Should door to door sales be outlawed?

El Inho · 28-03-2013 10:31PM #1

I realise there is a dedicated thread for this, but its far too hidden away for a good honest discussion about this matter.

If I'm wrong mods I apologise.

Basically I have experience in this kind of work, and still have some friends doing it. Being honest, I would rather just ask the question and see what happens without my own input.

Should door to door sales be outlawed?

Catphish · 28-03-2013 10:34PM

El Spearo wrote: »

I realise there is a dedicated thread for this, but its far too hidden away for a good honest discussion about this matter.

If I'm wrong mods I apologise.

Basically I have experience in this kind of work, and still have some friends doing it. Being honest, I would rather just ask the question and see what happens without my own input.

Should door to door sales be outlawed?

Honestly speaking, I can't stand them. You come across sales people everywhere, my home is where I won't tolerate it.

spankysue · 28-03-2013 10:35PM

No. It's people's choice to do it for a living, there have always been people selling things door to door, so no.

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 28-03-2013 10:36PM

It's why I have a video intercom.

"No thanks, I'm in the nip so I can't answer the door, come back never".

Lawrence1895 · 28-03-2013 10:37PM

Some of them don't understand 'No' if I send them away, they come back instead, and that's annoying.

El Inho · 28-03-2013 10:38PM

Just wanna point out, this is disregarding personal opinions.

The question here is should he be outlawed?

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 28-03-2013 10:40PM

El Spearo wrote: »

Just wanna point out, this is disregarding personal opinions.

The question here is should he be outlawed?

I see no benefit to it for me personally. I would rather they didn't come to my door but I'm sure some people don't mind it. So I will say yes, feck off please.

El Inho · 28-03-2013 10:42PM

Well just to have my opinion on record I think it should be outlawed.

For the welfare of residents and indeed the people who work for these 'companies' doing door to door.

Lawrence1895 · 28-03-2013 10:44PM

El Spearo wrote: »

Just wanna point out, this is disregarding personal opinions.

The question here is should he be outlawed?

No, it shouldn't, but the salespeople have to respect everybody's right not to be disturbed or annoyed.

Thrill · 28-03-2013 10:44PM

I too would rather they stayed the fcuk away from my door.

Terry1985 · 28-03-2013 10:50PM

cold calling is illegal in England.
Yes, it should be illegal here too.

too many times it's used as an excuse to check if someone is in the house or not.

to me, i didn't invite them to my home.
they rang the bell to force me to go to the door and listen to advertising...

I'll boycott EVERY company that employs this ignorant and intrusive tactic

starviewadams · 28-03-2013 10:50PM

I'm sure if people didn't actually buy things off door to door salesfolk then the job wouldn't exist anymore,so some people must still find them useful I suppose.

Personally I just don't answer the door,as I find most sales people very pushy and unable to take no for an answer.Goes double for Airtricity reps!

kowloon · 28-03-2013 10:51PM

Only if it's the representative of a political party trying to sell me bullsh1t. Glad that election is over, even if I don't like the result.

gobnaitolunacy · 28-03-2013 10:56PM

Most anything that my parents bought from door to door salespeople was sh*t and/or the vendors were complete spoofers....examples

Alarm system: cheaply made piece of crap, wires cut and twisted together during install to make an electrical 'connection'.
Fire extinguishers: Lad took fire extinguisher away to re-fill it. Never returned with it, quelle surprise.
Furniture: Factory rejects with mismatching patterns that members of a certain community deal in.

And don't talk to me about those ones that go round with the wheeled luggage filled with pound shop standard rubbish.

Cookie_Monster · 28-03-2013 10:57PM

El Spearo wrote: »

Should door to door sales be outlawed?

yes, if only so it means canvassers can't come to your door 'selling' a political party for votes

Wibbs · 28-03-2013 10:59PM

Terry1985 wrote: »

I'll boycott EVERY company that employs this ignorant and intrusive tactic

I'm the very same I have to say T. I would never use airtricity for example because of their reps constant bloody calls to my door. Same goes for eircom phonewatch, Sky and a couple of others, including charities.

I don't blame the reps. They're trying to make a few quid, like us all(and IMH are often exploited), but I take a dim view of the parent companies tactics. I feel similar about phone cold calling too. On my door I have a sign saying no junk mail, no cold calling. If they ignore that then they get bloody short shrift from me TBH.

Royal Legend · 28-03-2013 11:04PM

Invite them in, kill them, bury them in the garden, no one will miss them, the perfect crime :cool:

galwayrush · 28-03-2013 11:26PM

Thery don't come back once the local neighbourhood watch is alerted.

fussyonion · 28-03-2013 11:34PM

Absolutely yes, they should.

I'm sick to my back teeth of Sky/Electric Ireland etc calling to my door all the time, and it always seems to be at dinnertime.

