Door-to-Door Magazine Sales People
“Hi! I’m (insert random, weird name here). I’m from (insert high school, college, or organization name here) and I’m trying to earn a trip to (insert geographical area, country, or city name here). The way I earn my trip is by selling magazine subscriptions. Everyone likes a certain magazine, so you’ll be able to sign up for a subscription and help me out in the process.”
Magazine sales people puzzle me. They try to sell me a magazine subscription that I don’t need. They then try to sell me on the fact that me subscribing will help them out because they could earn a trip.
If I really wanted a magazine subscription, I would just subscribe using the magazine’s website. And if I have gone so many years without a certain magazine, something tells me I can probably live without it.
“Oh, but you’re not helping anybody earn a trip.”
OK, so why does that person get to go on a trip on my behalf? I don’t know that person. I could care less if he/she earns their trip to London, Paris, or Las Vegas. If anything, I can save my money on the subscription and take a trip of my own.
Please leave a comment if you have any funny, interesting, or entertaining stories about door-to-door sales people.
Join the Discussion (37 Comments)
I have to read your rant about kids selling magazines (candy bars, “savings books,” etc. nothwithstanding) door-to-door. “And just when I thought you couldn’t get any dumber, you do something like this and TOTALLY REDEEM yourself.” HAHA
p.s. Just buy the magazine, man. What is it, like $12 for a year’s worth of Home & Garden? You know you read it. And if you had kids, you’d absolutely rock the whole let-somebody-else-pay-for-their-trips-by-selling-magazines deal. But I digress (and do sympathize with your points).
Posted on September 6th, 2006 at 9:57 pm
I seriously considered shelling out $150 for a magazine called Practical Web Design. What can I say, I’m a sucker for web design magazines. I can’t imagine how much it would cost if I were to subscribe through a third party.
Posted on September 7th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
I had a similar experience not too long ago as well. The gentleman was a very good salesman, but I wasn’t interested. I guess I should cut into the spiel a bit earlier on, but I tend to let them (salespeople/telemarketers) wind down before I let them down completely.
Ronalfy and I did a bit of research after discussing our experiences. This is from the FTC site:
cetroyer
Posted on September 8th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
These are all a scam! I have to admit to being a recruiter for a door-to-door magazine company when I was in college! These kids live in hotels, are berated by the crew leaders, are given small cash draws daily (while the owners “save” your money for you). They push for cash so that you can’t cancel on them. People rarely actually even get the magazines.
Posted on December 13th, 2006 at 9:13 am
I did door to door sales for about 8 months did the traveling and thought it was going to be a great expierience. we got paid daily and had free travel and yes I admit at first it was fun the people were nice. After awhile of traveling I came to realize it was not as fun as it seemed, having to go out and make sales in freezing weather and for at least 9 hours until quota was made, was not my oppinion on fun . to make along story short I got pregnant by one of my co workers got sent home and recieved no information on my babys daddys ware abouts. it is not worth it the only thing I can say that I got out of this expierience was a little baby girl who I thank god for every day……….
so think about it before you do it!!! Is it really worth it??????
Posted on February 5th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Dude I totally agree with Shannon and Candellla I worked door to door. The only good thing about it was the traveling THey work you 6 days a week from 7 in the morning to as late as 9 at night every week. Is it rainning? ” OH well rainny days are high days” Is it dark in a not so great neighborhood? TO BAD You go and acheat honest people out if there money for something the wont get and all so you wont get yelled at God forbid you didn’t make any sales that day.
Posted on March 26th, 2007 at 12:54 am
Oh, I can definitely relate to the mag sales people as well as anyone else coming to my door to sell me something… except for my friends little kids from around our neighborhood because I know it helps their class and school. The thing about sales people and though, is WHY don’t they read the little metal sign I have placed by the door which says “no solicitation”. One time I admit I pointed to the sign after they started giving the spill, and the person said “oh, but I’m not selling anything, really I’m not!”. But then he proceeded with his sales pitch. They are ALWAYS selling something. rant rant
Posted on March 28th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Just to let you know they teach the mag kids that no solociting means my husband or wife would kill me if they were here but hey…. they aren’t
Posted on March 29th, 2007 at 12:41 am
I worked for a couple of door to door companies. The first one was magazines. Yeah, it was fun for a while….I went to Mexico for Christmas Vacation, that was a whole lot of fun. But when I got to Seattle, WA, man, was that bad!! It rained almost everyday, plus it was freezing and snowing. I got sick the last 2 weeks I was there because of working 7 days a week instead of 6 because if you didn’t get 25 or more a week, you had to work at least a half a day on sundays. The night that I left, I almost got raped and the company didn’t do anything about it.
