How do I deter Freebie seekers?
September 1, 2005 1:06 AM Subscribe
How do I reduce the number of `time wasters' requesting product samples through my website?
I run a small business which manufactures various products. On my website, I have a page which is for people who want to try samples of our products.
My problem is this - a while ago someone posted my website to a `Get things FREE' type of site, and since then, I get several enquiries a day, whereas I used to get several per week.
All this attention would be lovely if it weren't for the fact that these people aren't interested in ever buying anything, they just want freebies. They select the check box next to each product to request samples.
This is burning up my time and money, and they never order anything. I've considered the following -
1. `Call us for samples'. It's a step up in effort, so you have to be more serious about getting the products.
2. `Please enter the names of the products you are interested in into the text box'. Rather than easily clickable boxes.
3. Putting a fake product name on the list. If they click it, they can't really be interested in actual products.
Are there any other suggestions people might have to turn away the visitor who only wants to get their hands on something for nothing?
I run a small business which manufactures various products. On my website, I have a page which is for people who want to try samples of our products.
My problem is this - a while ago someone posted my website to a `Get things FREE' type of site, and since then, I get several enquiries a day, whereas I used to get several per week.
All this attention would be lovely if it weren't for the fact that these people aren't interested in ever buying anything, they just want freebies. They select the check box next to each product to request samples.
This is burning up my time and money, and they never order anything. I've considered the following -
1. `Call us for samples'. It's a step up in effort, so you have to be more serious about getting the products.
2. `Please enter the names of the products you are interested in into the text box'. Rather than easily clickable boxes.
3. Putting a fake product name on the list. If they click it, they can't really be interested in actual products.
Are there any other suggestions people might have to turn away the visitor who only wants to get their hands on something for nothing?
what about asking them to send requests through the mail? if they're serious about buying your product, it's not that much effort (similar to #1), but might be more than anyone's going to bother with if they're just looking for free stuff on the internet. also, if it doesn't discourage them, it's less annoying than dealing with several phone calls a day.
option #3 could be bad if someone is seriously interested in your products and thinks the fake product sounds interesting too, since you'd discard their request.
posted by clarahamster at 1:41 AM on September 1, 2005
option #3 could be bad if someone is seriously interested in your products and thinks the fake product sounds interesting too, since you'd discard their request.
posted by clarahamster at 1:41 AM on September 1, 2005
I'm no business person, but could you ask them to pay for the shipping/delivery? while you provide the sample free.
posted by merv at 2:41 AM on September 1, 2005
posted by merv at 2:41 AM on September 1, 2005
Response by poster: Lunkfish - yes, we do gain some customers through this setup. Targeting many of these people is impossible because it's private individuals mostly.
posted by tomble at 2:45 AM on September 1, 2005
posted by tomble at 2:45 AM on September 1, 2005
What do you sale?
posted by Dean Keaton at 3:09 AM on September 1, 2005
posted by Dean Keaton at 3:09 AM on September 1, 2005
I meant to do that.
posted by Dean Keaton at 3:10 AM on September 1, 2005
posted by Dean Keaton at 3:10 AM on September 1, 2005
I'll second Merv's "pay only a small shipping and handling fee" recommendation.
This should not alienate any truly interested customers, and should get the Cult Of Free Stuff(tm) off your back and off your website.
Set up a easy PayPal or Credit Card box and hey presto!
posted by willmize at 3:28 AM on September 1, 2005
This should not alienate any truly interested customers, and should get the Cult Of Free Stuff(tm) off your back and off your website.
Set up a easy PayPal or Credit Card box and hey presto!
posted by willmize at 3:28 AM on September 1, 2005
Best answer: Would it make sense to require a sales call to "ensure that we send you the samples that will best suit your needs" which translates to "add a human touch to help rope in the semi-serious customers and to scare off the chaff."?
posted by plinth at 3:32 AM on September 1, 2005
posted by plinth at 3:32 AM on September 1, 2005
Best answer: First, consider whether those samples are increasing sales enough to be worth the bother. If not, stop giving them away.
