What's Your Favorite Way to Deal With Door-to-Door Salespeople...

[Lisbeth]

I don't answer the door at all, unless I know who it is. I don't care if the person on the porch can see me, has heard us, or the kids have waved at them, I just don't open the door unless I know them or am expecting them (plumber, service person, etc). They leave eventually.

This. Unscheduled visits are 100% ignored by me. I feel no obligation to open our door. To anyone.

[Guest]

I lived in the Baltimore suburbs and now I live in a tiny town in PA. In my 23 years of marriage:

 

Let's see: 22 years ago a guy tried selling us encyclopedias. I was very interested, but dh kind of blew him off. If he'd persisted, I'd probably have encyclopedias right now. (This was before the internet.)

 

The meat truck--yes! They've been here twice. They were guys and I never answer the door to strange men when I'm home alone.

 

Um...magazines--about 3 times people have come by to sell magazines.

 

Petitions--one for water and one for something else.

 

And....wait, wait...two kids selling candybars.

 

So, I correct myself. In 23 years of marriage I haven't had 5 callers selling things, I've had 9 people come to my door. It's really not a big problem for me. Guess I've been lucky so far. I expect that now that it's been pointed out I'm due to have an influx of salespeople heading my way.

This is us, too. Our driveway is not conducive to strangers wandering down. It's wooded and a little spooky and has No Tresspassing signs. And a German Shepherd running around. Actually, I was going to say having a German Shepherd is very good solicitation deterrant! :D

 

We have lived here 12 years and have had three solicitors. One was recent and was a nice young college student selling essentially encyclopedias. One was a Jehovah's witness. One was an asphalt contractor asking if we needed a re-pave on the driveway. (We do, but it's quite expensive.) We don't even get trick-or-treaters.

[Laura Corin]

 

OT: Uh...I'm a JW and I don't gleam over possible converts, nor does anybody I know because we aren't into conversion, but we offer a Bible education progrsm.. Despite what I hear about why we go talk to people, the truth is (and it always helps to go to the source ya know) we are there for people who want to talk about or study the bible. If that isn't what a home owner is interested in, a polite 'not interested' will do because I don't like to waste time as much as anyone else. Conversion is not even a term we use nor or goal. So, yeah, the above isn't correct.

 

I had always heard this, but I don't understand why we get JW visits at the office every six months or so - we are the only company on this floor and I always politely say that no one is interested.  They keep coming back.  Is it just because it's a commercial building?

 

I don't get many sales people at home, but I always open the door, smile, say I'm not interested, thank them and close the door.

[El...]

This thread cracks me up right now, because the other day my DS (age 3) colored with a (washable, come to find out) marker on the carpet.  I yelled.  I made a LOT of noise.  I was really upset.  I feel bad about my response.  I had to comfort DS. 

 

Anyway, two JW ladies came along while I was making all the ruckus, and turned around and kept walking!  I bet they went someplace to pray for me....

[Cottonwood]

I saw some JV's taking a different approach today. They set up a rack with brochures and magazines in the free speech area outside the public library. Rather than stand there trying to hand anything to anyone, they sat in the shade a few feet away. Lazy? Perhaps. Less annoying than going door to door or bugging people at bus stops? Definitely.

 

Lazy?  Really?

 

Oh how about this instead:

Everyone is different and responds to different approaches or the lack thereof.  Plenty of people are interested in reading Bible literature of all sorts, but for one reason or the other would not want to be approached with it.  The carts allow for a person to peruse on their own, take something or don't, talk about it or don't or just walk on by.   The carts are being met with tremendous success as people are worldwide...yes, worldwide, are expressing appreciation for being able to get some information this way. A lady told me the other day that she always hid in her house out of all sorts of uncertainty but she enjoys Bible literature so she was happy to get it this way and she walked up to ME to tell me.  The people with the carts are there just to man them and be responsible for taking them home.  If a passerby chooses to engage in any other way, then that is their choice.  To not engage is also their choice and totally respected.  A person manning the cart is supposed to just be nearby in case there is a problem with the literature, it needs refill, to keep it secure, and talk to anyone who chooses on their own to.  It's just something different to see if people like it.  If you don't, feel free to ignore it.  To those who think anything we do is 'about' conversion.....  just the cart example shows you that it isn't.  If another religion who is about conversion were to do the cart thing, you'd see a difference!  I've said it somewhere else, this thread?  Not sure, but what we do is about Bible education......for those that want it.  We aren't trying to convince anyone otherwise, either.  That;s a waste of everyone's time.  We are at your door, or wherever in case you are someone who wants it.  A simple not interested would explain that you don't.