At least they paid for my way home. 
I also sold Advange The Wonder Cleaner, that was fun, I did that for almost a year. I made a little money there. 
Posted on June 4th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Stephanie,
You and other commentators have made this post an excellent resource of inside information into the door-to-door magazine sales people industry. Thanks so much for adding to the post with your own experience.
Posted on June 4th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
some guys came to my house last night, he was 23. when we said no he was very rude and basically refused to leave. i was so disgusted after he left.
Posted on June 15th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
A door-to-door magazine guy just left my house. It was some company American Dreams Rewards Program or something. There were at least 3 guys in my neighborhood. Knowing a little about how this works, I asked him if I needed cash. He indicated cash or check. When I told him I had no cash, he said “You could go to the ATM.” When I indicated I left my checkbook at my sister’s house, he replied “Don’t you have starter checks?” This guy seemed suspicious to me. He even lied and said the woman across the street bought a magazine for a children’s hospital. I called her, she didn’t. I felt as though these guys are canvassing the neighborhood to see who is home during the day, especially moms with children. It’s creepy. I tried to look the company up online, since there was a website address on his flier. I asked if he had a salesman number and I could do it online and he said no. I don’t understand how the company has a website but you can’t buy a subscrition online. Too much of a paper trail maybe??? That would seem ideal, at least this way, you don’t have to stand at the door. You could check out the website and look over the magazines instead of making a decision under pressure. If each salesman had a number, then his points could be credited to him. I’m thinking of calling the police just to have them question the legitimacy of these guys walking around the neighborhood.
Posted on June 28th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Ok, well i go door to door selling magazines. People do not have to be assholes when some one knocks on your door! are you guys assholes to the little girl scouts that come to your door. I am doing it for the expierince and i have been doing this for 2 years now. yes we really do win the prizes that we tell you about and yes we do get a cash draw every night…wtf how else are we suppose to buy food and stuff. If you guys had any idea of how much shit we all put up with you would respect us alot more. Its pathetic how people can be so rude. you know we are people too we eat, laugh, cry, and have feelings like the rest of you people. Do you have any idea how much confidence it takes to go door to door not knowing whats behind each one? walk a mile in our shoes maybe you might earn a little respect for us.
Posted on July 6th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
I wasn’t rude to the guy that came to my door…I let him say what he needed and then gently declined. 3 of them were in my neighborhood on that day, and two of them ended up waiting for their ride on my street corner in 90 degree weather. I went out and gave them water and chatted a while. I also explained why I don’t buy magazines….I don’t read them. Why buy magazines when everything you need or would want to know is online. Heck, I even explained to the two guys that after they gave their sales pitch, and still got declined, they should have a last resort and offer them a way to order online and use a salesman ID number to identify the sales person that came to the door so they could still get their points. I would be more apt to order online if I had a chance to browse through the titles at my leisure and not feel pressured to make a decision right then. You guys get the “experience” you spoke of and your points in the end. We all have our stories about our worst jobs. I’m very well aware of how these “traveling magazine sales” shows are run. You chose to do this, so if it is as bad as you say, you could quit. This day in age, there should be no “door-to-door” sales. In fact the girl scouts don’t even go door to door anymore, well at least they are told not to. You guys take your life into your hands by going door to door. There is other more safe ways to get sales “experience”.
Posted on July 6th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
I also had a guy come to my door last night selling magazines. I’m so sick of solicitors coming to my house. It’s a law in my city for any solicitor to register w/the police department and obtain a solicitors photo license ID from them. From here on out I’m asking anyone that comes to my house if they have this license, if they don’t I’m calling the cops after I slam my door.
I don’t care what rewards they could get, I don’t care if they hate their job, go work at McDonalds if you hate it so much.
Posted on July 12th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Thanks for the comments all. This post is almost a year old and still going strong.
Posted on July 15th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
I was ripped off by some guys selling magazines when I was just beginning to attend college (easy prey). I recently gave another magazine seller a chance and just received my magazine in the mail a few days ago. She gave me all the important information, and I checked out the website right away so I could cancel my check if it seemed suspicious. Sometimes one person ruins it for everyone else, but this will definitely be the last time I buy something from a solicitor. It’s too risky.
Posted on July 19th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
This winter a 20-something guy came to my door saying he was with some school program and selling magazines to win a trip to England. My fiance let him in and we listened and gave him a drink and let him sit down for a little while (it was freezing outside). We were going to buy a subscription but, when we looked, the cheapest one was $50 for a year! The same mag sells for $11 for the year online
We declined and he was nice enough and went on his way. Just now, 2 20-something guys came to the door with the same story. These guys said they were trying to win a trip to Australia though and they didn’t come in because I have people over (we were eating) and I was holding my dog back in the door. As soon as they showed me they were selling the magazines, I recalled the guy in the winter remembering how expensive they were, so I told them “sorry, but no thank you…I don’t read magazines” (which I really don’t). At that point the one guy says that I don’t have to read I can just look at the pictures, and again I said “sorry, no thank you.” Then they both looked angry and just stood there staring at me. Then the other guy said that they’d been walking around in 90 degree heat and could I at least give them something to drink. I gave them bottled waters and then they left. It was awkward and felt imposing and rude. BTW, I have “No Solicitors” painted across the window of my apartment front & back door and that never stops anyone:/
Posted on August 4th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
I know someone who was involved in a mag scam. They made a lot of promises to her. The company used the mag money to buy drugs and mostly for the sellers. Why are people so desperate and naive that they would sign up for something so fishy? I can’t help but think that all the door-to-door mag sellers out there are not doing b/c they want to anymore and they are being pressured to perform against their will. I wish I could help.
Posted on August 8th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
If you don’t want your precious time to be wasted by door-to-door salespeople, don’t buy their services. It’s that simple.
Don’t even let them go on with their sales spiel - just firmly ask them to get off your property and close the door.
Magazine sales is lame, non-productive way to make a living and I don’t have any compunction about turning them away.
Posted on August 13th, 2007 at 12:55 am
I was approached by a door-to-door magazine sales person today as a matter of fact. After asking me what I do for a living and me explaining the difficulty I have had lately finding a job…he was quick to offer me a position with his company. He made it sound GREAT. I bummed him a cigarette and bs’d with him for a good 15 or 20 minutes. I told him I wanted some time to think about it. He attempted to pressure me into accepting the offer by stating that they were leaving the next day. I hate being pressured into anything, it just pisses me off when people think I’m weak-willed enough to be pressured into something I’m not sure about. After googling “door-to-door magazine sales” I found there is not one positive thing anyone has to say about these people or the companies they work for. Many of the things the salesperson promised me about the job were the EXACT promises I discovered(via internet) were made to many naive young people in an effort to get them involved in said company. Personally, I’d rather be broke for a while than become involved in some scam. These people prey on desperate individuals; people that are down on their luck and are just looking for a way out of their current situation.
Posted on September 7th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
I sell magazines and i have been doing it for 3 years. Last year i made 89,000 something. The crew i work for is drug free and we are all just a bunch of kids having fun we work 5 days a week. And i know for a fact that the magazines i sell actually get sent out. You really do win a 1,000 and if you sell the most magazines in 6months you really do win a trip. now there are scam crews out there just some advice to any of you who buy magazines. MAKE SURE YOUR RECEIPT IS NOT PINK,BLUE, OR GREEN. it needs to be WHITE, that means it is feduraly bonded and garentees that you will recieve you magazines. NEVER buy from somebody that takes credit cards that is a huge no no. I love my job we are in vegas for christmas right now, but i will tell you this after doing this if anybody ever comes to my door selling something i will buy it from them because this is one of the hardest jobs out there.It challenges you mentally. I agree with Heidis comment to the fullest consent. people should not be so rude to us ya I am sure we get annoying but keep in mind its not what we are selling its why we are doing it. to win a trip and a grand. give them a chance and think in the long run how much you could really be helping somebody out. We go thru SO MUCH every day, think how many no’s we go thru each day. It gets hard and it can be a challenge all i ask you guys is give them a chance just because you dont want the magazines do it just to help somebody out and think in the long run how much you really helped them, not just helping them win a trip and all that shit but the little boost in confidence you can give them when they go to the next door. maybe some of you have been screwed in the past thats why you only buy from people with the white reciepts, try it one more time see what happens think of it this way if you had two dogs and one pissed on you carpet would you kick them both?
