The Power of Free Samples

If you’re wondering how effective free samples are in influencing consumer behavior, a new study by the Oregon Department of Human Services provides a powerful answer. According to an article on Salem-News.com,

Public health researchers analyzed survey responses from 2,684 new mothers. Almost 67 percent said they were breastfeeding at the time they left the hospital and were still given a free discharge pack containing infant formula. Further exploration of the data showed the women who received the free formula breastfed for a shorter time period than women who went home without a formula gift pack.

There is some debate as to whether this is good or bad from a public health standpoint (and one might spend some time considering the morality of the practice), but it’s certainly an indication that free samples have a strong effect on subsequent buying behavior. It’s hard to imagine a more personal decision than whether to breastfeed a baby, but the evidence indicates that sampling influences that decision more than a little.

 

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Categories: Advertising, Branding, Customer Loyalty, Marketing, Portland advertising, Portland marketing, Sales
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One thought on “The Power of Free Samples”

  1. Pingback: Hourly Rates, Eliot Spitzer and Formulas for Follow-Up: 9 Links Worth a Read « Brett’s Blog