Like to Sample Free Products? Try Swaggable!

I can't really pinpoint when I first became obsessed with getting freebies or sampling products, but sometime this year, it happened - hardcore. One of my first "freebie hunting" sites, Vonbeau.com, first introduced me to the wonderful website that is Swaggable.

What is Swaggable?

Swaggable is a website that offers everyday consumers the opportunity to try out new products, write reviews and help spread the word on the products being tested. In my opinion, it's a great marketing strategy. What better way to get your product out there than to send out samples to those people who matter most? 

How does it work?

Step 1: After signing up, you browse all the categories - 8 in all including categories like Snacks, Cosmetics & Beauty, Kid Products & Pet Supplies. After clicking on a particular item for more information, you click "Want It" which alerts whoever that you would like to sample and review this. Just because you "Want It" doesn't mean you will get it! By having the "Want It" feature, it allows Swaggable to match you with products you really want. 

Step 2: At some point - you never know when - you'll get an email notifying you that they've found a sample for you to try and you need to accept it. From my experience, once you accept it, you will see that the status shows "Gathering Invites." This means that Swaggable is still looking for people to sample this specific product and the status won't be changed to "Shipped" until they've found all or enough participants (I don't know for sure). I have noticed that the time between when you accept an invite to actually receiving the item can take some time, sometimes a month or so! To me, this acceptable because I will never complain about a free sample or free product to try. 

Step 3: Then you are surprised to receive a package from Swaggable with your product! You sample and write an honest review - simple as that! 

It's important to follow up on the reviews, because they won't allow you to accept a new invitation to try a new product without completing the review for the one product you last were sent. I think this is a perfect way to get a review out of someone! 

I have been a product sampler (is that what we're called? ha!) for Swaggable since .... thinking hard... maybe April and have already reviewed 11 products (and 3 coming down the pipeline "gathering invites) ranging from a bar of soap, to (the most amazing) Chocolate Chip Brownie Brittle to some baby lotion. 

Definetely check it out if you love sampling products and reviews! They are a great website and more interest=more products to sample! It's a win for everyone! ;

Here's a video of that tells there story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbAaIJoRC-Y

Happy Sampling! ;)

Mailbox Freebies: November 4th-November 9th

Monday:

Tuesday:

Smiley 360 campaigns for the Orajel: http://smiley360.com/2358788.cfm
2nd one: http://smiley360.com/2368025.cfm

Wednesday & Thursday:

Friday:

The only mailbox freebie I received was the Physicans Formula eyeshadow. The rest were from the Mall - The sephora eyeliner pots were only $1.36 thanks to the Wrapp App, the Victoria Secret was from the coupon in the mail and the Bareminerals eyeshadow was free just because they were giving them away if you stopped in! 

Saturday:

Mailbox Freebies: July 14-21!

Kind of a slow week - receiving them and finding new freebies, but that's okay, sometimes it happens. Some weeks are better than others! ;) Starting with a big week for "bars":

Itty Bitty sample of Wet, ha ha. Can you imagine someone actually using this in the heat of the moment? *awkward*

The Cracker Jack'd sample came from a Twitter promotion.

The coupon for a free bag of De Wafelbakkers Frozen Pancakes was something I won on Twitter for their birthday giveaway day! I was one of the first 10 to post what their #1 best seller of flavor pancakes was! I just ate one and they are pretty delicious for frozen pancakes and I am a self-proclaimed "pancake snob." ;)

I won these 3D glasses from 1saleaday.com when they were having this "every 30 minute freebie thing" going on. I ended up scoring two things - these and some pop can toppers that allow you to seal a pop can up and sip from it.... what? We're having a rummage sale in a couple weeks so...

John Frieda's shampoo & conditoner samples. Rad. I have frizzy hair.

Got this sample from Sircle Samples for 1200 points and I kind of wish I didn't waste them on this. Wah wah oh well. I don't even know what it is, some face stuff?

More Tampons! More Pads! A K-Cup from Maxwell House for our nonexistent Keurig machine (but hopefully I get into the House Party!)
And finally the Crystal Body Towelettes were from Swaggable! ;)

Oh and we can't forget the little tattoo from Nature Me!

I also was lucky to get into my first "assignement" from Purex Insiders and was able to try out their Purex Dryer Sheets. It came at a perfect time because we were out! Not only did I get one in the mail, but I have 3 coupons for FREE ones! ;) I loved this stuff and I will have a review coming up!

