Commentary: The Effect of Free Samples on Immediate Consumer Purchase

Describes a study of consumer behaviour carried out in a chocolate store involving free samples of chocolate, which found that sampling significantly increased the immediate sales of chocolates but that this effect was restricted to small amounts and to those varieties of chocolate other than the variety sampled. Discusses the implications of the findings for marketing management and consumer behaviour theory. Concludes that while sampling produces positive effects, these effects appear to be more complex than they would first seem, therefore further consumer research is needed.