Complex sentence: The purpose of a free sample is to acquaint the consumer with a new product, and is similar to the concept of a test drive, in that a customer is able to try out a product before purchasing it.
Split into simpler sentences: The purpose of a free sample is to acquaint the consumer with a new product. The concept of a free sample is not unlike that of a test drive, in that a customer is able to try out a product before purchasing it.