I have gotten candy from Etsy sellers before. I throw it away, and am sad about it. I'm not going to eat it and I dislike waste.
I'm team note, if you need/want to add something.
Definitely not. Most people won't eat it, so it's wasteful.
I would recommend doing a sub search for "freebies." This topic comes up here all the time. Lots of people are against freebies in general, but the overwhelming majority are against candy specifically.
The only kind of freebies I personally like are ones that are directly related to what I bought. Stuff like - I bought soap and you include an extra smaller soap in a different scent. If you're tossing in a random sticker or some other random stuff, chances are good I'm putting it straight in the trash.
Also not out of the question for freebies to wind up giving you hassle. I've seen numerous stories of buyers who left a bad review because they didn't like the freebie. We had one recently where they got a bad review because the freebie damaged the product they actually got.
Yeah, that post about the damage was rough.
That said - I do sometimes include a little extra related thing like you said. We just had someone order three versions of something, and we recently made a new one of those, so I included a prototype we worked on in that order with a note explaining. Things like that. I think it's a nice reminder that we are people, and that we are constantly iterating. And I figured if she wanted three, four wouldn't be bad!
But never anything unrelated.
Candy can be iffy sometimes! I’d instead opt for a little handwritten thank you note instead - I’m sure your customers will love your products and really appreciate a little “thank you” note from you for supporting their store! :)
One of my main issues with anything edible is that if the package is in the system on a hot day, the free item may melt and stick to the order. You also don’t know what allergies the customer may have.
Personally, I just write a thank you note.
Nooooooo!
I used to do this. I got more complaints than it was worth. I learned most people threw it away. So, you're basically throwing your money away by doing this. Don't give people freebies and candy!
I order from a website that regularly includes a sealed twizzler candy with each order. I throw it away and feel guilty about it but I just don't want it.
I wouldn't. First and foremost would be allergy concerns. You wouldn't want someone to go into anaphylaxis. Plus, in my experience, freebies aren't appreciated unless they add value to your product. A cheap polishing cloth might work well for you, tho.
No candy. Some folks struggle with various eating disorders and this is just plain (potentially) cruel.
I have issues with chemical fragrances; if you add a scented candle to my order I would go ballistic and give the worst possible review.
I've gotten weird yarn tassels from recycled polyester yarn and thought, WTF?
Generally I wouldn't add any little freebies. Most of these go unappreciated and get thrown away. Even stickers - stickers are cheap, they bought what they wanted already.
Instead? Simple, recyclable packaging, a receipt, ship as fast as you can.
I say no. As someone with an allergy and other dietary restrictions I never like getting candy I can't eat 😂 I'd recommend giving stickers or a small item relevant to what you sell as freebies. For example I make jewelry, so sometimes I'll send some extra beads or a chain extender with orders.
I would not. The candy might be a sticky mess by the time it got to its destination. The buyer may have allergies, not like candy, have diabetes.
Then if it is going international that may be an issue with customs.
It is also possible bugs could get into the package. Bugs can squeeze into the tiniest of spots. I have heard of this happening.
I think a nice note is better. I have seen really nice reviews of buyers loving the thank you note.
I will sometimes send a free pair of earrings with a matching theme to what they purchased. Just today I sent out a free pair of Halloween themed earrings with a multiple item order. Two of the pairs ordered were Halloween earrings (yes they start buying in June in my shop).
I’ll preface I do auto accessories, and I generally believe I know my customer base extremely well.
So to start I do provide candy with my orders, and have gotten positive reviews mentioning it being a nice touch. My customers get a free sticker of the vehicles we produce parts for(s), a thank you card, and a piece(s) of airheads candy with their order(s).
As a continuation of why, my materials suppliers, as well as my suppliers for equipment often do a similar approach and have seen a lot of positive socials mentioning joy in the fact they do it, so it’s a reason why I’ve chosen to. I’ve also worked places where suppliers will drop off candy with their order as a thank you, and have seen the employees get absolutely excited about it. I generally will keep the candy from these orders in my workshop and enjoy them as a snack when working.
I’ve also been exploring gifts this holiday season of reaching out to my most vocal of customers about submitting some pictures of their vehicles to do custom magnets like rock auto, and air fresheners, but those will probably be for website customers.
I’ve also been exploring incorporating small piece candy (like gummy bears/jelly beans) into assembly instructions, so that they are there with more purpose.
