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What have you got free from a vendor??

Hi everyone,
Thought I would bring up a different topic??
So in my orders the obvious one is Stirling as they send you a wash soap sample with every order!! (seldom a AS balm sample)
But I have received:
B & M a nice sticker
Soap Commander also a nice sticker
Summer break soap a pencil
The Razor company on my 1st order received a couple soap samples
Usually my orders are not big maybe 30 or so at the most.
So add on to anything you received from a vendor that you did not expect??
Maybe a future order will be coming because they go that extra.
Thanks
 
Stirling has always added something to my order, even smaller orders. The last one was just three items and they sent along a balm sample. The one before included a sample of their almond hand soap (great scent, by the way).

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
A tuck of some other Russian blade with an order of 100 Voskhods, wasn't very impressed with either.
dave
 
The Handsome Grouse shave soap offers a free mug to first time customers

I've gotten many items from Stone Field Shave

Fendrihan lets you pick which samples to get with an order, but doesn't have much I'm interested in
 
I received a sample of Beale Street with my recent purchase from Lakewood Soaps. Got a small vial of AS splash with my order of B&M's Diamond--also a gumball wrapped to look like a baseball.
 
PAA usually sends samples of upcoming aftershaves or soaps so you can give him feedback before he actually puts them out, very intelligent and clever, I find his products top notch.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
"Never look a gift horse in the mouth" ... "there's no such thing as a free lunch".

Free samples are part of the business owner's business model. If he's doing free samples, you know that (unless his business plan is to be unprofitable and go out of business) he has factored those into the cost of doing business and is recouping the cost in his sales revenue. (Or else he's just doing online retail, and gets the samples from his suppliers ... and THEY have done the factoring of the cost into the price of their products ... that they wholesale to him to sell to you.)

Bottom line, the customer ends up paying for those "free" samples.

That being said, I see no end of comments from members here gushing over the "free samples" or other goodies they have received from such and such a retailer. I haven't needed to order ink from Goulet Pens for a few years but ... their orders used to always come with a couple candies tossed in (no doubt they still do that.)

Let's face it, no matter how analytical we want to be about it, that sort of gesture still even gets the most curmudgeonly of curmudgeons (like me) to get a little misty about "golly, they actually care about me". And honestly, for me it's the little hand-written note that usually makes the biggest impact on me, especially if it comes from "the big cheese" at the company, rather than a minion they hire to spend all day writing thank-you notes.

Bottom line, for me I want good products and good service at a good price. A vendor who can reliably deliver those three keys is (to me) the ideal vendor, and that's what's going to impress me the most rather than a few "goodies" tossed in the box before they tape it up.

*****
Example Number One

There was an online vendor I ordered nutritional supplements from for years. They typically shipped the items ordered, promptly, and there were no issues. Only once did I have an issue ... I ordered a bottle of "this" and a bottle of "that" .... and they sent me two bottles of "this" and none of "that". Now, I'll use it up in due course, but ... I need "that" and "this" costs significantly less than "that".

I e-mailed the company and explained. Very pleasant and apologetic e-mail response ... they are sending me "that" and I can keep the extra bottle of "this" free.

I remained a longstanding customer, although recently my needs and their product lines have both changed and I don't order there nearly as much as before. But would in a heartbeat.

*****
Example Number Two

Years ago, back when Simpson brushes were hard to get ahold of in North America, I ordered a "Major" turnback brush from one of the only vendors to be selling Simpson's at the time. Shortly after placing the order, I thought "hey, this guy sells MWF and Col Conk soaps as well ... I hear those are good and wouldn't mind trying them". So I e-mail the guy and ask if he can do an add-on with the brush to save on shipping and he says "sure". He sends me a paypal request for the cost of the two soaps ... paid ... aaaaaaaaand .... the brush arrives ... alone. No soap. E-mails to the guy about the soaps and promises to put them in the mail aaaaaaand ... still (more than a decade later) ... no soaps.

Free samples from this guy aren't going to convince me to place another order there! Well, that and (surprise surprise) he appears to have gone out of business.
 
"Never look a gift horse in the mouth" ... "there's no such thing as a free lunch".

Free samples are part of the business owner's business model. If he's doing free samples, you know that (unless his business plan is to be unprofitable and go out of business) he has factored those into the cost of doing business and is recouping the cost in his sales revenue. (Or else he's just doing online retail, and gets the samples from his suppliers ... and THEY have done the factoring of the cost into the price of their products ... that they wholesale to him to sell to you.)

Bottom line, the customer ends up paying for those "free" samples.

That being said, I see no end of comments from members here gushing over the "free samples" or other goodies they have received from such and such a retailer. I haven't needed to order ink from Goulet Pens for a few years but ... their orders used to always come with a couple candies tossed in (no doubt they still do that.)

Let's face it, no matter how analytical we want to be about it, that sort of gesture still even gets the most curmudgeonly of curmudgeons (like me) to get a little misty about "golly, they actually care about me". And honestly, for me it's the little hand-written note that usually makes the biggest impact on me, especially if it comes from "the big cheese" at the company, rather than a minion they hire to spend all day writing thank-you notes.