If you think they are increasing sales, don't advertise them, just send them to people who sound like serious customers. Don't even wait for them to ask -- instead, you ask them whether you can send them samples. But only if you've talked to them or emailed them and you think they're good for a sale.
posted by pracowity at 4:10 AM on September 1, 2005
If you think they are increasing sales, don't advertise them, just send them to people who sound like serious customers. Don't even wait for them to ask -- instead, you ask them whether you can send them samples. But only if you've talked to them or emailed them and you think they're good for a sale.
posted by pracowity at 4:10 AM on September 1, 2005
As a first step I'd cancel the order on anyone who came to the site directly to that page (e.g. didn't come from your main page or a product page). Pretty easy to do if your site involves any serverside scripting, or even basic cookies. That should cut down on the volume right there.
posted by furtive at 4:31 AM on September 1, 2005
posted by furtive at 4:31 AM on September 1, 2005
Maybe charge a dollar or some other small amount, depending on what your selling. Then if they order from you they can deduct that amount from their order.
posted by leapingsheep at 4:38 AM on September 1, 2005
posted by leapingsheep at 4:38 AM on September 1, 2005
Did they link to a specific page on your site where you can get free stuff? If so, why not just change the url?
posted by ph00dz at 4:39 AM on September 1, 2005
posted by ph00dz at 4:39 AM on September 1, 2005
Don't change the URL--use referrer detection to redirect freebie-hunters to a "sorry, no freebies anymore" page. There you can lay a big guilt trip on them {g}.
posted by adamrice at 5:54 AM on September 1, 2005
posted by adamrice at 5:54 AM on September 1, 2005
I don't have any idea if giving free samples is a good idea for your business or not, but you have already decided it is, so...
If you are only giving out about 7 times as many samples as before - you said a few per day instead of a few per week - you really should consider continuing with only a minimal barrier to remove the vary lowest interest requests. Something like a limited number of free samples per request?
In general, you have no idea what people are doing with the samples. They could be circulating them anywhere in the world to any number of potential customers. Freebie hunters are people too, and many of them are looking out for products that friends and family might be interested in. Obviously you are giving out with a larger failure rate than before, but you are also giving out with a longer lag in response than before, so judging the failure rate is getting harder.
Of course it depends on the product... If you are selling some luxury stuff that most people can't afford, giving it away is pointless.
posted by Chuckles at 6:46 AM on September 1, 2005 [1 favorite]
If you are only giving out about 7 times as many samples as before - you said a few per day instead of a few per week - you really should consider continuing with only a minimal barrier to remove the vary lowest interest requests. Something like a limited number of free samples per request?
In general, you have no idea what people are doing with the samples. They could be circulating them anywhere in the world to any number of potential customers. Freebie hunters are people too, and many of them are looking out for products that friends and family might be interested in. Obviously you are giving out with a larger failure rate than before, but you are also giving out with a longer lag in response than before, so judging the failure rate is getting harder.
Of course it depends on the product... If you are selling some luxury stuff that most people can't afford, giving it away is pointless.
posted by Chuckles at 6:46 AM on September 1, 2005 [1 favorite]
Stop giving away freebies and spend more time and money on market research.
posted by elderling at 7:10 AM on September 1, 2005 [1 favorite]
posted by elderling at 7:10 AM on September 1, 2005 [1 favorite]
I second adamrice's suggestion. If you don't know how to do this, talk to your web hosting company. It's not that complicated at all.
If you did this _and_ moved the page (i.e. changed the file name), you'd be pretty safe. Changing the file name means that any search engine spiders who found it might know where it is for a while, but it sounds like that wouldn't be a huge problem for you.
posted by amtho at 10:27 AM on September 1, 2005
If you did this _and_ moved the page (i.e. changed the file name), you'd be pretty safe. Changing the file name means that any search engine spiders who found it might know where it is for a while, but it sounds like that wouldn't be a huge problem for you.
posted by amtho at 10:27 AM on September 1, 2005
How about limiting the amount of free samples per day?
Say, perhaps, just one per day, or maybe one per week. The freebies site will eventually add this to their profile of you, and nobody will bother trying to get the only freebie that day.
You can have your script tell customers that are outside of the free online ordering period that you would be happy to help them if they are to send you an SASE and a short letter describing their interest in the product (minimum 250 words) and intention of using the product. Or, if they prefer, they could phone you between a certain set of inconvenient for freebie artist hours but hours good for business people (like 1 pm - 3 pm). On the phone they could give you their reasons for needing the product.
posted by shepd at 2:48 PM on September 1, 2005
Say, perhaps, just one per day, or maybe one per week. The freebies site will eventually add this to their profile of you, and nobody will bother trying to get the only freebie that day.
You can have your script tell customers that are outside of the free online ordering period that you would be happy to help them if they are to send you an SASE and a short letter describing their interest in the product (minimum 250 words) and intention of using the product. Or, if they prefer, they could phone you between a certain set of inconvenient for freebie artist hours but hours good for business people (like 1 pm - 3 pm). On the phone they could give you their reasons for needing the product.
posted by shepd at 2:48 PM on September 1, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
You could try giving samples away as part of a promotion rather than a trickle through the site - try and target customers in some way rather than let them come to you..
posted by lunkfish at 1:19 AM on September 1, 2005