If you're an online seller who wants to give away free gifts to your buyers, here's 12 freebies to avoid:

1. Political ANYTHING

2. Social Justice Issues / Topics - Sure, the topic may seem like a “no brainer” to you, but instead of promoting it to your buyers, join a charity or organization outside of the workplace and promote your belief that way. This includes stuff like:

3. Snakes

4. Religious ANYTHING

5. Insects. Spiders and more… this even includes snails… yes, snails. People are very disgusted by snails. Check out this poll of the most disgusting creatures, according to American citizens:

As you will notice from the poll above, the top line is “disgusting animals” whereas the bottom of the line includes SCARY animals…. Yep, cats are on it… and red pandas… red friggin pandas… guys, how is this scary???:

Since the Red Panda scares people it’s easy to see why mice and rats scae people I guess.

6. Clowns

7. Apparently Camouflage anything… based on my personal customers outrage.  People either assume it means hunting or war.  

8. Skulls

9. Jokes. What’s funny to you is upsetting to the next guy.

10. Weapons. Sure, it may be the cutest gun bracelet you have ever seen in your entire friggin life, but to the woman who was shot in 2003 it’s a bad feedback in the making.

11. Alcohol Theme - “It’s Wine O’Clock Somewhere” can be offensive to someone who has been in Alcoholics Anonymous for the past decade

12. The dentist. Look man, people are freaked out by it. Keep your tooth-theme keychains to yourself… or better yet, sell them to a dentist.

Keep in mind that a free gift is supposed to make your buyers happy.  The only agenda you should be promoting is your business.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with promoting social or political issues, just keep the promotion to social media (NOT your business account) and within your community (NOT related to your small business).  If you stick to these rules you will reduce the level of buyer unhappiness related to free gifts.  Tomorrow I will be sharing with you my personal Free Gift = Bad Feedback buyer nightmare stories!