Offering Free Samples

Free samples are a great way to promote your store and attract new customers. Here are some of the reasons you should consider offering free samples:

• You can inform your consumers about your new products
• You can encourage customers to “test drive” the product before buying it
• This is a good way to attract new clients when you promote your free samples offer
• Free samples help get rid of slow-moving inventory

This is how you can offer free samples in the Online Store.

How to offer free samples

You can create separate products with regular weight, images, and zero price. A customer will be able to add these products to the cart separately or as a part of the order and proceed to checkout.

Shipping free samples

If free samples require shipping, the customer will enter the shipping address, place the order as usual, and pay for it.

However, if you want to ship samples for free, you can apply the free shipping setting for these products. Here's how you do it:

1. Go to Catalog > Products > Product details > Taxes and shipping. Alternatively, press at the arrow icon next to the product in your catalog. Click on Define Taxes & Shipping option in the drop-down menu.

2. Scroll down and choose the option Free shipping.

3. Click the Save button or press Ctrl-S on your keyboard to save the changes.

Paying for free samples

If the customer orders only free samples are ordered, you should consider skipping payment method selection for free orders. Here are the details on how to do it.

1. Go to Settings > General > Cart & Checkout.

2. Navigate to Checkout Settings.

3. Go to the Default payment status for orders with zero total option. 

4. Choose the option Accepted from the drop-down menu.

5. Click the Save button or press Ctrl-S to save changes.

If this option is enabled and the order total is zero, the Online Store will skip the payment method selection.

Offering promotional electronic goods 

Offering downloadable products (eBooks, video tutorials, etc) is a good way of attracting more sales. In case you are offering free digital products that do not require shipping, you should untick This product requires shipping option in the Product Details page.

Now you can attach a file to it which your customers will be able to download when the order is placed. 

Make sure to promote your free sample offer in social media and in your newsletter.