They try before they buy

The free sample remains a potent selling tool, with new research from US company Arbitron showing customers are more likely to buy a product after trying a sample.

A new survey from the company shows 35% of people who tried a sample of a product bought it during that same shopping trip, while 60% said they would buy it again after sampling.

While only 28% of customers in the survey had been offered a free sample within the last three months, 64% of those say they accepted the product.

Arbitron executive Carl Edwards says: “[Sampling] is effective in making new customers aware of products, while also establishing a firmer identity with those consumers who have considered the product before.”