Posted on December 20th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
So like you, I find that every article about the magazine sales industry is negative, so I am here to put a positive spin on it. Have you ever been in a situation where you had no job, no place to live, no family or support system, no role models? This is the situation I was in when I joined a magazine sales crew. Having grown up in foster care all of my life, once I reached the age of 18 I was on my own. After numerous jobs, attempts at living with people, I was on my last leg and about to be homeless. The very same day that I was getting ready to go to a shelter, I was hired by the manager of a sales crew. I instantly had a place to stay and a job. The work was hard, and at first I was very skeptical about going door to door, but once I got used to it, I found it to be very fun, I love people and get to meet new ones everyday! As for the people who come to your door saying that they are working to earn something, you should know better, these are not school kids. Just because they lie doesnt mean that that is what they are being taught to do. If a Mcdonalds employee spits on your burger, would you assume that all Mcdonald’s teach this? I am defending this practice also because even when I had made no sales, no money for myself, I still had money to eat with, a place to stay, a job and people who would stand up for me if needed. Everyone needs a second chance sometimes, are you going to give it? I think it is very superficial and judgemental of people who have responded to this blog. I am assuming you all are white and therefore have not had to deal with some of the struggles that minorities do. Now we have to knock on your door, if door to door sales teaches on thing it is self-confidence, courage and the ability to brush off the opinions of assholes like most of the people on here. I hope that none of you or your children are ever in a difficult spot and if they are don’t knock them for trying something out to sustain themselves, at least its not drugs.
Posted on January 15th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
One of these hyper teens came to my door yesterday and was soooo enthusisatic about her being about to win a trip. When I asked her what was in it for me, she looked blank and then said, “You get a subscription!”
You should have seen the look on her face when I told her that in selling, it’s not about what she wants, it’s about what I (the buyer) wants.
If indeed these kids are homeless or runaways or have no place else to go, there are lots of other ways for them to earn money rather than hustling things door to door.
Besides the line of “I get a trip” is real turn off. Get these kids back in school and get them REAL part time jobs so they can have something like a normal life.
Posted on January 30th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Honesly I usto sell Magazinez and Mag Crew Sucks… There is nothing good about it… it is very rear that u find a company that really sends u on that trip… Mag Crew is a job that sells u dreams… Dreams that never come true… Honeslty the only way of u moving up in a company is by takeing alot of shit… and pretty much being someones Bi**H… Fuc* that.. They leave u stranded… Honestly I wuz no weak as* i wrote buissness… But they got this system called Books that is money that the company owns u… but i had a 1% cancallation rate and from none of the company’s i worked for… I neva got da money from my books and i never got the magazines i bought for my sista either thats how u kno if ur crew is lagite or not…
Posted on January 30th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I worked for a mag crew for about 9 months. I have never been a great sales person, but I was young and cute, so they had me hire people instead. After everything I experienced on crew I felt horrible for bringing anyone else into it. Drugs, sex and energy pills. I lost so much weight never eating and taking drugs. Luckly I got pregnant and relized that I had someone to take care of. I literally had to sneak away cause they wouldn’t let me leave. The police in Alabama had to help me get home to California. I hate that life.
