{"items": [{"author": "Julia", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/114588710186521489410", "anchor": "gp-1329405928255", "service": "gp", "text": "Food samples are usually for processed food, whose taste is consistent, and which people might never have thought of buying (e.g. frozen pesto chicken lasagna). Everyone has heard of pineapple, so they don't give out samples.\n
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\nYou can pretty much tell how good an avocado is by looking at the inside, so vendors at Haymarket will sometimes have a cut one as a display. But having fruit samples would be better.", "timestamp": 1329405928}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1329406934382", "service": "gp", "text": "@Julia\n I've definitely seen samples for fruit, especially citrus", "timestamp": 1329406934}, {"author": "opted out", "source_link": "#", "anchor": "unknown", "service": "unknown", "text": "this user has requested that their comments not be shown here", "timestamp": "1329412093"}, {"author": "Yaron", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/300395840019502?comment_id=300497803342639", "anchor": "fb-300497803342639", "service": "fb", "text": "I think to some extent the use of simplisitc appearance cues by both producers and consumers reached a peak in the 60's or 70's, and has waned since, as consumers have become somewhat more savvy - more in the case of some products than others. For example, in the case of bread - I don't think most people perceive overfluffed white bread as being \"better.\"However: Overfluffed white bread is cheaper, because it is more mass-produced and more mechanized, and it lasts longer, b/c of it is more artificial. And this is where economics come into play. Poorer people, people who struggle to make ends meet, people working long hours and struggling to feed their children, are more likely to buy foods that are cheaper and last longer even if they taste lousy and are full of poisons. And also more likely to buy products that are more toxic to the environment, and products manufactured with ghastly labor practices. When it comes down to it, it's all about economic empowerment - enabling consumers to have the luxury of making intelligent consumption choices.", "timestamp": "1329413032"}, {"author": "Ariel", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/113667834513475506190", "anchor": "gp-1329446911649", "service": "gp", "text": "Some vendors do more extensive sampling. At Trader Joe's, they always have some sample they're giving away (rarely produce but sometimes a new cheese they're stocking), but we've also had workers there open up a package of grapes and offer us a taste when we asked if they were seedless or not. I know they'll also open up cheeses if you ask about, for example, the difference between different parmesans. We've also had samples of produce offered at Whole Foods and they seem pretty chill about allowing small samples from the bulk aisle (nuts, granola, etc.) in addition to the ~4-5 cheese samples they always have out. The bakery we go to always has samples of at least three different breads already cut and they'll cut you a sample of whatever you ask for in addition. Some of the vendors at the Davis farmer's market will do samples, too.\n
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\nThere are a couple of places we shop where sampling can't happen practically and there we tend to rely on expert opinion -- we ask the owner of the fish market what's good that day, we ask the wine guy at Dave's Fresh Paste for recommendations within certain parameters, etc.", "timestamp": 1329446911}, {"author": "Todd", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/112947709146257842066", "anchor": "gp-1329448172020", "service": "gp", "text": "It seems like there should be a market opportunity here for a company that can find a way to more reliably/accurately signal quality. I'm not sure how that would be accomplished, though. One of the problems with the complexity and subjectivity of taste, I suppose.", "timestamp": 1329448172}, {"author": "BDan", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103775592027106438640", "anchor": "gp-1329457305358", "service": "gp", "text": "For a company which is selling the food itself, the market opportunity only exists if they can consistently provide good quality -- otherwise, it will hurt as much as it helps. There is certainly an opportunity for a third party to accurately assess quality, but that's probably pretty challenging, since the food sellers are actively working against it.", "timestamp": 1329457305}, {"author": "Todd", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/112947709146257842066", "anchor": "gp-1329457457521", "service": "gp", "text": "@BDan\n I'd assume it's possible for a company to consistently deliver a quality food product if it focuses on that.", "timestamp": 1329457457}, {"author": "BDan", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103775592027106438640", "anchor": "gp-1329458672838", "service": "gp", "text": "@Todd\n At that point, though, it doesn't take that long to establish a reputation and just rely on that, which is probably much easier than developing an additional signifier of quality.", "timestamp": 1329458672}, {"author": "Todd", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/112947709146257842066", "anchor": "gp-1329458790567", "service": "gp", "text": "@BDan\n If that's true, then the signaling that Jeff is calling out shouldn't be so powerful/effective.", "timestamp": 1329458790}, {"author": "BDan", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103775592027106438640", "anchor": "gp-1329459503416", "service": "gp", "text": "@Todd\n It's effective because it's cheap compared to actual quality.", "timestamp": 1329459503}, {"author": "Todd", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/112947709146257842066", "anchor": "gp-1329459648359", "service": "gp", "text": "@BDan\n In which case, it might be helpful for the quality product to have some competing signal with which to offset the price gap (price itself is one such signal, at least in some cases).", "timestamp": 1329459648}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1329483968351", "service": "gp", "text": "@Todd\n \"quality product to have some competing signal\"\n
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\nIf I understand \n@BDan\n, this signal could be \"it's sold at a store with a reputation for high quality\". And the store could advertise this. Though I usually dismiss claims by stores about the quality of their food.", "timestamp": 1329483968}]}