Forced free trial

A forced free trial is a direct-marketing technique, usually for goods sold by regular subscription, in which potential buyers are sent a number of free samples of a product, usually periodic publications. Quite often publishers distribute free copies and the reader is not even asked to subscribe. His address appears on a piece of paper that goes out with the mag – a label carrier that could so easily contain a promotional message. The copies are being sent out anyway, so the postage is already paid: the additional cost of promotion is negligible. And when the reader subscribes, you’ve already got his name and address pre-printed on the form. Add in some cross-selling opportunities (e.g., conference, directory or newsletter) and the lifetime value can be huge – from a subscriber that cost you just pence to acquire.

It is said that announcing a three-issue free trial and sending out a fourth issue works well to ensure good subscription rates. There are several places in which free trials can be found. Free trials are used by many different companies offering products and services. It is a marketing and advertising move in which the company or maker of said product or service is so confident in their offering that they give it to you in a trial test format. Once you make up your mind that you do like the product or service which you tried the company knows they will have your business.

However a free trial in exchange for credit card details can not be stated as a free trial, as there is a component of expenditure.

While forced free trials can be an effective marketing technique, there are ethical concerns when companies require customers to provide credit card information for a supposedly "free" trial. In such cases, customers may face unexpected charges if they do not cancel the trial within the specified time frame. To mitigate this issue, customers can opt to use dummy credit card numbers or prepaid cards for free trials.

Best Practices for Companies Offering Free Trials

Companies can implement the following best practices to ensure their free trial offers are ethical and transparent:

1. Provide clear and concise information about the trial: Companies should communicate the terms and conditions of the free trial, including the duration, any associated costs, and the cancellation process.
2. Offer a genuine free trial experience: A truly free trial should not require credit card information. Instead, it should allow the user to experience the product or service without any financial obligation.
3. Enhance the user experience: To encourage users to continue with a paid subscription, companies can offer exclusive content, features, or discounts during the free trial.

By following these best practices, companies can build trust with their customers and establish long-term relationships, while customers can safely explore free trials without incurring financial risks.

See also

• Free trial