Hellobee Boards

@pastemoo: I've considered not answering the door! Unfortunately we have sidelights so I know they can see me if I'm downstairs. Yesterday I got another one of those "we were in the neighborhood and can give you an estimate" people and the girl swore she wasn't selling anything, so I said flat out "it looks to me like you're selling something and I'm not interested". Next time I gotta try that gun thing...

@pastemoo: lol you crack me up.

@spaniellove: same... the top half of our front door is a window and you can't see the front door from the windows upstairs. There is no way to see who is at the door without them seeing me. Even if I put blinds/drapes on the door- I would have no way of seeing them.

I usually try to just say no thank and start the process of shutting the door. It's a little easier now that I have a baby - one guy actually started out with, "I can see you're busy," and I said, "yup I am - I have a little baby." And I usually say something like , "you know it's not a good time - he needs to eat/sleep/etc" and they don't have a choice really.

You could pretend you have a kid!! Say, "oh! I hear my baby just woke up. Gotta go!!"

What about pretending you get a phone call? lol

If you had asked this question last week, I would have told you I don't answer the door. Its easier than fighting with them that you aren't interested. However, lately, there have been a number of break-ins and a few people were actually home when the break-ins happened (so i figure if someone knocks on my door and doesnt get an answer, they might take that as a sign that I'm not home and that they can help themselves to my tvs, computers and jewelry).

Today, I dealt with jehovah's witnesses, literally all day. I swear, one after another. So I have no advice, other than, don't answer the door unless you know them so you don't have to deal. And set your alarm when you're at home, so if someone does break in while you're at home, well, you don't get ambushed.

ETA: oh, but one thing I do, that seems to work well when I do answer the door, is give them a dirty look and say "I've got a napping baby" and try and close the door. It works for everyone except jehovah's witnesses.

I'm in an apartment so I don't get people at the door but I'd use the same tactic as I use on the phone. Listen politely for the initial part and then say "thank you very much I'm not interested best of luck have a nice day" and hang up or shut the door before they get a chance to say anything else.

@PASTEMOO: I hear you on annoying sales people pretending not to sell you things, but a gun seems a bit extreme! lol

I have a sign on my door stating No Solicitors and it's worked ok so far.

I do the same as Pawprints. I just say no politely and end the call if it is a telemarketer. We don't get door to door salespeople where we live, but if we did, I wouldn't open the door, but through the door say I am not interested.

It's somewhat common where my parents live that men will wander around the parking lots and pull cables out from cars so the car won't start. They'll see you struggling to start the car, come over and then ask for a few bucks to help you. I've never been alone when this has happened, but my dad just gives them a few dollars and we go on our way. I try not to be rude, people fall on hard times, even us, the ones that live in the houses and apartments that they're trying to get into.

I am in sales (med device) but I still HATE the people that come to our house and knock on the door. HATE. I don't mind barking "NO THANK YOU!" and shutting the door in their face.

And OMG the Jehovah's Witnesses love to come here on Saturday before like 8am and ring the doorbell. When my daughter is born and sleeping and they ring the doorbell and wake her up, it is not going to be pretty. I have told one set of them not to come back anymore, but they were just replaced by some different ones, and I will totally unleash the crazy if they think they're going to harass me with a newborn.

@PawPrints: @looch: Good point, I try not to start off rude although it's just so hard to tell whether you have someone who will be reasonable or someone who won't leave you alone. I found out that one guy had actually walked into my backyard and snooped around the exterior of my house before having a conversation with me about an "estimate'! That was totally crossing the line.

we live in an apartment so this doesnt happen often but in our old apartment we would get verizon and cable vision sales people and I just wouldnt open the door if I saw them. They dont accept a polite "no thanks" they keep pushing and pushing until I am forced to get rude

PS You know I'm joking about the gun, right? I only did that ONCE and it was super late at night and they were knocking really loud just after someone screamed.... and it was the police.

I'm super rude to salespeople. Nobody really comes to our door, but if they did I would not answer. I'm always paranoid somebody's going to come up to me when I'm outside. But when they call, I just say I'm not interested and then if they press, I hang up on them. I know they need to make a living and everything, but I'm not going to waste my time and theirs being pushed into something I'm not going to buy.

If they call me at work (which is ALL THE TIME because I'm in marketing and everybody and their mother wants to sell us ad space, directory space, marketing services, telemarketing, etc.), I won't hang up, but if they don't take the first no, I say, "We're not interested, OK?" and that usually works. They adopt a tone that's like, "You're a stupid bitch, have a terrible day," but whatever.

Or I screen my calls

When I get solicitors at my door... I don't open it. lol. I usually smile, say no thanks and if they don't take the hint I tell them I left my oven on and close the door.

I say no, tell them I'm not interested, and shut the door, even if they're still talking. I've even had to say, "I said no, what part of that don't you get?". I've never had anyone persistently touch my stuff/house/etc. If they did, I'd tell them I am going to call the cops and I want them off my property. We don't get many, but I really do not appreciate it. If i want to buy something, I go to the freaking store. I'm an ass and I don't care. I'm also rude on the phone.

Oh wow these stories are scary and infuriating at the same time!! I live in an apartment so this doesn't happen too often, but the rare times that I get buzzed and I'm not expecting anyone I ignore it. It used to happen to me all the time at my old apartment since I lived on the ground floor, everyone would start with my buzzer if they couldn't remember their friends apartment #'s.

With telemarketers I'm polite, but I cut them off and say I'm on the do not call list so it's illegal to call me. They always apologize and say it won't happen again!

Hahaha this cracks me up. If it's someone at the door I peek out the blinds and don't answer if I don't recognize them.

If a telemarketer calls my mom she just says "I'm sorry, they're dead" and hangs up!