The Power of Samples

Oftentimes people don’t know they need something until they’ve tried it for themselves. This is where the power of samples comes in. Samples can be a powerful way to hook the customer’s attention and introduce them to a product they never would have considered for themselves but are now convinced that they need it in their life. A prominent example of this is Costco’s use of samples within their stores. So many customers walk by their sample stations and try a new object that was most definitely not on their list of items to get but somehow ends up in their cart. The people at these sample stations are tasked with selling these food items and convincing the customer that it is so delicious that they need to purchase it. Often, these salespeople will target customer’s children, baiting and offering the sample to them in the hopes that they will then do the selling for them and convince their parents that they need the food item. The foods chosen for these samples are chosen carefully, and oftentimes are a sweet, flavorful object that would entice children and ultimately the parent. This technique works in Costco’s favor by shifting the selling from the employee, to the child, where much of the power lies.