subject: Free Samples That Are Not Free [print this page] With hundreds of free sample web sites offering free samples, how can you tell if a free sample is really a "free sample?" Online marketeers are pretty clever today. They know how to disguise free samples with junk samples really well. Hundreds of web sites promise to give you a free sample of their product if you will only give them some of your information by filling out a single short form. Sometimes this can be a trick! Companies know if they can get you to fill out one form with your information, you probably fill out 11 forms with your information. These 11 different forms will eventually take you to a final form where you will have to pay for something in order to get your free sample. That's a "not-so-free-free-sample!"
For the fist tip, I recommend noticing where the free sample is put on a web page. For the second tip, I would advise seeing what the link looks like once you've clicked on the free sample. The third tip would be see how many pages are on the landing page of the free sample you just clicked on.
1. Noticing where the free sample is put on a web page. Web sites that promote free samples tend to put their paid free sample offers on the top or side banners. Let me explain that there are "junk" offers and "paid" offers. Try to avoid Junk offers at all costs. Paid offers are usually good. Offer that are paid usually come from companies who are willing to pay certain web sites to promote a free sample they have because they want to bring people to their website. Sadly, the difference with a "junk" offer is that they will lead into filling out form after form only to find out at the end that you will have to pay for something in order to get you free sample.
2. Seeing what the link looks like once you've clicked on the free sample. If the sample is a "junk" sample, it will take you to a web page that doesn't have anything linking to the actual company's web site that is giving away the free sample. I'll use Diet Coke as an example. It the sample is "junk," the link it takes you to will not have any affiliation with Coca-Cola. If the sample is really being given away by Coca-Cola, it will link you to a page that might say www.coca-cola.com/promotion_sample.
3. Notice how many pages the free sample link takes you to. This corresponds with tip #2 above. If a you click on a free sample and the link takes you to a web page that doesn't have a header page, that usually means it's a junk sample. If you can explore more on the web page and look around the site, usually it's a real sample and you will not have to fill out a lot.
Ultimately, anytime you are searching and requesting for free samples you run the risk of falling victim to the "junk" samples. If you follow the three tips listed above, you will stand a greater chance of actually get real free samples. Nothing beats walking out to that mail box and seeing all the great free stuff you get! It's like a mini Christmas for just you everyday!