 

There seems to be confusion about why JW's have a ministry (any form of talking to others about the Bible).  It is not my style to do things this way on this forum as I don't come HERE for THIS,  but I want to tell those who are confused....it's just simply because take very seriously Jesus words when in Matthew when he says this is what Christians do.  We understand others don't see it that way, but we do so we do it.  It's not easy or natural and those of us who don't want to don't.  But those that do want to (this totally a voluntary organization), those are the ones who love doing it and truly want to.  And despite the fact that it doesn't describe so many individuals here, if you ever talked to someone who was learning about the Bible this way, it is a joy in their life.  I have several of those people in my life and they are beyond appreciative.  One of my new friends who is studying the bible with me told me that looking back, she would have hated to think that I didn't knock on her door that because of how much she is enjoying her studies.  That's also why I do it.  For those people.  Not to irritate those who don't wish to do so....but I'm not going to know who wants to unless I go out in my ministry.

 

ETA: people have mentioned bus stops and office buildings as to places they are seeing JWs.  Simply put, if that's where people are, that's where you'll likely see us.  And as for coming every so often, people move, businesses move, circumstances change after a time.  So we might come back at some other time in the event that is true and someone different is there.  Our returning is not meant to convince the same person with the same wish to change that, or to 'covert'.  If you choose to discuss the Bible, what you do with that, to keep it up or drop it, of COURSE, up to you.

 

ETA2: There is no shortage of wrong assumptions as to what we're about or why we do ..whatever.  People find that if they ASK A JW, instead of non JW friends or going on assumptions.....they see there's a pretty simple explanation to any and all of it.  Clears up a lot to go to the source..of anything.  Not asking anyone to agree with the reasons, but they are what they are........

[Cottonwood]

This thread cracks me up right now, because the other day my DS (age 3) colored with a (washable, come to find out) marker on the carpet.  I yelled.  I made a LOT of noise.  I was really upset.  I feel bad about my response.  I had to comfort DS. 

 

Anyway, two JW ladies came along while I was making all the ruckus, and turned around and kept walking!  I bet they went someplace to pray for me....

 

 

LOL well we obviously don't want to purposefully come at the wrong time!  This happened to me with the UPS man the other day as I was getting loud with my kids over the lack of school work getting done!  Glad he actually left my package!

[idnib]

Everyone is different and responds to different approaches or the lack thereof.  Plenty of people are interested in reading Bible literature of all sorts, but for one reason or the other would not want to be approached with it.  The carts allow for a person to peruse on their own, take something or don't, talk about it or don't or just walk on by.   The carts are being met with tremendous success as people are worldwide...yes, worldwide, are expressing appreciation for being able to get some information this way. A lady told me the other day that she always hid in her house out of all sorts of uncertainty but she enjoys Bible literature so she was happy to get it this way and she walked up to ME to tell me.  The people with the carts are there just to man them and be responsible for taking them home.  If a passerby chooses to engage in any other way, then that is their choice.  To not engage is also their choice and totally respected.  A person manning the cart is supposed to just be nearby in case there is a problem with the literature, it needs refill, to keep it secure, and talk to anyone who chooses on their own to.  It's just something different to see if people like it.  If you don't, feel free to ignore it.  To those who think anything we do is 'about' conversion.....  just the cart example shows you that it isn't.  If another religion who is about conversion were to do the cart thing, you'd see a difference!  I've said it somewhere else, this thread?  Not sure, but what we do is about Bible education......for those that want it.  We aren't trying to convince anyone otherwise, either.  That;s a waste of everyone's time.  We are at your door, or wherever in case you are someone who wants it.  A simple not interested would explain that you don't.

 

Thank you, this was very informative.