I feel guilty, after saying no to salesman

Applesandpeas · 2023-03-12T20:33:47+00:00

I moved house just 6 days ago, I'm exhausted and had a busy day, came back from food shopping and 5 minutes later a guy knocked on the door, selling something. I said thank you but I'm not interested - he seemed so sad about it, but said okay, that's fine, goodbye, and he left. I feel really guilty. I was in a bad mood, tired and he caught me at a bad time. He was genuinely really disappointed. He had invested time and expense, and fuel! Thinking about it now, I might have bought it if I'd haggled a bit. Was I rude to just say no?

FitAt50 · 12/03/2023 20:36

Could you give any information at all? Did you invite him to your home? Did he have an appointment as you said he had driven to your home, etc etc.

POTC · 12/03/2023 20:36

This can't be real surely? Never buy on the doorstep!

AnneWhittle · 12/03/2023 20:39

was he selling dusters and the like?

you shouldn't feel bad at all
this is a rubbish way of doing business in this day and age, and you do not owe anyone your time attention or money- if you actually wanted what they were selling, you'd go and look for it wouldn't you, not wait for someone to randomly knock on your door

KnittingNeedles · 12/03/2023 20:40

This is not a normal reaction to someone knocking on your door, uninvited, and trying to flog you something.

Anotherturnipforthebooks · 12/03/2023 20:41

He had invested time and expense, and fuel!

Do you live in the only house on a remote island?

moonpixel · 12/03/2023 20:46

He was genuinely really disappointed.

Yeah, because he isn't getting to scam you or hard sell you some shit you don't want or need.

Original poster

Applesandpeas · 12/03/2023 20:47

He had taken an aeriel photograph of the property (goodness knows when?) and wanted to sell it for £60, framed. He brought the printed photo with him.

The house is semi-rural so I was a bit unnerved at him being here, and unnerved that he'd taken a photo without me knowing/permission - and as I've been here less than a week and found a load of issues (that's another thread...) I wasn't feeling like I needed a photograph of the house! Plus the estate agent had taken a drone photo for the listing so I have a similar one.

I just keep thinking of his sad face!!

OP posts:

KnittingNeedles · 12/03/2023 20:49

He had taken an aeriel photograph of the property (goodness knows when?) and wanted to sell it for £60, framed. He brought the printed photo with him.

More fool him.

Pretty shitty business, taking pictures that people haven't asked for, and then being "disappointed" when they don't want to but something they never asked for.

moonpixel · 12/03/2023 20:49

He had taken an aeriel photograph of the property (goodness knows when?) and wanted to sell it for £60, framed. He brought the printed photo with him.

I just keep thinking of his sad face!!

Imagine to smug one he would have had if you gave him £60 and move on.

titchy · 12/03/2023 20:50

You do realise he's using the estate agent photo yes? Or one from google maps. And targets people who have just moved in because they'll be easy to flog to. And then does a sad face to guilt you into buying one? That's what the hussle is.

You sound very naive OP, and gullible. Please be very careful.

SalmonEile · 12/03/2023 20:53

I was just gonna say he probably took the photo off the estate agents website
he probably has the one frame and changes out the photo for each address unless someone buys

I get where you’re coming from I hate when people call to the door asking me to change energy supplier and they start off so enthusiastic with their speech and I have to say no :(

Original poster

Applesandpeas · 12/03/2023 20:53

KnittingNeedles · 12/03/2023 20:49

He had taken an aeriel photograph of the property (goodness knows when?) and wanted to sell it for £60, framed. He brought the printed photo with him.

More fool him.

Pretty shitty business, taking pictures that people haven't asked for, and then being "disappointed" when they don't want to but something they never asked for.

True!

It was a bit strange, he must have been sure I was going to buy it?

And then I thought what a waste, he'd charge me £60 but now I said no, presumably he'll just put the print in the bin?

OP posts:

Original poster

Applesandpeas · 12/03/2023 20:57

moonpixel · 12/03/2023 20:49

He had taken an aeriel photograph of the property (goodness knows when?) and wanted to sell it for £60, framed. He brought the printed photo with him.

I just keep thinking of his sad face!!

Imagine to smug one he would have had if you gave him £60 and move on.

This makes me feel better!

Thank you for the replies. My gut was no, so I'm glad I stuck with that.

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titchy · 12/03/2023 21:00

And then I thought what a waste, he'd charge me £60 but now I said no, presumably he'll just put the print in the bin?

Yes of course! The 'print' will have cost about 20p, the photocopy of his next target will go in the frame (£5 from Amazon) and someone else's door will have been knocked on half an hour later.

NotTerfNorCis · 12/03/2023 21:00

Wow that brings back a memory from the eighties. Our pet rabbit was in it as a tiny dot I think. We bought it. No idea what happened to it.

youshouldnthaveasked · 12/03/2023 21:02

Applesandpeas · 12/03/2023 20:47

He had taken an aeriel photograph of the property (goodness knows when?) and wanted to sell it for £60, framed. He brought the printed photo with him.

The house is semi-rural so I was a bit unnerved at him being here, and unnerved that he'd taken a photo without me knowing/permission - and as I've been here less than a week and found a load of issues (that's another thread...) I wasn't feeling like I needed a photograph of the house! Plus the estate agent had taken a drone photo for the listing so I have a similar one.

I just keep thinking of his sad face!!

Nahhh that’s just weird.

RememberToSmile1980 · 12/03/2023 21:07

I'm one of those people that bought that picture! It was a photograph taken with a drone. I'm a sucker though! Honestly, he may have looked sad but wouldn't have been too fussed! Did he leave you with a business card??

HaveTheDayOff · 12/03/2023 21:11

You were being scammed. At least you didn’t buy it.

Original poster

Applesandpeas · 12/03/2023 21:25

RememberToSmile1980 · 12/03/2023 21:07

I'm one of those people that bought that picture! It was a photograph taken with a drone. I'm a sucker though! Honestly, he may have looked sad but wouldn't have been too fussed! Did he leave you with a business card??

Nope nothing! No contact info left at all. I was pretty straightforward with him though; it was a bad time and I was very direct saying no, as I meant it!

I'd been in tears earlier thinking the house was a mistake so I definitely didn't feel motivated to buy a photo of the place.

If it's a scam then I can stop feeling guilty! I'm too soft.

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KateAusten · 12/03/2023 21:27

£60 for a photo you didn't ask for?

PurpleSproutingSomething · 12/03/2023 21:51

We had a couple of these in the 90s, probably about 10 years apart.

We lived fairly rurally, they would do land surveys, farming, AONB etc. So they would see which house was clearest in the photo and knock on.

I loved seeing them up in the house, might ask my dad if he still has them, pretty sure my mum had been captured in one.

Banjowaster · 12/03/2023 21:57

Ahhhhh I'm the same as you OP. I feel so sorry for door to door salesman, I always think it must be such a low return job for the number of knockbacks, getting turned down all day walking around in all weathers. I'm sure that's not the reality at all but I'm a sucker.
DH always tells me I'm a soft touch, he's right.
I hope you feel better about your house soon. Live in it for a few weeks before making any major decisions! Things will soon look better.

PinkButtercups · 12/03/2023 22:03

Ana aerial picture?! Does he work for google maps?!