Should doorstep sellers be banned?

Alizarin

I'll go for option B, although I think B and C together would be the best option.

Since moving house 6 weeks ago, we've already had two cold callers. We don't use the front door so both times had to unlock the door and unbolt the top and bottom bolts, and then move boxes out of the way so we could open it - slightly inconvenient!

The first time it was a guy from an energy company. OH got rid of him by saying that we'd only just moved and got our electricity set up, so no thanks. He insisted on giving us a leaflet anyway!

The second time (last week) it was a young girl who was selling broadband and phone lines for Talk Talk. We invited her in as we're having problems with our current broadband provider. She said she'd already sold her target for the day so wouldn't try to get us to sign up - she even told us that we'd be better off signing up online anyway and saving the sign-up fee (her commission). She ended up staying for nearly 2 hours and watching the football with us, while we had a really good chat about nothing in particular - it was a bit surreal but very entertaining! It was refreshing to know that not all cold callers are going to try the hard sell on you ... but I still don't like answering the door to them!

weegie.geek

I had one the other day, they buzzed me, I let them in, let them walk up to the second floor, then told them I wasn't interested.

Personally, if I want to buy something I'll research it, and make an informed decision. I'm not going to let myself be influenced by the patter of someone involved with the company.

Same with sales calls on the 'phone and idiots in the shopping centre who invariable want to argue with me about my current broadband provider.

If I wanted to change provider I'd work out who's best and change to them, I'm hardly likely to be swayed by a ned in a suit.

MartinWickham

If you allow licensed door traders, you will never stop ANY of them, because no one will ever want to be bothered checking who has/hasn't got a licence.

The only workable option is a total ban.

busi_issi

:pwe are bombarded at shopping centres and in city centres by the selling brigade,so I think we should we able to enjoy the privacy of our own homes without people cold calling. To be honest I think these people have a rotten job and take some abuse, but even a firm "no thank you" still results in their sales patter.

swimshirl

They nare only trying to earn a living but I don't buy from anyone who cant read "no door to door sales people" I can read and would look in yellow pages etc. if I needed something.

swimshirl

swimshirl wrote: »

They nare only trying to earn a living but I don't buy from anyone who cant read "no door to door sales people" I can read and would look in yellow pages etc. if I needed something.

Dont forget that if someone calls you, you can say "just a minute then walk off leaving them hanging. They are not supposed to hang up before you do. Think of their bill! Oh joy!!

Surfer

One of the advantages of living a small village of about 20 houses in the country, these pests are too lazy to travel miles in the hope that they may score one. Still doesn't stop the postman depositing junk mail through the letter box even though we have doen the "optout email twice!

mikki-b

I've got not one but two signs on my door. One dates back to when I worked from home. I would get 2 or 3 a week. On one occasion I'd just started eating my tea and went to the door with fullmouth and plate in hand and managed to mumble 'i'm eating my tea for gods sake'. The signs do keep the majority at bay I must admit, but the odd one does try it and they get the response 'learn to read' followed by a door in the face. I'm polite until I know who they are but if they ignore the sign then I think I'm entitled to be rude.

Jim450122

I must confess I am nef the annoying idiots who will travel for 20 miles on a push bike to a far out village to try and get an appt for a home improvements company. BUT I never knock or leaflet drop someone with a sign and ask one question is they don't have a sign 'are you actually interested in home improvements at all?' then leave if they say no or carry on if they say yes.

I actually had one person ask me if I thought they should have a quote on a garage door (would get me £25) and I said no because there was nothing obviously wrong with what she had. I think if all salesman were like this there wouldnt be a problem.

But in all honesty I think it is the rudest and most obnoxious thing you can do to disturb someones privacy AND expect them to be polite in return.

CutTheJargon

Jim450122 wrote: »

I must confess I am nef the annoying idiots who will travel for 20 miles on a push bike to a far out village to try and get an appt for a home improvements company. BUT I never knock or leaflet drop someone with a sign and ask one question is they don't have a sign 'are you actually interested in home improvements at all?' then leave if they say no or carry on if they say yes.
QUOTE]

Now come on Jim - you are never going to get a sale if you ask a 'closed' question. You need to ask 'open' questions like, 'what home improvements are you planning to do in the near future' or 'when are you planning to replace your windows' :rotfl: