Seems like there should be a sign you could erect that would make it known to salesman that they are not welcome, maybe like the ‘do not call’ list.

Oh… wait, the do not call list doesn’t work, and they can still call as well.

So much for my privacy.

Oh, and btw, don’t bother with a ‘no soliciting’ sign, evidently they aren’t taught what that means.

You see, I work nights. There’s nothing more inconvenient than getting off of a ten plus hour shift and finally managing to wind down, knowing that I have to be back on the grind in twelve hours, and just as soon as I finally hit that blissful sleep?

*dingdingdingdingding*

Believe me when I say that when you interrupt my sleep, you can rest assured you’re going to feel the sting. Now I’m generally a peaceful guy, but if you interrupt my sleep I’m going to strike out hard.

Likewise when people interrupt my family and I during a lovely dinner and conversation, or a great game of Scrabble…let’s face it.

I mean I understand this is the way that people make their bread and butter, and I respect that, but at the same time, if I tell you to beat feet, then you’d better start running. I mean I can understand the official type things (i.e. the United States Census) but if you think that you’re going to sucker me outside to demonstrate your little four dollar bottle of water with food coloring?

Think again.

True story: I was in my kitchen, making dinner. A damn good chicken parmesan casserole, I might add with grilled veggies and a nice tomato al fresco sauce. While I’m cutting the veggies, I hear the familiar tone. *dingdingding* Two guys clad in street clothes wearing lanyards from a group called “Providence Security” are there waiting for me.

“Sir, can you come outside?”

Me, naturally, I’m assuming the worst because the last time I got called outside my niece had taken a nasty spill that ended up with her in stitches. At this point, they try spraying some of the “cleaner” on my driveway. Now I know this is bad and I immediately start to walk away. I had my father and mother over for dinner that night, and my father had followed because he knows I’m about two seconds from clocking this idiot in the head. “We’ve been fleeced before…”

Needless to say, slammed doors and cursing ensued, followed by my brother and said niece offering to go beat the stuffing out of them.

I wrote the original post, so I won’t go into detail again. I will say, though, that since I wrote that post, my no soliciting sign is still ignored.

I figure that if I cut to the chase and tell all sales people that I am not interested, nicely, before they have a chance to start their speech I am saving my time and theirs.

Evidently they see anything but “yes, please tell me more and let me shower you with money” as rude.

This is coming from a 12 years door to door sales veteran. I have found that if I’m rude to people it just hurts me. When someone is rude to me I just leave asap and apologize and leave and save a quick prayer for that person and move on.

It took me a few years to use all the cleaner, initially. Then, I found something I liked just as well from the dollar store. I was always nice to the salesmen, but without a sale they have taken my time and not returned my kindness.

The last two years I’ve wanted to know if what they are doing is legal, and if I have any recourse to their rudeness.

Tonight, for example, this same outfit returned. My two dogs barked wildly when at 5:15pm the doorbell rang. I left the kitchen to see through the small front door window a man with a spray bottle and cleaning rags. I shook my head no, and waved him away saying, “No thanks, don’t want any.”

He said, “It’s because I’m black isn’t it?” I hollored through the door, “It’s not your color, I just don’t want any.” He called me a racist as I was opening the door so that he could hear me. I moved my dogs back with my foot and through the screen door explained again that it had nothing to do with color, that I had bought the product before and didn’t want any. I told him that our city had an ordinance against D2D solicitors and asked if he had a license. Filled with pep he anwered, “I have a license, I have a license.” After I asked to see it, he asked if I would hear him out if he showed it to me. I told him that I bought the product before and I didn’t want to buy anymore. With that I closed the door, saying I wasn’t interested. He then started spouting stuff off about Mormons and religious people; and I was left thinking, “Where did that come from?”

Where are my rights as a homeowner and resident to say, “No thank you” and peacefully close the door without being rudely harassed? Aren’t they supposed to show you their ID and license?

I felt bothered by his tactics, so I called the City. City offices were closed. So, I called the police. Dispatch asked if I wanted a unit to check him out, I said that I just wanted to talk to someone to see what my rights are. A desk officer phoned me back, heard me out, and suggested I have dispatch send a unit to check him out, which I did.

I went out (in the rain) to walk my dogs in the opposite direction of the police officer looking over the permits of the salesmen and the van driver (who stopped to pick them up.) I talked to a few neighbors who were out, then the officer stopped to say that they checked out without problem. That theirs is a hard job and they don’t make much money. The way I see it, if they didn’t make money they wouldn’t be doing it. My DH thought I shouldn’t have made a fuss, but I didn’t like how rude the man was. My hubby thought that they might target their vengence on us.

I felt upset and bewildered. So I googled to see if anyone else had concerns and found this thread. I was bothered by his accusations of racism and religion. From the way he talked he was the racist using his color as a weapon against me and vocalizing hostility toward religion. There was no call for it. He had no business being on my property calling me names when I refused to listen to his sales pitch. At what point should a person file charges? Has anyone had similar run-ins with this particular group? Is there any reason to fear their revenge?

I don’t sell to the people who are upset at me when they answer the door, I smile really big when someone answers the door and if I can’t get them to smile back or be nice in the first few seconds. I just say sorry to bother you and leave. Believe it or not their are plenty of people who are okay with you knocking on their door.

It is the hardest and easiest job. I work less than 15 hrs a week on average. I don’t and never have sold a bad product I only work with the best companies. Such as directv, dish network, att, adt, etc.

I don’t make alot of money, but I do make alot per hour of work. I make between 40,000 to 50,000 a year. I could make more if I wanted to work longer hours.

Yeah, this job sucks if I think about it in the wrong light. However; when I start to look at all the jobs the other jobs that pay about the same. I realize that those people doing those jobs are working much harder and probably putting up with a boss that is putting everything they do under a microscope.

How many leaders and successful business people started off selling door to door? The list will surprise you.

I don’t work for a boss in the traditional sense of having a boss. All I do is call in my sales and pick up a paycheck thats it. I don’t have any surpervision and I love it that way.

Thanks!

I’ve got nothing against the missionaries, and will talk to them when they approach me, but I usually end up speaking to them about my views and initiating a Q&A session. I’d go into detail, but this is not the place for religion.