Posted on January 31st, 2008 at 6:43 pm
well reading this site takes me back i started selling mags when iwas 21 lokking back i can almost say it was the best time of my life iwasnt no weak agent or w.o.b (without buisness)my high day was 29 and my high week was 112 so i got to be pretty good and made real good money and i just wanted to let anyone who reads this to know most of what u read is true the selling dreams part especially i sold mags till iwas 23 when a tragedy struck in santa fe crews stay out of santa fe cause we ruined it anyway i was put in prison for 19 months with no priors and now im in college live on my own gotta job and allysa ruiz if u read this call me 321-208-3566 i miss u crews arent all bad it depends whos running them and the agent but look at it like this life goes on wuts 40 bux
Posted on February 17th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
janet janet janet why should we get the kids back in school and give them part time jobs so they can live a mediocre life???? 40 - 50k a year salary and nothing to look forward to in life??? im sorry but to me that sucks ive been on a drug free mag crew for a year now we dont do drugs we dont steal the customers get their magazines. last year i made 78k this year im on track for 150k. this is the most fun ive ever had in my life dont believe what u hear from some weak ass kid who told u it sucked. well of course it sucks if u arent selling anything and arent making any money. im sorry are we supposed to hold your hand an d hand u money???? i know this is the america of the wellfare but get a better mentality actually get motivated to go out there and be successful. i havent met one millionare who had it handed to him ever. they worked their asses off. we arent homeless or runaways as u state we are salesmen and women who want to be wealthy and retire at a young age i dont want to have to save up my whole life for a corvette. my boss just bought me an audi S6 (incase your low income brain doesnt know what that is its an 90k dollar vehicle with a gallardo engine in it.) and if your in sales u should know that we dont “hustle” things door to door we sell them same way u sell whatever it is that u sell….. we just make more money
Posted on February 20th, 2008 at 3:30 am
OKay tonight I had a young man at my door and my wife had talked to him before me. So she came to me and said hey this guy is from New Orleans and is selling magazines, and says he is a Katrina Victim. I immediately turned on my defenses as I am a Marketing Manager for a $200 Million a year company. I immediately went to the door and asked what Parrish in New Orleans are you from he responded Orleans, I said where did you live he sai in the Ninth Ward off of XXXX street. I asked him what was on the corner and he told me so either he had done his homework or he was. I knew at that point he was telling the truth. Being cold outside I told him come in. He stopped 1 step inside the door. I said okay we will take the Pre-School Playroom $58.00 for 2 years this included a $10 S&H fee. Okay I know it was overpriced and I know I can get it from best magazines online for $20. we talked for over an hour come to find out he and his wife and 2 year old daughter had set on the roof of there home after Katrina for 2 days in 90 degree weather he was telling me how his child cried for hours at a time in pain from the heat. He trolled through dead bodies and feces to get water for his family and the neighbor’s. what’s the point of the story all this was after I wrote the check and he gave me a receipt he was tramatized by it all and you could tell. I never have bought from these solicitor’s but this guy was sincere. Wether he makes 100K or 80K more power to him and his family. I will probably never do it again as long as I live but I was compelled with this one not by what he said but something else do not know what but I was.
By the way I gave him dinner and he was telling me bless you sir bless you I have never had anyone since I have been doing this treat me as humble as you and your family have. God Bless you God Bless you he repeated and that he was blessed. I guess he found religion and was changin his life.
I guess I could have when I went to the door used the tear drop tattoo under the right eye as a reason to call a black man a criminal and liar but I did not as we all change good or bad we change.
I then went to my office printed the state website for tattoo removal and said for your 6 year old daughter call them and have the tatt removed he just got all excited and said Sir Sir this is great folded it up and put it in his jackets inner pocket. Then he left.
