What kind of “sampler” are you?

The one redeeming factor of the formerly dreaded Costco trips was the opportunity to have samples as we walked around the store. (Hey, when else can you eat a piece of cheesecake, then a ravioli, then some dried apricots, then some fruit punch and end with an Oreo?) Although the samples were and are often very good, I don’t find that they often influence my purchases.

If you enjoy a sample, are you likely to buy the product that day?

A natural observer of myself and others, I have noticed different “approaches” to sampling when one wants more than one taste of the product being offered. I thought it would be fun to try to name and describe them and then see if anyone can identify him or herself in these descriptions and/or generate other strategies? Here are mine:

(Please note: I am alternating sexes. These are not comments on male or female approaches.)

Mr. Direct does not hesitate to tell the employee proving the sample that he enjoyed it very much and would like a second (or third or fourth).

Ms. Send-the-Kids recruits children (hopefully her own!) to take samples and give them to her (she figures that it is easier for children to request extras.)

Mr. Avoid Eye Contact purposely avoids making eye contact with the server as he takes an additional sample.

Ms. Hopes for Oblivion repeatedly returns to the samples and keeps asking, “Ooh, these look like they are worth a taste. What are they?” in hopes that by pretending to be a new customer, the server will not notice.

Mr. Lapper takes a sample, walks around a bit and returns, hoping that he was forgotten in the interim.

Ms. Wait for a Line waits for a long line to develop by the sample so that the employee is not likely to pay attention to her as she takes extra samples.

Mr. Wait until Server is not Looking waits until the server is taking more samples out of the oven/pouring drinks/etc. before he takes an extra sample.

Ms. Double Up takes two samples at the same time, figuring that if she likes it, she can avoid having to figure out how to get another, and if she doesn’t, she can throw it out.

Mr. TMI generates a story to tell the server about how he had to skip lunch due to a busy day at work and is very hungry, so he hopes it is okay if he takes a few extra samples.

Mr. and Mrs. Distraction work as a tag-team. One person distracts the server while the other takes multiple samples.

Who are you? Any other strategies? And yes, these are exaggerations because, honestly, I doubt anyone cares how many samples people take, but don’t pretend that you have never thought about how to subtly take extra samples…😜