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Should we sample products nearing expiry?
I recently got samples of a new snacks brand delivered to my home. The packaging looked good and the declared shelf life was a year. However, when I checked the expiry date, it was just 10 days away!
I can understand the mindset of the company’s team. This pack could not be sold to consumers. It was due for a full write-off in just 10 days’ time. Why not give it away as a free sample? It would be accounted as a marketing expense, avoiding the dreaded entry of a write-off.
Let’s now examine it from consumers’ viewpoint. It seeded an impression in my mind that the company’s supply chain has issues. If I decide to pick up their products from a retail shelf, I must check the expiry date!
Did the sampling create a favourable or an unfavourable impression of the brand?
Free sampling has several unintended implications. Let’s be careful.