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Original poster

Door step seller! Help!

149 replies

Thehorrifiedone · 01/08/2020 17:58

Last week I had a door step seller at my door. Young uni kid who was selling educational books for kids.
I was interested to begin with, until he said the price was 3 "easy" payments of £99 for two lots of question books and some encyclopedias. I said I cannot afford that and he said he can do the question books for just £59. At this point (after a long 45 minutes) I just wanted him to go. I said yes, with the intention of cancelling, as I hate confrontion with a passion and will avoid it at all costs.
At the end, he said I am now subscribed to some kids gaming app which cost £20 a month! I didn't consent to having that at all and it made me a little bit mad. He then wanted a picture of him, me and my kids (who was there at the door with me) to prove to his company he was doing work. He said he did it with everyone and they all were ok. Left his card with social media address on and went.
I immediately cancel the subscription and books via email and thought that was it.

Over the couple of days, he has been knocking on my door. I've ignored it of course because I don't want anything to do with any of it.
Just now, I looked up his facebook and he has pictures of families with the products. Scrolling a little further down, I saw me and my children. I did not consent to be put up on social media at all! I've re-read all the terms and conditions and no where did it say anything about this. Surely this is in breach of something? Can I get it taken down?

OP posts:
Original poster
Thehorrifiedone · 01/08/2020 19:32

To everyone asking why didn't I tell him no and close the door, I don't know. And yes, I paid with my card, which has been blocked from all payments. I'll ring the bank monday and make sure no payments will be processed from them.
I honestly feel so stupid for going along with it, but it is very hard for me to just say no!

OP posts:
mummyof2darlings · 01/08/2020 19:33

[quote Thehorrifiedone]@mummyof2darlings no, not from Salisbury.[/quote]
This has been happening in this area widely he's become quite famous over fb 🤦🏻‍♀️

howfarwevecome · 01/08/2020 19:34

Unfortunately, you asked for it by deciding to secretly say 'no' after the face and by cancelling everything when he was gone, rather than just say 'no' up front and shut the door. And you posed for the pictures! Are you mad?!

Totally on you, I'm afraid.

queenMab99 · 01/08/2020 19:36

I always say no, doesn't bother me at all, but a safestyle salesman was so cute, and said he had not had any luck all day, so for once I said I would have someone round to measure my porch and give me a price, thinking I could just tell them I couldn't afford it. What a mistake! After the first estimate, which was exorbitant, I said no, no longer interested, but was pestered by visits and phone calls for months, until I said I would report it to the police as harassment, if they continued.
Never again will I succumb to a weakness for sad brown eyesBlush

Puzzledandpissedoff · 01/08/2020 19:37

Even if they can't read, as in post above ...

I very much doubt they couldn't read, just as I doubted the last one I had, who hobbled up my driveway with his alleged "crippled leg"
Oddly enough it wasn't "crippled" any more when I politely said I wasn't interested and he stalked off shouting "f*ck you"

Original poster
Thehorrifiedone · 01/08/2020 19:38

I didn't gather my children to pose for it, two of them were at the door with me. He said he needed it to show the company that he was doing his job, not to splash it all over his facebook page! I know I was stupid, but I cannot go back and undo it now. Going forth I'll be getting a sign and not be answering the door anymore.

OP posts:
rc22 · 01/08/2020 19:40

Definitely contact trading standards.

It occasionally backfires but I rarely even answer the front door unless I am expecting visitors or a delivery!!

SchrodingersImmigrant · 01/08/2020 19:40

You don't even have to make up stories.
"No thank you"
Firm but polite, non arguable. Repeat if they don't get it.

I can't believe people rather sign up to something than say no and I absolutely cannot believe everyone there lets some stranger takes pic of their kids

Jenasaurus · 01/08/2020 19:40

This reminds me of the time we signed for a new kitchen to get rid of a salesman that was still sitting in our lounge at 1am! we cancelled the next day, he wasnt happy but then neither were we with the pressure sale and very tired too.

Sales people can be very pushy. I would make sure there is no way he can take the payments, maybe change your card or contact your bank as I wouldnt be suprised if the subscription goes through and when challenged he produces the photo as proof. He does sound unscrupulous and I would have to make a comment on his social media to make him remove the photo too.

rc22 · 01/08/2020 19:41

He's collected your data (the photo) and told you he is using it for a particular purpose then used it for something different. I think this possibly contravenes GDPR.

SockYarn · 01/08/2020 19:41

Going forth I'll be getting a sign and not be answering the door anymore.

Don't be one of those weird MN people who won't answer the door. Just practice saying "no thank you" and closing it.

