How digital product trials are driving real results in retail
The evolution of sampling and why retailers need to pay attention
Digital sampling is transforming how brands introduce products to consumers. Remember the excitement of receiving free perfume samples in magazines or being handed a tester at a department store? Some products simply need to be experienced before purchase.
Traditionally, brands relied on mass sampling – handing out new products at train stations or offering tasters in supermarkets – but the world has evolved. Now, digital sampling is making product trials more targeted, data-driven and trackable. This evolution isn’t just about convenience; it’s about creating meaningful consumer engagement that translates into measurable sales and loyalty.
With margins tighter than ever and customer acquisition costs soaring, brands and retailers are under immense pressure to make every marketing pound count. Traditional sampling, once a blunt instrument of mass distribution, has evolved into a highly targeted, data-driven strategy.
For example, L’Oréal has transitioned from traditional product giveaways to AI-powered digital sampling, enabling them to reach the right consumers through personalised, trackable campaigns. That not only introduces customers to new products but also drives measurable sales. This shift, accelerated by COVID-19 and changing consumer behaviours, has created an opportunity for retailers to rethink how they use sampling as a strategic tool.
Never Miss a Retail Update!So why should they pay attention now?
Sampling as a crucial part of the consumer journey
Today, sampling is no longer just a way to get products into consumers’ hands, it’s a data-rich customer acquisition and engagement tool. As Will, managing director and founder of Send Me a Sample, explains: “Well-designed digital sampling works as a crucial part of the consumer journey. By delivering more targeted product trials and getting products directly into the home, it’s one of the first steps in the consumer experience. A well-targeted at-home experience can drive loyalty enrolment and footfall into stores through incentivising tailored offers.”
This integration into wider retail strategies means that digital sampling can be leveraged alongside loyalty programmes, in-store promotions, and omnichannel marketing. With the ability to collect personal data, brands can follow up with consumers in a more personalised way, increasing engagement and purchase conversion rates.
The value of customer intelligence and marketing efficiency
With marketing budgets under pressure, brands can no longer afford to waste spend on broad, untargeted outreach. The true value of digital sampling lies in first-party data collection, allowing brands to understand exactly who their consumers are, how they engage with products, and what influences their purchasing decisions.
“Digital sampling isn’t just about a trial; it’s about building real relationships with consumers. By collecting first-party data through sampling campaigns, brands can continue engaging with potential customers long after the initial product trial, turning them into long-term buyers.” Says Will.
This customer intelligence approach allows retailers and brands to reduce waste, refine their targeting, and create personalised marketing campaigns based on actual consumer behaviour rather than assumptions. With data-driven insights, brands can retarget consumers with complementary product recommendations, exclusive offers, and even personalised loyalty rewards – ensuring that their marketing spend is working as efficiently as possible.
The role of AI and voice commerce in digital sampling
As technology continues to shape the retail industry, two emerging trends stand out: voice commerce and AI-driven recommendations.
“Both have a major role moving forward,” says Will. “Alexa is designed to make life more simple and seamless. It’s a great platform to enable sampling through any advertising medium; brands can activate digital sampling via offline comms such as TV or outdoor advertising. If a brand is looking to make it easy for consumers to discover and try a new product, there’s nothing easier than just saying, ‘Alexa, send me a sample of {brand name}.’”
Meanwhile, AI-powered sampling is already driving better targeting. For instance, Reckitt Benckiser has utilised AI-driven sampling to match consumers with personalised health and hygiene product samples, increasing trial-to-purchase rates significantly. By leveraging consumer data and predictive analytics, AI ensures that brands reach the right audience while reducing waste and improving efficiency.
“AI can power insight; it can be used to better match consumers and samples (and vice versa), meaning we can better anticipate their individual wants and needs,” Will adds. “This enables more powerful experiences and connections, while minimising wastage through poor targeting.”
Retailers need to capitalise on digital sampling
With the cost of customer acquisition and increased competition, retailers cannot afford to overlook digital sampling. Whether it’s integrating sampling into a loyalty programme, using it as a tool to drive footfall, or monetising their audience by offering sampling as a paid service to brands, digital sampling presents an opportunity to engage consumers in a way that’s both measurable and highly targeted.
Brands such as L’Oréal, Reckitt Benckiser, Bioderma, and Mars (Ceaser & Sheba) are already leveraging these strategies successfully. The question for retailers is not whether digital sampling works, but how quickly they can incorporate it into their own growth strategies.
Editors notes
According to industry reports, the digital product sampling market is expected to be worth over £3.97 billion by 2030, driven by brands investing in personalised and trackable product trials.
Traditional sampling methods may still have a place in marketing, but they are no longer enough. Retailers that embrace data-driven, AI-powered, and voice-activated sampling will not only enhance their customer experience but also tap into a rapidly growing market.
As Will puts it: “Retailers are sitting on a goldmine of opportunity when it comes to digital sampling. The brands that realise its full potential now will be the ones leading the market tomorrow.”
Will Glynn-Jones is the managing director and founder of Send Me a Sample, a leading digital sampling platform that helps brands reach highly targeted consumers through data-driven product trials. Launched in 2018, Send Me a Sample has revolutionised the way brands distribute samples, offering seamless integration across media channels including social platforms, voice assistants, and digital advertising. Now part of the Smollan Group, the company continues to drive innovation in consumer engagement and marketing effectiveness.
