你以为超市试吃会赔本么？事情远远不是你想的那么简单

If you’ve spent any time hitting up the giant wholesalers or other markets this holiday season, you’ve probably figured out that you can make a full meal out of the tasty little samples they often dish out. Which seems like a good thing, for you…and for your wallet. But a new study shows that these tempting little treats really do entice you to buy what you try…and maybe some other stuff like it.

如果你在这个假期花时间去参观大批发商或者逛其他市场，你可能会发现，他们分发的美味小样可以做一顿饭。这对于你……以及你的钱包来说都是好事。但是一项新的研究发现，这些诱人的免费小食品，会引诱你去买想买的东西……可能还有一些其他类似的东西。

Researchers tracked the sales in half a dozen stores that provided samples of snacks in four categories: healthy, salty, frozen, or branded by a large coffee-shop chain. They found that noshing while shopping convinces consumers to buy the featured product more often than does simply seeing the product displayed at the end of the aisle.

研究人员对六家店的销售情况进行了调查，这些店提供四种不同的点心样品：健康类、咸味类、冰冻或者标有大型连锁咖啡店品牌的样品。他们发现，与仅仅看到产品陈列在走廊尽头相比，在购物中试吃会增加消费者购买特定商品的频率。

They also found that repeating the sample offering multiple times translates into sustained interest in the product…and that stores that have a smaller assortment of products for sale benefit more than the warehouse-sized emporia. The finding is served up in the Journal of Retailing.

他们还发现反复多次地提供样品试吃增加产品的利润……而那些拥有更小的产品种类的商店比仓储式的商场更加受益。该研究结果发表在《零售业》杂志上。

The researchers also discovered that the effect extends beyond the product itself…such that, for example, nibbling on one brand of cookies makes you hungry for cookies in general—including those from competing brands.

研究人员还发现产生这样的影响不仅仅是产品本身……例如，品尝一种饼干会让你想吃饼干-其中也包括竞争品牌的饼干。

Which suggests that a rising tide really does lift all boats. Or at least that a tray of free taquitos will certainly lift a lot of shoppers’ spirits…and will keep those registers ringing well into the new year.

这表明的确水涨船高。或者至少一盘免费的豆沙卷的确会提高购物者的兴致……也会让新的一年销售额保持良好的记录。