Samples
Posted by Rob S on Wednesday, 29-Aug-2007
What they should do (regarding samples) is throw a few grams, enough for a few cigarettes, in a small plastic bag, and offer them free, per request, to anyone who makes a regular purchase. I've been wanting to try the Houseblend line, but at fifteen dollars a pop for their smallest unit, it's not very cost effective if I happen not to like it, or just feel so so about it...and if I'm in the mood to sample more than a few varieties while I have my credit card out, it can be an expensive and disappointing leap, so I tend to avoid it.
In bulk, small plastic bags can be fairly inexpensive, and I would think that the staff has access to all the different products on premises. The actual logistics of it might be another matter, but I would think that the prospect of attracting either more customers, or more of their products to their existing customers, makes good business sense.
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- Re: Samples
- Posted by Dave L on Wednesday, 29-Aug-2007
RYO Tobacco used to have quite a few $2, then $3, one ounce samples. Apparently they decided it was too much trouble and/or too costly and now offer smaller (6oz) packaging instead. American Thrust is the only retailer I know that's still offering $1 1oz samples. They've got to be loosing money on it but I'll bet it increases their customer base/bottom line.
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One of the great things about MYO is the choices/variety. Unfortunately finding the really good (to you) stuff takes experimentation. I've accumulated a lot of tobacco that I don't really care for and I think more than twice about spending more than a few bucks to try something new. Having found some blends I really like (Stokkebye's) and a retailer that's done well by me (prices and reliability) I've been experimenting a lot less than I used to. Ten bucks on a can here and there isn't a really big deal but the money and the tobacco add up. I would love to see more folks offering samples.
I placed an order with RYOT when they had samples and I would likely have become a customer as a result. The problem was that between my first order and my getting ready to buy more tobacco, the Sagamore Mild American and Harvest #2 were discontinued (and the Virginia added). My goal is to keep shipping to 10% or less and to only buy one or two unknowns (> few ounces/$'s) at a time. With two of the known no longer available, I didn't have enough for an order... Not strictly true but I have a hard time justifying their noticeably higher prices on some items.