An Introduction to Product Sampling
Product sampling is the way for customers to trial a product first before buying. It is one of the most effective methods to help consumers discover your product.
Product sampling can take the form of anything from trying a food sample by an in-house chef in a supermarket, to being handed a new drink on the street by brand representatives.
Traditionally, sampling was categorised broadly into the following categories:
- On-street / experiential sampling
- In-store sampling
- Mail-out sampling
- Sampling at events
In this article, we will look at the evolution of product sampling, how it has changed in the face of extreme digitisation brought on by COVID-19 constraints in 2020, why it still remains an important part of the marketing mix today, and how to best optimise and ‘level-up’ your product sampling experience with your consumers so as to produce an effective sampling campaign to deliver ROI.
Digitisation: A forever changed marketing landscape
With the everyday lives of consumers increasingly being defined by a proliferation of digital culture, consumers are increasingly buying products online through e-commerce platforms and validating their purchasing decisions through via digital channels such as reviews and social media advocacy.
- Consumers have become hyper connected and rely more heavily on peers as a source of information, this corresponds with a decline in the effectiveness of traditional advertising methods (1).
- Building brand trust, exposure, visibility and credibility is achieved through a mix of digital and non-digital channels.
- OECD data shows that “Rapid advancements in digital technologies in recent years have transformed the ways in which households, firms and governments interact with each other. Digital activities have grown rapidly.” (ABS) (2) .
With 4 out of 5 Australians using some form of social media daily, we are now more digitally connected than ever before.
The acceleration of e-commerce
As we continue to shift more online, there has been an acceleration as indicated by the online sales as a % of total Australian retail turnover, particularly in non-food categories. The non-food categories tripled between July 2013 to January 2020, from 3.2% of sales to 10.3%, only to be accelerated further by the COVID-19 lockdown March & April 2020, seeing it peaking at 20.5% of all non-food sales. Stabilising to 15.2% of sales during July 2020 (5).
The ‘Experience Debt’ effect
In a paper, Deloitte (5) expressed concern that such prolific digitisation “can erode the fundamental elements of human connection”, that “despite efforts to replicate human behaviour and gestures through automation and AI, the essentials of human connection (eye contact, personal touch, empathy) remain irreplaceable by technology”. The emotional side effects of this leaving people feeling “isolated, underrepresented and unfulfilled” and that the “rapid pace of digital change is adding up to a build up of unintended consequences, which we call experience debt“.
From alcoholic drinks to test drives, real estate to perfume and cosmetics, experience debt effects products that embody sensory and immersive experiences. Ultimately, the communicatory mediums of see, touch, smell, hearing and taste have been significantly eroded overnight.
Cutting through the noise: Getting consumer attention via product sampling
With consumers exposed to more than 3,000 brand messages a day (6), the questions on the tip of every marketer’s tongue when looking to introduce new products to people are:
- How to position to be noticed above the others?
- Where the touch points of discovery reside?
- How can these touch points be leveraged?
Product sampling provides a key marketing channel for brands to help cut through the noise and be noticed by consumers. It allows consumers to discover and experience the products for themselves, resulting in increased likelihood of purchase and advocacy, often leading to a flow on effect of word-of-mouth. In this section, we look at the psychology of sampling, how sampling fits in the discovery process, and when product sampling is most often used.
The Psychology of Product Sampling: Why product sampling works
There are three primary psychological reasons that product sampling works:
- Risk aversion: As humans we are naturally risk-adverse and sampling provides a risk-free way for customers to experience a product first-hand. They can see, touch and feel it in a safe environment, and without commitment (7).
- Reciprocity: It has been found that humans have a natural tendency to reciprocity. If people are given something for free they have a natural tendency to feel an urge to give something back. Whether this means buying the product or recommending it. (7)
- Social Proof: Studies have found that people are far more likely to try something, believe in something, get behind a product or brand, if others do too. Product sampling seeds this process where peers become advocates and influencers establishing the credibility of your brand (8).
The impact of product sampling: When people see, hear, touch, feel and share something first-hand, they are far more likely to purchase it, advocate it, be loyal to it and develop an ongoing emotional connection with it and the brand behind it.
Research shows that product sampling is important in the product discovery process
To understand how people discovered new products, Social Soup conducted a survey in August 2020 with over 500 Australians.
The study found that the single best way to discover new products is by sampling, with 58% reporting that this was their preferred discovery method. This is followed by friend’s recommendation (WOM) with 9%, followed by reviews and social media ads, each with 7%.
This correlates with other research by Contagious which states:
- 73% of consumers reported that they are likely to buy a product after first having tried it (8).
- Less than 25% say the same thing after seeing a commercial on TV (8).