If I want to know about your "great offers", I'll go online/call you or research it myself, don't bother me at home when I'm up to my eyes.

They never take no for an answer either and I described a situation a few months back where I was forced to say NO fifteen times to a rep because of his pushy nature.

shopaholic01 · 28-03-2013 11:41PM

fussyonion wrote: »

They never take no for an answer either and I described a situation a few months back where I was forced to say NO fifteen times to a rep because of his pushy nature.

I just close the door in their face at this stage, there doesn't seem to be any point in trying to tell them you aren't interested.

DeltaWhite · 28-03-2013 11:42PM

Ban them, end of... I don't know one person who enjoys being hassled at their door step by sales people who are quite pushy and fake IMHO.

Digs · 28-03-2013 11:47PM

Absolutely. I had one sky rep last week ring my door bell three times until I answered and I only did so because the dog was going berserk. I asked him to kindly get lost (I'm on maternity leave and he woke me up so he's lucky that's all I did). If I don't answer after the first ring I probably don't want to answer.

My area is plagued by sky reps and as pp have said on principle I wouldn't switch to their service because of it.

fussyonion · 28-03-2013 11:49PM

Digs wrote: »

Absolutely. I had one sky rep last week ring my door bell three times until I answered and I only did so because the dog was going berserk. I asked him to kindly get lost (I'm on maternity leave and he woke me up so he's lucky that's all I did). If I don't answer after the first ring I probably don't want to answer.

My area is plagued by sky reps and as pp have said on principle I wouldn't switch to their service because of it.

Had the same thing.

Sky rep rang my doorbell last week four times. I blatantly ignored her because I had an armful of wet clothes I'd just taken out of the washing machine, trying to go and hang them out, and I was also expecting an important phone call. She kept ringing the bell, then gave up.

That same evening, she returned and rang the bell and also knocked a few times. Boyfriend went out and told her we weren't interested in whatever she was selling. She'd just started to say "Oh I'm not selling, I'm from Sky-" before boyf closed the door on her.

razorgil · 28-03-2013 11:50PM

after a hard day at the office, the last thing you want is some tósser using up your down time with the empty promises of some shít hes trying to peddle at the front door, MY front door, go the fúck away.

MurdyWurdy · 29-03-2013 12:19AM

I don't think they should be outlawed, I know it's just people trying to make a living. What I don't understand is how they do make a living out of it? I don't know anyone who would buy something off someone that knocked on their door (even from electricity suppliers etc). Does it work on enough people to actually make it worthwhile?

keelanj69 · 29-03-2013 12:23AM

Nothing worse than tinkers coming to the door selling pillows. Or those looking for a paid holiday to some far flung place. Building house? Yeah right pal.

smileyj1987 · 29-03-2013 12:26AM

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

Does it work on enough people to actually make it worthwhile?

It makes it worthwhile for the companies because alot of door to door sales work is commision based so if you get no sales you get no wages .

I do think it should be outlawed if I wanted a bargain I will find it myself .

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 29-03-2013 01:34AM

It becomes a more interesting question when you work at home.
The interruption of a salesman "just doing his job" means I have to stop doing my job.
When you put a monetary figure on that loss, I don't think they have any special rights on account of it being their livelihood.

Steodonn · 29-03-2013 03:02AM

I knock on a lot of doors (CAHWT stuff)but alot of these sales people have no common courtesy. At the end of the day your knocking into someone's home and disturbing them. They say no you thank them and move on and you certainly don't start knocking again. Also leaving the gate open so many of them do it (my gate was damaged because of this) I never would.

I think it should be allowed but some (not all) really need to learn some manners and respect that your knocking at a stranger's door

El Inho · 29-03-2013 04:25AM

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

I don't think they should be outlawed, I know it's just people trying to make a living. What I don't understand is how they do make a living out of it? I don't know anyone who would buy something off someone that knocked on their door (even from electricity suppliers etc). Does it work on enough people to actually make it worthwhile?

I did it for 6 months last summer, and made a pretty penny at it. It just nearly cost me my girlfriend and some other things which are quite important to me. The lack of a life as one of these reps is horrible. I can only imagine how the 99% who barely make ends meat at the job feel...its a trap people out of work fall into. I was working with talented trades men who gave up on everything to join into this kinda work...desperate.

This is why I thing it should be outlawed. It's not just for the public, such as the 80 year old woman or man living alone. It's for those who work in these environments and are mistreated and led astray. I've seen it happen to plenty.

token101 · 29-03-2013 04:32AM

Lars1916 wrote: »

No, it shouldn't, but the salespeople have to respect everybody's right not to be disturbed or annoyed.

They also have to earn a living. I'd rather piss people off than go hungry.

I don't know if it should be outlawed, but working solely on commission should definitely be outlawed. How it isn't already is beyond me.

Should door to door sales be outlawed?

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