Are You More Likely to Buy Products at Demos?

May 1, 2009

Product demonstrations are one of the top marketing strategies of all time. It's the whole try-it-and-buy-it mentality, perhaps with a little sales pressure built in. Not surprisingly, a recent study concluded that in-store cosmetics demos really do work.

In fact, at a Neutrogena makeup event held recently at Meijer stores, of the 67 percent who previously had not tried the brand, over two-thirds made a purchase right then and there. What's your experience with sampling events? Do you "brake for demos" are you not easily wooed by the claims of the presentation?

Source

Makeup Consumerism

11 Comments

emalove 4 years 2 weeks

I agree, Eshellmoyer.

eshellmoyer 4 years 2 weeks

if it's a demo on another person, probably not, but if it's an actual consultation I'm almost always more likely to buy more because there are a lot of talented artists in stores who are able to find perfect shades that I wouldn't necessarily think to try.

Advah 4 years 2 weeks

Not sure of how to understand "demo" - if it's a plain demo, I won't. If it's a makeover, I most likely will, but that's because I get makeovers when I'm looking for a specific product and want to see how it looks on me first.

Allytta 4 years 2 weeks

No. Actually I'm less likely to. But if it's on this or thebeautybrains blog - i'm definetely hunting down a sample and giving it a go. I'm in the middle of discovering the beauty of shu uemura oil cleanser and on a verge of buying a whole bottle, just need to figure out which one will suit me better,

leslievanhouten 4 years 2 weeks

Technically, a cosmetics makeover is a demo; even facials and blow outs are a demo. Most salons and spas make much of their profit on the retail side, not the service. Am I more likely to buy bumble if my stylist uses it and it makes my hair fab? of course! Same with all the skincare my aestheticism pushes at the end of a treatment. Now if you are talking about one person with a headset, doing essentially a live informercial demonstration...yes, those work too. But I'm a shopper. I'll buy pork loin on sale at Costco because a short woman handed me a sample in a dixie cup.

leslievanhouten 4 years 2 weeks

Technically, a cosmetics makeover is a demo; even facials and blow outs are a demo. Most salons and spas make much of their profit on the retail side, not the service. Am I more likely to buy bumble if my stylist uses it and it makes my hair fab? of course! Same with all the skincare my aestheticism pushes at the end of a treatment.Now if you are talking about one person with a headset, doing essentially a live informercial demonstration...yes, those work too. But I'm a shopper. I'll buy pork loin on sale at Costco because a short woman handed me a sample in a dixie cup.

Dana18 4 years 2 weeks

No, I like what I like. A Demo is not going to convince me to buy it.

c4rolin3 4 years 2 weeks

at MAC you can pay about £25 to get your make up done by them.... full face, eyelashes and eyemakeup etc.... you then can take away £25 worth of products with you so effectively you get your make up done free. I think this is a better idea as you actually get to chose what to have done and it's not necessarily a sales pitch of 'this looks good on you' when you know it doesn't!

c4rolin3 4 years 2 weeks

at MAC you can pay about £25 to get your make up done by them....full face, eyelashes and eyemakeup etc....you then can take away £25 worth of products with you so effectively you get your make up done free.I think this is a better idea as you actually get to chose what to have done and it's not necessarily a sales pitch of 'this looks good on you' when you know it doesn't!