Although product sampling can take various forms, including distributing samples at retail locations, events, through direct mail, or via online platforms, the goal is the same: to provide consumers with a firsthand experience of the product’s features, quality, and benefits, ultimately driving sales and building brand loyalty.
Product sampling has a long history that dates back to ancient times, but its modern form began to take shape in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, pioneering companies such as Coca-Cola and P&G began to incorporate product sampling into their marketing strategies. Coca-Cola famously distributed free drink coupons as part of its early promotional efforts, while P&G sent out soap samples to households across the United States.
Despite having its roots in antiquity, product sampling remains an effective marketing strategy today, and it continues to be used by companies across various industries to promote their products. Recent world-disrupting pandemics aside, spending on product sampling continues to increase.
“People are engaging with product samples just as much as pre-COVID. But brands are still catching up to the same volume as they were sampling in the previous years” says Bekki Gredinger, SVP of Brand Partnerships at ARRIVED, a leading product sampling company. It’s only a matter of time. The data on sampling efficacy is clear: 73% of consumers indicate that a product sample prompts them to try an unfamiliar product. Product demos remain one of the most prominent marketing tactics that leverage buyer psychology to influence sales.
