Is Sample Room VIP membership really worth it?

I have been a Sample Room user since 2014. I think having their samples made me start blogging. I've won several contests held by them and I must say that having to try something before you buy it is really a good idea. Sample Room has this try before you buy tagline that makes it too good to be true. The first time I introduced this to my friends, they told me that Uy, baka scam yan! While I am the one who always takes a risk, I didn't mind. Besides, I only paid for the shipping fee of the items. If it's a scam then screw them.

So the first time you register, you automatically get 100 points that you can use to purchase the samples. Before, it was still worth it because you can still get 3 products in 100 points. This is why I got so addicted to this site. But these days, you're lucky if you can grab 2 products because most products costs more than 50 points. So signing up for VIP is the first option for you if you want to get more samples. But, is VIP membership really worth it?

In almost 2 years as a Sample Room member, this is my first time to subscribe for a VIP membership. I really wanted to have the Burt's Bees lip balms. These Burts Bees lip balms are just too expensive when you buy them in Beauty Bar stores, so I wanted to try them first if it will work for me.

Anyway, as a first time Sample Room VIP member, the Sample Room team replenished my VIP points very fast. I paid for the Php 799 in the morning and I was surprised that it was replenished in the afternoon. Great, isn't it?

What are the perks of being a VIP ember?

• You get more samples to try
• You can get invited to exclusive VIP events
• You'll receive an exclusive gift from Sample Room everytime you renew your VIP membership.
• You get to avail sample offers from premium brand partners
• You get to receive gifts from Sample Room's brand partners

But is it worth it?

For me, it's a 50-50 situation. It's worth it for me because I get to try the samples that I wanted which costs more than 100 points. But I'm thinking about paying Php 799 for the membership and getting the gift for free means I also paid for it. This surprise gift is really a surprise because it will be different from other SR VIP members. You wouldn't know if you'll love it or not. So what if you didn't like your gift? Plus, being a member of Sample Room requires shipping fee of Php 100 to Php 140 when they only use Xend as their courier and shipping costs only Php 59 for Metro Manila, and Php 79 for provincial.

But I understand that the members are getting bigger and demands are getting bigger too. However, when choosing the samples you want to try, don't just settle for what is the lowest amount of points you are going to use. Be mindful that there are items whose points are almost equal to the amount of that item when sold in the market. Why get that sample online when you can buy it in the stores at the same price? You might think that you are also saving a lot of money for an expensive brand not knowing that they will give you 10ml sample size for 500 points. Get what I mean? Double check the size of the product you will get as a sample, and the real price. Don't be fooled. There are lots of pros and cons. As for me, I subscribed because I really wanted to get the Burt's Bees lip balms, but seriously. the rest of the samples I have availed are not worth it.

Plus, it's mandatory to give reviews about the products you have availed in order to regain the points you used. You need to use the products for at least 5 days before you can post a review. The points you earned as a VIP member is only good for 2 months, and you have to renew again to get those points. 

I got 3 Burt's Bees lip balms for 100 points each. Each lip balm costs 329 something. And yes, I saved almost 600 for all of it. I didn't hoard all samples since I am saving my points for a new wave of samples. I heard that Sample Room takes too long to approve your reviews and your points are on hold. Most of the time, the samples you want are out of stock.

However, I still find it exciting because I can get more samples that I want. And I loved the Burt's Bees lip balms so much!

It's up to you. Are you willing to pay worth more than 2k for getting samples?