Does free samples and personal notes on packing slips make a difference to you?

[bryaninaustin]

I am all about the freebies! "Personal" notes.....don't really care. I have placed the same order with one vendor every two months for at least a year and a half and it always comes with a note, but never samples or other goodies which I find a little disappointing. I am obviously a loyal customer, so throw me a bone and maybe try to win even more of my business.

 

[Fizzpop]

Free samples are a great way to get me to order more juices! I'll order what comes highly recommended from a trusted friend or if it is something I've tried. There are many juices that *sound* good, but that I'm not going to take a risk ordering. Tossing in some samples lets me try that vendor's juices risk free. I've discovered some gems I would have never ordered if not for being able to sample it.

 

[Nailz]

When we ordered a big bottle of vanilla coffee which we 1st got as a sample (went and ordered big bottle due to loving the sample), they sent another sample being banana strawberry, my wife likes the fruit flavors, but said she wouldn't of picked that as a flavor, as not big into the banana flavors, as it turns out, she loves that one sample too, so be another order to Mr.vape Inc again, just from them sending 2 sample, they have turned us into return customers, if it wasn't for the free samples, we would of never ordered again, as we didn't love the actual 1st flavor we ordered.

 

[Thefreeze336]

It's one of the things I love about Pink Spot Vapors, which is why I go back to them time and time again. Currently sitting infront of 120 ml of Fuzzy Navel On The Rocks (Menthol) and Peach Green Tea on the rocks. Personal note and sample every time!

 

[OhaiKrikket]

Assuming all other customer service aspects are equal? Yes, I'm absolutely more likely to order more from a company that provides samples than one that doesn't.

I currently order on the regular from three juice vendors. All three have juices that either I or my fiance enjoy. They all have a similar per ml price point on their smallest size juice packages (under $0.50 / ml).

The first provides a "sample" (read: free bottle & you can choose it) with any order over $15. They offer many customizations on their juices. They give SIGNIFICANT discounts for larger sized bottles. They also have excellent customer service, are quick to respond to emails & their forum threads, and if you get something that seems off in any way, they bend over backwards to remedy it. They get approximately 75% of my juice budget.

The second does not provide samples. They ship quickly. They are quick to respond to emails & forum threads. They are willing to customize juices to your taste (even if they don't explicitly say that on their website). When I pointed out a problem with their website, they gave me a free 10ml bottle of the juice I was trying to order the next time I placed an order (which was as soon as the problem was corrected on their end). They get about 20% of my juice budget - they're a very new vendor, and as they continue to expand their selection of flavors, it's likely to be more.

The final vendor does not give samples, takes longer to ship than I really care to wait. They do offer significant customization options, although some aren't well explained. They're terrible about updating their webpage (I've seen their "flavors of the week" be the same for 2 - 3 weeks, and they advertise a coupon code that expired weeks ago). I really haven't been terribly impressed with anything, except they have one really really good juice. They get about 5% of my juice budget, and I don't see that increasing anytime soon.

So, I guess - for me - I will reorder from someone if they have at least one outstanding juice (that I've tried), but I'm more interested in being a repeat customer somewhere where the service is amazing, and they're willing to work with me to get juices that *I* want, instead of what they want to offer me. But price is important too; and samples do - in my mind - figure into that. A free bottle of juice - especially when I can request pg/vg ratio, nic level, and even FLAVOR - makes the entire purchase a better value. I am sure there's many boutique vendors that have great service, offer samples, and have good juices - I'm just not willing to spend the price per ml it requires to "try out" their juices.

TL-DR - Samples absolutely matter. Other things just matter more.

 

[Spazmelda]

I always seem to get free samples that I can't stand. Like, if I order flavors, my freebie is invariably something I've tried and vowed never to touch again.

I'll pif them one of these days.

 

[theinlawjosie]

I can't say that either is "important" to me; however, you make a good point regarding SO many vendors being out there. The fact is that there are a LOT of vendors that do give free samples and/or personalized packaging/packaging slips. For a vendor to go about business without doing so comes off as a sort of arrogance to me... "we are so awesome that we don't need to give samples or personalize orders to get repeat business". If they are, in fact, that awesome, then good for them! If not, I can't see myself going back to them over another vendor with similar or even slightly lower appeal that offers free samples or personalized packages.

 

[theinlawjosie]

As a side note - my first order with MBV was an $80 order and I didn't get a free sample. I have since placed another, much cheaper order with them and received a freebie. May have been due to the 4th of July sale that was going on when I placed my first order with them? :shrug: Either way, I like their juice - especially the prices!