When to use product sampling
Product sampling is ultimately used in two instances:
- Promoting products that are new to market
- Extending awareness of established products
More commonly, brands use product sampling in the new-to-market phase. This is because the product awareness is low, and product sampling can be an efficient way to jump across the chasm from the early market to the late market on the adoption curve.
However, product sampling can also help lift sales for existing products, particularly in under performing items to help boost awareness and sales in order to avoid being delisted in-store.
Product sampling company insight:
- 75% of major companies use free samples as a promotional tool for their new products (9).
- 52% use it for their established products (9)
How COVID-19 changed the marketing game
COVID-19 had a significant impact on multiple fronts, ultimately changing how we interact with physical spaces, as well as where and how we spend our money. Broadly, the challenges presented to brands from COVID-19 sit in three main areas:
- Legal restrictions – which had impacted the footfall in stores and malls and also limited physical events
- Health concerns – with hygiene being top-of-mind for any human interaction
- Economic implications – people are choosing more carefully where they are spending their money
As a response to COVID-19, industry leaders recommended innovative ways to effectively insert and integrate experiential, sensory and immersive marketing methods directly into digital spheres.
The impact of COVID-19 on the consumer
As noted by Peekage (10), COVID-19 impacted the consumer decision making process on multiple fronts:
- Hesitancy to purchase products at physical stores: Many consumers are still wary of the threat crowded shops may pose to their health and safety. With social distancing becoming a new norm, new buying behaviour shows that a wave of consumers are opting to use e-commerce options and participating in digital product sampling programs instead of visiting physical stores.
- Consumer optimism: Many consumers in the US and in Europe expressed a decline in net optimism about the possibility of economic recovery and being able to resume normal day-to-day activities. Most consumers felt an immediate need to adapt to a more digital way of accessing products.
- Conscious consumption: Around 49% of consumers shopped more consciously. Due to the economic downturn of the disturbance, consumers are re-thought their consumption priorities. That’s why we saw a greater need for brands to adopt a smart product sampling strategy and let consumers test sample products pre-purchase.
- Acceptance of digital channels: Industries across the world now function on a digital level, and consumers adapted to this alternative way of accessing products. Digital product sampling solutions and e-commerce platforms became the new norm for consumers, and this has made way for digital product sampling companies to help brand’s reach a whole new class of consumers (10).
The Emerging ‘Sampling Gap’
Social Soup research indicated that COVID-19 presented significant challenges to the traditional sampling channels such as on-street sampling. Survey results showed a decrease in the receptiveness and comfort levels around being handed a physical product on the street, likely due to hygiene concerns, with 68% indicating that they would not be comfortable trying a product someone gave them on the street.
By contrast, at their own home or in someone else’s home was the preferred method with the vast majority (88%) being comfortable with this method.
This shows that while sampling is the number one way of discovering products, the traditional channels of sampling distribution were diminished, leading to a ‘sampling gap’.
When asked how they would like to sample products
When asked how they would like to sample products, increasingly people opted for mail-out options and in-store contactless pick-up.
Q: How would you like to trial new products in the future? Internal Social Soup Sampling Research, August 2020 (n=563).
““I prefer the idea of trying at home – I can take my time, look at it properly and am not under any pressure to react in front of the worker in the supermarket.” – Antonia, 35
“I’m happy to either go to the supermarket and pick up a sample with a code or for products to be mailed to me. I think it’s difficult with the COVID situation at the moment to hand out free products on the street.” – Eva, 45
The future of sampling and the way we moved forward in a disconnected world
A pathway for the future, we see –
- The increasing need for sampling and trial in the discovery process
- The elimination from the mix of most marketing assets that embody sensory mediums
- A reliance on digital channels
- Increasing experience debt
To bridge this gap we must,
- Reconsider how different channels and mediums can be leveraged
- Innovation in sampling and trial programs to build stronger connection and experiences with contactless considerations
- The emergence of phyigital programs combining digital and physical experiences
Levelling up Sampling Programs: How brands can respond to the changing world of sampling
With the sampling gap that emerged as a result of COVID-19, and with experience debt deepening as global digitisation accelerates, brands need to innovate in order to help bridge the gap, connect with their consumers on a deeper level and provide them with fulfilling experiences.
Ways in which brands are currently innovating in the sampling space to meet these challenges include:
- Contactless in-store pick up
- Kiosk dispensing of samples
- VR / AR integration with sampling
- Hygienic sampling through single-use
- Using influencers to enhance and amplify sampling campaigns
- Virtual events to add an experiential layer to sampling
- Phygitial experiences – where digital experience meet physical experiences
Contactless Sampling
A strong product sampling program continues to be vital for businesses. Contactless product sampling presents an opportunity as an effective way to connect to consumers to help access product samples, including contactless in-store pick up and kiosk sampling dispensers, making the sampling process easy and sanitary.
