Free cologne sample with every full-size bottle: +5.4% conversion
Test run byVisuallyTesting and CRO tool
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsHuron added a free sample to every full-size cologne order, and conversion rate went up 5.4% with no increase in returns.
Shoppers could try the sample first and send back the full-size bottle if they didn't like the scent.
Visually ran the test for the men's personal care brand and published it as a Visually case study.
- Conversion rate: +5.4%.
- Returns: no increase, even though the offer made returning easier to justify.
- Huron reported higher sales and profit despite the added product cost, but did not share figures.
- Sample size, test length and statistical confidence were not shared.
The change
The product page adds a free sample and a try-first return option.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
Full-size cologne was sold on its own, with no way to try the scent first.
Variant
Every full-size cologne came with a free sample. Shoppers could try the sample and return the full-size bottle if the scent wasn't right.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Buying a scent online is a gamble. A sample lets shoppers test it before opening the full bottle.
- The offer adds value and lowers risk at the same time, which makes the price easier to accept.
- Shoppers who like the sample keep the bottle, so the easier return didn't lead to more returns.
Caveats: This comes from a testing vendor's own case study. Sample size and statistical significance were not shared. Test length was also not shared. The offer combines a free gift and a try-first return option, so the lift can't be credited to one of them alone.
Who ran it
Visually ran this test for Huron and published the results (Visually case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Visually →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we include a free sample with every full-size bottle and let shoppers return the unopened bottle, then more shoppers will buy because they can try the product with no risk.
- Primary metric
- Conversion rate
- Guardrails
- Return rate
- Profit per order after sample cost
- Average order value
- Who should test it
- Brands selling products where fit or taste is hard to judge online, like fragrance, skincare or coffee. It probably won't help if samples are costly to make, or if returned products can't be resold.
Questions
Does a free sample with purchase increase sales?
For Huron's cologne it did, with a 5.4% lift in conversion rate.
It works best when shoppers can't judge the product online, like a scent.
Will a try-first offer lead to more returns?
Not in Huron's test, where returns did not rise.
Track your return rate closely anyway, because it depends on how well the product matches expectations.
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