Doorstep selling and cold calling

I have two bull terriers. They are as docile as lambs but nobody knows that. If anyone comes to the gate the dogs are down there in a flash and I press the button to open the gate. End of story and we don't get pestered.

This happens to me on a few occasions - I never answer my door in the evenings because I just know it will be someone advertising (or selling) something! I mute my TV and what's most annoying, the odd one will knock persistently... even one shouted through my letterbox!! That hasn't happened since although if it does, I'll stick to the Ignore Callers After 8pm plan!!

There are two stickers on my front door that inform callers that we do not buy anything over the doorstep; but they still ignore these and call anyway. Another annoyance is religious groups who cold call, I am not prejudice about religion but I dislike people who preach their beliefs / faiths to me at the front door as I find I am losing the will to live and it can sometimes be an invasion of privacy when they start asking you questions about your beliefs, etc.

Aggressive sales people, aggressive marketers, aggressive buskers and beggars...they should all be removed from our public places. And say "No" to tele-sales too.

Today I was at the mall just walking around. This annoying guy blocked my way and asked me if I wanted to do his survey. I said "NO!", but he wouldn't take that as an answer, so I ran away. Five seconds later I ran into another annoying person doing the exact same thing.

This is a serious problem in malls, and the government needs to stand up and make this illegal. I hate it!

EDF are indulging in some pretty disreputable and unprofessional cold calling techniques. By doing so they have guaranteed that neither I nor anyone within my sphere of influence will buy power from them. Interestingly they sell themselves on the basis of being 'cheap', which to me has more negative than positive connotations.

The principle of door to door sales is at fault, not necessarily the people who do it. When we are at home we are removed from the market so to pursue us into our homes is a violation of the sanctity of the dwelling. Door to door sales people should realise that they will not encounter a welcome at every door, and steel themselves to the hostility that is certain to arise from time to time. Ideally, this method of sales would require an opt in agreement from householders.

Does anybody ever consider the fact that door to door sales people are doing it to make a living, possibly supporting a family?? How would you like it if people were wanting you out of a job? I guess you wouldn't be very happy. Before you criticise these hard-working individuals, just remember that they are real people who need to earn money just like the rest of us. Most of them work on a commission only basis, and work long hours for little reward. I have great respect for them, it's not a job I could do.

If you can be bothered put up a little sign or note saying no door-to-door sales, they will most likely move on.

If you can't be bothered then when you open the door (if you do) and they start spewing some sort of pitch then simply tell them (interrupt them) they are wasting time with you as you don't want anything or w/e.

Either way they are working, they don't want to waste anyone's time least not theirs so they want sales, if they know you wont sell them anything they will move on. Just make it clear, they will probably genuinely thank you for telling them before they get into their pitch.

Battleaxe - Why dont you get together with some of your neighbours and petition the council (whom you elected) to designate your area a 'No Cold Call' zone, theres loads down my way and its legally binding, perpetrators can end up with a criminal record.

Our neighbourhood gets plagued with cold callers of all kinds, charities, double glazing, facias, energy firms, you name it. I got that fed-up with it a few years ago that I put up a notice on the front door stating very clearly that we do not under any circumstances do business of any kind with unsolicited callers. The religious groups always respect this and don't knock, but the firms and charities will persist. I got tired of saying, "Can't you read?", pointing to the notice and then getting attitude from some twit in a cheap suit. I have a clear view of anyone coming up the drive so nowadays if I don't recognise the person and I'm not expecting anyone, I don't bother answering the door - problem solved! It pleases me to know that they know I'm in and I'm ignoring them the way they think they can ignore my little notice!

Simple solution:

1 - don't answer the door
2 - if you do answer the door, say 'no thanks' and close door

I use option 1 and have not been bothered by cold calling in years.