You know the feeling. You’re in a pharmacy or department store and you see the big image of a FREE bag of goodies. All you have to do is purchase a couple of products which, let’s face it, you weren’t 100% sold on before, but NOW… well you’d basically be losing money if you didn’t buy them! You walk away feeling great about your purchase and all your new goodies, which you’ll probably use for about a week before they either run out or you just go back to your normal products.
So are they really worth it? Here are a few things to consider before letting a Free Gift talk you into your next purchase.
Do you need it?
Look at the gift on offer. Are they products you’ll use right now, or would normally think of using? There’s no point forking out money to buy an extra item to qualify for a bag of little samples you won’t ever use. But if you could use an extra cleanser or lippy as a back up – go for it and have a play with some new things you might not normally get your hands on.
What’s the real dollar value?
Cosmetic companies might tell you the bonus pack is worth $150 but they don’t mention most sample sizes have no retail value because they cannot be sold individually. Unless the value for you is the chance to try a slew of products you have been curious about, be wary. Do you use the brand? Unless you are truly curious and like to try new things, it might be better to just step away from the counter. You’ll just end up with more fiddly little containers in your beauty cabinet.
Find a great retail assistant
Aim for an honest retail assistant who tells you prices up front. A good salesperson understands a busy woman won’t have time for a two-part serum process plus a toner and cream. Plus, your skin might not even call for all that. If what they’re showing you doesn’t work into your lifestyle or budget right now – it’s a waste of money. Don’t be afraid to ask questions because a good sales assistant will have all the answers and allow you to sample and look at products close up. Ask upfront what you need to spend to qualify for any free gift or offer – there’s nothing more embarrassing than walking up to the checkout with your purchase, asking for your free gift and finding out that you still don’t qualify (but now feel stuck with your big purchase). If you can’t really afford it – leave it. There will be another Gift With Purchase in a few months anyway!
Remember why they are free in the first place
These gifts are a glossy sales incentive for cosmetic companies to spike their sales. They are created not so much to reward clients as to increase profit for the brand. That being said, some brands do bring out some brilliant packs that make buying that extra beauty item worth it.
So do a quick stock take of what you really need before you step on the beauty floor, check whether what’s being offered works for you and your beauty routine.
See more:
Written by Lilly Potter
A beauty and fashion goddess with the mouth of a sailor, Lilly is our go-to for what’s happening in the world of celebs. With a green tea in hand 90% of the time, she loves photography, surfing and dominating board game nights. It’s a problem.
Favourite Disney film: Beauty & the Beast
They are so tempting, if I was going to buy the product that you need to, to receive the freebies that would be perfect and I might just change the brand that I was going to buy if a different brand was offering a freebie!
I am an absolute sucker for freebies or gift with purchase! The ‘buy two products and get this lovely free gift’ I am now really thinking about whether I would actually use the free gift or I am just being suckered into getting something for free…mostly it is the later.
So true! I often look at the little goodie bag and think, wow so cool. But then my mind turns to the multitude of cosmetic bags and toiletries at home under the sink, gathering dust. Time to walk away!