Then, lastly, even though it was a slow week, the next freebie made up for it! Remington Ready made a post saying they were going to have a surprise in the future. Well, I believe it was 9am on Friday or Saturday and the surprise was for the first 175 to sign up to sample a styling tool! We could put down 2 choices and they would select one for us. I ended up getting selected to get the 2" flat iron and was so excited. I haven't had a 2" flat iron in a long time and my current flat iron was on the fritz. Another perfect timing freebie! ;) I tried out this product and absolutely loved it!! It's amazing!! ;) Here is another example of being at the right place, right time. Freebies go fast and when thousands of people know a freebie is out there,  you have to act quick! ;)

Freebie Value (very rough estimates):
Quest Bars: $8.00 (Invoice including shipping)
CLIF bar: $1.50
Simply Zone Perfect Bar: $1.50
Cracker Jack'd: $2
Pancake Coupon: $3.50
Powerade Coupon: $1.00
Remington Styler: $38.00

Total: $55 (rounded & estimated)

Yay!

Freebies! May 13 - May 25th!

I've been meaning to post my newest freebies for days, so this is the last two weeks of freebies! Most of them came in the mail, but I also included 'no obligation coupon freebies.'

I can't remember how I ended up with the Child Safety gadgets, but I figured that having a 4 month old, we would soon be needing these! They came from Proctor & Gamble!

Libman cleaning company was having a month long giveway where you would have to enter daily to see if you instantly won. I probably entered daily 85% of the time and finally won this mop refill pad in probably the last week! Just goes to show that determination pays off! Value: $8.00

I got the pint glass from Marlboro and you could customize it, although hard to see, as well.

One of my favorite freebies so far is this 36 pack of BIC Mark-It Permanent Markers. I was accepted into a Smiley360 mission and was so excited! I received a craft project along with it, which was decorating a magnet frame. Besides the markers, it came with some stickers and glitter glue pens! Totally awesome! Value: $17.00
http://smiley360.com/1785510.cfm

Speaking of Smiley360: around this time I was also accepted into another mission for Aveeno Shampoo & Conditioner for Dandruff Control. I was on a roll with Smiley360 - I am currently in 7 active missions! They sent me coupons for one free conditioner and shampoo (9.49 value each) and I purchased them at Target. BUT, not without problems. I swear I tried looking for these about three times or something wouldn't work. I went to CVS and couldn't find them. I went to Walgreens and the dude couldn't get the coupon to work and there was a line so I just left without them, and then I finally got them at Target, but then the checkout girl was new (I think) and didn't understand coupons really well, and yeah. I ended up having to go to the service counter to get a refund for the coupon and blah blah blah. Oh well, what is important is that I ended up getting these!
Value: $10 (they were $5 at Target) http://smiley360.com/1760205.cfm

My third Smiley360 of the week was for the Bonine chewable tablet. I received 5 two pack samples that helps with motion sickness. I am actually pretty excited to be able to try these, because I suffer from pretty frequent motion sickness. I can't even go around a highway ramp without feeling ill sometimes. Value: $2.50 (random number - since 16ct is $5.00) 
http://smiley360.com/1559154.cfm

Then, there is the Olay Fresh Effects face cleanser sample. I love the packaging on this new Olay line of products. I can get a couple uses out of these and is great for traveling!

I received 3 Nexcare band aids from their Facebook page.

Finally, the WAFU Japanese Wasabi Edamame Salad Dressing from Swaggable.com. I didn't "want" this product in my profile, but I wasn't going to say No in the hopes that someone would enjoy this sample! I am not a fan of hot things or salad dressing, but it's still a fun freebie!

Now I wasn't sure if I should post these in my freebies post because they didn't come in the mail, but they were completely free products that I had coupons for with no obligation to purchase anything, or any other hidden trick.

The Colgate Max Fresh toothpaste I picked up from the Dollar Tree - where everything is $1 and I had a $1 off printable coupon, making them completely free! When I received the Purina One cat food sample a couple weeks ago, they included a coupon for a free can of wet food. The Friskie's Rise & Shine was free from a coupon I received off their Facebook page! Value: $4.00

Value TOTAL: $40+ (was kind of lazy this week estimating, can you tell?)