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What companies have you gotten samples from?

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I waited a week... then moved to social media.  Especially smaller companies, posting about the poor communication on twitter (including their twitter handle) is rather effective. 

 
Quote: Originally Posted by camel11 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I waited a week... then moved to social media.  Especially smaller companies, posting about the poor communication on twitter (including their twitter handle) is rather effective. 
Haha. I might try that if I've been waiting long enough. I just found it weird that so many replied within 24 hours and then the others nothing and it's been like 3 or 4 days.

 
I saw this thread recently and decided to give this a go. I've gotten a few responses, some positive, some not, but there are a lot of companies who just don't respond, like you guys have been talking about. I was wondering what the average wait time for a response is in your experience? Like, do most companies usually answer by the next day, or have you gotten answers days or a week later? Thanks  :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
I guess it doesn't bother me if I ask for a favor and get no response unless something has been promised in the past that is not being delivered on. It does mean I am less likely to buy from them or review them on my blog just because if I get something from another company I am more likely to focus on that product.
 
I saw this thread recently and decided to give this a go. I've gotten a few responses, some positive, some not, but there are a lot of companies who just don't respond, like you guys have been talking about. I was wondering what the average wait time for a response is in your experience? Like, do most companies: usually answer by the next day, or have you gotten answers days or a week later? Thanks  :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
I guess it doesn't bother me if I ask for a favor and get no response unless something has been promised in the past that is not being delivered on. It does mean I am less likely to buy from them or review them on my blog just because if I get something from another company I am more likely to focus on that product.
Some companies have a "no response policy" when it comes to requests for samples, but that isn't very common. I wait 3 weeks or a month and try again. Sometimes a request just gets lost in the shuffle. If I don't get a response after the 2nd time, I give up on getting samples from that company. I always include my name and address at the bottom of the request, and sometimes they just send stuff and never reply to the e-mail. I try to make it as easy as possible.
 
Quote: Originally Posted by peridotcricket /img/forum/go_quote.gif


Some companies have a "no response policy" when it comes to requests for samples, but that isn't very common. I wait 3 weeks or a month and try again. Sometimes a request just gets lost in the shuffle. If I don't get a response after the 2nd time, I give up on getting samples from that company. I always include my name and address at the bottom of the request, and sometimes they just send stuff and never reply to the e-mail. I try to make it as easy as possible.
I do the same :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I've gotten some responses from companies I've emailed a week ago, so there might just be a lot of emails for them to sift through I guess. If not I'll just hope that I get samples in the mail even though some didn't answer haha.

 
Some companies have a "no response policy" when it comes to requests for samples, but that isn't very common. I wait 3 weeks or a month and try again. Sometimes a request just gets lost in the shuffle. If I don't get a response after the 2nd time, I give up on getting samples from that company. I always include my name and address at the bottom of the request, and sometimes they just send stuff and never reply to the e-mail. I try to make it as easy as possible.
I do the same :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I've gotten some responses from companies I've emailed a week ago, so there might just be a lot of emails for them to sift through I guess. If not I'll just hope that I get samples in the mail even though some didn't answer haha.
I request samples for my blog sometimes and oftentimes get no response. Sometimes I get a response but then no sample. Sometimes I get no response and a sample. Sometimes I get no response for MONTHS and then they pop up out of the woodwork. And sometimes I actually get a good response and a sample right away. I don't spend a ton of time chasing down any one company because I figure they know what I want and they are going to do what they want to do.
 
So I got my mario badescu samples today and I'm impressed! They sent me like 7 different things! As long as at least one of these doesn't completely suck, I'm going to buy from them just because I thought that was very nice of them!

 
Quote: Originally Posted by BSquared /img/forum/go_quote.gif

So I got my mario badescu samples today and I'm impressed! They sent me like 7 different things! As long as at least one of these doesn't completely suck, I'm going to buy from them just because I thought that was very nice of them!
Their products are amazing and you get very generous samples when you order from their site (I got 3 samples plus an additional 3  in a little makeup bag with my last order - all what I would classify as travel sized).

 
I LOVE Mario Badescu! That's the beauty of companies sending out samples. I'm convinced that the Enzyme Cleansing Gel is my HG cleanser. If they didn't send out samples, I never would have been able to try it out. They're a company that knows what they're doing. 

Also, I've been seeing the company Lumene at CVS, and me being naturally drawn to foreign products, I really want to try out their BB cream. So I emailed them and the guy that responded said he will send out samples!

 
I LOVE Mario Badescu! That's the beauty of companies sending out samples. I'm convinced that the Enzyme Cleansing Gel is my HG cleanser. If they didn't send out samples, I never would have been able to try it out. They're a company that knows what they're doing.  Also, I've been seeing the company Lumene at CVS, and me being naturally drawn to foreign products, I really want to try out their BB cream. So I emailed them and the guy that responded said he will send out samples!
Awesome! After reading reviews I bought Lumene BB on sale. I love the coverage, tone matching and decent SPF. It can be thick if your skin is parched like mine can get. I use a regular moisturizer or primer to help it out.
 
