Japanese phenomenon try-vertising comes to UK with SampleTrend

We’ve all spent a fortune buying a product that promised amazing results that it didn’t quite deliver. As companies tighten their belts samples are increasingly fewer and farer between and even if you do get your hands on some they seem to have shrunk to lilliputian proportions. Enter ‘try-vertising’.

Try-vertising is like a cross between sampling, reviewing, and advertising. It’s big business in Japan and with the opening of SampleTrend in central London it’s now made it’s way to the UK. I was invited to the Goodge Street store and of course my curiosity got the better of me.

What is SampleTrend?

Upon entering the store you’re greeted by a receptionist and row-upon-row of products ranging from skincare to magazines to food and drink to cleaning products. You can choose 5 products to take away on the basis that you’ll later complete a 10-point questionnaire giving the manufacturers your thoughts.

The point is that you get to try out the newest products around (and avoid wasting your money on any you don’t like) and companies get to find out what you think before launching their products as well as, hopefully, securing a loyal new customer.

There are 3 types of membership on offer and they range from £10 to £60 with the company promising members will take away around £350-worth of products a year.

I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of products available and also the fact that the large majority of them are full-sized. I found it tricky to narrow it down to just 5 items but in the end decided on a self-tanning mist, a shampoo bar, a volumising mousse, an instant chai tea drink, and a men’s facial scrub for the boyfriend.

SampleTrend are expecting the skincare and cosmetics items to be particularly popular and I did tell myself I should take away some sensible cleaning products but the thought of tanned limbs and big hair was too much to resist!

If you’re the kind of person who knows what you like and sticks to it this might not appeal. However if you love trying the latest products before anyone else the annual £60 membership option (which works out at £5 per month or £1 per product) is a great way to do it and probably more cost-effective than filling your basket with things you’ll use a couple of times then never again. So what do you think of this concept? Do you think it will catch on in the UK?

http://memoirmode.com Kylie

Looks interesting, I seem to have favourite brands in most things now so wouldn’t really be worth it for me. People that chop and change all the time would be great for though. x
http://www.ellecroft.com Elle Croft

This is a great idea! It’s like GlossyBox but with control over what you get so you don’t end up with loads of wasted products. Will you be signing up?
Andrea

Read a review about this last week, unfortunately not a good review :(
Nadia

This is definantly interesting, esp seeing those cleaning products!

http://www.thegirlwholookslikeacake.blogspot.com/
http://bangbylo.com Lauren

This is really cool. I truly hope a shop like this pops up in the US. This is such a fun idea. You get to actually pick your samples which is the sole reason I don’t sign up for the box clubs like Elle mentioned above. I can’t take subscribing and only getting a couple of products I like! Especially as someone who has eczema, I can’t just try on everything I get sent. But this is very cool.