The variety of trial sizes that are offered in the trial size section continues to grow. The intent of the trial sized item is to allow the consumer to either try a product at a much lower investment or to use it for traveling. Due to drastic changes in the airline industry, growth in the offerings of the trial sized section has been spurred on by the stringent requirements placed on items carried on by the passenger. Trial size products are often offered by companies as well through sample request offers to entice the consumer.
I rarely need a sample size of something since I hardly ever travel, and the thought of having ten little bottles of something taking up precious space in my stockpile seemed messy and unorganized. In the past, I would frown upon using a coupon to purchase a trial size item in hopes of purchasing the full size product at a better unit price than the trial size item. Recently though, I have discovered that trial sized items are sometimes actually lower in unit price by using a coupon than their full size counterparts even with the use of a coupon.
Manufacturers typically provide a coupon for their full size product. Many times the coupon stipulates the intended use of the coupon by excluding trial sized items. If a coupon does not have a trial size exclusion clause, then it is generally acceptable to use a coupon on its trial size version. On occasion you may encounter a cashier or other store clerk who interprets the coupon otherwise and may have difficulty in redeeming the coupon on the trial size item. If this happens, you only have two options which is to argue your case or ask for the item to be removed. Most of the time I ask politely that the item be removed from my order which sometimes causes them to change their stance and allow the coupon to be used.
My most recent purchase was for the trial size Shout wipes. At Walgreens the 12ct box of Shout Wipes is regularly priced at $3.99 ($.33 per wipe) I purchased the 4ct trial size of Shout Wipes at Target for $.97 ($.24 per wipe) and used a $.55 coupon which took my price down to $.42 for the trial sized product. Using the coupon on the trial sized item in this situation actually makes my unit price go well below the unit price of the full size product even after the use of a coupon.
Purchasing the trial size item is not always the better alternative, and unit price will need to be determined to decide which item will be the best purchase. Keeping a price book as mentioned here and here will help keep the prices straight on what is the better deal, as well as carrying a calculator with you to do a quick calculation.