Your Freebie Fail Is Not My Fault
You may have seen a free dog shampoo sample going around last month. I never got around to posting it on this site, but I know someone shared it with our Facebook page as well. The other day I got an email from the company.
Here is a partial copy of it below:
Basically it sounds like they are blaming freebie sites, like mine for their mistakes. If you are going to offer anything for free you should expect to get some kind of demand. It’s nice to try to make it up to those who signed up with codes and all that, but why do you feel the need to blame freebie sites first?
Everyday I spend hours searching to share freebies, coupons, and deals for my readers. Yes I get paid from the ads on my site, but most of the time these companies and freebies I write ABOUT aren’t paying me anything. (unless I state otherwise)
So I am advertising THEIR SITE and THEIR PRODUCTS for FREE. Then to see an email like that really makes me mad.
If this was the first time I’d let it go, but I’ve received several emails like this in the past. Since the “freebie sites” pick up their offers they either can’t handle the demand, or apologize they can’t send out the demand.
What if we didn’t write about the offer at all and no one signed up?
There Is An Exception
With the negative I also wanted to mention a company that I thought went above and beyond.
In November, Dentek offered free sample floss picks through Walmart. Several of the “freebie sites” including me (@NewFreeSamples) tweeted about the freebie.
Dentek went through, followed, and thanked nearly EVERYONE that tweeted about the freebie. I thought that was very cool, and appreciate companies reaching back out to those who are making these freebie campaigns successful.
I do it just because I like to share the freebies with everyone. Without our awesome Facebook community, I don’t know if it would be worth it! The thank you’s and appreciation for the free stuff is awesome and keeps me motivated. Even if I am just affecting lives in a small way, it still makes me feel good!
I think if they want to send out only X amount they should put a CAP on it.. so after say 2000 people requested it will close down the thing for requests like that seafood thing did earlier today. They are getting people coming to THEIR site and the sample is to try it out and if we like it we will buy from them. If they dont want our business then just keep your samples yourself. I never heard of that place PRIOR to seeing it on a freebie site. I would have NEVER have found or looked for it if i hadnt seen the freebie. From there i checked it out and i did actually like alot of their products. But i would like to TRY some of it first before spending 10-20 bucks on shampoo for my pets. If it is solely online how am i supposed to test it and smell it and see if its a product i would actully want to buy.
I’m sorry…I think it’s a little funny that they get their panties in a wad so to speak. Sorry that you are the one that they “lash out” at but I agree if they offer free samples they can’t then get upset about getting too many requests!
I got that email…..I did not like the blame game…cause I love this site and it made me feel guilty for being part of a free sample site…..but on the other hand I did feel sorry for a mom and pop operation that got overwhelmed and appreciated the email instead of getting nothing…
Now that just seems silly. If they don’t want a demand on free stuff then don’t offer it. But really I just can’t say anything because it really seems like common sense. You’d think they’d want advertising etc. Sounds really silly and lame to me!
The audacity of this company to imply it is somehow the free sample sites fault they will not stand by their offer amazes me!
Thanks all I appreciate the comments so far. Yeah I don’t understand why they are complaining and I am glad I wasn’t the only one to see this.
Of course I understand it’s a small site, but look. Now they have 50,000 emails or whatever on their mailing list, and that is extremely valuable.
In my opinion it’s a good thing for them!
That company that sent you that email should focus more on the freebies they are giving away, so they would not run into the problem of running out of them. Not your fault, lol!
I got this email and I have gotten others like this. I personally think its bad PR to whine about how they don’t have enough samples. I agree with the person on here that said they need to all just cap it and have the site shut down when they hit their mark. I think its tacky to blame freebie sites too. They know they are in existence so they should expect their freebies to show up everywhere!
I think if they think they can only handle so much then they need to put a cap on the freebies and make it clear. To the first 2000 customers they get a free xxx. Then they aren’t dealing with the over abundance of demand.
Any company that can’t forsee a demand for a free item of value has their head in the sand and needs to wake up. I don’t bother with most of the freebie offers, but occasionally do. When I do I either expect to get the item, or be told right off that the # is limited and I might not get it. Whiners…blah!
They should have just capped it and that was that. What world are they living in to think they’d only get 2,000 requests? Every FB and Twitter user loves to tell others about freebies, and I alone have over 2000 twitter followers who all have hundreds or thousands of followers who all have hundreds of followers, etc, etc. How silly to blame anyone, one person could have caused 50,000 requests. Shesh!
If you have 2000 free samples, then say you have samples for the first 2000 lucky people who sign up. Don’t assume you won’t be overrun with requests and then backpedal and blame social media.
They should have had a cap on it and/or a notice that said limited amounts. I don’t get it! If you don’t want a high demand, don’t offer freebies, because after all everyone loves a good freebie, especially during this economy that sucks!
that is very similar to the letter I got about the soy nut butter sample. same “we expected 500 not 5,000″ or whatever. it almost made me feel guilty, like I tried to get something I didn’t deserve…wait…it was supposed to be a free sample to try a new product for anyone, right?> hmmmmm
I see these offers all the time with caps, they should have just set a limit in the beginning.
While I agree it is the responsibility of the company offering the free sample to put a shut off point on their system, I can also understand the frustration from a company receiving so many requests. I’ve been apart of a slot of freebie/discount websites and seen thousands of people request samples just for sake of getting something free, not because they were truly interested in the product.
Cat I definitely agree with you, I think it is their responsibility etc. However putting their frustration onto freebie sites and other social media users who probably shared this offer in the first place, shouldn’t be placed at fault.
I believe if they don’t have the technology to limit the freebie or the intelligence to state that x amount of freebies are available, they shouldn’t be offering anything in the first place. .
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I feel exactly the same way
Just turn your cheek…you are doing an amazing job here and I know I appreciate any freebies I can get my hands on. Companies should be applauding your efforts(i.e. FREE ADVERTISING) and I think you should incorporate the F-bomb in an email back to them
Ok so not very professional but it might make you feel better!
*applauding your amazing site*
I agree with several others here that companies need to put a cap on the freebies. If they only have X amount to give then they should have it set up that way! I do feel bad for small businesses as well but really they shouldn’t blame others for not having enough samples!
I also agree that there are some who will try to get every freebie available whether needed or not. I only go for ones I will actually use or have an interest in, same with giveaways, sweepstakes and contests. Why try for something you don’t even care about, just for the sake of free??
A cap on the offer would have done the trick.
Free sample sites advertise their products for FREE, to thousands upon thousands of people. If it were not for coupon and freebie sites like this one, I wouldn’t know about any of the new products out there! Thank you so much for doing what you do. It is not necessary to defend yourself when you are clearly of benefit to the complainer.