Have you ever bought anything from a door-to-door salesperson? / LJWorld.com

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Asked at Hy-Vee, 4000 W. Sixth St. on July 14, 2009

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“Girl Scout cookies, Thin Mints.”

— Nate Goodenow, Sales, Lawrence

“No, I don’t recall that I have. … I probably wasn’t home when they came by.”

— Melvin McCall, retired, Eudora

“Yes I have. The popcorn and Girl Scout cookies.”

— Peggy Drake, new home construction cleaner, Lawrence

“I have not, (but) I’ve come close … oil changes or something like that.”

— Deborah Krauth, librarian, Ames, Iowa

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xbusguy (chris Ogle) says…

No, but I showed them my Amway products.
July 14, 2009 at 6:33 a.m.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

Answering the door nekkid tends to make them scream & run away.
July 14, 2009 at 7:17 a.m.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

No.
My Jesus is still alright with me.
July 14, 2009 at 7:29 a.m.
preebo (anonymous) says…

Sadly enough, yes.

A number of year ago, when my wife was pregnant, she (and I by proxy) were taken in by this girl selling Kirby vacuums. An hour-and-a-half later, there we were, proud new owners of an extremely overpriced vacuum.

I pretty sure as she left our house that day, I heard her say "sucker" under her breath.
July 14, 2009 at 7:52 a.m.
grammaddy (anonymous) says…

Lots of times. Our neighborhood school PTA has the kiddies out selling cookie dough or gift-wrapping paper and candles every year at Holiday time. I got a big card from Cici's pizza that saved us a lot of money eating out, that is until we all got tired of pizza. And I'm a sucker for the kids selling candy.
July 14, 2009 at 7:57 a.m.
Valkyrie_of_Reason (Kathy Getto) says…

We used to buy Amway that way. Then there was the Fuller Brush man.
July 14, 2009 at 7:58 a.m.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

preebo,
If it was quite a few number of years ago, might have been my errant girlfriend.
Last I heard she's selling Jesus door to door.
July 14, 2009 at 8:03 a.m.
autie (anonymous) says…

I buy my doors at the lumberyard.
July 14, 2009 at 8:04 a.m.
muddfoot55 (anonymous) says…

Yes a Kirby vaccuum 24 years ago and it's still working!
July 14, 2009 at 8:06 a.m.
autie (anonymous) says…

Fete Nationale, Comrades! Happy Bastille Day. Viva le revolution.
July 14, 2009 at 8:07 a.m.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…

I have guys in trucks with freezers in their beds trying to sell me meat. I was astonished anyone would actually buy meat out of a truck. These guys are everywhere, so I guess someone is buying.
July 14, 2009 at 8:09 a.m.
Valkyrie_of_Reason (Kathy Getto) says…

We had someone with a truck selling meat stop by the other day. Just where do they get the meat?
July 14, 2009 at 8:15 a.m.
alm77 (anonymous) says…

Magazines - check
Oil changes - check
Anything the neighbor kid is selling - check

My husband used to get so upset with me when he came home to my purchases, so I started letting him answer the door only to find out he's even more of a sucker than I am. At least we don't argue about it anymore.
July 14, 2009 at 8:34 a.m.
cait48 (anonymous) says…

Fifty years ago my dad sold Watkins products door-to-door to make extra money. They're still around, although no longer door to door. and do online business. The products in many ways are over priced but to this day I still think they sell the best vanilla extract you can get anywhere.
In recent times the only things I have bought door-to-door have been things kids sell in school/camp/scout etc. fundraisers.
July 14, 2009 at 8:35 a.m.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…

" but I think these guys (always operating during working hours it seems) are looking to see if anyone is home, and if noone answers––they clean you out." Tom

That is what I'm thinking. My wife doesn't work during the summer and so she is home. A couple of times she said the meat selllers seemed surprised someone was home when they rang the bell.

However, one time I was home and asked to look at the meat. They opened the freezer up and the meat was from a butcher shop. I still didn't buy.
July 14, 2009 at 9:01 a.m.
Valkyrie_of_Reason (Kathy Getto) says…

I see what you mean NB - could be a couple of things - casing the house for future reference, and selling hot meat. (Wait, did I say that?) This guy had a pickup with a freezer in the back. I don't work during some of the summer either Bob. I try to keep my eyes and ears open for our neighbors during this time. The ones that creep me out are the home security salespeople that linger in the neighborhood for several days at a time. This can't be right.
July 14, 2009 at 9:12 a.m.
autie (anonymous) says…

We got a local guy selling out of the truck..but he is at the farmers market on Saturday and everybody in the county knows the name..It shouldn't take a lot of leg work to find out if they are legit or not...put the double knot spy on the case....CSI ML. Not sure about the meat per se but he knows all about the spam.
July 14, 2009 at 9:18 a.m.
mommaeffortx2 (anonymous) says…

You know the usual stuff from kids selling for school or club but not adult sales people. The kids only at least I know they are not out to make a buck, just toys.
July 14, 2009 at 9:31 a.m.
autie (anonymous) says…

I'm sure the guys selling meat out of pickups are following the trade routes, so yes, beware. Don the N95 should to talk to one.
July 14, 2009 at 9:51 a.m.
spiff (anonymous) says…

Bastille Day, Schmastille Day.

It's Republic Day in Iraq suckas!

Raise the roof, winnahs!
July 14, 2009 at 10:16 a.m.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

Good one , autie.
July 14, 2009 at 10:20 a.m.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…

I have never saw such a person. I always thought of them as an urban myth, or a joke line in a tv show.
July 14, 2009 at 10:21 a.m.
dajudge (anonymous) says…

I once bought a hook, line, and a sinker. Should've went all in and got the bobber, too.
July 14, 2009 at 11:02 a.m.
puddleglum (anonymous) says…

girl scout cookies are an institution in themselves....I love those things. when I was little-my mom always told me that those girl scout cookies were $20/box, and of course-we never ended up with any....fast forward to 1997, when a girlscout showed up with some thin mints for $3.00.....I was kinda mad at mom
July 14, 2009 at 11:10 a.m.
pace (anonymous) says…

If not a local kid for school or youth group, I don't. I ask for a copy of their city license, as required by law. This include salespersons for KC Star. They never have one. I then tell them I will call the police. A lot of people in the community worked hard to get the license requirement passed. The LPD immediatly and consistantly decided not to enforce it. The LPD should be ashamed. When I called about a magazine sales group that seemed high and looked like crap. they told me just not to buy anything or answer the door. This, as the group went down the street knocking on everyone's door. A week later there were burglaries. The LPD do not track burglaries by geographic area's. The license requirement includes a criminal background check and comes with photo ID. A lot of people worked hard to get that law , LPD isn't in the mood for that stuff. we need a citizens review board with teeth. We don't need the LPD deciding that the consumers and home owners have no rights.
July 14, 2009 at 12:15 p.m.
mdrndgtl (anonymous) says…

I bought the Mormon religion from a door-to-door salesman.
July 14, 2009 at 12:43 p.m.
autie (anonymous) says…

Speaking of salespersons. Those weight loss adds on the right hand banners we've been looking at all week, does anybody really actually believe the pictures are before and after of the same person? I think not. Especially the after picture with the white undergarments...that is just an airbrushed babe.
July 14, 2009 at 2:07 p.m.