{"id":568,"date":"2009-06-22T10:48:10","date_gmt":"2009-06-22T14:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/polish\/?p=568"},"modified":"2009-06-22T10:48:10","modified_gmt":"2009-06-22T14:48:10","slug":"when-a-free-sample-isnt-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/polish\/when-a-free-sample-isnt-free\/","title":{"rendered":"When a Free Sample Isn’t Free"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>There are many things that I love about Poland, but there are also many others that irritate me to no end (post office – Poczta Polska<\/strong> is just one of them).<\/p>\n

Another one of those things that get me really cranky are free samples that aren\u2019t free.
\nBut let\u2019s start from the beginning.
\nI was looking for a small bottle of contact lens cleaner, small enough to take with me on the airplane. And I discovered that \u201ctravel size\u201d in Poland means 120 ml, which of course is much too large. As I walked from one store to another seeing only 120 ml bottles everywhere, I was beginning to get discouraged. Until one helpful sales lady suggested that instead of a \u201ctravel size\u201d, I\u2019d have better luck asking for a \u201cstarter size\u201d bottle.<\/p>\n

I quickly returned to the store where just last week I had bought my contact lenses (with no \u201cstarter pack\u201d at that) to see if they could help me. Sure they could. \u201cStarter\u201d bottles? Sure they had. \u201cWhat brand?\u201d<\/em> I was asked. They had a choice of four. (I didn\u2019t even know that many companies made contact lens solution!)<\/em><\/p>\n

And just as I had been warned before, the \u201cfree\u201d sample was anything but free in Poland. I was charged 14PLN for my \u201cnot for sale\u201d bottle.<\/p>\n

OK, I would expect this in Burkina Faso. Even in Brazil (with apologies to my Brazilian readers), or in Vladivostok (because well, we all know that things are done a little bit differently in Russia), but in Poland? I thought we were a civilized EU country now.<\/p>\n

Out of curiosity (and because I had nothing better to do that day) I actually called to the company that made this particular brand and asked what the free sample deal was. And wouldn\u2019t you know it? I was told this:
\n\u201cIf it says \u2018free sample\u2019 on the box that means the store got this product as a free sample to be given away as a free sample. Even in Poland.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

So, if a store is selling this \u201cfree\u201d sample, it\u2019s just 100% profit for the merchant. Then why do they even bother to list VAT (sales tax) on the receipt?<\/p>\n

I guess this is one of those Polish mysteries that will never be solved.<\/p>\n

Useful words:<\/p>\n