Whether they sell spices, cosmetics, encyclopedia sets, or aluminum siding, door-to-door salespeople make our purchases convenient. Instead of you going to the supermarket or the department store, a door-to-door salesperson takes the goods to you. Sometimes, some door-to-door sales representatives can be too persistent. Some will knock on your door, ring your bell, and tap on your window at inconvenient times, or when you're not interested to buy anything. Persistence pays off, but not when you're having dinner or in the middle of entertaining visitors. Sometimes, you have to get rid of an unwanted door-to-door salesperson.

Door-To-Door Sales: The Ups and Downs

Door-to-door sales is a marketing strategy used by many direct-marketing companies to sell their products. Before supermarkets and department stores, many products were sold door-to-door by peddlers and other solicitors. Everything from fresh produce to construction materials were sold on the doorsteps of prospective customers. While door-to-door sales were convenient for many customers, they were rather expensive and difficult to maintain. Goods were also difficult to carry all around the neighborhood. In time, producers and manufacturers decided that it is more efficient to sell products from a retail outlet that customers visit, instead of having sales agents visit homes all over sales territories. Customers don't mind the effort of going to retail outlets because there are more goods to choose from. One of the most common products sold door-to-door was encyclopedias. Almost everyone grew up seeing the encyclopedia salesman walking around the neighborhood, selling encyclopedia volumes and other books through order forms. Door-to-door sales is quite uncommon nowadays, mostly because of community ordinances and shop. There are still some places where sales agents try to sell products door-to-door, though.

The Green River Ordinance

Some people may see door-to-door sales and solicitation as a nuisance instead of a convenience. They may already have an encyclopedia set, or may prefer to buy products from retail outlets instead of from door-to-door sales agents. Some cities and communities have passed a law called the “Green River Ordinance” to discourage door-to-door sales and solicitation. The Green River Ordinance was named after Green River, Wyoming, which was the first city to pass such a law. Under a Green River Ordinance, solicitors and sales representatives are prohibited from conducting business door-to-door. A Green River Ordinance may also prohibit political and religious groups from conducting seminars or literature studies door-to-door. If your neighborhood does not have a Green River Ordinance and you have a rather persistent door-to-door sales agent coming a-knocking every day, here are some ways you can discourage them from selling you stuff right at your doorstep.

Say “No,” But Be Polite

Door-to-door sales may be annoying to customers, but a lot of people depend on door-to-door sales to make a living. If you don't like the idea of someone slamming a door in your face, door-to-door salespeople wouldn't appreciate it, either. If you're not interested in the products a door-to-door sales representative offers, then a polite but firm “No” is all a sales agent needs to get the hint. If a door-to-door salesperson insists on selling you products, you can explain to him or her that you already have that product, or that you don't need the item he or she is selling. If he or she tries to sell you an encyclopedia set, you can say that you already have one. If you already have soap or spices, then you can explain that what you already have in your home is more than enough.

Hang a Sign on Your Door

A “No Solicitations” sign board is usually enough for door-to-door sales representatives to stay away from your home. Make sure that this sign is large, visible, and legible so that the salesperson can see it from the driveway or the sidewalk. You can hang the sign on your property gate if you have one. You can also paint a sign on a piece of board, attach it to a stake, and stake it on the corner of your lawn nearest the sidewalk.

Register for the “Do Not Call” List

Most direct-marketing companies usually perform a “cold call” before sending marketing representative to your door. Cold calling is usually done by a telemarketer, another person people find themselves annoyed by. One way you can avoid a cold call is to register for the national “Do Not Call” list so that telemarketers would not call you again. The “Do Not Call” list is also convenient if you do not want solicitors from cause-oriented groups or political fund-raisers to knock on your door at an inconvenient time.

Call the Authorities

In some extreme cases, a door-to-door sales representative may linger about your property when he or she does not make a sale. No matter how many times you say no, the stubborn door-to-door sales person may not leave, or may even threaten to remain at your property unless you buy something from him or her. In cases like these, you need to notify police and explain that someone is trespassing on your property. The police know how to handle the situation. Make sure, though, that the stubborn sales representative does not vandalize your property or make a scene that will disturb the peace of your community.

Offer Something

Traveling salespeople walk miles in sunshine, rain, or snow. Some may work even on holidays or on weekends. Make no mistake about it, door-to-door marketing and sales is an unforgiving and difficult job. Door-to-door sales may not be something you'd like to do on your own. As a friendly gesture, offer them a light snack or something to drink if they look tired, or if they're still walking around past lunch time. You don't need to buy anything from them, but you can ease the burden of the work. Remember that this is not a gesture of pity; it's more like that while you may not buy anything from them today, they're welcome to do business in your neighborhood and knock on your door when you feel that you need to buy something from them. Door-to-door salespeople have had a bad rap over the years because of their persistent marketing strategies. While you may not like the idea of door-to-door sales representatives knocking on your door while you're preparing lunch, you can always deal with them civilly and respectfully.