I told you Costco's free sample thingies are trouble ...

[kenny]

momhappy posted this link to an article in The Atlantic.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/10/the-psychology-behind-costcos-free-samples/380969/

The article references and links to this 2011 study by the British Food Journal:



http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/00070701111177674

It is a pay to view article.
I did not pay and view it, but at the above link there is an outline.

Under Findings it says, "– Free sampling is very effective in inducing trial, especially among lower educated consumers. ...

momhappy didn't make that up.
I didn't make that up.
It is a finding of an investigation.

As always with every generalization there will be exceptions.
No biggie.
No reason feel slighted.

I think correlation of education level and acceptance/rejection of free sample is fascinating.
IMO nobody should feel ashamed of taking or refusing to accept free samples.

I love behind the curtain stuff about society, psychology, marketing, and people's behavior.

I'm just selfish and would prefer no traffic jams so I'm down on (not down with ) Costco's free samples.
I didn't mean to cause the end of the world.

 

[missy]

OK I admit it. We went to Costco yesterday and I had some samples. Couldn't resist. The vegan pizza was yummy as was the bean enchilada. Really good but I digress. The difference b/w PSers and other thoughtful people enjoying samples vs those who just think they are the center of the universe is that we take a sample and move out of the way of others. So no blocking aisles and causing gridlock. That is the difference and if everyone could just be thoughtful that way then shopping when samples are being offered would not be an unpleasant experience at times.

 

[momhappy]

I only posted the article because I thought the psychology behind free samples was interesting (why stores offer them, how they affect sales, etc.) - I wasn't promoting any sort of argument/line of reasoning, etc. and I don't think that kenny was either.

 

[kenny]

I only posted the article because I thought the psychology behind free samples was interesting (why stores offer them, how they affect sales, etc.) - I wasn't promoting any sort of argument/line of reasoning, etc. and I don't think that kenny was either.

What's interesting is the finding of the study just presented data.
Data is not the same as an argument.

Data is data.

An unspoken (but not necessarily true) thing is, if you present data X then of course you must support, agree with, be arguing for data X.
Not so.
But that's the way Internet fora work.