Bottom line, for me I want good products and good service at a good price. A vendor who can reliably deliver those three keys is (to me) the ideal vendor, and that's what's going to impress me the most rather than a few "goodies" tossed in the box before they tape it up.

*****
Example Number One

There was an online vendor I ordered nutritional supplements from for years. They typically shipped the items ordered, promptly, and there were no issues. Only once did I have an issue ... I ordered a bottle of "this" and a bottle of "that" .... and they sent me two bottles of "this" and none of "that". Now, I'll use it up in due course, but ... I need "that" and "this" costs significantly less than "that".

I e-mailed the company and explained. Very pleasant and apologetic e-mail response ... they are sending me "that" and I can keep the extra bottle of "this" free.

I remained a longstanding customer, although recently my needs and their product lines have both changed and I don't order there nearly as much as before. But would in a heartbeat.

*****
Example Number Two

Years ago, back when Simpson brushes were hard to get ahold of in North America, I ordered a "Major" turnback brush from one of the only vendors to be selling Simpson's at the time. Shortly after placing the order, I thought "hey, this guy sells MWF and Col Conk soaps as well ... I hear those are good and wouldn't mind trying them". So I e-mail the guy and ask if he can do an add-on with the brush to save on shipping and he says "sure". He sends me a paypal request for the cost of the two soaps ... paid ... aaaaaaaaand .... the brush arrives ... alone. No soap. E-mails to the guy about the soaps and promises to put them in the mail aaaaaaand ... still (more than a decade later) ... no soaps.

Free samples from this guy aren't going to convince me to place another order there! Well, that and (surprise surprise) he appears to have gone out of business.

Thank for the long explanation.

I do also enjoy the had written letter as well.
But they do not have to put anything in because we do not ask for free stuff. Our business is important to them and to me yes great customer service(quick reliable) is the most important. But free stuff AND great customer service is BETTER!! Prices in this market are VERY competitive.
And really calling someone who works hard a MIMION is quit downgrading. I am not a big cheese where I work and would hope a letter from ME who did all the hard work would be as appreciated as anyone??
 
The Handsome Grouse shave soap offers a free mug to first time customers

I've gotten many items from Stone Field Shave


Fendrihan lets you pick which samples to get with an order, but doesn't have much I'm interested in

I know better than to go check out stores "Just to look" I swear I know better.
Yeah.... It cost me 37 bucks to "look" at The handsome grouse. :blush:
 
ATT sends a tuck of Astra blades with their razors and I seem to recall some other razor makers do the same.

The most generous gift I received was from Grooming Dept. I posted in a thread an issue I had with one of their soaps. We PMed each other a few times and a few days later I received a new shave soap and samples of their post-shave serum and pre-shave product. I liked the preshave product so much I ordered a full-size jar as well as another soap.
 
Captain’s choice-The Captain is great he has sent me multiple trial size balms, soaps, after shaves and creams. He also sent a hand written note in every order and then in one order he sent me a full size North shave cream and balm. I love his products

Lisa Natural herbal creations- she has sent me a few shave balm samples which I wound up buying and I keep the samples in my travel kit and refill them she has also sent me several soap samples

Stone cottage soapworks- sen me a free unscented premium shave soap with my ordered I did order a good bit of shave soap due to it being on sale for $6 but I like the soaps and many of the scents there are several I will be keeping in my den when I run low

WSP- has sent me a few hand and body soap samples with shave soap

Barrister and mann- sent me a after shave sample

PAA- sent me a mysterious strum sample and some soap samples with brush orders

Soap of the gods- sent me a few soap samples when I ordered some soap(found there soap want for me but a friend wet shaves and I made his day when I piff’d it to him he loved it)

I find that I don’t order things expecting samples or free items but especially in the case of the Captain and LNHC I really liked what they sent and have ordered full sizes of items they sent me and in both of these cases I have found items that will be in my shave den as long as they are still made

I also like the companies that sell samples I ordered a sample of both of LNHC’s shampoo bars for my wife to try on a whim since she was always complaining about subpar shampoos she is now hooked on shampoo bars
 
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Captain's Choice is generous about the samples thrown in with orders.
I love the New Orleans term: lagniappe.
That word took a few turns getting to New Orleans

Yapa (Quechua) - Something added
la ñapa (American Spanish) - the extra or freebie
lagniappe (American French)
 
In my last order from Fendrihan:
Clubman Jeris Osage Rub Toner (2 ml)
Anthony Shave Cream (3 ml)
Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum (2 ml)​
Before that,
Brickell Maximum Strength Hand Balm (4 g)
Bluebeards Original Beard Saver (3 ml)
Fendrihan Sandalwood & Lavender Shaving Soap (18 g)​
Just enough of each to try it once.
I typically order just enough to make the $50 minimum to get free shipping, and that much usually gets you three sample items, which you select during checkout.
 
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