A Trip To The Sample Lab
Thursday, March 27, 2008SUZANNE PRATT: One of the most sought-after memberships in Tokyo is to a store where everything is free. That's because the merchandise consists entirely of product samples. The so-called Sample Lab draws up to 700 enthusiastic freebie- seekers a day and companies are lining up to give away their merchandise. Lucy Craft checked out what's up for grabs.
LUCY CRAFT, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT CORRESPONDENT: If it's hard to resist a freebie, it's apparently even harder when the goodies come by the bushel. At something called the Sample Lab, consumers-- or, as they're known, try-sumers -- get first crack at everything from wrinkle creams to health foods to stationery, before or just as the products hit market. Cheaper items are here for the taking. The hottest stuff may generate small stampedes. This try-sumer is on her third visit.
TRANSLATION OF MOS: I heard about this on the news and I was fascinated that you could try out brand-new stuff.
CRAFT: Bigger-ticket items, like exercise machines, are just for sampling on the premises. Even so, 40,000 people have paid about $10 apiece for the privilege of becoming a try-sumer. It's the brainchild of marketer Takahiro Kawano, who decided that the time-honored method of passing out free samples was badly in need of an upgrade. Hiromi Nagashima is a spokeswoman.
HIROMI NAGASHIMA, MARKETING DEPT., MELPOSNET: Originally, he started his company distributing flyers and he realized consumers are fed up with having samples thrust in their face.
CRAFT: Manufacturers, or try-vertisers, glean consumer reaction on the spot or via brief surveys beamed out and retrieved via cell phone. The shop claims an almost 100 percent response rate. That's because surveys can be filled out, literally, while waiting on the platform for a subway to arrive and because responses are required in order to stay on the try-sumer membership rolls and continue to gain entree to the sample smorgasbord. By renting lab space, Sony was able to put Playstations into the hands of women, many of them for the first time. Yohko Atsuchi handles promotion for Sony computer entertainment.
TRANSLATION OF: YOHKO ATSUCHI, PROMOTION PLANNING DEPT., SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT JAPAN: There are a lot of people we can't reach with our regular promotional events. We thought this would be a way to access customers who normally wouldn't visit game software shops or electronics stores.
CRAFT: Manufacturers say they're pleased, because the shop delivers some of Japan's most enthusiastic shoppers. Hiroko Lino is PR supervisor for Mitsubishi Pencil.
TRANSLATION OF: HIROKO LINO, PUBLIC RELATIONS SUPERVISOR, MITSUBISHI PENCIL: Until now, we just handed out samples at stationery stores to anyone and everyone. But try-sumers are very interested in our product. They reliably go home and use it and properly fill out the survey.
CRAFT: Try-sumers are also prized for their ability to generate buzz, like this 30-something male.
TRANSLATION OF MOS: I give some of the samples to my friends and recommend some of the products to them.
CRAFT: Sample Labs are set to open all over Japan in 2008, as well as in Asia and Europe. No U.S. launch plans yet. Given the universal appeal of freebies, the advent of try-suming shops in America is probably just a matter of time. Lucy Craft, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT, Tokyo.
