AIBU to think it’s strange you only get a sample if you buy a £300 perfume?

[Annmay]

I had an experience recently that I can’t quite stop thinking about, and I’m curious if this is normal now or if something has changed.

I was in a well-known luxury department store, exploring niche fragrances — just taking my time, asking questions, trying to understand what I might actually like on my skin.

I came across Maison Crivelli and was genuinely interested. The fragrances are not cheap (around £300), so naturally I wanted to test properly before making any decision.

At one point I asked if it would be possible to have a small sample — just to see how it develops over a day or two.

I was told I would only receive a sample if I purchased the full bottle.

What surprised me wasn’t just the answer, but how quickly the tone of the interaction changed after I asked.

It went from friendly and engaging to… noticeably colder.

I was there with my daughter, and she even asked me:
“Why are they looking at us like that? Can we go?”

And honestly, that stayed with me more than anything else.
Because I’ve had experiences in other places where you can take your time, ask questions and feel comfortable — and this felt completely different.

Here, it felt like I had to prove something.

I completely understand that samples can’t be given endlessly — that’s not what I’m expecting.

But for a £300 fragrance, is it really unreasonable to want to test it properly first?

It just made me question whether luxury today is about experience… or just transaction.

Curious what others think — is this normal now?

No clue if it's normal but I would expect to be treated better if I was in the market for such an expensive perfume. So yanbu!

Why would you need a sample if you were already buying the bottle?

Further, why would you write such a basic post using AI? (not you @Barrenfieldoffucks - the OP)

So you can return it unopened?

OP are you the person who was banned from boots for constantly going in for samples?

Yes strange but the whole vibe of beauty counters has changed. Back in the day I could be in the market for a foundation and get a full makeover done by the counter staff without feeling like I was an inconvenience and without being pressured to buy anything. Now I ask about foundation and they will colour match but not offer anything over and above. Not even to put the product on my face to see how it looks.

Also op never said she had bought or was buying a bottle. Just that she was looking for perfume and interested in this brand.... Perfectly reasonable to expect to try some first.

I think there’s been a misunderstanding — I wasn’t buying the bottle.

I was considering it, and to be honest it’s something I would have had to think about and save for.

That’s exactly why I wanted to test it properly first.

In the end, I didn’t buy it — not because of the price, but because of how the situation made me feel.

I didn’t use AI — I just wrote about what happened in a way that felt clear.
But the main point is really the experience itself, not how it’s written.

I thought the op wanted a sample so she could spend a couple of days deciding how it suited her before forking out £300? What’s the point of only getting a sample if you purchase a bottle?

Your initial post (the only time you've ever posted on mumsnet) is 100% written by AI. It's not a crime to use AI I'm just really curious why someone would do that for such a basic question.

Yes, that’s exactly how it felt.It wasn’t really about the sample itself, but more about how the whole experience has changed.
It used to feel more personal and welcoming — now it feels much more transactional, like everything has a condition attached to it.It’s interesting (and a bit sad) to see how many people are noticing the same shift

So you didn’t even get offered a spray of the scent from a tester?

I just wrote about what happened from my perspective.If the post sounds structured, it’s probably because I wanted to explain the situation clearly.But the main point isn’t how it’s written — it’s the experience itself.

Yes, I was offered a spray from the tester.
But with fragrances like that, a quick spray in-store doesn’t really tell you much — they develop over hours.That’s why I asked about a sample, before making what would have been quite a considered purchase.

The days of samples do seem to be long gone. Did they not allow you to spray some on though? That would have allowed you to see how it developed on your skin over time.

😂 course you did

Don’t have a perspective on the post but the ‘—‘ is a dead giveaway that posts are generated via AI.

Thank you , that’s exactly what I meant. I wasn’t buying, just trying to decide, and I wanted to do that properly before committing. It didn’t feel like an unreasonable request, which is why the reaction surprised me.

Yep although there are about ten other clues. My favourite bit has to be "It just made me question whether luxury today is about experience… or just transaction." OP must be using an AI tool trained on Carrie Bradshaw quotes 😂

Getting a sample with expensive perfume when buying online is quite common. The idea is you test it then return the unopened bottle if not to your taste.

In a store they have the tester bottles to try. Giving out samples in store without purchase doesn't seem to be a thing now, I suppose because they feel the cost isn't worth it or people would take the samples and not buy.

Selling samples is very commonplace on eBay or Vinted and there are also scent sample websites to where you can purchase a couple of ml of expensive scents to try out. Not as good as the brand giving away samples but better than spending £300 on something you end up not liking.

Not normal but they are probably targeted to make £££x per day and bollocked if they don't. There are sample services who sell these posh perfumes by the ml to try first but its not free unfortunately.

It wouldn’t the ‘quick spray in store’ develop over few hours anyway?

I’ve got the be honest, I’m baffled at why you’re surprised at not getting a full sample. They have to assume you’ll pop off with the sample and not return.

This isn’t even the only AI generated post I’ve seen on MN today using the ‘and honestly’ AI giveaway

Thank you ! That’s exactly how I felt. Its not even just about the price,more the expectation that the experience would reflect it.That’s probably why it stood out so much to me.

Apparently she wanted to see how it would develop "over a day or two". People tend to miss the importance of that second day whiff, what with showering etc 😂