Guilt tripping Big Issue seller - Small vent!

Laura_Scotland

JReacher1 wrote: »

What annoys me about them is I used to buy it and quite a few times the guy would go "this is my last magazine do you actually want it?" So basically guilt tripped me into just giving them cash without getting the mag back! I no longer buy them.

I noticed their website said if you've bought one to make sure you take your copy, so I'm guessing they're not meant to be doing that! It's not something I've ever bought, maybe I would if it was sold in shops and had someone I was interested in on the cover, but things like that put me off.

Pollycat wrote: »

I have no problem with anyone selling the Big Issue in the street nor with anyone collecting for a charity.

What I don't like and don't want is being guilt-tripped - which is the subect of the thread - by a seller who will not take 'no thank you' for an answer or for a charity collector to rattle a tin under my nose and say the name of the charity with the expecation that I'll get my purse out.
It simply doesn't work with me.

That's exactly the way I feel too. I used to hate trying to walk through town and having people try to stop me to get me to sign up for charity direct debits before there were new rules and they were told to stop being so pushy! It doesn't work with me either, although I do sometimes donate when someone has a tin, I feel bad walking past!

donnac2558 wrote: »

Here in Belfast, they hold Issues one copy each. Romanian gypsies only, never seen a Big Issue seller for years. They will not give you the copy of Issues, just want you to give them money. If they hand over the copy of Issues they will be done for begging, hence refusing to give it over.

Smoke like chimney's, nip round the corner to chat on their mobile phones. It is funny watching them. I do not engage, just walk on. If one does speak told to F*ck Off and I keep walking.

That's ridiculous, it's a shame nothing can be done about it. I was upstairs on the bus going home from town once and looked out the window - there was a woman sitting on the ground with one leg folded under her. In front she had a bandaged 'stump' which she was rearranging! :eek:

daytona0 wrote: »

Each to their own I guess... you are not obliged to help them meet a sales quota and you are also not obliged to buy a woman who says that they are cold a hot tea/pasty.

Also, do not for one minute believe that you do not have the financial capability of spending 1 or 2 pounds every now and then with the goal of making some unfortunate soul's life a bit more bearable. You are richer than the majority of people in the world if you can afford to shop in co-op regularly!

Hey don't get me wrong, I infrequently respond by buying a coffee or tea in this situation but I certainly wouldn't be questioning whether we should allow them to be there in the first place! A sort of sweeping it under the rug attitude to take.. live and let live is my motto, with the occasionalc humanistic deed. Cant go wrong with that

I'm a student in my final year of uni. I stopped working in April so I could concentrate on my exams and get on with my dissertation over the summer. I mainly go to Co-op for bread and milk as it's directly behind our building, sometimes I'll get some eggs or fruit and vegetables. We don't have a car, so get our main food shopping delivered every 2 weeks. I had to budget carefully from May until September when I got my student loan.

I feel that someone saying these things to make you feel bad and buy something from them is wrong. I think it's inappropriate when you just want to go in a shop and get home again. I have donated to charities in the past and will do in the future.

This is the last I have to say to you on this thread. I don't want to get into arguments on here and clearly we will never agree on this topic. I have no problem with someone disagreeing with me, but I feel it's became something more personal.

hollydays

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Selling the magazine isn't begging.
Trying to convince people to buy it by saying that they are cold or hungry is in my opinion, a different matter.

I pretty much agree with you that there's A little coercion there which is not how official big issue sellers are supposed to act. If it bothered the op they should have told the supermarket and I'm sure something would be done.im not aware they would allow her to sell directly outside their door as it's uncomfortable for customers. She should have been standing well away from the entrance.

foxtrotoscar_2

Big issue sellers are not employed by the company sellers are classed as self employed and from memory £2.50 is the price that they are sold for.

JReacher1

foxtrotoscar wrote: »

Big issue sellers are not employed by the company sellers are classed as self employed and from memory £2.50 is the price that they are sold for.

They buy them from the big issue at £1:25 and then sell them at £2:50. The difference is what they make as profit.

foxtrotoscar_2

JReacher1 wrote: »

They buy them from the big issue at £1:25 and then sell them at £2:50. The difference is what they make as profit.

Correct they are not flogging £1 Big Issues and as I said not employed by the company. Neither are they paying the company a commission.

Edwood_Woodwood

Laura_Scotland wrote: »

I'm used to seeing Big Issue sellers outside supermarkets and always smile and say "no thanks" politely and carry on walking inside.

But, this afternoon when I went to our local Scotmid Co-op the woman at the entrance asked me and when I said no, she then said "please, I want to go home, please it's cold..." in a begging way! I still said no, but it got me thinking why do supermarkets allow sellers to stand in the doorway like that? I'll still go back as it's nearby and handy for bread etc, but I'd imagine it'd put some people off going in!

I know it's helping homeless people etc, but I just thought it was over the top!

I'm glad you are going back and I hope that next time you'll find this same lady just a minor annoyance to what really matters in life and that you return to politely saying no thanks with a smile.

I'm sure she would appreciate it better than a frown.

duchy

You could always take the view that as the state have paid for your education past the age of twenty that offering a sandwich or a hot drink (that you wouldn't even need to buy as you were so close to home) to someone in need would be an act of decency in paying it forward.

At least she was working and didn't appear to have as much of a sense of entitlement as a lot of students have.

Laura_Scotland

Edwood_Woodwood wrote: »

I'm glad you are going back and I hope that next time you'll find this same lady just a minor annoyance to what really matters in life and that you return to politely saying no thanks with a smile.

I'm sure she would appreciate it better than a frown.

Of course, that is what I always do. I see a lot of people walk past without saying anything or looking at Big Issue sellers/charity collectors which I would feel bad doing!

duchy wrote: »

You could always take the view that as the state have paid for your education past the age of twenty that offering a sandwich or a hot drink (that you wouldn't even need to buy as you were so close to home) to someone in need would be an act of decency in paying it forward.

At least she was working and didn't appear to have as much of a sense of entitlement as a lot of students have.

Noted. I trust that this is something you do regularly yourself?

Many students DO work - working full time hours around classes to support themselves. I was getting up at 5am 5 days a week to work so I could pay my half of the rent etc without getting into a lot of future debt with a student loan. Then going into uni afterwards for classes in the afternoons and in the mornings on the 2 days off from work.
I decided to apply for a loan in my final year so I could stop working and concentrate fully on studying.

MothballsWallet

hollydays wrote: »

I pretty much agree with you that there's A little coercion there which is not how official big issue sellers are supposed to act. If it bothered the op they should have told the supermarket and I'm sure something would be done.im not aware they would allow her to sell directly outside their door as it's uncomfortable for customers. She should have been standing well away from the entrance.

And the OP could also inform Shelter.

I'd go along the lines of including "Shelter, are you sure that all your sellers are have the correct local authority permits and comply with the conditions of those at all times?"

But I'm a cantankerous old guy, just like Gibbs

Laura_Scotland

MothballsWallet wrote: »

And the OP could also inform Shelter.

I'd go along the lines of including "Shelter, are you sure that all your sellers are have the correct local authority permits and comply with the conditions of those at all times?"

But I'm a cantankerous old guy, just like Gibbs

Hmm, I wouldn't want to get anyone in trouble - it would have to be a lot worse before I would consider reporting them! It was more of a go home and have a little rant on MSE situation!