# Free cologne sample with every full-size bottle: +5.4% conversion

- Outcome: Won
- Page type: Product page (Ecommerce)
- Elements: Free gifts & gift with purchase, Money-back guarantee & returns
- Test run by: [Visually](https://liftarchive.com/practitioners/visually/)
- Commentary by: LiftArchive (our analysis, not theirs)
- Original source: https://visually.io/public/case-studies/huron
- Page: https://liftarchive.com/test/huron-free-cologne-sample-with-full-size/

Huron 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.

## Result

**+5.4% conversion**

- 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.

## 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)

- 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.

## How to run this test

- 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
- Guardrail: Return rate
- Guardrail: Profit per order after sample cost
- Guardrail: 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.

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Credit: Visually ran this test and owns the result. Summary and commentary by LiftArchive (https://liftarchive.com/test/huron-free-cologne-sample-with-full-size/).
Usage: Free to use, quote and build on, with credit and a link: name the practitioner or organization that ran the test and link to its LiftArchive page. The results belong to the practitioners who ran and shared them; the summaries and commentary are LiftArchive's.