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I would say an outright freebie guarantees I will download it, but it may take me awhile to get to. As far as purchasing goes, I need at least a free excerpt these days. I could spend years just getting through my Project Gutenberg to read list, never mind the stuff I have bought, paid for and not yet gotten to. Fictionwise is having another multiformat sale and I have a 15% off coupon on top of that so I was tempted to clear out my wishlist. But some of the books on it have only fair to middling reviews, and I just have SO MUCH to read right now...
Actually, much as I love to get stuff for free, I have to admit, a free sample is more likely to get me reading the book than an outright freebie because the outright freebie can always be just downloaded and shelved to read later. But if I buy something based on a free sample, it probably means I liked the bit I read already and I am invested to get it and finish it now. That happened once, actually, my sister loaned me an ebook (I was staying with her at the time) and it had an excerpt at the end of the author's other book, which I bought for myself when I was back at home.
I view the excerpt as the digital equivalent to reading the first chapter or so while standing in the store. And given how much great stuff is competing for my reading time right now, I am much less willing to shell out cash for something unless it comes recommended by someone I trust or unless I can get at least a sample first.
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