Guys I am amazed! I just got a package from Lumene, after asking them for a sample of the BB cream. I was expecting one foil sample of the BB cream, but they sent me 8! And they sent me 4 samples of the pure radiance day cream AND the tub of it that costs like $4 at cvs! I'm so amazed! I will gladly buy from this company as I need to, because it's clear to me that they care about their customers. 😊

 
I've really been wanting to try their BB/CC creams after getting a full sized one from New Beauty Test Tube (but it was the wrong color for me) and everyone said it was great... but I couldn't use it. What email did you use to request this?

 
Quote: Originally Posted by Jamie P /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I've really been wanting to try their BB/CC creams after getting a full sized one from New Beauty Test Tube (but it was the wrong color for me) and everyone said it was great... but I couldn't use it. What email did you use to request this?
There's a few different emails, this is the US one:

E-mail: joe.pastorkovich(at)lumene.com


But, when Joe replied to me, he said they only had samples of the medium shade BB cream at the time. That was the colour I wanted to try, so it was good for me, but I'm not sure if they have samples for the light shade yet or not. It's worth a shot at emailing, though. I finally tried the BB cream, and medium blends perfectly into my skin!

 
I had emailed Joe at Lumene about the lack of darker colors for their BB and CC cream and he actually emailed me back. "Thank you for contacting Lumene. Lumene has received several requests for a darker BB Cream in the U.S. We actually have one in Europe. However, it is usually the decision of our retail partners in the U.S. that determines which of our European products are brought to the U.S. The retailers make the decision on which products they want to stock on their shelves and all of our partners requested only 2 shades for the U.S. This could change in the future perhaps. I would be happy to send you sample of the BB Serum. This product is colorless and can be used with any foundation to give you all of the benefits of the BB products but with sheer coverage. I will also send you a sample of our CC Cream which has a slightly darker color and blends very well. Perhaps this might be a better match for you. Thank you again for your inquiry Best regards Joe Pastorkovich Lumene N. America" Can't wait for my samples to get here!!!!!

 
Quote: Originally Posted by rinnytintin3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I had emailed Joe at Lumene about the lack of darker colors for their BB and CC cream and he actually emailed me back.
"Thank you for contacting Lumene.

Lumene has received several requests for a darker BB Cream in the U.S. We actually have one in Europe. However, it is usually the decision of our retail partners in the U.S. that determines which of our European products are brought to the U.S.
The retailers make the decision on which products they want to stock on their shelves and all of our partners requested only 2 shades for the U.S. This could change in the future perhaps.

I would be happy to send you sample of the BB Serum. This product is colorless and can be used with any foundation to give you all of the benefits of the BB products but with sheer coverage. I will also send you a sample of our CC Cream which has a slightly darker color and blends very well. Perhaps this might be a better match for you.

Thank you again for your inquiry

Best regards

Joe Pastorkovich
Lumene N. America"

Can't wait for my samples to get here!!!!!
I feel like they have such great customer service! Ahh, I'm just all rave-y about them! xD I never even knew about them until about a month ago, too, when I bought their makeup remover on a whim at CVS. XD
Maybe if more people request the darker shades, the stores will bring them in! We should all start a petition!

 
Monave gives free samples, although I don't know what their current policy is. You can also order a really cheap foundation sampler in your approximate skin tone, which includes 4 shades with quite a generous amount of each. It's about $10, if I remember correctly. They have samples of a lot of products, including for eyes, lips, etc. Just email them & ask. I think you can get samples of their mineral foundations as well as their liquid ones.

 
Forgot to mention, Chanel is pretty generous with samples when I'm shopping there, Dior is also not bad, whereas NARS, Estee Lauder, Guerlain etc are more chintzy. They'll give me samples, but only when I ask for them. Regardless, I still ask. They're all in the same department store, and they know me on sight when I walk in, so they know I spend a lot of money there. I'm exactly the type of person they should be falling all over themselves to fill my pockets with samples. Obviously I'll be back to spend more money in the very near future. Every time I hit Sephora, I make sure I leave with lots of samples as well. At a minimum, 10-20. Regardless of whether or not they offer. I'm a VIB, so I expect a little bit of arse-kissing, and I expect samples. Obviously I spend a fair amount of money there too. But that's also ONLY because I have tried samples which I liked in the past & came back to buy full sizes of those products. Had I not requested those samples, I never would've spent a huge amount of money there. Sephora in Canada is pretty cheap overall. Especially at the cashier. They really irritate me. MAC is pretty good with samples, but I don't shop there much anymore.

 
It you have a tj max or ross around I would check there I found their shampoo and conditioner for like 19.00 a bottle :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I always look through the beauty stuff they carry some high end stuff at good prices.
When my sister talked to the rep at Dermorganics, they told her that anything from Dermorganics that is at TJ Maxx or other discount stores is not authorized by the company (my guess is either stolen or fake...). Just be careful what you buy at those stores from any high end companies.
How TJ Maxx and Ross get the products is when it's old stock. An authorized dealer no longer wants to sell it. They offer what's called a Buyout and the parent company of TJ Maxx and Ross pays them instead of the manufacturer destroying the product or selling it at a discount direct from the company. If an authorized dealer has a huge stock of product, they may offer the Buyout, or the company that makes the product might offer a Buyout on old products that an authorized dealer has sent back after new products were sent to restock the authorized dealer. A lot of hair salon chains sell their old stock directly to TJ Maxx/Ross/Marshalls this way. Big Lots just did a Buyout on Sephora nail polishes after Sephora switched to Formula X.
 

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