Aussie Sampling Site Comes To US

A new sampling source has arrived in the US, and some big name brands in household and personal care, namely P&G and Unilever, have signed on to the program. The new digital platform, PINCHme.com, is billed as the first-ever product sampling site that allows consumers to choose samples from some of the world’s leading brands for free in exchange for their feedback.
 
According to its creator, PINCHme puts the power in the hands of the consumer by allowing them to choose which products they want to try on a bi-weekly basis at no cost.
 
Members are offered a selection of leading products for free, and can sample up to 1/3 of the products that are offered at a time. Once delivered, members simply provide feedback via a mini survey within 30 days. Members can share with others via social media. If they love a product, they can purchase products through the “Buy Now” feature, which redirects them to retailers where the products are sold.
 
PINCHme was founded in Australia in 2012, and has since achieved much success partnering with more than 50 CPG brands and attracting more than 500,000 members. The company is part-owned by New York creative agency, Droga5, and several Australian families, as well as senior management of PINCHme, led by founder and executive chairman Jeremy Reid.
 
Through the PINCHme platform, brands can develop more strategic, “smart” sampling programs that target the right demographic, build mass awareness on new products and facilitate/track purchase conversion, according to PINCHme. In addition, the “Buy Now” feature creates a benefit for retailers as it redirects members who wish to purchase products they’ve sampled directly to retailer sites.
 
 “With the explosion of social media and mobile technology, consumer behavior has changed significantly.  Therefore, there has been a massive shift in the way leading brands are interacting with their consumers,” said Reid.