Samplelab: A Store Where Everything Is Free!

We read about this in Chris Anderson's book "Free".(You may know the author from is other book, "The Long Tail")

Sample Lab, is a members-only space in Tokio, Japan, that invites consumers to sample and test new products. Samplelab makes it's money by renting out shelf space to advertisers and charges members a small annual fee. It also gathers customer feedback and sells the results.

Sample Lab offers everything from BBQ sauce and exercise equipment to pantyhose and moisturiser. Besides trying everything out in the shop, members can take home up to 5 items per visit. To harvest their precious feedback, Sample Lab asks visitors to fill out surveys about the products they've tested.

Only in Japan? We think not. In fact Sample Lab is looking fro franchisers all over the world at www.samplelab-international.com