There are websites for everything you can imagine and didn't know you needed. Today's spotlight is on Social Nature, a website to discover new snack foods, vitamins, beverages, and so many more products based on your personal profile. You get a coupon for a free sample and, in return, write a review informing potential buyers about the item. The website’s main goal is to promote healthy, better-for-you products while reducing price, education, and convenience barriers that may stop people from trying them. Here's how it works.
How do you become a product tester?
The first step is to sign up and make a profile explaining your shopping habits, dietary preferences, favored grocery stores, and health goals. Here you can specify if you’re looking for snacks, meat, or pantry staples, as well as if you're trying to get better sleep, improve digestion, or increase energy levels. After that's complete, you will receive a list of products available near you. Apply to try anything of interest, and if a short quiz deems you a good fit, you will receive a free sample coupon in the mail!
Writing Product Reviews
The free sample coupon is good for any one product in stores. The rest is simple. Taste the snacks or cook the ingredients following instructions on the packaging to see how you like them. Within two weeks of receiving your coupon, you have to submit a review to the website. Here, you will talk about your thoughts on the product’s taste, what flavors you tried, how easy it was to find it in stores, and if you would purchase it again. The more products you taste and reviews you give, the more items you can apply to try in the future. Social Nature members also get discounts on many products online that you can't get elsewhere.
My Personal Experience
I’ve tried a couple of Social Nature products, such as the Organic Red Curry Paste from Mekhala and Strawberry Spread from Bonne Maman, and my experience has been pretty positive. With the nearest partner stores in Berkeley being Whole Foods or Sprouts, going on a grocery run can be a trek if you don't regularly shop at these stores. However, the foods that I tried have all been interesting. With some good and some bad, I have eaten foods I would not have bought otherwise and learned about new brands. If you ever have trouble finding items in stores or don't have time to review them within two weeks, Social Nature's customer service is easy to access and quick to respond.
Social Nature is a fun way to try new products personalized to your dietary needs. Many of the featured brands can be slightly more expensive than regular products due to their organic, diet-specific and sustainable labels, so this is a great way to sample them before committing to the price tag. The reviews on the website are also a great way to see what other people think about items you are not able to try for free. If this sounds like something you need in your life, give it a try today!