Author Topic: Too Many Ding Dongs?  (Read 3059 times)

gramma dishes

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #15 on: September 06, 2020, 08:03:10 am »
I can't help but wonder if some of these people might not be census takers.
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gellchom

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Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #16 on: September 06, 2020, 08:50:29 am »
I agree with the advice to answer the door and tell them no thanks, you’re not interested.

And why not say it nicely?  I can’t see how closing the door in someone’s face without a word accomplishes the goal any more effectively than simply saying, “No thank you, we're not interested.  Please don’t call again.”  I feel the same way about phone solicitors.  I don’t have to answer the phone, but if I do, I don’t just hang up on a human (fortunately, it’s usually a recording) or, worse, blow a loud whistle or something.

I mean, this dreary job is probably the best one that this person could find, and they don’t get paid much, at that.  We all hate being interrupted by sales pitches, but I don’t think it justifies being rude and even mean to them.

These are particularly stressful times.  We can help by being kind.
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DaDancingPsych

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #17 on: September 06, 2020, 09:39:29 am »
Thanks everyone! It doesn't sound like anyone thus far feels that the sales people's behavior is excessive. I would hope that there is some point that we would find it tacky. None-the-less, their tactics have made me less interested in their services.  ::)

FTR, I think these salespeople's behavior is excessive.  Multiple attempts in one day?  Are they camped out in the neighborhood somewhere?

Thanks! This is what I truly was interested in (although I would never deny anyone conversation.) I live a large housing plan which is mostly made up with smaller homes and townhouses, so we are tight together. It would take someone days to visit every house (hence why I knew they were coming.) My best guess is that they are knocking and then moving on to the next home and then circling back around to anyone who didn't answer the first time... at least on Friday. It's entirely possible that they are simply visiting other homes in-between trying mine. They could be sitting in a car somewhere waiting to come back to me, but I doubt that I am that special!

Rose Red

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #18 on: September 06, 2020, 03:24:58 pm »
I agree with the advice to answer the door and tell them no thanks, you’re not interested.

And why not say it nicely?  I can’t see how closing the door in someone’s face without a word accomplishes the goal any more effectively than simply saying, “No thank you, we're not interested.  Please don’t call again.”  I feel the same way about phone solicitors.  I don’t have to answer the phone, but if I do, I don’t just hang up on a human (fortunately, it’s usually a recording) or, worse, blow a loud whistle or something.

I mean, this dreary job is probably the best one that this person could find, and they don’t get paid much, at that.  We all hate being interrupted by sales pitches, but I don’t think it justifies being rude and even mean to them.

These are particularly stressful times.  We can help by being kind.

I'm one of those who said I close the door in salespeople's faces, but I do so after saying "no thanks." I close it only if they keep talking and talking.

I remember one time when I said no thanks and I'll read their brochure and call if I ever need their services. They kept trying to push me to sign up for something I don't want and can't afford anyway. That's when I gave them an incredulous look and closed the door in the middle of their speech. If I ever need that service in the future, they just guaranteed it won't be from them.

Sometimes being nice and kind is something they view as a challenge to beat. Think MLM tactics.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2020, 03:31:00 pm by Rose Red »
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silversurfer

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #19 on: September 06, 2020, 06:58:03 pm »
That is way to many ding dongs! (also a side note, a ding dong is a kind of a term of endearment at our place, when someone you love does something silly, they generally get called a goose or a ding dong).

On the subject of signs - we have one up that says 'No soliciting - don't ring the doorbell, don't make it weird' and it is like magic. We haven't had a single solicitor in a couple of years. And if I ever do get one, I can say 'you just made it weird' and close the door.

I would continue to ignore. No one has the right to bother you at your house to sell something!
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Winterlight

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #20 on: September 06, 2020, 07:12:11 pm »
Where I grew up, all we ever got were the odd religious solicitors trying to convert us. We lived out in the woods and our Belgian Sheepdog pack tended to scare them off. Screaming defiance at them from the deck (which was thankfully blocked so they couldn't leap off and charge at them) or attempting to shove whichever human had answered the door out of the way so they could "herd" them back to their cars was  generally enough to cause a swift retreat.
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gellchom

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Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #21 on: September 06, 2020, 11:53:47 pm »
As an aside, note that political and religious door to door canvassing is not within the definition of “soliciting” under the First Amendment. 
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DaDancingPsych

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #22 on: September 07, 2020, 05:32:25 am »
That is way to many ding dongs! (also a side note, a ding dong is a kind of a term of endearment at our place, when someone you love does something silly, they generally get called a goose or a ding dong).