Delivering Targeted Samples Direct to People’s Homes
Perhaps one of the most effective strategies for reaching consumers is delivering product samples directly into the hands of consumers in their own home. This is both safe and hygienic, and unlike the spray and prey methods of handing out samples say at a supermarket, this method has the added benefit of sending the products directly to those who are most suitable for it. Targeting in this way makes the strategy highly cost effective and increases the ROI of a given campaign. The experience of unboxing a fun, exciting freebie at home is also a memorable and exciting experience for potential customers, which is likely to create reciprocity, brand loyalty and favorable sentiments toward your product and brand.
Case Study: Targeting Sampling via mail by Unilever
Unilever developed deodorants with key attributes and targeted American consumers who best matched these product attributes. The targeted consumers were able to choose a sample with the attribute which they desired. These samples were delivered direct to consumers’ homes via mail combined with a follow-up coupon redeemable in-store. Three weeks after their sample was delivered a survey was sent out, allowing Unilever to gather ratings, reviews and insights.
The outcomes:
- Targeting: 100% of samples delivered to the key target.
- Ratings & Reviews: 10X MORE than the average conversion of a post-purchase survey.
- CRM: 65% opt-in to Unilever CRM database.
AR / VR Integration
As AR / VR technologies improve and become more widely adopted, brands are integrating such technologies into digital sampling programs through “try-on” services. This has been particularly popular in the beauty category, where these try on services allow you to “try-on” different beauty products, including trying a hair colour through AR, a shade of lipstick and a foundation.
Hygienic & single use samples
In order to combat a lot of the hygiene concerns as well as legal restrictions that arose during COVID-19, brands adjusted how they distributed in-store samples to ensure that samples provided a safe environment.
Using influencers to create superior product sampling experiences
Put simply, product sampling plus micro-Influencers equates to significant product awareness and ROI. By adding the right mix of influencers in addition to everyday consumers on your sampling campaign, the product launch will deliver far greater reach, engagement and conversion.
True to their name, Influencers have the power to sell your product or service to their network of followers in a unique and authentic way. Through sharing bespoke sample selections or new product launches with targeted influencers, brands can create advocates that act as ambassadors and who in turn influence trial and purchase through producing high quality content and exposure to their engaged audience.
Influencers’ role in sampling campaigns can take many forms, from generating buzz and awareness, to content creation, education and how-to’s, unboxing, video reviews and more. Consideration in how product samples are presented are important as an important brand experience, as well as their overall experience with the product or service itself. Great content will lead to strong engagement, and together with amplification can make a sampling campaign soar.
Layering in virtual events to connect more deeply with the consumer
In response to this immediate need of consumers seeking more meaningful connections with brands and moving the experiential to digital, innovation in virtual events and direct-to-consumer platforms has become a priority. Whilst virtual and hybrid events are not new, COVID-19 forced an exponential increase in virtual events and significantly raised the bar in the quality and design of the experience, with the audiences becoming increasingly sophisticated, demanding a more social, innovative and engaging event. Digital events are now common and provide another powerful channel to connect brands and consumers driving brand awareness and engagement. People have taken to video conferencing and are open to the use of innovative technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. They want brands, event organisers and presenters to cater to different learning styles so they can more easily remember and recall what they learn and experience when attending virtual events.
Case Study Snapshot: Ovaltine Sleep Product Launch
To support the launch of Ovaltine Sleep, Social Soup activated a multi-tier creator and sampling strategy combining one mega creator, 120 micro creators and over 4,600 product samplers. Through authentic bedtime routines, peer-to-peer recommendations and review-led content, the campaign delivered strong trial, trust and repeat purchase outcomes. The program generated over 326 pieces of creator content, 2,600+ verified product reviews and more than 15,000 clicks to retail partners. Post-campaign brand uplift research showed 51% of respondents purchased Ovaltine Sleep after seeing creator content, with 47% continuing to repurchase, demonstrating the long-term impact of influencer-powered product sampling.
The win-win of virtual & hybrid events
Whilst live, onsite events offer an emotional connection to the content, the brand/product and audience, the new era of virtual and hybrid events are beginning to close this ‘experience gap’ and offer meaningful connections paired with amazing benefits for both brand and consumer, increasing value on all sides.
- Extended reach and open whole new markets
- Allow for greater participation and inclusion removing barriers such as travel, geographical location
- Reduced costs, greater and longer lasting ROI
- Video content takes the event beyond a one-time only activation and can feed your content marketing pipeline
- New ways to network and allow consumers to engage with the brand and each other
- Innovation in technology integration to elevate the digital experience
- Sustainable & more environmentally friendly
The future of events is a smarter hybrid model to meet consumer desire for a mix of physical interaction with digital discovery and engagement.
Phygital: The fusion of digital & physical experiences
Blending digital and physical experiences has been referred to as phygital marketing.