These work for me, may not work for you.
Everyone's saying no, but I always include a little sugar free Lifesaver, individually packaged, with a handwritten note. Never had a complaint only compliments!
I just ate a rootbeer hard candy I get from a seller I buy from quite frequently. I'm prob the odd man out here, but when it is individually wrapped I have no issue.
I dislike all the freebie cards, sticker, and adverts, that is what goes directly in the bin UNLESS there is a 15 or 20% code.
>Never had a complaint
Every time I read someone say this, I have to point this out:
Just because people aren't taking the time to message you or review complaining doesn't mean they aren't bothered. I find candy or other freebies I don't want extremely wasteful, but I have never messaged a seller about it nor left a negative review over it.
Completely agree with this and wanted to add that in Texas and many places we have entire months of triple digit heat, so candy may melt or become a mess easily. No on several levels.
I used to be a photographer and my favorite printer always included candy with print orders. I loved getting packages from them! It was always individually packaged stuff that wouldn’t melt.
It was 117° here today.
Even a hard candy could start to melt in my mailbox and leak all over everything.
No. Just don’t. Send what they ordered and move on.
a little post card is a cuter freebie I think. You can get some printed on vista print or something. Not like an advertisement though, something cute and related to what you sell.
i never eat candy from strangers, and its often sticky or melt when included
No! I ALWAYS throw away candy. I don't know where it's been, if it's been tampered with, how much heat it's been exposed to, ingredients, allergies.. etc. Bad idea. I usually give a sticker or a D20 (many of my items are D&D tools/themed) - things that can be used and relevant to the purchase.
Please do not! Anyone who has had an ED will know that you work hard to avoid candy at all costs, so to have it come unbidden into your home via a package is triggering, annoying and flat-out dangerous.
I include branded postcards and stickers. I sell little bits of yarn to crafters, so I also include a small packet of leftover yarn scraps - no one is going to object to *more* of what they bought. (I once included heart-shaped seeded paper, but I don't think those had a high success rate.)
I don’t like getting freebies at all. Nor do I expect them. Most times freebies just feel like extra stuff that I didn’t ask for, but now need to deal with. Small things really start cluttering up over time.
We just chuck them in the bin as we don’t eat ultra-processed junk food.
We do though respect sellers who try and reduce the amount of single use plastic in their packaging. Which is why we package everything using green, recyclable materials and spent 3x on non-plastic Jiffy bags (surely they should be cheaper but hey ho. “Green Tax”).
And… It’s perhaps a bit hypocritical as we’re a 3D printed board game parts and upgrades shop but we do what we can and hopefully. None of our products are single use :-)
So. My answer would be. Ditch the sweets/candy wrapped in yet more plastic and go as green as possible. I know our customers appreciate it.
I would say no too. I also make and sell jewelry so I send cleaning cloths with my orders on top of the handwritten thank you notes. If it’s a bracelet or something a cloth can’t clean, I send a matching stretch ring. People appreciate the cloths a lot. Maybe try that.
Do something that relates to what you sell & it might generate more sales.
I had a bag of big ribbon bows & flowers left over from a production I designed, so i added a few of those with my sewing patterns.
And I wrap lace with a metre of thin ribbon & a chunky button that I had 300 of & a few people asked if I had those buttons & ribbons for sale, which was great for a return sale.
No candy. No consumables. Maybe a single wax melt. But no food. I hate the single sealed life savers/mint rings. They're usually crushed or make my fabric stink. I include cheap stickers that match the theme of the key fob or season. (Book stickers during March, ghost stickers with the ghost fobs, etc)
I have gotten candy from Etsy sellers before. I throw it away, and am sad about it. I'm not going to eat it and I dislike waste. I'm team note, if you need/want to add something.
Definitely not. Most people won't eat it, so it's wasteful. I would recommend doing a sub search for "freebies." This topic comes up here all the time. Lots of people are against freebies in general, but the overwhelming majority are against candy specifically. The only kind of freebies I personally like are ones that are directly related to what I bought. Stuff like - I bought soap and you include an extra smaller soap in a different scent. If you're tossing in a random sticker or some other random stuff, chances are good I'm putting it straight in the trash. Also not out of the question for freebies to wind up giving you hassle. I've seen numerous stories of buyers who left a bad review because they didn't like the freebie. We had one recently where they got a bad review because the freebie damaged the product they actually got.
