Have you ever bought something because of a sample?

[vacuumfreeeke]

I tried to find the old thread on poor dishwasher detergent performance, but it must have been flushed off the board.

I was off yesterday and I decided to make some potato soup... I've never made it before, and I haven't done any real cooking in a long time so it was wonderful. The soup turned out great, I enjoyed the process, and I made the Red Lobster cheddar biscuits to go with it... pure heaven. Until the end of the night when I looked at the kitchen. It was a shambles! I practically used every dish I owned... Plus I'd used the juicer and it was a mess too. Well, it took two diswasher loads to clean the kitchen. The first one, I used the Electrosol powder that I was foolish enough to try. Well, I'd been getting dismal results from it anyway, so I wasn't surprised when I opened the door to find half the load still needing to be hand washed. If you use too little, the dishes are dirty afterwards, use too much and they are still dirty, but also littered with grit!

I washed cutting board, 2 plates, 3 wooden spoons, 2 glasses, and a few other things that the had food still on them by hand. When I first got the dishwasher, the lady gave me a free packet of Cascade Complete powder that came with the dishwasher when it was new. I had been saving it for an emergency in case I ever ran out of detergent. Well, I was washing the juicer, and some plates with bacon grease and all kinds of filthy things in the second load so I needed something better than the Electrasol. I tried the Cascade. I almost fainted when I opened the door! Everything was absolutely spotless! I've had my centrifigul juicer for about 9 months now, and the cutting/strainer wheel has NEVER come clean in the dishwasher. I've always had to scrub it after the cycle was complete. Even with the Wal-mart brand detergent that I used to rave about. Well, this time it looked brand new! I could not be more impressed... even the glasses sparkled... and I thought they were clean before! I'm absolutely thrilled with the results!

Where else can I find other people who actually get excited about diswasher detergent performance!?

So, because of a free sample, I've been sold! I will buy Cascade Complete powder the next time I need dishwasher detergent.

Now I've also had a bad experience with a free sample... the Pirates Dinner Show in Orlando gave all the people in my office free tickets to go there. We set appointments for timeshare presentations, so they knew we see tourists every day and could be a good source of advertisement for them. Well, it was disorganized, smelled putrid, the show was dreadful, the employees rude, and while I know you don't go to a dinner show for the food, the food was worse than you'd expect at Shady Pines retirement home! I wonder how much money they have lost due to their free sample... every time I meet someone who's considering going there, I convince them not to waste two hours of their life doing that!

Have you ever purchased (or not) anything because of your experience with a sample?

 

[whirlcool]

Yes, a few weeks ago we were in a very nice upscale grocery store and a woman there was handing out samples of a British Stilton cheese on some vegtable flavor crackers. They were so good that we bought some of the cheese and crackers that very shopping trip.
If we do get a smaple of something we like very much we often will buy the product later.

 

[rp2813]

Costco has nailed us on occassion with samples. But as far as dishwasher detergent goes, my discovery wasn't via sample, it was just what was on sale. The appx 1990 Maytag in my mom's old place was leaving film on the glassware (so likely the dishware too) and I tried everything to clean it like making sure there was no rinse aid and running vinegar through it. The more I used it, the better things got. Then I picked up Cascade with Dawn on sale and I swear, this Maytag that I considered so lame seems to be getting everything cleaner--squeakily so--than the KA 22 we left behind at the other place. I may try Cascade without Dawn just to see what happens, but I'll go back to the Dawn stuff if there's a difference in results.

 

[frigilux]

Vacuumfreeeke---Glad you like Cascade Complete! I find it's the best detergent available on store shelves. Any version of it is outstanding---powder, liquid (and so many liquids really suck), or gel-pac.

The only thing I've ever used that beat Cascade Complete is Quixtar's powdered Dish Drops, but they recently changed the formula and it doesn't have the power it used to. It was also fairly tough on glassware.

I think regular powdered Cascade and the blue-colored gel-pacs do a fine job, too; But it definitely doesn't tackle pots/pans/casseroles like Cascade Complete.

 

[appnut]

Cascade Complete is about all I've used since it came on the market how ever long ago it was.

 

[paulg]

Bad experience after sample / Tylenol PM

Well, your question posed was "Have you ever purchased (or not) anything because of your experience with a sample? "
My experience involves Tylenol PM.
Generally, Tylenol doesn't work with me at all. However, I did get a free sample of Tylenol PM that I threw in a drawer. After a tough night at school I really needed a good nights rest. Took the Tylenol PM. Afterward I was WIDE AWAKE and developed temporary "restless leg syndrome" which positively made me nuts for a day.
I thought restless-leg syndrome was a funny faux disease until I had it for one day. I feel sooooo sorry for people who have it all the time...