Charity sellers/selling charity.

[Front bottom]

Is this a new doorstep selling tactic? Flatter/compliment the house dweller no end.

So far I've heard "I bet you're a bit of a legend around here" as I stood there in my dressing gown one morning, then tonight I was told that I looked pretty hard and the seller guy 'didn't want to get knocked out'.

I'm 5ft 6 and just under 12 stone.

Both were selling charities of decent origin, but I already donate to a few of my own choice. Has anybody else experienced this? It seems to be a burgeoning industry of doorstep sellers.

[Jonmx]

I've had a few in the last year, but no compliments sadly. It's mostly Jehovas witnesses around here, at least once every 2-3 months. The last lot of crazy Doris's ended up knocking on my door 3 times in the course of an afternoon.
I did have a very attractive and flirty door to door sales girl trying to sell me double glazing last year. I have no doubt that she gets several people a week signing up for new windows. Feeling my wife's eyes boring into the back of my head though, I declined the offer.

[jdw100]

Front bottom said:

Is this a new doorstep selling tactic? Flatter/compliment the house dweller no end.

So far I've heard "I bet you're a bit of a legend around here" as I stood there in my dressing gown one morning, then tonight I was told that I looked pretty hard and the seller guy 'didn't want to get knocked out'.

I'm 5ft 6 and just under 12 stone.

Both were selling charities of decent origin, but I already donate to a few of my own choice. Has anybody else experienced this? It seems to be a burgeoning industry of doorstep sellers.

When he said you 'looked hard' was your dressing gown gaping..?

[iphonedyou]

jdw100 said:

When he said you 'looked hard' was your dressing gown gaping..?

[Vaud]

Off topic, but if you call or email your local JW Kingdom Hall, then they will add you to a do not call list, IIRC.

[CoolHands]

Sounds ridiculous. I give anybody collecting short thrift.

[Robbo 27]

CoolHands said:

Sounds ridiculous. I give anybody collecting short thrift.

Me too, a hint of temptation occurred when a young lady called at 9.30 pm wearing a nurses uniform that almost covered her knickers and wearing white stockings, she asked for a donation.

I was so tempted to ask if it was a for a sperm bank but gave her £2 instead.

[CoolHands]

The way I look at it is there's an endless army of s out there trying to get your money. I (metaphorically) tell them all to fk off, no ones getting any of mine. There's charity bks; insurance rip offs; warranty products; utility aresholes; cavity wall bullstters; etc

Tell em all to do one, and don't feel guilty - that's what they prey on.

[Front bottom]

CoolHands said:

The way I look at it is there's an endless army of s out there trying to get your money. I (metaphorically) tell them all to fk off, no ones getting any of mine. There's charity bks; insurance rip offs; warranty products; utility aresholes; cavity wall bullstters; etc

Tell em all to do one, and don't feel guilty - that's what they prey on.

Yeah, I'm used to the patter by now.

It just seems to be a desperate tactic to get you on side, so desperate that it's annoying, but it must work with some I suppose.

[Don]

CoolHands said:

The way I look at it is there's an endless army of s out there trying to get your money. I (metaphorically) tell them all to fk off, no ones getting any of mine. There's charity bks; insurance rip offs; warranty products; utility aresholes; cavity wall bullstters; etc

Tell em all to do one, and don't feel guilty - that's what they prey on.

I agree with this. They can all fk off as far as I am concerned.

I choose what I give, how I give and to whom I give any charitable donations. Try to chug me on the street or at my doorstep and my reaction will be "quite negative".

[Zetec-S]

iphonedyou said:

jdw100 said:

When he said you 'looked hard' was your dressing gown gaping..?

Nearly spat my tea across my desk trying not to laugh

[wack]

CoolHands said:

The way I look at it is there's an endless army of s out there trying to get your money. I (metaphorically) tell them all to fk off, no ones getting any of mine. There's charity bks; insurance rip offs; warranty products; utility aresholes; cavity wall bullstters; etc

Tell em all to do one, and don't feel guilty - that's what they prey on.

The charity ones are the best, they're asking for £3 a month but the guy knocking on your door is getting £6 an hour so all your £3 is paying for is 30 minutes of his time to hassle you.

It's like paying somebody to poke you in the eye

[exelero]

I used to do this. Somehow it just did not add up at the end. Say we are selling subscriptions that you can sponsor a child somewhere in Africa for 75 p a day, which ends up about 22.70 a month. And we got paid 24 quid for each for the first 5 a week then 36 if you had more, 48 above 10 and so on until you reach like 60 per sale. How is that worth it for the charity is beyond me. Some guys did 1 grand a week, I wasn't one of them unfortunately.

[jdw100]

Zetec-S said:

iphonedyou said:

jdw100 said:

When he said you 'looked hard' was your dressing gown gaping..?

Nearly spat my tea across my desk trying not to laugh

But then I saw the OP's name and became a bit confused....

[Europa1]

What also yanks my chain are the plastic bags that land on the doormat asking you to donate clothes. It's not just the unwanted plastic bag, it's the fact that most are making a chunky profit for a commercial enterprise with a paltry amount going to the charity.

[Front bottom]

exelero said:

I used to do this. Somehow it just did not add up at the end. Say we are selling subscriptions that you can sponsor a child somewhere in Africa for 75 p a day, which ends up about 22.70 a month. And we got paid 24 quid for each for the first 5 a week then 36 if you had more, 48 above 10 and so on until you reach like 60 per sale. How is that worth it for the charity is beyond me. Some guys did 1 grand a week, I wasn't one of them unfortunately.

Interesting.

I presume you had a certain amount of training on how to engage the customer.

They seem to embark on a flurry of blah blah, not letting you get a word in, then comes the flattery - getting you onside.

Is this part of the training?

[Zetec-S]

Europa1 said:

What also yanks my chain are the plastic bags that land on the doormat asking you to donate clothes. It's not just the unwanted plastic bag, it's the fact that most are making a chunky profit for a commercial enterprise with a paltry amount going to the charity.

We seem to get one at least every 2-3 weeks, quite useful if we're running out of bin liners

[Robbo 27]

Zetec-S said:

We seem to get one at least every 2-3 weeks, quite useful if we're running out of bin liners

Trouble is they usually have holes in them.

I used to deal with a few charities and they licence the use of their names to these collection companies but rarely see any payments made after a collection has been made. One guide dogs charity were incensed at these collections and would much prefer that people took their unwanted goods to charity shops in an attempt to put an end to the practice.