6. PINCHMe, PopSugar Dabble, Thingtesting
These sites usually request a review of the product. PINCHMe and PopSugar Dabble have a lottery type system where you have to apply for the product to receive it for free. Thingtesting used to have similar offers, but now it seems like it’s primarily discounts on certain brands. Your free stuff is delivered by mail (USA).
Overall, a low level of effort is required as reviews are needed in exchange for the free product.
5. S’more
Admittedly, S’more is not the easiest things on this list, but there are real perks. S’more has a “S’market” where you can get real things in exchange for the tokens you obtain. Here’s the thing– you have to share posts with at least 3 photos or a video, and use 140+ characters in your captions to earn a token. If you treat the app like a social media platform, that is not a necessarily hard thing to do. The items in the S’market are coveted and basically free (if you don’t account for your time and effort posting). I think it’s a pretty decent deal, especially if you really want something in the S’market. (I was eyeing those Wicker Broadway tickets.)
4. Influenster
Influenster has been in the gifting game for a while, but heads up… you’ll need some sort of following on one of the major social media platforms. I’m not saying you need thousands, but I think it’ll help to have more than 100. (Don’t quote me on this though!) From my recollection, the most important thing is that you post about it after receiving your item. In a previous post, “Chemical Peel at Home for Dark Skin Vs. A Spa Treatment,” I mention using an Estee Lauder chemical peel. That item was from Influenster. Similar to number 6, you have to give a review on the gift, but instead you post it on social media.
3. UGC (Hummingbirds, Backstage)
If you’re reading this and don’t already know what UGC is, then this might not be the method for you, but not all hope is lost. UGC, which stands for user generated content, is a popular way brands get relevant and relatable content without coming off too corporate. Essentially, brands gift AND pay creators with items (or services). In exchange, the brand owns the content you create and can use it on their social channels.
You can use Hummingbirds or Backstage to find UGC opportunities. There are other ways, but the aforementioned is all I know. This isn’t necessarily free stuff by mail, but it’s pretty close to it.
2. Focus Groups
There are so many focus group option out there, it is just a matter of searching for them. For example, right not there is “Project A”, a technology-based research study being conducted by Sago. (Tell them Bora sent you if you sign up!)
“Project A” offering $225 for up to 3 hours of your time. This is how focus groups work. They ask you questions over a period of time, and in exchange they pay you.
1. Sending Snail Mail To Brands
Sending brands handwritten letters is not for the weak. Depending on how many you write, you might form carpal tonal or callouses on your fingers, but nothing is more satisfying than getting a surprise page from a brand.
Out of everything mentioned, this will be the most troublesome method. It’s require effort and tenacity. Not all brands will respond, in fact, the majority of them won’t, but that one or two responses makes it feel worth it.
There are many ways for form your own mailing list, and find brand addresses. I didn’t use this method, but many people on TikTok used Google. This is fine, probably, but not how I found my addresses nor is it my preference. If you’re interested in my custom and curated list, here’s the link to it.
If you want tips on what to write, check out this video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT26bV1Cy/
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