How many samples do you actually receive?

[jnsferris]

So, I've been thinking as I've posted some offers on here and noticed that a lot of these I've applied for a long, long time ago and haven't yet received.

Does this happen to you? Sometimes it happens with very reputable companies. (I never got the ones from Garnier Fructis or the various toothpaste samples I've signed up for from Aquafresh, which surprises me.) On the other hand, there are some samples I can always count on showing up, like the ones from Wal-Mart.

I will say that if anything I get comes damaged I do send an email to let the company know. One company (whoever makes Always/Secret?) sent me coupons and certificates for free items when I wrote to inform them that my package got to me ripped open with missing items. The coupons for the free items (Secret scented body spray) were actually better than the original free sample.

What's your take on the samples not showing up? I feel I really have no reason to complain because the company is offering me something free, but I do wonder why this happens so frequently.

I've thought of doing a follow up, like sending an email after a few months to mention that I hadn't yet received my sample, but I'm not sure if what I'm getting is worth all that work. What do you think?

[Duchesse]

To date I have not received one sample of toothpaste that I previously requested.

[Ima saver]

The ones from wal mart are very accurate. I have signed for many that i did not receive. i did get the two free bags of dog food. Instead of a grilling apron from Reynolds, they did send a note saying they ran out, but sent me a 50 cent coupon that doubled.

[rob62521]

There are a few samples I haven't received like the one from Reynolds for the crockpot bag. Some have taken a long time, but they are free so I can't complain.

[becky4201]

I never got the Reynolds crockpot bag, but my mother and sister have.

[frugalelf]

I joined a long time ago but only in the past two months have really had fun sending for samples. Does anyone else keep a journal of every sample you send for?? I put the date in one column, then a quick description. I check them off as they come. Gosh, I send for so many! So far, I've done alright but time will tell. Some do say 6-8 weeks, and probably end up taking longer. Walmart by far is the most reliable and very speedy. Me personally, I don't feel too grateful....they offer free products and they should send them! It's business.

[jnsferris]

Okay, just to see what happened, I sent an email to the people at Aquafresh and let them know that I had requested samples from them and not received them and that others I knew had also not received theirs, so I will have to wait and see what they say! I'm also going to send a note to Garnier-Fructis about their Shampoo.

The log thing is a cool idea and doesn't seem like it would take long. Maybe I'll give it a try.

[markio26]

state farm sent me 2 books i requested for free, i always receive the religious freebies and of course wmt.... alot of the rest i do not receive in oh... maybe it is better for freebies in diff. states????????????????????

[Amber]

I Receive Alot Of What I Request/or At Least A Response

[nanda603]

Walmart always comes thru for me as does Dove. I have received Fructis samples. Maybe I'll start keeping track too. I track rebates but never thought of tracking sample requests.

[rob62521]

Dove is really good about sending their freebies as is Olay. I saw the baby book from State Farm and passed that along to some expecting mom's and they were very happy about receiving it. I have sent in for some denture cleaning stuff for my mom and have never received it.

[jodi]

I started keeping a log in May after I notced the same thing. I have gotten the Aquafresh sample, as well as Tide, Olay sunscreen, Haed and Shoulders, and Playtex. Still waiting on Fructis (4-6 weeks, should be up next week), Welch's fruit snacks (8-12 weeks, up at the end of August), coffee sample (freecoffeesite.com, don't think that one is coming), free bag of Nutro dog food (way late). All my other samples are more recent, so I haven't seen any yet. Looking at my log, I would guess that I get 75-80% of the samples, which is actually more than I thought before I started the log.

[jnsferris]

Okay, so I got a reply back from the AquaFresh people, who said the samples were being sent out by "a separate entity" and that I would receive mine in the next few weeks. Haven't heard anything back yet about the shampoo. I'll let you know if anything shows up!

[mel1ksufan]

I have been keeping a log on all the freebies/samples that i do since I've started requesting. Its great it helps me keep track of what I have not received and it helps me know what I have signed up for so I don't duplicate. I do so many requests that I think I've probley received maybe 65-75 % I agree with you all, walmart is the most reliable. I spent an evening going through requests that I have not received, i emailed the companys or filled out another request form, the funny thing is some companys would tell me that I've already requested and am only able to request one sample, BUT the one sample never came and still has not arrived but on the other hand with some of the companys a second time around worked and the freebie arrived. Another thing I think is funny is when you get a follow up email from the company saying thanks and to look for my sample soon and it never comes??? I agree we shouldn't get angry it is free to us, but some of these samples that I've requested I really looked foreward to receiving and they never came?? I guess its just a fun past time.

[jnsferris]

Well, I started my log and that seems to be going well. Now I have a better idea of what's on the way.

My latest updates are: I called Covergirl about the sample of foundation that was torn open during mailing and had bled all over my other mail and they were v. nice and sent me a coupon for a free bottle of the same foundation. But, I will say that this is after I emailed them and the email got sent back to me saying there was a huge overload of emails and that I should just call the number on my product (which I didn't have.) There wasn't a number on the site, but I just happened to have an unopened eyeliner w/the toll free number on there, so I was able to call. I pointed out to the customer service person that it would be a lot better if they just had the number on their site because not everybody is going to have a product package with them.

I do want to say that I would never lie about something breaking in the mail, but I do think it's cool that when something does get messed up, which is a bummer, you can call them and they send you something else.

I just got a reply today from Garnier Fructis. It was an automated Thank You and they are forwarding it to the right people thing, which doesn't mean much because I've heard the same thing from other companies, but we'll see.

Since I'm doing this little experiment, I decided to go crazy and email Coty b/c I haven't received even one of the samples of any of their products I've signed up for. Which include about three different calgon items, the rimmel lipstick, the healing garden, and lots of perfume samples. So, I'll have to wait and see what happens with that. I tried to email rimmel from the site, but there was no contact info on there.

That's it for now!

[LuckyRobin]

I kept a log in the beginning and most stuff did eventually show up. I have never received any of the many coffee or tea samples that I have signed up for. Many were from April and May and none said more than 6 to 8 weeks but I have gone past 8 weeks on most. No toothpaste has come, ever. I've gotten shampoo from Garnier Fructis but not the hair coloring sample, yet. Nothing from John Freida. But I have gotten Nexxus, Sunsilk, Dove, Motion, and Herbal Essences shampoos and conditioners. I did get my healing garden sample right away. All of the deorderants came quickly. Olay has come quickly. Nothing from Coty. Jergens and Nivea lotions came. I'd say maybe 80 percent of my samples have come.

I did quit keeping a log last month. I figure if it comes it comes and if it doesn't, oh well.

[PRICEPLUS]

I don't know why companies would mess up on freebies. It costs a great deal of time and effort just to get people to try your product. I don't understand the mix ups!

[frugalelf]

Originally Posted by PRICEPLUS

I don't know why companies would mess up on freebies. It costs a great deal of time and effort just to get people to try your product. I don't understand the mix ups!

Boy, do I agree! Another hangup of mine is a lot of times there will be a new freebee posted and I go in to sign up for it and they say it's over, or they have had an overwelming response so it's closed,..etc...!

[karenkennakyle]

The Log Idea Is Brilliant....why Didn't I Think Of That? Thanks For Yor Tip!

[s.saver]

I have a terrible memory and sometimes I am pretty sure that I don't recieve al the samples I ask/apply for