Comments on: tft: door-to-door salespeople

By: john

john — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:53:54 +0000

one other thing- i never ever knock on a door with a no soliciting sign on it. I figure the sign on the neighborhood was there before the homeowners were, but a no soliciting sign on a door means someone really doesn’t want me to knock, and i think its an issue of respect.

By: john

john — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:52:34 +0000

I sell contracts for pest control door to door in florida. I’m doing it for my third summer. People are extremely nice, considering how annoying it must be to have someone ring your doorbell at 7:30 PM and try to get you to sign a 490$ contract within about 15 minutes.

What i wonder is whether people are less or more annoyed by the fact that i am selling an expensive pest control contract rather than like a cheap mug or magazine. on the one hand, pest control is somewhat of a utility in florida- many people use companies rather than doing it themselves.

I knock in neighborhoods that are gated with large no soliciting signs and no trespassing signs. I’ve been doing it for 3 summers and i remember being yelled at once. I think i’ve actually been yelled at about 3 times. But i think i diffuse people a bit because i genuinely do try not to annoy them and get off their porch asap if they are uninterested.

I will make 30-40 thousand dollars between May 1st and the end of august this year.

thought i’d share from the other perspective. But i also share the perspective of being a sucker for a door to door salesman- if one knocks on my door at the very least he or she is getting a soda or a 20$ bill, if not the whole shebang.

By: Robyn

Robyn — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:28:44 +0000

I don’t answer the door, I am a sucker. I tried selling door to door in college and always feel bad, I know what they are going through. I bought from this kid once, but had 10 days to cancel and knew that so I said yes and canceled.

By: anne

anne — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:59:21 +0000

JUST like I stated: A long line of people who don’t know how to say “no.”

By: Ann

Ann — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:49:56 +0000

I am on longer allowed to answer the door because of my inability to say no. A year of being harrassed by organizations has made my husband ban me from all communication with door to door salesmen. It began with the Clean Water Act and Police Officers Association. I also once agreed to meet with a contractor about possible additions without ever really intending on doing it because I felt guilty saying no. The man stalked our house, called 12 times a day, and even left a few really rude messages. We finally got rid of him by disconnecting our land line. The only people that I can talk to is the poor freshmen at St. Ben’s who get the job of trying to collect donations from alumni. And yep, you guessed it, I always get suckered in to donating them money as well. At least I know that one is going to a good cause.

By: kristi sauer

kristi sauer — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:59:49 +0000

Luckily they aren’t common in my neighborhood, but when I first moved in I made the mistake of letting the ADT security rep talk me into a system. I asked a million times if I could cancel at anytime and he said yes. I found a month later that I had a 36 month contract and was forced to pay it all out, even though I never used the system once!!! After that huge, expensive mistake I haven’t answered my door!! LOL

By: jenny

jenny — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:06:26 +0000

i rarely buy things on my doorstep. we don’t get a lot of people stopping by - thank god! the last thing i purchased was boy scout popcorn from my neighbor and come to think of it - i never got it! so, looks like i won’t be buying that anymore either. one time we were at my BIL’s girlfriends house and they had let a vaccum salesman in their house to do a PRESENTATION. i wanted to go jump into oncoming traffic listening to this guy and wasting precious time in my life that i will never get back. i have no time for stupid stuff like that. my husband is a sucker for any little kid selling anything though.

By: MLBDaddy

MLBDaddy — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:02:04 +0000

We dont get any door to door salespeople but my usual approach on the phone (if I have time) is to string people along for awhile, make them think they have a bite, and then deny them. If you are going to bother me, then I am going to bother you too.

By: jessica

jessica — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:23:32 +0000

i used to be a sucker. i bought cleaning crap, magazine subscriptions, you name it. for hundreds of dollars. i practically say here, take my money. how much should i write the check for? my husband came along and changed all that. he gives people such a hard time that they almost want to run away. a true salesman test is to try to sell something to my husband! he demands stuff for free, he demands discounts… he comments on hairdos. you name it. it is hilarious. so, sufficent to say… i seldom do any more of the open checkbook, sign check. i’ve even picked up some of his tactics. fun post!

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:35:02 +0000

growing up, my mom always made us hide from the schwann’s man when she didn’t feel like buying anything.

i would say i buy stuff part of the time, especially if it’s a kid. pretty much only stuff i would use though. now that we’ve moved i’m guessing i won’t have to deal with this much anymore.