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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to make her knock for her Avon catalogue?

125 replies

SloanyPony · 01/08/2010 18:32

I have a polite sign on my front door that says "No commercial leaflets please". Its clear and obvious. It means that in the past year since putting it there, I could count on one hand the pieces of "junk" mail I've had through my door.

Yesterday when I got home there was an Avon catalogue on my mat. It had a post it note stuck to it that bossily stated that I should leave the catalogue on my porch for collection on Monday, no please or thank you or anything like that.

I have put the catalogue on my windowsil for safe keeping. AIBU to make her knock for it?

"Avon catalogue? Are you sure? That sounds very much like a commercial leaflet to me. I very much doubt anyone would have put a commercial leaflet through my door with such a clear sign on my letterbox...would they?"

OP posts:
Original poster
SloanyPony · 01/08/2010 20:55

I used to get imitation charity collector leaflets - so they wouldn't even give you a bag - just a leaflet, which you were supposed to staple to a bag so they could recycle your tat for you (i.e ebay the good stuff and chuck out the rest, no doubt)

The cheek! Always tempting to fill a bag with dirty knickers but it'd be a waste of a bag.

And they might sell them on eBay to a fetishist and make a fortune which would be most vexing.

OP posts:
Original poster
SloanyPony · 01/08/2010 20:57

Hey, I never said I'm not going to give her her catalogue back!

I'll have a word in person rather than write a note - there's a good chance she can't read

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 01/08/2010 20:58

Cheeky buggers Sloany. Mind you the bags are pretty crap, you are missing very little.

southeastastra · 01/08/2010 20:59

do you really not like looking in the avon catalogue? i bet you read it

Original poster
SloanyPony · 01/08/2010 21:01

I haven't even opened it. I dont like Avon.

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 01/08/2010 21:02

We don't have Avon round here.

I did read it once at my mum's house. Wasn't terribly impressed TBH, all looked a bit cheap and nasty. (Sorry Avon ladies)

southeastastra · 01/08/2010 21:09

some of their skincare stuff is very good

i quite like catalogues though even if i don't order anything. i tend to read any old crap though

bulby · 01/08/2010 21:09

I'd have thought you meant takeaway leaflets and stuff rather that an Avon catalogue. The poor person is out there trying to make a bit of cash just explain if you don't want it but please don't make her feel bad as I'd have misunderstood your message as well

MrsVictorUbogu · 01/08/2010 21:26

YANBU. A couple of weeks ago a kid knocked on my door and barked 'Avon Book' at me then stood staring at me.....I told her, had she asked politely, I would have gone and found it for her, but as she was rude I chucked it in the recycling bin! Funnily enough, I haven't had another one...

Kaloki · 01/08/2010 21:29

I made an Avon lady knock for her catalogue, not because I was being mean, but because it was bucketing it down outside and it would have got wrecked if I'd put it out. She glared at me when I handed it over though.

whomovedmychocolate · 01/08/2010 22:15

The correct answer MrsVictorUbogu to that is obviously to reply: 'How wonderful to meet you Miss Avon Book, I'm Mrs Victor Ubogu. Now how may I help you?'

ChippingIn · 01/08/2010 22:17

Whomovedmychocolate - Avon have been going 120 years, so I guess they are doing something right

whomovedmychocolate · 01/08/2010 22:25

Indeed, but then again people used to paint lead on their faces for quite a while too

NeverPushWhenItSaysPull · 01/08/2010 22:28

I presume anyone who chucks a pizza leaflet or takeaway menu in your letterbox is only trying to make a few quid.

My only experiences of catalogue collectors: one man attacked me on the doorstep when I said I hadn't seen his catalogue (lived in shared house, someone else threw it out); a preteen rang the bell one night after dark, on a rainy night, looking for catalogue back while an adult sat in car at the end of the driveway; left another catalogue out on front step for collector but threw it in the bin when it hadn't been collected after a week.

I have an unlisted number so I don't have to be disturbed by unsolicited phonecalls, and I now immediately bin anything that is not personally addressed. Putting a catalogue in my letterbox is an intrusion.

OP, I think you are being very, very reasonable.

stressheaderic · 01/08/2010 22:30

Gah, I once had a MIL who called magazines books. Even the TV guide. Used to wind me up something chronic.

whomovedmychocolate · 01/08/2010 22:35

Now Bettaware catalogues, they really are experiments in 'things that are a little bit too shit odd to be sold in Lakeland'

Talking of catalogues, DH took me to somewhere called Screwfix today for the first time. It was like an Argos but for tools, you go in, look for what you want in a catalogue, order it at the counter and pay and they bring it down. He left in high dudgeon saying: 'I need to be able to feel my knobs and castors, I don't want to look at pictures of them.'

I could feel the funny looks as we left

MrsC2010 · 01/08/2010 22:38

YANBU

onedeadbadger · 01/08/2010 22:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

whomovedmychocolate · 01/08/2010 22:41

onedeadbadger - I don't think I will, I come out in a rash with most stuff so it's a bit like trick or treating trying new cosmetics! But I'm sure lots of people like it otherwise it wouldn't be still in business.

NeverPushWhenItSaysPull · 01/08/2010 22:43

I don't know if it's an urban myth, but I heard on the radio once that the army use skin-so-soft as it's an excellent insect repellent.

oneortwo · 01/08/2010 22:45

YANBU my local Avon lady leaves a note with it asking ME to deliver it back to HER. I don't think so!

Not everyone who takes a second job or does AVON type stuff are "just trying to keep a roof over their heads" in hard times! a lot of people I know who've got into this sort of thing lately are yummy mummies who married well enough to not HAVE to work, and don't want to commit to an actual job where you have to turn up at 8 and be bossed around for 8 hours, but feel they should do something "for themselves"

I'm sure there are SOME AVON ladies who are the poor souls that some replies make them out to be, but only the same proportion as you would meet at shop tills etc

whomovedmychocolate · 01/08/2010 22:47

The man who sells squirrels on ebay uses that stuff!

ageing5yearseachyear · 01/08/2010 22:59

i shove them back onto the front door step and if its still there after the day they are supposed to come it goes in the bin.

a friend who did Avon and made a decent amount of money out of it did the sensible thing and each new round she took out put a sticker on each asking if they were interested, only wanted one at christmas or would never want it. Why walk up and down all those driveways for god sake! if there are only 5 people interested in the street better off knowing that up front!

MuddlingThru · 01/08/2010 23:17

As an Avon lady I do post through doors that have similar notes on them - at least half my regular customers have them on their doors. For many people Avon doesn't count as junk. Also people move houses and the new people don't remove the old stickers. I also include a slip with a tick box for people to indicate that they do not wish to receive any further brochures.

Not unreasonable to make the rep knock for it but to be honest you are inconveniencing yourself more than her (or him!). The rep will be quite used to knocking to collect from people who have genuinely forgotten to pop the brochure back outside.

gtamom · 01/08/2010 23:29

I would be annoyed my posted sign on my own door was ignored.