasing decisions?
Ohhh!!!! Cream of Wheat! I got that sample a while ago too and boy was is delish. I hadn’t had it since childhood either and let me tell you, I went out to get it with the $1 off Q and paid $2 and some change at Wally World for it. Yeah, marketing strategies do sometimes hook us!
Thanks for the post Alyssa!
This is how I felt when I got the mini delights! boy, those are good! I was so excited to get a coupon with it, too!
Ooo, those mini delights ARE good! I admit I’ve bought some to splurge on! The Cream of Wheat surprised me, too. I wasn’t expecting it to be good, but it really was!
I liked the mini delights, but thought they were too small. I guess I’ll have to try the regular sized ones. 😉
Cream of Wheat is good for you! Lots of iron and other goodness. Mmmm….
Funny – I just bought some COW last week — it was in no way related to the freebie.
I really enjoyed my freebie of Ghiradelli Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares. There were so *good*!
The Chocolate Chex soon became a favorite around here after receiving the sample box! Oh and whenever I can get it really cheap w/ coupons the Turtle Chex Mix
I agree- the Maple Brown Sugar Cream of Wheat was great. I just received my sample this week and had it for breakfast. It had been years since I had last tried cream of wheat, and the new flavor was delicious. I also have my $1 off coupon set aside so I remember to pick up a box the next time I’m at the store. This is the first time in a very long time that I’ve been encouraged to buy something because of a sample.
I just signed up for the Cream of Wheat sample. My kids used to eat this all the time. As far as samples, I’d say about 25% I end up purchasing, 25% I find I would never purchase regardless of cost, and 50% I would buy with a coupon and an extremely good sale but not go out of my way. My daughter got hooked on the Dove Intense shampoo and condition and also Infinity pads through the samples. Because she’s now insistent on those brands, it’s also been an opportunity to teach her to shop wisely.
I had the exact same experience with the Cream of Wheat. I always liked it as a child, but the cinnamon flavor was new for me. I couldn’t get enough! When I did my couponing this week, I only made it to Kroger. They didn’t have that flavor, but I will make it to Wal-Mart soon! That sample really worked.
There haven’t been too many free samples that I’ve gotten recently that I’ve been in love with. I actually feel like I get to try more cool stuff with CVS and ECBs. Many times I buy things I wouldn’t necessarily buy b/c of a great deal with ecbs. Like the pricier face moisturizers, deoderant, etc. I have found some things that I LOVE. Some things I’ll buy again, it all depends. I did recently buy the Secret Flawless and really like it. I was buying the Secret Professional Strength. I compared them and the active ingredient is identical (I think it’s 1% off). I will now be buying the Flawless b/c it’s MUCH cheaper!
I recently received a free sample of Pledge Multi-Surface wipes and I tried them out on my two-year-old’s favorite window to smudge up. I really loved them! They wiped up all of the finger prints of who knows what and did not streak the window. Using the Pledge Multi-surface wipes has made me want to purchase them or the spray but I am sure I will only do it with a coupon and a sale. But I think I am hooked for sure. I can never seem to find the Windex in my home someone has always carried it off somewhere to use it on their car or something and never returns it to my cleaning supply cupboard. I will be buying the Pledge Multi-Surface soon.
My last sample that became a favorite was the chex mis turtle bar. I’m absolutely hooked on them.
The free sample from Quaker totally got me hooked on the Cheddar Cheese rice snacks, they are soooo good. Couponing in general though has been a great marketing tool, if you can call getting things for free a good sales strategy. I agree with the previous commenter that CVS has gotten me to try things I never would have dreamed of buying. The only thing is, I’m still not really brand loyal and I just go for what I can get for a great deal. I’ll be hooked on Garnier for the rest of my life the way they give that stuff away!
I did the same thing, and am now hooked on Cream of Wheat also. Wish I could find more coupons.