Managing Free Samples

[JarnoBroekkamp]

Hello Everyone,

I run a perfume brand and offer a free 3ml sample (limited to one per person) to potential customers, but we want to encourage them to purchase full-sized bottles (100ml). The concern is that some customers may just order another 3ml sample instead of committing to the full-size bottle, which could lead to them essentially "stealing" our samples.

Does anyone have suggestions or strategies on how to handle this issue in Shopify? Specifically:

• How can we restrict customers from ordering multiple samples after they've received their free one?
• How can we use Shopify tools or apps to enforce this while still providing a great customer experience?
• What are the best practices for balancing free samples and encouraging larger purchases without deterring customers?

I appreciate your insights!

[NeilMaggy]

Hi Jarno,

Lots of brands use my app to manage free samples: https://apps.shopify.com/creator-gift-link. Its meant for influencers, but yes brands use my links to send free samples to customers. The links have can order limit of one, so once an order is placed thru the link it expires and cant be sent around (like leaked discount codes). 

I know this may not be what you are looking for, because it does not encourage them to purchase a full-sized one, but I thought I would throw it out there. 

[Ellie-BOGOS]

Hi @JarnoBroekkamp 

This is Ellie from BOGOS: Free gifts, Discounts and Bundles

I’d love to help you with your question! First, could you let me know if you want to encourage customers to buy the 100ml bottle from the start, or if you want them to buy it after they’ve received the free 3ml bottle? The solution will be different depending on which approach you prefer

Case 1: Encouraging purchase of the 100ml from the start

• To encourage customers to buy the 100ml, you could offer a special discount or sales promotion. For example, try a bigger discount on the 100ml bottle, so it's more appealing than your original price.

• To avoid customers "stealing" the 3ml bottle, consider setting a higher price for it or don't allow customers to purchase it separately.

• You can make the 100ml bottle look like a better deal than the 3ml. Example: offer $30 off both bottles when customers purchase on your store, which gives them a chance to grab the 3ml for free OR buy the 100ml at a special price they can’t get elsewhere. Customers are more likely to notice the value of the 100ml bottle with this tactic. BOGOS app can help you do it, including limiting it to one per person. See my screenshot below.

Case 2: Motivating customers to buy the 100ml after receiving the free 3ml

• You could nurture these customers through email or push notifications. For this, you can tag customers who received the 3ml and send them personalized messages highlighting the benefits of buying the 100ml. Try offering them a private discount too

• Make sure to optimized the experience when customers use the 3ml sample. I mean the quality, the packaging etc of it should be nice if you want to encourage them to buy the 100ml. We can’t force customers to buy, but we can encourage them with good deals and great experiences.

Let me know if you have any more questions! I’m happy to help. 😊

Best,

Ellie from BOGOS