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?

Also, I was responding to the PP saying that the use of em dash is a “dead giveaway” of the use of AI.
Please, step down as the self-appointed thread police, it’s not a good look.

I’m an editor so I know that better than most people I would suggest, but I also know it’s very unusual for people, and I include many of the excellent authors I work with, to a) use correctly, and by that I mean use the correct character, not a hyphen and b) use on informal social media posts.

The whole point is that in conjunction with all the other red flags of AI, all visible in this post, it’s just another piece of the puzzle, as AI favours them heavily in a way that standard writing tends not to.

As to why it matters, I’m afraid it very much does to me. Sites like this are about fostering human engagement and connection, and AI strips that away, even if we generously assume it’s been used innocently to try to make a post ‘better’. Aside from the horrible cost to the environment (and using it to make posts on MN is very frivolous in the first place), it’s also very difficult to judge authenticity of something that is written by AI.

But now it’s clear it’s AI, I can step away and not waste any more time on it!

I know grammar corrections are generally frowned on but in the circumstances this might be allowed, but shouldn't that be

My English lecturer would always lose it if we didn't ; it was his pet peeve. (I don't agree about a capital letter after a semi-colonel.

I am pretty certain it’s not AI and I won’t share why I think this, but if you think it is, then report it to MNHQ as not a genuine poster. Don’t troll hunt and derail the thread!

Not in British English. Are you American perhaps? I know they tend to use a capital after a colon although I didn't think it was common after a semicolon and I read a lot of US documents and press (albeit the NY Times style guide is a bit idiosyncratic). British English definitely no semicolon+cap though.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z6w6cqt#zm4kcmn

Not doubting it’s correct usage, but surely you have to admit that it’s never been more in fashion now LLMs are widely used.

I have no idea where the em dash even is on my keyboard (pc or phone!), I had to copy paste it to use it in my previous post 😅

If I was writing a book, absolutely but clearly you and PP have a warped understanding of proper punctuation (yet think you know better than an English lecturer!?) so what does it matter?

The point is, online conversations are now being attacked by idiots who are implying proper grammar and/or punctuation = AI. It’s really saddening.

I've never seen sample offers. Where do you find them?

I am not American! How dare you?! I attended university in Leeds and this was a common correction.

100% agree with this. One of the reasons I like using a forum (reddit and here) is for a human answer. It drives me mad when someone asks eg for a recommendation for a restaurant in a particular city and a poster responds with an AI generated list, as if OP couldn't do that themselves!
Interesting perspective from an editor on AI, too. I also find it pretty easy to spot, not because I'm in your field but because I see it, and I see genuine prose, every day. Totally understand why those with less exposure wouldn't spot it though. I imagine in a few months it will be harder to spot, like how Sora videos became so much more life like in such a short period. Hopefully it won't be so annoying then 😂

And a capital letter after a semi-colon is not correct in UK English unless it’s a proper noun. Unfortunately English teachers of years gone by are some of the worst culprits of instilling incorrect grammatical peeves in people that endure for decades.

I came here to share my experience from my visit not to questioning writing style or technology, thank you for today 🙈

Is this still the free perfume thread or have slipped into some dreadful boring wormhole about punctuation? If you want to talk about punctuation get your own thread.

Oh. There's nothing wrong with being American by the way.

Well your lecturer was wrong then, or perhaps you've misremembered.

From the Leeds University communications style guide:

No it isn’t.

If you want a chat about AI start your own thread. Your post has nothing to do with free perfume - the point of this thread.

Cult Beauty has a five samples for £5 offer on at the moment.

She’s not saying OP is a troll or a bot, though. She’s saying that OP used ChatGPT (other AI flavours are available) to draft her post.

Thank you! That’s the point!

I am really curious about why you feel is reasonable to call the op on this or even bring it up in the open? Mean spirited from you. answer the question or ignore it and move on, the op is not submitting a college essay nor are you the person to police it.

For more beauty spots (pun intended 😀)

www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5512231-beauty-chat-freebiesgifts-with-purchaseoffers-thread-thirteen

Seriously bad for the bank balance, be warned!!

If I were writing a book,

Tbf I did have a (tongue in cheek) guess that she was trying to get some intel for a perfume company. But maybe more likely just an inexplicable AI user. Chat GPT a good guess, doesn't sound like Claude or CoPilot (i have less experience with others)

Thanks @SheilaFentiman for the cult beauty tip, love a cheeky sample. People definitely sell them on Vinted (I bought a couple of Parfums de Marly ones on there when I couldn't be arsed to go to a shop to try them out) - so I can see why companies don't hand them out. Although you do sometimes get a completely random one when you order something from e.g. Harvey Nicks.

Thank you! Some people just love to hate on others

Not at all. I love others. I love humans which is why I dislike coming on a human forum, designed for human interaction, which is more and more flooded with identikit posts by robots.