EEVblog #126 - The Free Sample Fallacy

Why free chip samples are NOT always a good thing. Will they cost you more in the long run?

[EEVblog]

@johnfranks I am advising about the potential pitfalls that some people are not aware of. I am not bitching about getting stuff for free.

[EEVblog]

You must have missed all my other comments about why it's sometimes not such the great deal it sounds like! If those things don't apply to you, then fine, you got $50 worth of parts for free, awesome.

[jeriellsworth]

I've had good and bad luck with samples. I get annoyed when I go through the effort to request them and they never arrive. I'd ask the vendors to please send an email saying that they think I'm a loser and the parts will not be shipped.

[MrAtheist]

I use the sample programm to get parts that are not direct availlable to me (most of the "big" distributors dont ship to private person or require extreme shipping cost)...

[Afrotechmods]

@jeriellsworth It's all about the image. Set up a professional looking website showing that you do EE consulting work / manufacturing and show off a couple of high volume products you worked on and you'll get the samples every time. They aren't going to make the effort to sleuth down all the cool projects you've worked on unless it's a mouseclick away for them.

[EEVblog]

@0000mastermind I was doing the speed limit. The watch is a Timex Expedition Digital Compass watch. I use it for canyoning.

[magicphysicsdude]

Texas Instruments has a pretty nice free sample program. I just see the sample I want, add it to the sample cart, answer about 3 questions (I think it was only 3, and I'm pretty sure at least 2 of them had drop down menus), and then they ship it. Both times I requested samples, I received them in about a week, if that. No spam emails, either. :)

I mostly wanted the free sample to figure out how to use the things for a project, so I think the free samples worked out quite nice in my case.

[jeriellsworth]

@Afrotechmods I'll have to write the back and say "Don't you know who I am? You'll never work in this city again!!" Think this would work?

[drwho]

I understand your complaints Dave and it would be a mistake to select a part based on there being a free sample, but I designed something had a few choices, one part was from Ti, and they were giving free samples of it. Fedex, got it in a few days... So it is worth checking if there are free samples, but bad idea to design around it. Shipping costs are large in the US from the big suppliers...

[EEVblog]

@exnol Sure, but the dangers about choosing and designing in your part based on it being free remain the same. It might very well cost you MORE money down the track, and that doesn't discriminate between hobbyist and professional.

[tronixstuff]

Spot on - if I want a part to try out, I want it tomorrow, not in four weeks. And (for me) having to pay for something makes me think twice and research more into the design before spending money on it; whereas the concept of a free part may bias working the problem around the free part instead of the best part for the solution.

[EEVblog]

@TheElectricnoob What happens if your prototype works but your free sample turns out to be made of Unobtanium? It'll cost you a lot more to retool the board and re-spin the prototype than you saved on getting that "free" part.

[hmpeter]

Well, Digikey: 60€ minimum order. Mouser: 20€ delivery cost. RS: will not deliver to new private customers. Farnell: 5€ delivery cost, thats ok. But students are the only people who can order as private persons.
I am even happy to pay the 3US$ handling fee per part at freescale, since ordering them is so much more expensive.
So as a student, I like Free Samples a lot.

[exnol]

@EEVblog I am so glad you actually replied, Dave. :D

Hmm...down here you got to depend on them. The economy and taxing are both working against hobbyists here. It's either the low quality cheap available parts, or free samples.

[JohnAldred]

While I do, for the most part, agree with sentiment, sometimes it's not so bad.

I requested some sample components from Coilcraft about 18 months ago for a project I was working on, basically because I just wasn't entirely sure exactly which one was going to be the best fit for the job. Got my samples, did my tests, ordered more of the right component. The samples did take a while to arrive, but no hassle at all.

Sometimes it's useful. :)

[EEVblog]

@rroge5 Element-14 and RS Components both do this.

[EEVblog]

@jeriellsworth That sort of thing works!, I've done it on numerous occasions. Companies are always in fear of those who wield power on the Internet :->

[MrMinimalSWN]

It's true Dave, If you're working on decant projects and really put your effort in it, you might once make something that you can reproduce and sell to others. So I think it's best for me to get familier with High-Quality components.

[Afrotechmods]

@jeriellsworth You'll make a few suits cry for sure ;) Then they'll move on to a lucrative career in SEO spamming.

[DeltaRegeer]

@johnfranks Distributors don't, but the manufacturers do. Look at ST, Ti, and Maxim just to name a few. Generally it is easier to get free parts that one wants as a business as well!