There are two parts of the "digikey" answer.

1) If digikey is willing to send out free samples, that's great.
2) Even if digikey ISN'T willing to send out free samples, the fact that
   you can order small quantities and get them shipped nearly instantly
   sorta does away with most of the reasons for the "free sample racket"
   to exist in the first place...

BillW