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Wedding Etiquette Forum

Dooor to door salespeople

Has anyone ever let one into your home?  I stupidly let Kirby salespeople in last night.  I can't say stupidly, I turned them down the first time because I was working, then another one came back before 6 and would not take no for an answer and had an answer for every excuse.  

I called my neighbor friend over to come sit with me so I wasn't alone.  Not even slightly exaggerating, they were here for 3 hours, I had 3 different ones in the house, and all but 1 were ridiculously pushy.  The best was when the one who was 19 mocked us for saying we couldn't buy a $3,000 vacuum without talking to our H's.

Anyways, after they left I was told from another friend in the complex that they are banned from being here and I was supposed to call 911 when I saw them.  Apparently salespeople pushed their way into a home once and raped a woman either in the complex or in the area now.  So I ended up with a sleepless night, and H demanding I either get a gun or a security system while he's gone.  So my day is now spent researching home security systems and finding out if I can even get one.  

Long story short, never let a Kirby person in your home.  
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Re: Dooor to door salespeople

  • A security system won't help you when you're the one who let them in.

    I never let strangers into my house.  I don't answer the door when the doorbell rings if I don't know who it is, even if I'm sitting right there and they can see that I'm  home.
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  • Holy crap!  I didn't think they still did that!
  • That's scary in general, but also sucks you didn't get sleep :(

    I interviewed with Kirby once.  It was a really generic ad in the paper and after I went in and found out who they are and what they do, I left.  They are good vacuums, but I had no idea they were $3k!  That's insane.  I know they work for 30 years, but still.  
  • I don't answer the door if I don't know who it is.  I'm too scurred.
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  • Dani the security system is because now H is freaking out that they know he is deployed and I'm alone.  I hadn't planned on telling them but within 3 hours it ended up coming out.  I really wasn't worried about my safety at all while they were there, but now I worry about them coming back or breaking in. 
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dooor-door-salespeople?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2f3ee4b8-bb2a-4e37-a067-286dd51cc693Post:cabfb6d4-8b89-473b-9535-14e1373cbea9">Re: Dooor to door salespeople</a>:
    [QUOTE]Dani the security system is because now H is freaking out that they know he is deployed and I'm alone.  I hadn't planned on telling them but within 3 hours it ended up coming out.  I really wasn't worried about my safety at all while they were there, but now I worry about them coming back or breaking in. 
    Posted by dnbeach12[/QUOTE]

    Ohhhh, okay that makes more sense.

    We have a security system and I love it.  It makes me feel totally safe when my H isn't home.
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  • Also, be tough!  It's your house.  You don't have to let a salesperson in no matter what they say.  If you do open the door, just say no thanks and close it in their face and lock it.  You don't owe them anything. 
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  • The first time the people came around I just said I'm sorry I'm working right now and am an the phone a lot.  I should have just said I was still working at 6, but hindsight is 20/20.  We share a porch with our neighbor, and the man was talking to them at the door when I came in from walking the dog and started talking to me. 
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  • I am definitely never letting another one in.  They didn't tell us when we moved in that we are supposed to just tell them we are calling the police when they are at the door because they aren't allowed here.  I ended up calling 911 at about midnight because I couldn't find a non-emergency number for our P.D.  I explained the situation and said that our complex is 90% military wives and our H's are all gone and they know that, and just asked them to do extra patrols last night if they could.  
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  • I don't answer for door to door sales people.  I don't answer the door for anyone that comes over that I wasn't expecting.  I just sit right where I am and ignore the knocking.  Sometimes they even see me sitting on the couch as they knock and I just keep doing what I'm doing.  :) 

    Also - if you have Alarm Force in your area they're pretty good when it comes to alarms for rental homes.  They don't have to do wiring within the home for installation, so you don't need premission from the landlords to install.  When the alarm goes off, someone comes over a loud speaker and asks for verification, if you don't give them the password they can call the police and the police (supposedly) come faster because it's been confirmed that it's an actual break in.  We've been happy with them so far.  You do have to have a land line (or cable line phone) to set it up. 
  • Thanks Stacks, I"m going to look and see if they are in our area.  We do have a landline because it was part of a bundle so that could definitely work for us.  
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  • I won't answer the door if I'm alone either. I feel bad though and usually try to hide. :-/
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dooor-door-salespeople?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2f3ee4b8-bb2a-4e37-a067-286dd51cc693Post:a9d5d822-804e-47c5-a109-dc73bf41e24d">Re: Dooor to door salespeople</a>:
    [QUOTE]I won't answer the door if I'm alone either. I feel bad though and usually try to hide. :-/
    Posted by Birdie1483[/QUOTE]

    Ditto. Then they just get the barking dog which usually scares them away anyways.
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  • Beach, I used one of these when I lived in an apartment by myself: http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-265DCCSEN-Dual-Function-Security/dp/B0002YUX8I

    My mom also gave me these things to put on our sliding glass doors that would emit a horrible loud noise if the door was opened without the thing being turned off. It was hard to get them to stick though, so I never really used them.
  • I'm mad at myself for being a hypocrite.  I always bitch about the people in our complex letting their kids run around without anyone outside or anything with them because they have a false sense of security.  Well  I think that same false sense of security of our complex hit me last night too.  
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  • I got a Kirby salesman three days before the wedding.  I was stupid and let him in.  I told him right off the bat (as soon as I figured out what he was doing) that we in no way could afford a vacuum like that three days before our wedding (or ever).  He would not STFU and go.  Finally when I made it clear that he needed to leave, he sulked about and acted like I wasted his time.  Douche.