HAHA  Where I am from, it has an alternate meaning, too. I wouldn't necessarily call it a term of endearment, but it's not the worse insult either. It does mean someone being absentminded, so very similar to your definition. After I created the title, I realized that it could read as something different and made me a giggle a bit. However, I was not trying to name call the sales people. However, my doorbell literally does two chimes (I would say a ding and a dong). A minor detail, it was pressed two times with each visit, so I heard "Ding Dong, Ding Dong" each time... and found two "ding dongs" standing there!  ;D  (Ok, that time I did name call.) But yeah... I really was referring to the chimes originally!

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gramma dishes

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #23 on: September 07, 2020, 06:32:17 am »
As an aside, note that political and religious door to door canvassing is not within the definition of “soliciting” under the First Amendment.


SHHHHHH, Gellchom!   We tell them it is and they believe us!   ;D
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vintagegal

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Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #24 on: September 07, 2020, 06:48:32 am »
As an aside, note that political and religious door to door canvassing is not within the definition of “soliciting” under the First Amendment.

Then ask them for their home address so that YOU can call on them at any odd hour.
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Shores

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #25 on: September 07, 2020, 09:52:07 am »
Answer the door, escort them off the property and tell them you’re trespassing them and their company, if they return call the police.
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Aleko

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Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #26 on: September 07, 2020, 12:15:10 pm »
Quote
Quote
As an aside, note that political and religious door to door canvassing is not within the definition of “soliciting” under the First Amendment

Over here, “soliciting” is defined as the act of accosting someone to offer them sexual services for money, and it’s a crime. However, a solicitor is the kind of lawyer who deals with the legal aspects of your house purchase, your divorce and your will, and gives you legal advice if you’re arrested.
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bridalviolet

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #27 on: September 08, 2020, 07:38:00 am »
As an aside, were these salespeople wearing masks? Anything to protect themselves or you?
I'm surprised (although I probably shouldn't be) that anyone is going door to door in the midst of this health crisis. I'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and in March we made the decision to suspend our door to door ministry for the indefinite future. We've been carrying out our ministry by phone, letter, text etc. in order to keep everyone safe.

DaDancingPsych

Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #28 on: September 08, 2020, 08:45:15 am »
As an aside, were these salespeople wearing masks? Anything to protect themselves or you?
I'm surprised (although I probably shouldn't be) that anyone is going door to door in the midst of this health crisis. I'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and in March we made the decision to suspend our door to door ministry for the indefinite future. We've been carrying out our ministry by phone, letter, text etc. in order to keep everyone safe.

My peep hole doesn't always clearly show things, but it appeared to me that they were NOT wearing one. In my area, I believe that the guidelines / law say that we do not need to wear one outside as long as we keep six feet from people. So if I am accurate, it's possible that they planned to stay back. It would have been in my preference that they did wear one, though.

Thank you for sharing this personal detail, as I have been wondering why I haven't haven't been visited by any Jehovah's Witnesses during this time. I do find reading material at my door every so often (but not since March for sure). I posted about a student a year ago that I was trying to learn more about her religion. I am not sure if my curious questions would have been welcomed, but I suppose that I would have welcomed the visit to ask them!

I have also mentioned that I had to attend an event a month ago where I was exposed to a number of people. (No one that had tested positive, though.) However, I was playing it safe and attempting to quarantine myself as much as possible. I would not have wanted to answer this door at this time for their safety!

Hmmm

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Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
« Reply #29 on: September 08, 2020, 08:48:01 am »
Thanks everyone! It doesn't sound like anyone thus far feels that the sales people's behavior is excessive. I would hope that there is some point that we would find it tacky. None-the-less, their tactics have made me less interested in their services.  ::)

FTR, I think these salespeople's behavior is excessive.  Multiple attempts in one day?  Are they camped out in the neighborhood somewhere?

Thanks! This is what I truly was interested in (although I would never deny anyone conversation.) I live a large housing plan which is mostly made up with smaller homes and townhouses, so we are tight together. It would take someone days to visit every house (hence why I knew they were coming.) My best guess is that they are knocking and then moving on to the next home and then circling back around to anyone who didn't answer the first time... at least on Friday. It's entirely possible that they are simply visiting other homes in-between trying mine. They could be sitting in a car somewhere waiting to come back to me, but I doubt that I am that special!

I do think it is excessive, but I also don't blame the people at the door but more of the practice of door to door solicitation.

Many times, Verizon or other service companies hire a third party company to do the door to door soliciting. The contracted company is assigned a territory to solicit over a period of time. It is not uncommon for these companies to hire part time contractors to do the actual door to door contact. These companies will pick up all the contractors in a central location and then drop them off to their assigned neighborhoods and then return later to pick them up. They always have instructions to circle back to any home that didn't answer the door. Some companies give strong incentives not just on new contracts but also percent of contacts made.

I personally have found that when I see these teams on my street the quickest way to stop the ding dongs is to open the door, tell them no and to please not return as I never to business with strangers appearing at my door.