Communardo · 01/08/2020 19:42

@2bazookas

I just cannot imagine the mindset which leaves a healthy young householder incapable of saying no to a cold caller, refusing to give out ID details or bank details, refusing a stranger permission to photograph her children.
Exactly this.
EstuaryBird · 01/08/2020 19:44

I just tell them that they can stand there talking until they’re blue in the face but it’s their own time they’re wasting because I won’t be buying.

I used to do door to door when I was young, trying to get people to pre-order sacks of potatoes. It’s really not something that anyone does for fun! No need to be rude, they’re only trying to earn a bit of money...but don’t give them hope either. Just tell them straight and let them get on with their day.

Walkingthedog46 · 01/08/2020 19:45

A friend has no truck with folk on the doorstep or on the phone trying to flog her stuff. She tells them they’ve been declared bankrupt (they haven’t) but it stops the sales patter in its tracks!

Motoko · 01/08/2020 19:54

If that list of names and addresses really is other people who've signed up, wouldn't he be breaking GDPR rules?

I would be contacting the ICO.

Saying "No thanks" is NOT "confrontation".

SchrodingersImmigrant · 01/08/2020 19:55

For ONLY £100 even YOU can learn to say no!

"No, thank you" training when I will come to your door at random times 5x in one week and try to sell you random crap. After that you have 15 minutes of feedback on how you can do better.

Included in a price: brochure with supporting information, motivational door sticker with "You can do it! Just say no", visits and feedback.

t&cs whatever crap you buy from me you keep and I keep the money

Puzzledandpissedoff · 01/08/2020 20:00

I always say no, doesn't bother me at all, but a safestyle salesman was so cute, and said he had not had any luck all day

Did he also tell you that:
His mum/wife/sister had just died/was about to die?
He was "just doing a survey" and not selling anything?
He suffered from homelessness, drug abuse or poor MH?
That he was facing the sack if he didn't make the sale?

I've had 'em all ...

sunshineandskyscrapers · 01/08/2020 20:02

I had one of these this week. She did at least distance herself from my front door. I think I gave her about a minute of my time because it wasn't immediately obvious she was selling until I asked her directly if she was selling. She started out explaining she was a student and talking about families home schooling in lockdown. She did flip out her book and started reeling off names of people that had bought from her, but I didn't know any of them. I interrupted her to say I wouldn't waste any more of her time but she was still talking to me after I'd closed the door and I randomly found her business card in my front garden the following day. She saw me out with my son today and greeted me like an old friend. I was polite but basically ran away. I then saw her about ten minutes later as we arrived home and she was ringing my neighbour's doorbell and she tried to engage me in conversation again. I have no problem saying no to people but she has a level of determination and resilience. I have never experienced in a door-to-door salesperson.

starfishmummy · 01/08/2020 20:08

We used to have a sign (befkre we changed the door) and still got people calling, whinthen proceeded to tell me why it didn't apply tontjem as they weren't selling. They always were.

Then used to get the ones with a tatty piece of home made ID who would tell me they were on a Jobcentre Scheme and try to charge £20 for a duster. Er no. I worked in a jobcentre at the time and there were no such schemes.

pussycatinboots · 01/08/2020 20:10

NDN had this 3 weeks ago. The young woman who called stayed for nearly an hour, asking about neighbours with kids, and said she'd call back at the weekend to see the husband and get the payment Shock She was selling educational encyclopaedia for kids at £99 per book (and there are loads of books) I suggested

I told her not to answer the door - she has a ring doorbell but for some reason doesn't "filter" visitors.

DarkDarkNight · 01/08/2020 20:13

Sorry if this offends, but I think you have been a total tit - how weak and spineless do you have to be to agree to his face to something you do not want, pay up, and then cancel behind his back? I don't even know if he was a scammer or genuine - that is not the decent way to treat someone, just because you cannot find it in yourself to say No in an honest way.

That’s a bit unfair. It’s also unfair to pressure sell to an obviously uninterested person on their doorstep. The company behind this will be encouraging the sellers to use any tactic they can to get people to agree.

Thisismytimetoshine · 01/08/2020 20:14

Was it really 45 minutes? Shock. You need to grow a backbone with all possible speed.

HyggeTygge · 01/08/2020 20:15

No offence OP but you seriously need to wise up when it comes to people taking pictures of your children basically against your will. Do it for them if not for yourself.
If they can't handle being told 'no' they would not be in a door-to-door selling role. 'No' is the default.

willingtolearn · 01/08/2020 20:17

I had this the other day. I think it's linked to this scheme:

www.theguardian.com/education/2000/aug/01/highereducation.theguardian

It's being described in a very positive way - I'm not sure I feel the same way about it.

BullshitVivienne · 01/08/2020 20:17

Not the point here, but why would anyone want home school shit when it's the school holidays?