Posted on February 26th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
If you have been contacted by these people please understand that most of them are victims themselves simply trying to make ends meet to some higher up reaping the benefits of their hard work. They work on slave wages under brutal conditions and avoid most labor wage laws under the guise of calling their workers independent contractors instead of employees. In many cases these young, motivated, and usually well spoken individuals are often brainwashed with a sales pitch they are forced to use, because no other tactics work with the average semi-intelligent individual. They pawn themselves off as college kids trying to earn tuition, college bonds, even trips to exotic locations. All part of their sales pitch, usually approaching you as if they are in their last week of competition and they are trying to accumulate the last of their points to win their trip. In most cases their treatment is based on their sales production, which means if you sell you are glorified, if not you may incur the wrath of someones verbal and even physical abuse. Drug use is very common with this type of work, and may even be used by superiors in place of actual pay. Managers will use the addictions of these kids against them, addictions usually started by the managers themselves during the first few weeks of working. Partying and promiscuousness is encouraged and with up to 30,000 young individuals hawking magazines on the streets a day ( a number that continues to grow with recruiting occurring anywhere from over the phone to local teen hang outs) the risk of violence, sexual harassment, rape, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies continue to grow.
IF you know anyone considering joining this profession PLEASE strongly advise them against it. Teens are often lured in with the opportunity to travel for free and are promised the world as far as wages go. The reality in most cases is quite the opposite. I recently had an encounter with an individual who’s name i wont state. Having known the dangers of these types of jobs I offered to listen to the persons pitch ( something i do not recommend, especially letting these people in your home, in many cases there many criminals on the run seeking these type of jobs as refuge). After realizing he was only on his second week of work i took him on the internet and revealed to him the dangers of the work. He quickly related to the stories of the hundreds of other people online and became very scared for his well being. I was able to help him by getting him through to an agent at
http://www.parentwatch.org
if you would like to read stories and find out more information you can either go to that site or
http://www.magcrew.com
this industry is growing like a cult and is very dangerous work, many parents have lost children and many children have lost their lives to this type of work.
PUT AN END TO THIS INDUSTRY BY STARVING IT DRY.
9/10 unless a product is physically in front of you it is a scam, and in the cases of some it isnt even a company scam, it is the last resort of an individual trapped in work with their pay being held against them with no means to get home fighting to survive starvation or physical abuse of their superiors.
hope this was informative.
Posted on March 2nd, 2008 at 3:28 pm
i just had one come to my dads door.
Posted on March 3rd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I understand alot about how many people feel about the magazine industry and door to door solicitation by teenagers all over the country. I have a newspaper subscription business in california and hire teenagers for door to door sales. Now before you start screaming at me please read.
I started doing this when i was 14 and have done it for over ten years, i went door to door several years and still do at times to show people how to sell.
One of the many concerns of people are if this is a legitimate company or if we really do give out scholarships. We do and I won several of them when i was younger.
Keep in mind that this is not candy sales or magazines, we sell strictly subscriptions to local newspapers, we do not accept donations and welcome parents to come take a look at what their children are doing.
When the children are dropped off it is with a partner and all of them work a certain area. We do not let them do gas stations or stores, I hire adults to do exactly that. We don’t travel to different states or go further than where the paper can be delivered (ussually 30 miles or so).
Also as soon as the last person is dropped off, their supervisor starts checking up on the first kids and continues to do so all through the night.
They work only after school and cannot work for us if they do not have atleast a “C” average in their grades.
Since in california there are gang issues and things of the sort, we ask the students not to bring gang affiliated colors or clothing.
Concerning pay this is a commision only job, and I am the highest paying contractor in all of california. (i believe!) I pay my students anywhere from $14.00 to $ 20.00 a sale (which cost in the range of 15 dollars or so)
(customers save over 100 dollars every time they sign up)While every other contractor pays like 10 dollars an order. I take care of my students just like my boss took care of me when i was younger and also help them when they are in need.
These kids can call me at any time if they ever are in danger, while working or not!!!! Because on top of being their boss I am their friend. Their parents all know me and have my number to call for anything.
I hire students mostly to keep them away from trouble and joining gangs just like this job did for me when i was younger, it kept me away from trouble. Keep in mind that I also hire adults.
Even though they are working on the street they are not in any more danger than anyone going to the corner liquor store, or you and I walking to the local market.
This job has alot of benefits for the students. On top of making alot more money than working for a fast food restaurant (most students make like 300 dollars a week and some over 600 a week! in a part time job) it teaches them communication skills, how to overcome an objection and how to convince people and these are just some of the skills. most of which we use on many other jobs as adults.