 

[23duncster23]

I'll take a freebie any day. I don't think I would want a personal message every time. I would feel bad that somebody is going way out of their way to write me a message for a small order or something. I'd prefer them to focus on new flavors or better products!

 

[Knittinglady]

Yes to both, and when they write my name on there, along with a thank you it makes me even happier.

 

[SFBrianT]

The free sample is nice, but if they don't offer them I'm not not going to order from them. Getting a hand written "Thanks!" on the packing slip is meh. The big "YOU ROCK!" written on the outside of the padded envelope I got from AVE did make me smile though.

 

[VapHer]

Yes, very much so! It seems more personalized to me


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[BlueMoods]

The things I appreciate are free samples, even just a 5 mil free sample with an order is enough to try a new flavor, or a tasting room in a brick and mortar shop. A note every order is not needed, that's probably done on mass, and everyone gets the same note but, the company I order my DIY from emails me every six or seven months and, offers me a discount on my next order based on what I have spent since the last discount they gave me - I appreciate that, it's a loyalty bonus. And a big one for me is free shipping on orders over a certain amount (over 50 USD with my supplier but, I think over 20 USD would be fair for pre mixed juice suppliers.) I also like the discount my local shop gives - they run one of their own custom blends for half price each month and, have a signature flavor that is always half price from the other flavors. Might not be my fave but, if I'm out of stuff to make my blend and, waiting for my order, thus short on cash, hey, it vapes and it's quick and cheap to get.

 

[vernhall]

Freebies or just a little note on the receipt makes my day when I get vape-mail... Shows the company appreciates my business and gives the impression, however true, that I'm more than just a number...

 

[rd2ruin]

Notes and samples and even s00per quick shipping times. Personally, all are nice but not important.

Packaging, consistency and quality. Now were talking fire-able offenses that really determine if I'll return or not.

It's all about what comes out of the bottle vs. what I was expecting. Everything else is besides the point, at least to me.

 

[samuraijill]

I just got a package from my new favorite vendor that included the 60 ml bottle of juice I paid for that thankfully tastes exactly like the 5 ml sample I tried. It also contained a small free sample of a new flavor, and a full 15 ml glass freebie of another flavor I actually wanted to try! My invoice also had a handwritten note making reference to an earlier email I'd sent them.

These touches go above and beyond the call of service and have served to create a personal relationship with me as a customer and guarantees my loyalty. It's how I run my business and what we all deserve for our money in a competitive market.

But if the juice sucks, there's no amount of service that can make that okay!

 

[LisaR]

I order juices based on what I like, not whether they send samples or hand-written notes. That said, Yes! I do appreciate them, and have more than once ordered a 30ml bottle of a juice that I originally got as a freebie, and ended up liking. The lack of samples or handwritten notes do not keep me from ordering from vendors if I like the product, though.

 

[chiwalker]

I do like free samples, as someone else said here, sometimes you get something you like so well you end up ordering more. I've set up more than one person with stuff from my sample box.(BTW, when you get a sample from Vaporbomb, they send it in the nic strength you order. Nice touch, and they always include one) It does not influence who I buy from, though.

I've had a few personal notes; also a nice touch. But the best personal touch for me is that they pay attention to what I order, the way I ordered it, and be courteous enough to email me if/when an order is delayed and why. That's personal service, to me. And if I ask a question, they get back to me in a timely fashion. Customer loyalty rewards are nice, a lot more vendors seem to be offering them. Lately, a vendor I patronize had a site glitch that was causing customers some problems, and as a thank you for being patient, they had a 24 hour 20% off sale. NICE.

 

[tnash]

A sample is not only a nice thing to do but a wise business investment. Their cost is negligable and you may like the sample more than what you ordered and order the sample flavor in a larger size next time. Has happened to me and in a flavor
I would never dream of ordering.

 

[Pam1384]

Of course the most important thing a vendor can do is to get my order right, send my item to me in a reasonable time frame and have it decently packaged. That really is obvious. I don't even mind if my order is delayed for a short period of time as long as they contact me to let me know. I expect all of the above and it is a reasonable expectation.

The extras are just that, extras. I love the personal touch. It might only take them a minute or two to do so but I remember it. Ordering online is usually a very impersonal experience so when they take that extra little step it impresses me. I think small free samples is a brilliant idea because as others have mentioned it might just be a flavor I end up enjoying and buying again. I certainly don't expect it though.