Free samples tend to be thought of as a feature of the “democratized” market, where no company holds a monopoly in the manufacture of a given product. The idea is that various companies have to compete for the same customers. Thus, the quality of the product has to be above average to justify customer attention. Furthermore, the prices have to be competitive. This type of market is probably the most favorable for the consumer because pleasing the customer is at the center of each company’s endeavors. It is as humane as capitalism gets.

Unfortunately, capitalism does not always function this way. In particular situations, one company grows to dominate the market, and it eclipses the competition, either by buying them out or by creating conditions that make it impossible for them to compete and still thrive. If this happens, then the company develops a monopoly of the manufacture of that particular product. It is the only option available for customers who need to purchase the product, so they can no longer look to other options when it fails to meet their needs. This means that the company no longer has to perpetuate a customer-centered philosophy. It can ignore customer needs and priorities, instead putting its own profit-making goal at the forefront.

This kind of company can adopt practices like free sample distribution, ostensibly to promote their products to a valuable customer base. But time will prove that their intentions are not so pure. Rather, they use free product samples to get customers used to the convenience of using their products. Subsequently, when they have hooked the new customers, they can inflate the prices of the product or create all sorts of unreasonable conditions that increase their profit margin, but make life difficult for their customers.

There are few cases in which this can happen, because there are not too many manufacturing industries where one company has a monopoly on a product that is an absolute necessity. However, it happens often enough in service industries where cable providers, internet providers and phone service providers in a particular region can treat their customers unfairly because the said customers can’t turn to competing companies. In these service industries, it is not unheard of for customers to be first hooked into joining by the companies’ enticing special offers. They pay drastically reduced rates (and sometimes nothing at all) for a limited period of time. Subsequently, when the special deals run out, the prices they pay are ridiculously high. This is one instance where companies abuse the principle behind free samples.