Yeah, that post about the damage was rough. That said - I do sometimes include a little extra related thing like you said. We just had someone order three versions of something, and we recently made a new one of those, so I included a prototype we worked on in that order with a note explaining. Things like that. I think it's a nice reminder that we are people, and that we are constantly iterating. And I figured if she wanted three, four wouldn't be bad! But never anything unrelated.
Candy can be iffy sometimes! I’d instead opt for a little handwritten thank you note instead - I’m sure your customers will love your products and really appreciate a little “thank you” note from you for supporting their store! :)
One of my main issues with anything edible is that if the package is in the system on a hot day, the free item may melt and stick to the order. You also don’t know what allergies the customer may have. Personally, I just write a thank you note.
Nooooooo! I used to do this. I got more complaints than it was worth. I learned most people threw it away. So, you're basically throwing your money away by doing this. Don't give people freebies and candy!
I order from a website that regularly includes a sealed twizzler candy with each order. I throw it away and feel guilty about it but I just don't want it.
I feel like we order from the same company. I always get the twizzler and always throw it out
No
I wouldn't. First and foremost would be allergy concerns. You wouldn't want someone to go into anaphylaxis. Plus, in my experience, freebies aren't appreciated unless they add value to your product. A cheap polishing cloth might work well for you, tho.
I recommend not doing that. 1. It opens you up to liabilities 2. People may have allergies 3. They could melt and make a mess
Nope. Please don't.
NEVER!
No candy. Some folks struggle with various eating disorders and this is just plain (potentially) cruel. I have issues with chemical fragrances; if you add a scented candle to my order I would go ballistic and give the worst possible review. I've gotten weird yarn tassels from recycled polyester yarn and thought, WTF? Generally I wouldn't add any little freebies. Most of these go unappreciated and get thrown away. Even stickers - stickers are cheap, they bought what they wanted already. Instead? Simple, recyclable packaging, a receipt, ship as fast as you can.
No. I throw it out.
Hell no
No
i out seasonal stickers in mine so now im starting my fall and halloween stickers and i gave more stickers based on the order size
I ask people on my website what breed of dog they have and I include a sticker of their specific breed but for Etsy that’s too complicated
No chance! Absolutely no edibles. If you make someone sick, you and your whole business are in trouble.
I do. I've never received a complaint, the candy is gf/vegan friendly as well
I always eat the candy lol But a note or sticker is probably better 🤷♀️
Whenever I included freebies (really nice bracelets) I never got one single thank you so I stopped.
I would think that was weird if someone randomly sent me candy, and definitely wouldn’t eat it. Just send me what I ordered, that’s all I want.
No, one if my suppliers does this and I've asked them not to. It just feels weird. A handwritten message, on the other hand, always makes me smile!
I say no. As someone with an allergy and other dietary restrictions I never like getting candy I can't eat 😂 I'd recommend giving stickers or a small item relevant to what you sell as freebies. For example I make jewelry, so sometimes I'll send some extra beads or a chain extender with orders.
I would not. The candy might be a sticky mess by the time it got to its destination. The buyer may have allergies, not like candy, have diabetes. Then if it is going international that may be an issue with customs. It is also possible bugs could get into the package. Bugs can squeeze into the tiniest of spots. I have heard of this happening. I think a nice note is better. I have seen really nice reviews of buyers loving the thank you note. I will sometimes send a free pair of earrings with a matching theme to what they purchased. Just today I sent out a free pair of Halloween themed earrings with a multiple item order. Two of the pairs ordered were Halloween earrings (yes they start buying in June in my shop).
I’ll preface I do auto accessories, and I generally believe I know my customer base extremely well. So to start I do provide candy with my orders, and have gotten positive reviews mentioning it being a nice touch. My customers get a free sticker of the vehicles we produce parts for(s), a thank you card, and a piece(s) of airheads candy with their order(s). As a continuation of why, my materials suppliers, as well as my suppliers for equipment often do a similar approach and have seen a lot of positive socials mentioning joy in the fact they do it, so it’s a reason why I’ve chosen to. I’ve also worked places where suppliers will drop off candy with their order as a thank you, and have seen the employees get absolutely excited about it. I generally will keep the candy from these orders in my workshop and enjoy them as a snack when working. I’ve also been exploring gifts this holiday season of reaching out to my most vocal of customers about submitting some pictures of their vehicles to do custom magnets like rock auto, and air fresheners, but those will probably be for website customers. I’ve also been exploring incorporating small piece candy (like gummy bears/jelly beans) into assembly instructions, so that they are there with more purpose. These work for me, may not work for you.
