Saturday, October 17, 2020

How to get free products to review (tried and tested)




What's the hype about?

Have you ever wondered how to get free products to review? Well, there's no such thing as free lunch but there are product sampling programs. These companies collaborate with different brands to send out free stuff in return for an honest opinion. I'll share with you those sampling programs I have personally received free stuff and samples from in exchange for my reviews. Plus, I'll also talk about new ones I'm trying out. All these companies are legit and work with various brands. It's on your preference which you'd like to join. So let's begin.

Do I need to have a blog or website?

When researching how to get free products to review, many people wonder if they need a website or blog to qualify? The answer is, not really. Most of the below platforms only want your opinion and have nothing to do with blogging or having a personal website. But if you do want to start a blog of your own check out my little guide on how to write a beauty blog?

Influenster:

Influesnter

Influenster tops my list because it has my favorite niche, beauty, and makeup, and is a very big platform. It's not only about makeup stuff precisely but you can talk here about anything that comes to mind. They have almost every category under the sun. Influenster sends out what is known as a Voxbox to its members in exchange for public opinions and reviews. Expect anything from free hair stuff, full-size freebies, free skincare trial, and more. Once you sign up you need to complete product snaps and basic tasks. You need to install the Influenster app on your phone to complete most of the major tasks.

As you progress you'll receive invitations to Voxbox campaigns. It helps if you have a good social media presence because that improves your impact score on the website. I have received a few products from them. Also, I get invitations to other campaigns but since they have many members it can take time to qualify. But yes, everyone does get a chance depending on how active you are on the platform. On the website it says, Influenster only ships Voxboxes to the US, Canada, and the UK but I received my first Voxbox in the UAE. So if you want to join in, send them a quick email to inquire about your country. 

Join Influenster

Sampler:

Sampler

Sampler collaborates with many brands within the US, UK, and Canada. They have many categories which include health and beauty, food, and even free cleaning samples. The samples you receive depend on the information you provide on your profile. Samples are curated from brands collaborated with and then give you options to choose from. The samples are delivered to you after a few weeks and in exchange, you will have to fill out a survey that is sent by Sampler later. 

Join Sampler

Sample Source:

Sample Source

The other company is Sample Source which releases curated boxes containing products from many brands. Unlike Sampler, Sample Source only sends seasonal boxes to product reviewers, quantities are limited. Categories range from household to beauty, and food, etc.  It works the same way that Sampler does. Create a profile and based on that, you'll be given options to choose from. Your box is delivered a few weeks later and you're asked to provide honest opinions about the products you received.

Join Sample Source

Social Nature:

Social Nature

Social nature is a company that only collaborates with brands that are vegan. Every product that you find here will be vegan which is actually good. I have received very good samples from this site. Again, it all again depends on your preference and the kind of information you provide. The site works a bit differently than other sampling programs. After logging in you'll see a launch pad where all testing opportunities are listed. Become a product tester to apply to review products of your interest. Once you have received and tested the product, fill the survey with all the questions. Your response boosts your chances of being selected for the next campaign. Only available in the US and Canada.

Join Social Nature

Topbox Circle:


For cosmetics product, testing checkout Topbox Circle. I received perfume samples from them. After that, I did not hear from them for a very long time. They had beauty and perfume samples to give away and I did receive at least three. After that, the website went under maintenance. But yes it is a legit website and is exclusively for Canadian residents.

Join Topbox Circle

Tomoson:

Tomoson

Tomoson is an influencer network program that connects brands with influencers. If you have a notable social media following then you should join in. There are 100's of opportunities available for many countries. You can choose to receive free products, cash, or both. The more successful campaigns you complete, the better the chances of getting more work. This is also a great place if you have pets. You can apply for campaigns that require a pet product tester.

Join Tomoson

Instagram Sponsored Ads:

Every now and then, I come across ads on Instagram about free samples by individual brands. Keep a lookout for such ads because sometimes, they're also new sampling programs.

In the loop:

Two other websites I have come across are Bzz Agent and recently, Home Testers Club. The former is more active in the US as I have received a few invitations but no products. The latter, I joined a few days ago and applied for two campaigns made available for me. 

Bzz Agent sends some of the most sought after and luxurious products and so is not easy to qualify for. Home Testers Club is available in 21 countries which is great. 

Do

  • Take sampling programs seriously.
  • If you want more free samples then carefully follow the rules.
  • Test products and provide only honest opinions.
  • Follow deadlines.
  • Share your samples on social media using appropriate hashtags.
  • If you don't receive mail or get a faulty product, contact customer service.

Don't

  • Provide inaccurate or wrong details.
  • Do not lie about not receiving the product when you actually did.
  • Don't sugarcoat a review if you didn't like the product.

That's it for today's post. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know in the comments if you know of more sampling programs. Also, share your personal experience with the above.

Ciao!


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Kiran Ahmed Author

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