Redefining The Term “Free”

Free product samples are a pleasure to receive when they are genuinely free. Unfortunately, too many business owners are not completely honest when they describe their product samples as “free” items. The truth is that these business owners have found ways to ensure that their customers and prospective customers end up giving them something in exchange for the free samples.

One of the things they might do is transfer the customer who is seeking free product samples to another website where she has to respond to a questionnaire before she can receive the information that would help her to acquire the free samples. The problem with this kind of strategy is that it is deceptive. It juxtaposes the word “free” with an item that is not really free. It would be a completely different thing if the product samples were advertised as rewards for completing the questionnaire. Then there wouldn’t be any question of deceptive advertising: the woman would know right from the start that she was being asked to trade her time and knowledge for the product sample. She would be able to decide whether or not she wanted to make this trade instead of just sitting passively as they made the decision for her.

In some situations, the potential customer who is seeking a free product sample might find herself being rerouted to affiliates’ websites. There, instead of being given information about the free sample, she might encounter promotions of completely different products or services. She might even find that she has inadvertently given them her contact information or her payment information. The unfortunate thing about this kind of scheme is that those involved in it profit financially from it. Hence it is not likely that their consciences will be enough to check their behavior.

Ultimately, the only way for those seeking free product samples to protect themselves is to be wary whenever they are on the internet. They cannot afford to assume that the companies running free sample promotions actually mean what they say. If anything, they should start by assuming the worst. Only after a rigorous process of elimination should they be willing to give one or two companies the benefit of the doubt.

The rules that apply in one’s personal life should be transferred to dealings in the business world. Before committing to personal friendships, most people like to know the other person well. Trust isn’t automatic. Rather, it is built over time as a friend proves that he is worthy of that trust. The same caution should be applied to people’s dealings with companies that offer free product samples.