Are there still any door to door sales persons?

Discussion in Misc & Others started by Dora M • Apr 7, 2014.

  1. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    I remember when I was a kid there was a steady flow of door to door sales people ringing our door bell. They used to bring all kinds of interesting household gadgets with them and we used to get a free demonstration. I remember a particular man who was really eager to sell my mother a vacuum cleaner, and she asked him to vacuum every carpet in our lounge room to show her how it worked. :)
    In the end, after all his vacuuming work was done, she actually bought the vacuum cleaner and invited him to stay with us for lunch.
    Have door to door sales people gone out of fashion?
     
  2. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    Let's just say that there are fewer door to door salesmen these days. Blame it on the internet;)

    Anyway, I want to believe that people got fed up with salesmen knocking on their doors and sought ways to ensure they didn't have to talk with them any more. Some of the ways were not that friendly:

    Chain a ferocious dog in your front yard.
    Threaten trespassers with legal proceedings if they get into your compound.
    Chase off the salesman with a baseball bat.

    Such methods didn't encourage salesmen to ply their trade and only the strong-willed remain. So there still are some salesmen but their numbers have dropped significantly.
     
  3. jneanz

    jneanzActive Member

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    The kids in my neighborhood used to sell newspaper subscriptions as part of a fundraising program for church or school. However, I have not seen a door-to-door salesperson in years. Those that sell illegal cable do not count. In my area, it's too dangerous.
     
  4. etc

    etcActive Member

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    Door to door sales person are still common in our country particularly in remote areas where housing developers are developing villages. Door to door sales person visit each house and offer internet connection and phone lines. I even encounter a furniture offered in the houses nearby.

    This is a very effective way to sell though. And I should know because I subscribe to them lol.
     
  5. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

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    Door to door salesman are not very common in my area. I almost took a job where to common way to prospect for clients was knocking on doors. I declined that job. It can be brutal with no solicitation signs and gated communities designed to keep non residents out.
     
  6. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    I haven't seen a door to door salesperson in nearly 20 years. In fact, I don't recall seeing any job openings for one either in at least 15 years. The last one I think I saw, was a job opening for selling sweepers.

    I think the practice is really obnoxious, personally. When I am at home, I am trying to relax and get some work done, which means I am probably bumming it out in some old shorts and a t-shirt - not looking very presentable. I'm also likely in the middle of cleaning, or doing laundry, or trying to clean a sink full of dishes or something, so I don't want some stranger barging over wanting to come in and sell me stuff unannounced. The only time I am OK with someone coming over is when I am expecting a package from UPS or something like that, otherwise, I do not want to be bothered.

    When I was in grade school, they were always holding these rallies, trying to get us to sell these boxes of merchandise. Some clown or magician would come in and do some tricks, then they would tell us about going door to door to sell these products from a large box of sample products. Whoever sold the most would win some sort of prizes. Looking back, I can't believe our school allowed these people to come in and pitch that stuff to us. Clearly, they were the ones making all the money from it, and our school was probably getting a small kick back from it. The "prizes" they would award weren't worth crap - my parents could just take me to the store to buy one of my own, instead of going through all that hassle to "win" it. Not to mention, where do they get off telling little kids to go around their neighborhoods door to door selling stuff, what if someone got kidnapped or abused in the process?
     
  7. Jessi

    Jessi<a href="http://www.quirkycookery.com">QuirkyCooke

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    They're still around!

    I think there are fewer types of them now, though. For example, there are no longer encyclopedia men who travel door to door because no one is going to buy real encyclopedias any more.

    And vacuum salesmen still exist, but they usually try to set up appointments first now. So they might still knock on the doors near the person that they just had an appointment with, but they're better off trying to get referrals and trying to set up interested appointments instead of random walking around.
     
  8. deathbyprayer

    deathbyprayerActive Member

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    Well, I don't see them anymore. I mean, with the dawn of online shopping, I guess these sales persons are getting scratched off. But I did see one last week, he was selling some kind of medical apparatus. But I don't think their as ravage now than back a few years ago.
     
  9. deansaliba

    deansalibaActive Member

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    We still get them here in London, but they are normally people with a truck selling carpets and rugs.I guess people got fed up of having the doors slammed in their faces and decided to exchange life on the road fro a nice comfy office job where they can sell to companies instead.
     
  10. Gelsemium

    GelsemiumWell-Known Member

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    There are still some door to door selling where I live, mainly services of telecommunications. I think this is a good way that big companies can raise some clients at low cost because those salesman usually earn per sale only, so the big companies have nothing to lose and the sales people can make some money.
     
  11. jewel777

    jewel777Active Member

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    There are still door to door salespeople around, they're just selling different things. Services mostly. The cable company comes to my door quite often. And the kids selling candy to raise money for their school. Just the other day someone came to the door where I cat sit offering his gardening services. Luckily I got away with the "I don't live here" excuse. And I still get the evangelists solicitations as well. So yeah, they still exist.
     
  12. Neperon

    NeperonActive Member

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    Its basically the companies that opt for this kind of strategies and that is how it works,The most basic thing is to learn how properly something can be done and because it has a right way of expressing something quite clearly we call it a promotional way of getting better at different things and they work.
     
  13. whnuien

    whnuienActive Member

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    No more in my town. It's not that sales people completely gave up this method but because most houses, shops, and offices have a sign of "no salesman / saleswoman" written on their doors.
     
  14. 003

    003Well-Known Member

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    Yes, there are still a lot of them and they still continue to annoy me. Sometimes I worry because they get to see what's inside my house when they would just suddenly knock unexpectedly. Hoping they are someone I know I would go out, open my door that they would have a window what's inside my house only to know that they are sales persons. I feel like when strangers get to see what's inside my house that somehow my privacy is invaded.
     
  15. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    Door to door salesmen are still around over here, but they mostly sell high end items and they will schedule an appointment to demo their products if the person is interested. The products range from kitchenware, food supplements, vitamins, skin care, etc. Some of my relatives are into that, and it's a must to have many well-off friends so that they can earn much better commissions.
     
  16. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    A lot of place do have signs on them to worn away the door to door sales person, also in the past door to door sales people usually knew the hosewife was home, women where not in the workplace in the numbers they are now. Most people are working one full and a part time job so no one is at home to talk to the sales person.

    Sales people attempt to make appointments so as to not waste their time and a lot is being done online these days.
     
  17. DonnaIReilly

    DonnaIReillyActive Member

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    Yes, we have lots here in Ireland :D. People are always trying to sell you something in this country :D. I put a sign on my door every Friday night, :D. I don't mind during the week but at the weekend we all need to relax with family. The weekend is my family time, to relax, watch films and have a few drinks :D
     
  18. Athenagdlyt

    AthenagdlytActive Member

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    They have significantly gone down in numbers that's for sure. The latest successful door to door salesman that got us into signing up offered our current internet service provider. He was just walking there in the street chanting "Globe Internet" repeatedly. Frustrated with our internet connection then, my husband called his attention and that was it, we were sold. And we are truly glad that young man did what he did.
     
  19. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    There are still a few door to door salesmen around, but it's not common in my area. What's more common in people putting flyers on door directing you to buy things.
    I knew a knife salesman who made virtual appointments with people and would talk them through a presentation on the company's website over the phone.
     
  20. beccagreen

    beccagreenActive Member

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    I think they're still around but I don't they're that many anymore. I don't even see them in my area all I see are people promoting stuff, handing our flyers and coupons and all that sort of marketing stuff but no direct selling.