Most people assume that getting a "freebie" means that you will get the item at absolutely no cost. Although on the surface this makes logical sense, the reality is that there are a wide variety of ways that "freebie" is used on the Internet. It's important to understand the different types of freebies that are out there and the meaning of each. Here is a list of typical freebie types offered:
Free Sample: This is the freebie that most people think of most often when the term "freebie" is mentioned. A free sample is when a product is given away (in most cases it will be a "trial" size although full size samples can be found from time to time) with the intention of letting you try it to see if you like it. The manufacturer is willing to give away a sample of the product and cover the shipping cost to you with the belief that when you try it, you'll like it enough to use it on a regular basis. These do not carry any hidden costs.
Free With Postage or SASE: This is where you receive a free sample of a product, but you're required to pay the postage of the item or send a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to receive it.
The issue to be careful of here is that the site providing the freebie isn't hiding the cost of the product inside the shipping charge. The good point with these freebies is that the legitimate offers are usually much better than you get from a free sample with free shipping.
Free With Purchase: This is where you receive an extra something at no extra cost when you purchase a certain product. For example, you get a free dog toy when you buy a bag of dog food. While these can be good deals if you were planning to buy or need the main product being sold, you need to be careful not to buy something you don't really need just because it comes with a free product attached.
Free After Rebate: This is where you initially pay for the product and then are able to send in some type of proof of purchase (this usually consists of the product's bar code with the store's receipt) to get your money back. While these are a great deal if you actually go through all the steps to get your rebate, a lot of people think they will, but don't in the end.
It's also important to read the fine print and terms before making the purchase. There is a good chance there are some restrictions which can make getting the rebate difficult. You want to take the time to know that you'll qualify for the rebate and can receive it with relatively little work before you purchase the item. If you don't, you may find that the freebie is not so free after all.
Free Trial: This is where you get a product or service at no cost for a certain period of time. Two classic examples of this type of freebie are a one month free membership or three free issues of a magazine. As with a free sample, the companies giving away the free trial hope that once you begin using their product or service, you'll continue to do so. Often these products or services can be quite expensive and they are a good way to try something for free that you think you might be interested in to see if it really does provide the benefit you hope.
Sometimes the free trial will be completely free with nothing for you to do once the trial period is over. In most instances, however, you'll be required submit a form of payment and then cancel the membership or subscription once the free trial period is over. If you don't or forget to, then you'll automatically be billed for the product or service. Since it's easy to forget these dates, your free trial can become quite expensive if you aren't organized and keep track of the dates.
Free Reward: This is where you receive a product or service for free after doing something or completing a task. A classic example of this freebie is receiving a product after filling out a survey or getting cash for opening an account of some type.
The first issue to take into consideration and weigh is whether the time spent doing the activity is ultimately worth the reward. If you have to spend 30 minutes filling out a survey for something you don't really want or need, it isn't a good way to spend your time.
Another issue to take into consideration is if completing the activity will cost you in some other way down the road. For example, applying for a credit card to get a freebie may effect your credit score that could have effects you never thought about down the road.
Free Shipping: This freebie has become the mantra to selling on the Internet. If you buy the product, you will receive free shipping. The issue to be aware of here is that the shipping has to be paid for somewhere, so you can make a pretty good assumption that the shipping fee is being passed onto you in some other way.
Examples of these hidden costs are "processing fees" or "handling fees" which are added to the cost of the product at the time of purchase. Even when these don't appear outright, you can be sure that the free shipping has been factored into the cost of the product.
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09-18-2004, 02:25 AM
The Different Types Of Freebies
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