Door to door sellers, are they getting more frequent

Shiraz 4.99

This week alone I've had 2 different crowds selling Phonewatch, one lad selling Sky, one selling pre pay power or something I didn't understand.
That's not counting the charity chuggers that we keep getting calls from or the energy supplier changeover people.

A few years ago I got stung by one selling broadband so I swore never to sign up on the doorstep to anything ever again.
Any interaction that involves a 2nd breath is seen as an invitation so you have to be clinical when cutting them off.
Saying "I'll look into it & get back to you" is no good for the kid looking for his on the spot commission.

I especially love the callers who time the door bell ring to the moment you're putting the kids to bed.
Or the ones who use your kids use of the front door while going out playing as their opportunity to get their foot in your hallway, that has ended badly before.

Why is my life infected with these people, if I want to change a supplier I will research it online before making the decision.
Do these signs that people put up about junk mail & cold calling actually work ?.
I'd like hear a few other's experiences & if anyone who engages in door to door selling is brave enough to contribute then please do.

Just don't answer the door

Kimbot

The sun is shining so they are out and about working on their tans

solomafioso

My reaction to them is to say "no thanks" as soon as they start talking and close the door. Yes, it's mean. Yes, they're human (sort of).

It just removes any awkwardness of them going through their spiel and you eventually saying 'no'. I'm saving their time really!

beardybrewer

Maybe it seems that way after all the political canvassing.

You could be a prick and get one of these signs: http://www.ebay.ie/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=no+cold+calls&_sop=15

I ordered two, but then I'm a big prick.

Riamfada

Don't be rude, just people trying to make a living.

anncoates

I just politely say no. Why give them grief unless they're overly pushy.

Nobody would honestly be doing door to door sales in the evenings if they're weren't hard up for work.

matrim

One of the advantages of living in an apartment is not getting any door to door sellers.

But when I lived in a house and used to get them the odd time, it was just a no thanks, I'm not interested and close the door.

The One Who Knocks

Lia_lia wrote: »

Just don't answer the door

You better answer,... or else.

Bio Mech

Open door. "Not interested thanks". Close door. Get on with life. Easy.

TireeTerror

newkie wrote: »

Maybe it seems that way after all the political canvassing.

You could be a prick and get one of these signs: http://www.ebay.ie/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=no+cold+calls&_sop=15

I ordered two, but then I'm a big prick.

I would totally ignore that sign, in fact if I seen it it tells me that you probably are unlikely to be aware of the latest offerings in the markets as most will have avoided you. That sign is like an open invitation, plus it lets me know the type of person you are likely to be and I will adjust my pitch accordingly and I guarantee you that I would switch you to whatever I was offering. People with signs like this are the easiest people to switch. Usually they are not the pricks they think they are, but in actual fact they have a good sense of humour and therefore its easier to get a bit of banter going and then when they like you, they switch anyway.

endacl

Lia_lia wrote: »

Just don't answer the door

How do you shut the door in their faces if you don't answer it?!?



The only circumstances under which you don't answer the door is if they've seen you, and know that you're ignoring them.

Micky Dolenz

I never ever do business at my door step. If I want a service, I will research it and contact them. I tell them this and that's it.

Although, One evening a young lady knocked on my door, her first line was "Don't worry, I'm not trying to sell you anything" She was right in fairness but she then proceeded to try and sign me up for a charity.

TireeTerror

anncoates wrote: »

Nobody would honestly be doing door to door sales in the evenings if they're weren't hard up for work.

So wrong. I would typically start knocking on doors, or training people to do it, around 6pm and by 8:30 I will usually have earned between €150-300.

To me that isn't hard up for work, its a professional career choice where I have more spare time to do what I want than any other person I know and I can take time off whenever I like. Its also a great way to meet people and have a great laugh. Many people have grey lives, with very little difference in their daily routine, slaving like ants for corporations and paying exorbitant amounts of tax to the state. When a ray of sunshine such as myself faces them at the door, it provides many with an unexpected boost and the vast majority of people are really inviting, offering cups of tea and biscuits etc etc, posters on boards are not typical of the experience I have here in Ireland at all.

Del2005

TireeTerror wrote: »

So wrong. I would typically start knocking on doors, or training people to do it, around 6pm and by 8:30 I will usually have earned between €150-300.

To me that isn't hard up for work, its a professional career choice where I have more spare time to do what I want than any other person I know and I can take time off whenever I like. Its also a great way to meet people and have a great laugh. Many people have grey lives, with very little difference in their daily routine, slaving like ants for corporations and paying exorbitant amounts of tax to the state. When a ray of sunshine such as myself faces them at the door, it provides many with an unexpected boost and the vast majority of people are really inviting, offering cups of tea and biscuits etc etc, posters on boards are not typical of the experience I have here in Ireland at all.

Door to door dealer?

TireeTerror

Del2005 wrote: »

Door to door dealer?

