Dealing with Solicitation

[LillFilly]

I get really uncomfortable having people come door-to-door at my house with estimates/selling stuff/handing-out-flyers, asking for donations, etc. (Sometimes such approaches are a scam to case the house to be robbed) I feel obligated to listen, buy, give, etc. So I put a 'No Solicitation' Sign on the door. But it doesn't help. Lately I've been getting flyers from the local boy scout troop that they hang on my door. This isn't too bad because I don't have to tell them no to their face, but I'd rather not have the stuff to throw away in the first place. Do you think I should contact them and ask that they not solicit me anymore? I'm perfectly willing to give, but I like to seek out something that interests me.

[ArcticChicken]

Putting up a "No Flyers" sign might help.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Why do you feel obligated to listen or anything else? You aren't even obligated to answer the door. Don't get up and go to the door if you aren't expecting someone. Uninvited visitors to your house create no obligation for you.

That way, if you are uncomfortable saying "no", you won't have to.

In the meantime, practice saying "no" until you are not uncomfortable saying it. "No" is a legitimate response, and there is nothing rude about it, provided you're politely firm about it.

I understand that putting up "no solicitors" on your door basically is telling salesman you're too non confrontational to say no. I can't speak for that, it's just something I've heard.

[Seshat]

At one point I had a sign up that went into detail about what wasn't welcome.

Try my husband's idea. The first thirty seconds is free. Beyond that, they have to pay you $20 for each five minutes. In advance.

See, these people are NOT at your door for YOUR benefit. They're there for THEIR benefit. They're there for THEIR charity, THEIR religion, THEIR business. They want to take up YOUR time and YOUR space and invade YOUR privacy and home, for their own selfish desires.

Keep that in mind. You'll find it makes it much, much easier to kick them out.

If five minutes of your time isn't worth $20 to them, close the door in their face. Cause it's worth a lot more than $20 to you!

[Kheldarson]

Alternatively, just approach the scout master of the local troop. Explain that you do have signs up, and his boys are ignoring that. This is a good lesson for them to start learning.

[MoonCat]

I understand that putting up "no solicitors" on your door basically is telling salesman you're too non confrontational to say no. I can't speak for that, it's just something I've heard.

To me it means I have better things to do than keep telling people "no." I've actually had it work, too. But some people don't read signs or don't take them seriously, as we all know from reading this site!

[Amethyst Hunter]

these people are NOT at your door for YOUR benefit. They're there for THEIR benefit. They're there for THEIR charity, THEIR religion, THEIR business. They want to take up YOUR time and YOUR space and invade YOUR privacy and home, for their own selfish desires.

Keep that in mind. You'll find it makes it much, much easier to kick them out.

If five minutes of your time isn't worth $20 to them, close the door in their face.

THIS.

Hell, I won't even answer the phone/door if I don't know who's calling (and am not expecting calls/visitors). Life's too short to waste it on bullshit!

[tropicsgoddess]

Just do what my folks do...pretend you don't speak or understand English.

[blas]

What's worse are people who do it to you in person. Aka, those lovely people who have their own small business or sell stuff (Mary Kay, whatever) and they feel the need to bug you and give you their card and try to get you to buy stuff when you're out and about trying to run errands.

[protege]

Right now, I don't get any solicitors. Most see the big hole in front of my porch (where the front steps once were...before I went nuts with the fence maul ), and simply bugger off. The rest, I simply ignore, even if they come to the back door.

[Jester]

Some possible solutions:

--Don't answer the door.

--Tell them immediately, but politely, "I'm not interested."

--Tell them immediately, but less politely, "I'm not at all interested."

--Tell them immediately, impolitely, "This sign is up for a reason."

--Tell them immediately, and a bit rudely, "Go away."

--Tell them immediately, very rudely, "Fuck off." This especially works well on children trying to sell you shit. And if their parents come around complaining, explain to them that you have a sign up that says "No Soliciting" and their children ignored it. Then tell the parents to fuck off.

--Answer the door in a hockey mask.

--Answer the door in the Hannibal Lecter face shield/mask. "Hello, ladies. You're looking rather tasty today." You've never seen people run so fast in high heels in your life.

--Answer the door with one hand down your pants and a beer in your other hand. They won't be able to leave fast enough.

--Answer the door with a Bible in your hand, quoting chapter and verse in your best preacher's voice.

--If the people at your door are the religious sort looking to convert you, answer the door with a Satanic Bible in your hand, quoting chapter and verse in your best creepy zealot's voice.

--Yank open the door with a pissed off expression on your face and bark out "What?!?"

--Yank open the door with a really pissed off expression on your face and bark out "What the fuck do you want?"

--If all else fails, and if you have about as much shame as me (i.e., none), use this method. A guaranteed winner every time!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Well, I suppose eventually I'll learn to put down the coffee before clicking on one of Jester's links.

[Jester]

If you haven't learned that by now, I'm not sure that there is much hope for you doing so anytime soon.

[AccountingDrone]

For years I have had a sign on my front door:

Night Nurse. If you want to kill a patient tonight wake me up.

alternating with:

I do not answer the door during the day unless you have made an appointment with me. Go away now.

- my UPS and FedEx guys know to leave any package that doesn't need signing for in the bench/chest on the front porch.

[blas]

Have a big dog who absolutely hates strangers at the door.