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I’ve just come off the ‘phone from having a conversation with someone about the organic baby clothes I manufacture.
The caller was actually on behalf of members of his family who want to start an online business retailing ethical children’s clothes. I’m assuming that he must be quite new to the business as he first wanted to visit me in person (until he discovered I don’t live in London anymore!) So far so good.
But then the conversation turned to “checking the quality” and he asked for a sample. Now, over the last couple of years I’ve had some requests (most peeps I have to say don’t ask for samples). But those that do are happy to pay trade prices for items.
When I was starting out I did give free samples – but you know what? No potential retailer who asked for a free sample ever placed an order! However, those that paid for samples always did.
In fact, I’m sad to report that there’s one self-employed mum at least out there who has asked others for freebies for her kids and then doesn’t place orders – I know this because it happened to me and some one else I know from the same online business network. There’s probably more out there who’ve encountered this too.
But what’s the answer?
As a manufacturer, the quality of my clothing, I believe, is proven in my certification and the fact that I am stocked across the UK and export internationally. I’m a small business and can’t afford to give away free items to people who haven’t actually even got a business set up yet!
As a retailer, in my other business, I don’t ask my suppliers for free items to “check the quality” – instead I visit them at trade shows if I’ve any concerns, but on the whole I retail items from established businesses (like my own!) And don’t have any quality issues.
So, am I missing something here? Do you send out free samples to potential customers?
Be interested to hear your feedback!
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I have personally never expected to recieve samples for free. If it were creams, soaps etc it would be slightly different as you can provide smaller amounts as a taster. With clothing you can’t really do that. I would stick to your guns, offer them an item of clothing at wholesale price or tell them about the next event that you are attending. If they turn this down, then maybe they weren’t genuine customers in the first place.
Good luck x
This is a subject dear to my own heart, as I’m also often asked for samples! Now, I know my product isn’t as big as an item of clothing, and I have in the past sent out samples, but I’ve had the same experience; ie rarely getting an order from potential retailers who have aked for freebies!
I’m considering putting a code on the shopping basket of my site that would enable a retailer to buy a sample at trade price, but would be interested to hear other businesses opinions, too.
I do give out samples. Thankfully in my business I do get quite a bit of off-cuts and as we are stocked with products for personal use to last us for at least 2 centuries, I give those out as samples together with a catalogue to see the full sized versions. I do tell people who receive samples that they are off-cuts and although that does not affect their quality, they don’t look as nice as the real thing. If they would like anything better than that I offer them the travel-size / guest-size products that I also have, but these are not free.