Supermarket / In-Store Sampling

Supermarket sampling.

Supermarket sampling is a great way to get liquid on lips, trial taste or demonstrate a new product. Brands use sampling in supermarkets to drive sales at the point of purchase. That means at the till inside the supermarket.

As experts for in-store sampling we provide hundreds of brand-immersed sampling and demonstration staff. Our teams sample a variety of sectors and categories. From dairy to gin, from soft drinks to snacks, from washing up liquid to chocolate. Additionally we’ve helped sell thousands of products to consumers on the very same day right from the shelves. How do we do this? By generating greater brand awareness and driving product trial with in-store sampling.

Sampling in stores.

In store sampling is one of the most direct drive-to-purchase forms of sampling we do. It increases awareness and visibility at the point of purchase but allows physical engagement. That could mean tasting a new food or drink product or taking part in an in-store demonstration. This can be achieved with two types of set up:

• aisle sampling in-store

• supermarket foyer sampling

Supermarket aisle sampling.

Supermarket store aisle sampling is a very direct way to drive trial and purchase in proximity of the product. Possibly a chilled, frozen, ambient or dairy product. Typically this will be carried out by one sampling staff team member and a simple branded table or pop-up stand. Moreover it’s relatively low-cost, located at point of sale and is relevant to the product being sampled.

Supermarket foyer sampling.

Supermarket foyer sampling generally requires a more engaging consumer experience. We’ve created campaigns for Pringles and Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. Here we created an interactive brand experience which was installed in the store foyer. This enables the brand team to target and capture consumers as they enter or exit the supermarket. It’s a more expensive way of sampling the product but it creates a bigger buzz. Additionally it has a higher footfall due to location in the store and much greater visibility. Plus the quality of conversations and dwell time with consumers are increased.

Supermarket car park sampling.

Supermarket car park sampling spaces are relatively inexpensive. They provide a good base for capturing shoppers going in and out of the store. In addition they tend have a larger footprint available. This means you can fit a branded vehicle, experiential pop-up gazebo or large interactive brand experience in the space. The downside is that nine times out of ten there’ll be no overhead cover so rain can be a problem! But the good old fully branded 3m x 3m pop-up gazebo is cost effective and sturdy enough to last. Check out the photo above of the Emmerdale McCain tour we managed.

Sampling pop-ups.

As you can see from the photos above, the usual go-to item for cost effective, pop-up sampling is the branded 3m x 3m gazebo. Whilst these are inexpensive and pretty disposable (recyclable) once a campaign has finished, there is another solution. Our sampling pod hire service. Measuring 2m x 2m x 1m our pods are self-contained, have LED ceiling lighting and a power source. Furthermore they have under counter storage, are lockable and weather resistant. So if you’re looking for a fully brandable, sturdier alternative to a pop-up gazebo give us a call. You can see our pods in action for Richmond Sausages and Wall’s here.