Phygital experiences can add value and counteract experience debt by augmenting physical experiences with digital capacities, and affording digital journeys with the emotional and humanising elements of physicality.
The future of product sampling marketing
We have seen a highly accelerated shift to digital and this has affected the ability of brands to connect with customers, in particular, those that rely heavily on experiential, immersive or sensory mediums. As a result, building brand love, trust, credibility and visibility presents a challenge. In response, brands have innovated around ways they integrated experiential marketing methods into the digital mix. Given its physical and immersive nature, product sampling has emerged as a highly effective way to bridge this experiential gap. We believe it is crucial to leverage this immersive channel in combination with others such as eWom campaigns and influencer marketing. This mix and these product sampling innovations are powerful, effective and efficient. As such, they are likely to persist as the new wave of digital experiential marketing.
Explore Social Soup’s Product Sampling Technology
If you’d like to learn how Social Soup delivers high-impact product sampling campaigns powered by creator networks and smart product sampling technology, our team can walk you through the full capability. Book a demo to explore our product sampling platform, performance dashboards and end-to-end campaign management, and access real-world case studies showing how brands are driving product trial, reviews, repeat purchase and measurable ROI.
References
- Consumer Affairs For Brands (2016) “Consumer Behaviour; Why consumers trust each other more than brands”
- Australian Government Productivity Commission & New Zealand Productivity Commission (2019) “Growing the Digital Economy in Australia and New Zealand; Maximising opportunities for SMEs” https://www.pc.gov.au/ research/completed/growing-digital-economy/growing-digital-economy.pdf. (p.10).
- Yellow Social Media Report (2020)
- ABS (2020) “ABS 8501.01 – Retail Trade, Australia” https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/retail-and-wholesale-trade/retail-trade-australia/latest-release
- Deloitte, (2020) “Deloitte Insights; 2020 Global Marketing Trend, Bringing Authenticity to Our Digital Age”
- Consumer Affairs for Brands (2016).
- Global Marketing Development Centre &, Sampler. “A Definitive Guide to Product Sampling” Vol. 1. https://www.gmdc.org/sites/default/files/assets/ pdf/adefinitive_guide_to_product_sampling.pdf,
- Contagious (2020) “Innovative Product Sampling and Product Trial Campaigns for the E-commerce Age”. https://www.contagious.com/news-and-viewscreative-product-trial-free-sampling-in-ecommerce-age
- https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aaa/2014/189062/ Analysis of Product Sampling for New Product Diffusion Incorporating Multiple-Unit Ownership (2014) Zhineng Hu, Yurong Pei, and Ruikun Xie
- Peekage (2020) “How to Reach Consumers During Covid-19 Using Product Sampling” https://peekage.com/blog/product-sampling-programs-during- covid19
- Globe New Wire (2020) “Vengo Offers End-to-End Contactless Sampling and Transactions; Integrating digital kiosks and mobile experience expands the distribution of data driven sampling programs in a safe and consumer-friendly process”, https://www.globenewswire.com/news release/2020/04/29/2024285/0/en/Vengo-Offers-End-to-End-Contactless- Sampling-and-Transactions.html
- B&T Magazine (2020) “VMO Unveils New Interactive Digital Sampling Kiosks” https://www.bandt.com.au/vmo-unveils-new-interactive-digital-sampling-kiosks/
- Sampler (2020) “Unilever Shopper Marketing Program Targets Hispanic Consumers”
- Cosmetics Business (2020) “Garnier Teams Up With Modiface to Launch New AI powered Try-On Tool, https://www.cosmeticsbusiness.com/news/article_page/Garnier_teams_up_with_Modiface_to_launch_new_AI_powered_try-on_tool/151901
- Trend Hunter (2020) “AR Beauty Mirrors”https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ar-beauty-mirror
- Trend Hunter (2020) “Lipstick Sampling”, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lipstick-sampling
- B&T Magazine (2020) “Jcdecaux Creates Custom Fragrance Sample Dispenser to Showcase Calvin Kleins New Genderless Scent”, https://www.bandt.com.au/jcdecaux-creates-custom-fragrance-sample-dispenser-to-showcase-calvin-kleins-new-genderless-scent/
- Retail Dive (2020) “Please Don’t Touch; The future of experiential marketing in the era of Coronavirus”, https://www.retaildive.com/news/please-dont- touchthe-future-of-experiential-retail-in-the-era-of-coronav/578885/
- FTC Record (2019) “Magnum x Saks Fifth Avenue Welcome NYFW” www.ftcrecord.com/post/magnum-x-saks-fifth-avenue-welcome-nyfw
- General Mills (2020) “From Cinemas to Sofas with Haagan Daz”. https://blog.generalmills.com/2020/05/from-cinemas-to-sofas-with-haagen-dazs.