Door To Door Sales

[amethyst]

Re: Door To Door Sales

The double glazed reps have been around but I think most people dont bother answering doors for obvious reasons

[George 1978]

Re: Door To Door Sales

I think that the reason you don't see them very often now is because: A) people would rather come to you rather than let you go to them if they want to purchase something; B) technology such as online shopping has made it easier to but things you want straightaway - for example, even the milkman has made himself scarce in recent years - the Coop still does milk, in their supermarkets of course; and: C) it would be seen as harassment these days if you stand on someone's doorstep, knock on the door and harass someone into purchasing items that they don't want - and it was usually feather dusters and mops as well. Not quite the same thing, but Jehovah's Witnesses come to mind as well - don't answer the door whatever you do!

Obviously, the postman, gasman, booked appointments such as plumbers and all that don't count. I suppose that the irony is that as I do online shopping with Tesco these days, I do get my milk, bread and other items delivered, and that is indeed welcome. I suppose that mail order catalogues were similar - my late mother was an agent for one in the 1970s and 1980s and she used to get commission on purchases, etc. We had a few customers who lived a couple of streets away who made weekly payments on items, and they had to visit our home because of that.

[Moonraker]

Re: Door To Door Sales

In the early 70s I knew of a man (a distant relative of mine) who use to sell material/clothing in a suitcase.
Soon after he opened a string of shops and became a millionaire.

[Richard1978]

People selling things door to door is almost a thing of the past, mostly due to people not liking cold calling, & other factors.

I remember encyclopedias were a popular item, often you would sign up to pay in instalments & get a volume at a time.

Does anyone else have memories of items sold this way?