When it comes to selling coffee your success is our success—and we know from our own years of experience that sampling really does sell.
But you don’t have to take our word for it; research studies, such as the one conducted in 2009 by Knowledge Networks-PDI (“Report on In-store Sampling Effectiveness,” or R.I.S.E.) or in 2011 by the University of Kentucky’s Department of Agricultural Economics (“Regional Farm Market Sampling”) come to the same conclusion: sampling drives sales.
In the case of the R.I.S.E. study it was found that in-store sampling not only increased product sales, but drove additional repeat purchases right along with attracting first-time buyers. In the farmer’s market study consumers were surveyed after making their selections; 55% said they purchased a sampled product that day when they had not originally planned to do so.
Sampling is something that successful companies already know about; Costco, for instance, is practically famous it for it. Their sampling tables are handled by a product-demonstration company called Interactions, whose representative said, “When we compare it to other in-store mediums...in-store product demonstration has the highest [sales] lift.”
Coffee sampling is especially easy to get going: start with a thermal pump pot to keep your coffee hot all day long and some styrofoam sampling cups (this is the same set-up we use in our store), brew up a little of what you’re selling and watch your customers develop a sudden thirst.
You can dip into your own bulk supply for this, of course, but we recommend you try one of our coffee sampling kits: each kit comes with 42 packets of fresh-roasted coffee, and each pre-measured packet makes a single pot. It’s ultra-convenient, portable and gives you a nice variety to choose from (we carry flavored coffee kits, regular coffee kits, decaf coffee kits and mixed kits.)
Contact us today with any questions—we’re here to help!—and we’re confident sampling can make a difference to both you and your customers.