    I feel your pain DNB.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dooor-door-salespeople?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2f3ee4b8-bb2a-4e37-a067-286dd51cc693Post:a9d5d822-804e-47c5-a109-dc73bf41e24d">Re: Dooor to door salespeople</a>:
    [QUOTE]I won't answer the door if I'm alone either. I feel bad though and usually try to hide. :-/
    Posted by Birdie1483[/QUOTE]


    I hide too. One time FI forgot his keys and just banged on the door when he got home. I just hid in the bathroom until he called me to see why I wasn't answering.

    And DNB, they stayed for 3 hours? That is totally absurd. I think it was smart to call the police and ask for extra patrols.
  • I used to hide....but now I feel like, HEY, I'm in my own home, and I didn't ask you to bother me - so get to stepping. 

    Speaking of salesman though.  Mr Stack agreed to let these people come over to our house for an air purifier sales pitch.  He loves sales people and loves to tell them no, it's like a game to him.  So these people come over and talk about their air purifier that is actually JUST A VACUUM/ Shop vac.  It was so annoying, and also like $2800. 

    Of course it was right when we had the car in the shop getting new tires and getting a new windshield for our other car so the last hour Mr Stack was on the phone talking down prices and setting up car appts and I was stuck listening to the sales pitch alone - and telling them H*LL no, alone. 

    I ended up with a nice dinner and back rub that night.  I was so mad (not mad, mad, but funny FU buddy mad) at him. 
  • Yep, 3 full hours.  As soon as they left we looked at the clock and it was 8:51, then looked when I called my friend to come over and that was at 5:46.  

    Baystate they are so ridiculously pushy.  The first guy was really nice and not bad, it was the second one who came who was 19 who wouldn't STFU and leave.  It took me saying "there is absolutely no way I am purchasing this vacuum today no matter what the price is, so I'm not wasting any more of your time and you can go try someone else."  

    On that plus side, I have super clean stairs and a couch right now.  
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  • Haha Stacks, that would so be something I would do to H.  I feel like I owe my friend that now for sitting here through the whole thing with me.  
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  • Bro and SIL actually hung a "No Soliciting" sign on their front door. I wonder if people actually pay attention to those??


  • I second the security system idea. I love mine because I live alone and I know when I go to sleep that there's no way anyone could slip in without me knowing it. 

    On the gun..a ton of my friends have them (I'm in the southern U.S.) but if you get one, definitely practice with it a lot. I don't have one because I'm skittish and I'd probably accidentally shoot myself. 

    And yeah, when salespeople come to my door, I yell No Thanks through the door- I won't even open it. The only reason I yell is because of our apartment setup - it's obvious that I'm home because our spots are numbered and my car is in plain view. We had a similar story to yours - a guy going door to door selling t-shirts in a neighboring complex tasered a girl and raped her. Absolutely awful. But ever since then, I don't even open the door if I don't expect someone to come. 
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  • Tigers, we keep a stun gun in the dresser. It makes me feel safer and like I won't accidentally kill myself or FI.
  • I've never even heard of Kirby, which is sad considering my love of vacuuming.

    We have a security system, and I LOVE it.  Although our company is called "Securitron"....  Makes me feel like Transformers are defending my house or something!
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  • Yeah I told H I don't want a gun until I can be taught how to use it.  And even then, I don't know if I would use one.  But if he wants one for his nightstand fine.  I'm just finishing my cup of coffee then I'm walking up to our front office to talk to them about it and see what they say.  Hopefully they say I can get the system.

    Stacks I looked up Alarm Force and they said they don't service our area.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dooor-door-salespeople?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2f3ee4b8-bb2a-4e37-a067-286dd51cc693Post:271a818d-4a66-4ba4-b74b-02d46e5c9f66">Re: Dooor to door salespeople</a>:
    [QUOTE]Tigers, we keep a stun gun in the dresser. It makes me feel safer and like I won't accidentally kill myself or FI.
    Posted by Birdie1483[/QUOTE]

    <div>I'm going to look into this...that's genius. I've been a little creeped out lately because there have been 3 home invasions in the last 6 weeks. I don't know what's going on around here!!!</div>
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  • That's really scary though, DNB.  Especially in your situation where you're all women living by yourselves.  I can't imagine.

    H was ripped when he found out I let them in, especially because he wasn't there.  I felt so stupid.  But if they ever come back, I'm letting him handle it.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dooor-door-salespeople?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2f3ee4b8-bb2a-4e37-a067-286dd51cc693Post:a813648c-9f17-4f81-bc03-e4141fc2a3a6">Re: Dooor to door salespeople</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Dooor to door salespeople : I'm going to look into this...that's genius. I've been a little creeped out lately because there have been 3 home invasions in the last 6 weeks. I don't know what's going on around here!!!
    Posted by GeauxTigers17[/QUOTE]

    The only thing with it is you have to hold it up to the person's skin to actually stun them. It's not like a Tazer that shoots something out. It sounds really powerful though and scares the poop out of me and the dog when FI turns it on!
  • Cfas I can't say no to little kids selling either.  I have flashbacks of having to sell everything under the sun for all the sports teams and everything else growing up.  

    Yeah baystate H was tearing me apart through email for letting them in.  
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  • We had Kirby salespeople come by our house.  I don't know why I answered the door but they asked if I wanted a clean house.  Well, yes I do, but I don't want strange people coming into my house and trying to sell me a $3,000 vacuum. 

    I have a stun gun and keep it in my nightstand.  H goes on business trips so it makes me feel better when he's gone.
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