Someone will accuse you of trying to send them into diabetic shock and leave a 1 star. Freebies usually bring out the most unhinged.
No. Please.
Everyone's saying no, but I always include a little sugar free Lifesaver, individually packaged, with a handwritten note. Never had a complaint only compliments!
I just ate a rootbeer hard candy I get from a seller I buy from quite frequently. I'm prob the odd man out here, but when it is individually wrapped I have no issue. I dislike all the freebie cards, sticker, and adverts, that is what goes directly in the bin UNLESS there is a 15 or 20% code.
>Never had a complaint Every time I read someone say this, I have to point this out: Just because people aren't taking the time to message you or review complaining doesn't mean they aren't bothered. I find candy or other freebies I don't want extremely wasteful, but I have never messaged a seller about it nor left a negative review over it.
Completely agree with this and wanted to add that in Texas and many places we have entire months of triple digit heat, so candy may melt or become a mess easily. No on several levels.
You mean the stuff that causes diarrhea?
I include a magnetic business card. I always need fridge magnets.
I put little crystals in with mine, small tumbled pieces of amethyst or Quartz.
No but if you wanna do a freebie maybe some stickers? I do that for my crochet shop
I used to be a photographer and my favorite printer always included candy with print orders. I loved getting packages from them! It was always individually packaged stuff that wouldn’t melt.
It was 117° here today. Even a hard candy could start to melt in my mailbox and leak all over everything. No. Just don’t. Send what they ordered and move on.
I add notes and stickers and a colourful voucher for my website!
a little post card is a cuter freebie I think. You can get some printed on vista print or something. Not like an advertisement though, something cute and related to what you sell. i never eat candy from strangers, and its often sticky or melt when included
I do around Halloween
No! I ALWAYS throw away candy. I don't know where it's been, if it's been tampered with, how much heat it's been exposed to, ingredients, allergies.. etc. Bad idea. I usually give a sticker or a D20 (many of my items are D&D tools/themed) - things that can be used and relevant to the purchase.
Please do not! Anyone who has had an ED will know that you work hard to avoid candy at all costs, so to have it come unbidden into your home via a package is triggering, annoying and flat-out dangerous. I include branded postcards and stickers. I sell little bits of yarn to crafters, so I also include a small packet of leftover yarn scraps - no one is going to object to *more* of what they bought. (I once included heart-shaped seeded paper, but I don't think those had a high success rate.)
I don’t like getting freebies at all. Nor do I expect them. Most times freebies just feel like extra stuff that I didn’t ask for, but now need to deal with. Small things really start cluttering up over time.
We just chuck them in the bin as we don’t eat ultra-processed junk food. We do though respect sellers who try and reduce the amount of single use plastic in their packaging. Which is why we package everything using green, recyclable materials and spent 3x on non-plastic Jiffy bags (surely they should be cheaper but hey ho. “Green Tax”). And… It’s perhaps a bit hypocritical as we’re a 3D printed board game parts and upgrades shop but we do what we can and hopefully. None of our products are single use :-) So. My answer would be. Ditch the sweets/candy wrapped in yet more plastic and go as green as possible. I know our customers appreciate it.
I would say no too. I also make and sell jewelry so I send cleaning cloths with my orders on top of the handwritten thank you notes. If it’s a bracelet or something a cloth can’t clean, I send a matching stretch ring. People appreciate the cloths a lot. Maybe try that.
No no no I put a very short little thank you note. Customers often find it very touching.
Do something that relates to what you sell & it might generate more sales. I had a bag of big ribbon bows & flowers left over from a production I designed, so i added a few of those with my sewing patterns. And I wrap lace with a metre of thin ribbon & a chunky button that I had 300 of & a few people asked if I had those buttons & ribbons for sale, which was great for a return sale.
No candy. No consumables. Maybe a single wax melt. But no food. I hate the single sealed life savers/mint rings. They're usually crushed or make my fabric stink. I include cheap stickers that match the theme of the key fob or season. (Book stickers during March, ghost stickers with the ghost fobs, etc)
I had wax melts melt in a package someone sent me once. And my order had nothing to do with wax melts. It’s 117° here today. Just … no.
All of our customers get a great freebie - a 15% off future purchase discount code. :)