Before the Coronavirus took hold, many of us probably wouldn’t have thought twice about using an in-store tester at a beauty store. Whether it be a fragrance, cream, lipstick or anything else, testers – in whatever form they happened to take – were typically high-touch surfaces, making them a big ‘no-no’ when the pandemic came along. This has led to beauty stores re-evaluating how they’ll offer sample products in the future, with sachet sampling being a perfect example. Here at Guardpack, we produce a wide variety of liquid-filled, gel-filled and cream-filled sachets. We wanted to explain why sachet sampling might prove such an effective alternative for the beauty industry to previous sampling methods.
The Guidance
Earlier this year, the UK’s Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) issued guidance on how to reintroduce sampling and tester products safely back into beauty stores, following the Coronavirus pandemic.
The guidance is thoughtful, well considered and detailed; it issues guidance, for instance, on controlled tester procedures for different product formats, including creams, liquids, powders, lipsticks, fragrance and mascara.
The official guidance for creams and liquids, for instance, is to “place on a sanitised tile or decant using a disposable spatula or pump or into a disposable pot”.
Our View at Guardpack
Whilst we commend the lengths that beauty stores and associations such as the CTPA have gone to in order to ensure some semblance of normality returns to beauty stores, at the same time we can’t help but feel there isn’t perhaps an easier (but still effective) way to offer testers and sample.
Since stores have reopened, the onus has been on getting as closely back to pre-pandemic standards, as possible. It’s, of course, an understandable business motivation – what works well once, after all, is bound to work well again. We’d argue, though, why go back to ‘normal’.
Sachet Sampling
If normal requires extensive and laborious workarounds in order to offer samples (in a way that frankly deters from any sense of luxury, beauty or glamour) then why not consider alternatives? Sachet sampling is a cost-effective and profitable marketing method for samples and testers, that is known to yield good ROIs. Whether you’re looking to offer liquids, gels or creams, then packaging your product into marketable sachets is something of a no-brainer.
Alongside the practical benefits of being able to offer such samples without the rigmarole of official guidance, necessarily, they also look more aesthetically-pleasing and can serve as effective brand marketing tools.
On the Spot or Take Home
Another flaw of traditional testers and samples is that they required you to try them on the spot, in the store. Whilst this has its perks, it enables salespeople on the shop floor to knuckle down on the sell, so to speak and it limits the customer’s options.
What if the customer doesn’t want to try it at that very moment? With sachet sampling, customers can still obviously try on the spot, but they can also sample the product at a time that’s more convenient for them. In an age where customer experience is key, being seen to be a brand or store that puts the customer’s journey first, is an absolute must.
Our Sachet Sampling Services
So, what can Guardpack offer in terms of sachet sampling services? Well, our range of pumps means we can fill sachets with a range of fillings, including oils and high-viscosity creams. Not only this, but measurement volumes can range from as low as 1ml all the way through to 40ml and to an accuracy tolerance of 0.1ml.
With production runs starting as low as 2,000 sachets (package-able in store-ready cartons) our sachets are perfect for beauty salons, drug stores and cosmetic retailers of every shape and size. Finally, the various formulations we offer are fully tested and compliant with the Cosmetic Regulation 1223/2009, meaning you can rest safe in the knowledge that your product is safe and up-to-scratch.
Contact Us
There’s no doubt that cosmetic sampling still has its place within the industry, and arguably a place near its very head. That said, though, there are newer, more innovative (and more practical in the current climate) ways of going about offering your samples. Sachet sampling offers one such solution, offering not simply an alternative, but an improvement.
So, if you’d like to find out more about our sachet sampling options, then get in touch! Contact Guardpack today on 01245 505 807 or by emailing us at trade@guardpack.co.uk. Alternatively, you can fill out one of our online contact forms, and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can. However you want to get in touch, we look forward to hearing from you.
