The cosmetic industry heavily uses a 'gift with purchase' to entice customers to shop, as well as to come back.
The practice began with Estee Lauder. In the 1920s and 1930s, she offered beauty parlor customers a dollop of free cream on wax paper. The idea grew in the 1950s, because of a tight advertising budget. The Lauders "hoped sampling would create a more direct & personal connection with consumers."
"The giveaways & the later gift-with-purchase that Estée pioneered created an opportunity to exercise Lauder's sales approach, encourage spontaneous buying, & increase customer loyalty."
"Competitors began to copy the innovation. By the late 1960s, most major cosmetics firms regularly used the gift-with-purchase to drive traffic to their counters, and this practice remains an important tool today in marketing beauty products."
We can use this same giveaway or gift-with-purchase practice to build customer loyalty to our own shops. What some Etsy Trashion members are giving away:
- Jodi of tubbytabby surprises her customers with a little something unexpected.
- Tammy of junck also likes to surprise her customers with a photo or stickers.
- Pam of remaker adds Matchbook Notebooks, stickers, Etsy buttons, & also % off coupons for a customer's next purchase.
- Alex of alexkeller gives away pocket mirrors & vintagebyalexkeller customers may get old recipe cards, paper ephemera or buttons.
- Jackie of urbanartifaks includes recycled notebooks & jewelry pouches made from recycled t-shirts for her pendants.
- Rhonda of oddartist collaborates with other Etsy sellers to swap small promotional items. These items will then be sent out to a more diverse group of buyers.
- Michelle of wingsofflutter sends a handmade magnet.
source & photo credits: Harvard Business School
7 comments:
I probably give away way too much, but I love the element of surprise. And my customer always show their appreciation of the wonderful gift they have received.
i try to give away a sample item from one of my shops. if a customer buys jewelry i will add a paper rose from my other shop. plus i always add an etsy promo, like a pin or bumper sticker with the etsy logo. the customer response has been very good.
www.bellavioletta.etsy.com
www.bellaviolettavintage.etsy.com
www.izzabellarose.etsy.com
I giveaway a voucher for 10% off the next purchase. All my packaging is recyclable and the customer also gets an awesome re-usable handsewn (by me) padded envelope/jiffy bag made out of an ordnance survey map and discarded bubble wrap. The customer feedback is always good and I like the fact that I am semi-consciously spreading an eco-friendly message.
http://www.oblue.etsy.com
I also like to include a little surprise...like a sample bar of soap with one of my soap dishes, or a handmade glass magnet. At various times of the year, I also include a % off on next purchase coupon.
I love the coupon for % off the next purchase idea! How do you adjust the price to accommodate them?
I do a coupon but haven't tried freebies. I think I'll give it a shot! Maybe some little bracelets, or a lavender satchel.
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