It's been known for, well, forever that sampling programs induce consumer trial and short-term sales boosts for both new and established products. Now it appears as though the positive immediate effect of sampling may have longer-term benefits for brands, as well.
According to research conducted by Knowledge Networks-PDI for PromoWorks, consumers who sampled a product were 11 percent more likely to buy it again over a 20-week period following trial. Interestingly, not only did consumers buy the product sampled, but they also bought other items within the same brand family. Brand franchise sales were up six percent over the same 20-week timeframe.
"It's always been understood to a certain degree that there is a lift during the event. The big 'a-ha' is the long-term impact and the effect a sampling event has on the franchise overall," Neal Heffernan, svp, gm at Knowledge Networks-PDI, told Brandweek.
The study is considered different than previous research on sampling because instead of using panel data or POS, shopper loyalty card data was tracked.
Bill Schober, managing director-content and editorial for the In-Store Marketing Institute, said in a press release, "Most important are the initial results that sampling is indeed measurable; that the long-term sales impact of a sampling event is far more significant than traditional 'day-of sales-lift' measures; and that sampling's utility extends beyond new product introductions."
Discussion Questions: Do you find added significance in the findings of the Knowledge Networks-PDI because it tracked the effectiveness of sampling programs using shopper loyalty card data? Are you surprised by the longer-term effects of sampling on not only the product being sampled but on brand families as well?