Dealer? I have been cold calling since 2001. Love it.

Donkey Oaty

TireeTerror wrote: »

When a ray of sunshine such as myself faces them at the door, it provides many with an unexpected boost

preston johnny

http://www.ebay.ie/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=no+cold+calls&_sop=15

I could go around selling these door to door

smellmepower

Just get the Airtricity lads every few months round here and a polite no thanks has them on their way,occasionally get the odd person selling candles or (presumably) stolen meat,make up etc.

anncoates

TireeTerror wrote: »

Many people have grey lives, with very little difference in their daily routine, slaving like ants for corporations and paying exorbitant amounts of tax to the state

Unlike you?

gandalf

Haven't had any now in nearly a year before that they were a plague, especially Airtricity. If I do answer the door I just tell them that I never ever transact business on the doorstep. I make decisions in my own time and after I have researched the options be it charities, electricity or anything else. If they know they aren't going to get a sale they head off to the next place fairly pronto as they seem to be 100% commission jobs.

Now Jehovah Witnesses are different they just creep me out!!!

TireeTerror

anncoates wrote: »

Unlike you?

I pay the absolute minimum I can get away with. A lot of things can be legally attributed as work related costs.

Sunny Dayz

Do people actually sign up to these things on their doorstep?? There must be people out there who do otherwise these people wouldn't be doing it.

I just couldn't imagine signing up to broadband or switching my electricity provider based on a guy on the door step. I have often asked them for a leaflet so that I can consider it at a more convenient time and so most of them don't even have one.

When my hubbie answers the door (he works in sales), he tends to grill them - I remember some girl, dunno what she was trying to sell but she hadn't a clue, not a notion, about anything to do with the product/service. Husband asked her why should he buy from her so if she didn't even know anything about it! And this poor girl was going to waste her whole evening doing this.

anncoates

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Do people actually sign up to these things on their doorstep?

Lot of old people with dementia around these days.

TireeTerror

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Do people actually sign up to these things on their doorstep?? There must be people out there who do otherwise these people wouldn't be doing it.

I just couldn't imagine signing up to broadband or switching my electricity provider based on a guy on the door step. I have often asked them for a leaflet so that I can consider it at a more convenient time and so most of them don't even have one.

The vast majority, in fact over 80% of all energy switches were done door to door across the country as a whole. Most people know they should switch every year, but life gets in the way, they're too busy, cant be bothered, find it all too confusing. So when a salesman comes to the door and offers to do it all for them and is able to explain the options in a cohesive and simplified way, they usually switch.

Shiraz 4.99

TireeTerror wrote: »

So wrong. I would typically start knocking on doors, or training people to do it, around 6pm and by 8:30 I will usually have earned between €150-300.

That's good money.
I used deliver 5,000 free newspapers years ago, you'd get €350 for all the newspapers than €150 extra for each separate flyer.
I'd dispose of (see recycle) 3,000 of the papers leaving me 500 a night to deliver over 4 nights.
Get them into the middle housing estates & nobody complains.
Most weeks you'd get €650 cash in hand on top of your 9 to 5 salary from your normal job.

seamus

Saw a post on reddit once that made me laugh where someone said, "I put this sign up so that cold callers wouldn't wake up the baby. Ten years now and not a single salesperson has knocked on my door"

Seriously though, we actually have a handwritten sign that says the baby's asleep, don't ring the doorbell. We usually only put it up when the baby is asleep, but we often forget, so we see salespeople wandering around the estate and then wonder why they didn't bother us

ColeTrain

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

When my hubbie answers the door (he works in sales), he tends to grill them - I remember some girl, dunno what she was trying to sell but she hadn't a clue, not a notion, about anything to do with the product/service. Husband asked her why should he buy from her so if she didn't even know anything about it! And this poor girl was going to waste her whole evening doing this.

Your 'hubbie' sounds like a sad bastard with nothing better for doing..

endacl

ColeTrain wrote: »

Your 'hubbie' sounds like a sad bastard with nothing better for doing..

Harsh?

gandalf

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

When my hubbie answers the door (he works in sales), he tends to grill them - I remember some girl, dunno what she was trying to sell but she hadn't a clue, not a notion, about anything to do with the product/service. Husband asked her why should he buy from her so if she didn't even know anything about it! And this poor girl was going to waste her whole evening doing this.

I work in sales as well and I certainly wouldn't do this to anyone doing door to door. The chances are the girl was not trained, recruited very recently (most of these companies have very high turnover of staff) and was on a 100% commission job. I don't see the benefit in wasting her time and your own time acting in this manner. Better to politely say your not interested and get on with your life.

Sunny Dayz

I undersand what people are saying but what is the point in her going door to door selling something she isn't informed on. My husband's perspective is that he is trained and knowledgable in his area and prepared for questions from customers - but this sales person was not which was unfortunate for her.

I certainly wouldn't buy something from a person who didn't know the details of the product or service they were selling!