Also I read lots of your comments and questions about students carrying permits or licences. In the state of california solicitors permits are only required if you are a non profit organization. Meaning that if you are a profitable organization you don’t. That’s how you have many other companies which are allowed to knock on doors.
I believe that I am doing something good to help these kids, I don’t know maybe I am wrong, but I certainly don’t believe so. There are alot of companies out there scamming people, and they unfortunately ruin it for all of us. I hope this sheds some light to you guys and some of you see that there are good people doing these kinds of jobs.
For those who believe we get rich or make money of these kids, well we dont get rich but we do earn a living. But then so does the owner of all the fast food restaurants that hire students. But most people think those are better jobs for some reason when these kids make less money there.
thanks To all who take the time to read this and please do reply, i would like to see what you guys think.
Oh also the reason why you cannot purchase magazine subscriptions for these kids on the internet, is due to the fact that the magazine companies prohibit them from selling them on the internet, that is one of the rules from the magazine companies. Also these subcriptions are sold to you for like 20 to 50 dollars when they only cost them like 2 to 5 dollars a year. So in reallity thats where the money is but not the field i’d like to work in, i rather just sell a legitimate newspaper….lol
Take care guys and God Bless.
Luis.
Posted on March 13th, 2008 at 3:36 am
@All,
This is a general comment. I sincerely and genuinely appreciate all of your comments. My post was just an off-rant. Your comments have turned this post into a RESOURCE. Thank you for sharing both sides of the story.
Posted on March 14th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Listen.
There is a significant difference between a young urban american coming to my door and peddling candy and the idiot who cant hold down a real job because they love smoking weed all the time.
Kids: Dont ever be a door to door salesman / woman. It is hands down the lowest job in the world. Its common place for those people to be scouting your house/apartment for B&E. It is also, maybe not so common, to put yourself in danger knocking on some serial killer/rapists door and guess what? Your the next victim.
Post Closed. Game Over.
Posted on May 20th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Bitr,
Thanks for your input. But the post is not closed as there still many sides to this story.
Posted on May 20th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
bitr,
I understand your concern and yes there are some dangers to knocking on someones door (even maybe yours),i’ve knocked on doors for a long time and the worst i’ve gotten is a pissed off person ranting about us knocking on their door….but your comment is like telling kids NOT to listen to their mother’s when they are asked to walk to the corner store liquor for a gallon of milk, cause they might be shot or kidnapped! I mean don’t get me wrong these things sometimes can happen they get their money stolen by some idiot who thinks it’s funny to take money from a kid. But ussually they are not going to especially when these kids are supervised all night.
CALIFORNIA LAW: states that a teenager needs to be within a supervisors ear sight every fifteen minutes and pretty much supervised all night and may only work in partners each on one side of the street.
We spend over 400 dollars a week on Gas just to supervise these kids. I guess maybe it is one of the reasons why we have been in bussiness a long time, and always have students that wanna work with us cause we take care of them and pay them better.
Also maybe by some peoples theory’s or bad experience with door to door sales it is the lowest job in the world.
Well, I would have liked to become a doctor, but I’m really good at what I do, and really find it hard to believe that a doctor makes atleast 250k a year….lol
Posted on May 22nd, 2008 at 1:43 am
I had a group of magazine sellers stay at my campground a few years ago and I had to have the police come to evict them. The managers were providing the underage youngsters with booze and drugs, not giving some their daily money for food, forcing girls to sleep with managers and other sellers. I was able to get one young man back home to Florida and even as this was being accompllished, the manager was trying to say he could not leave because he owed them too much for his upkeep and all they had done for him. (Yet, they had promised him that they would send him home if he did not want to stay with them, then stated that would happen only if he gave them a full six weeks of work.) They tipped over my full dumpsters, left many of their possessions at the camp site and then called the police and accused the young man we helped get away of stealing the stuff they left behind. Luckily we had turned it all over to the police.
There were several young people who told me terrible stories about their life with this group and yet, they would not leave, they felt that these were the only people who cared about them.
Many were covered with bruises and some were very skiddish if you came upon them from behind. I wrote to many magazine publishing companies about these sellers of their magazines and received no response to my e-mails. I will never buy a magazine again as these publishers could care less.
Posted on July 12th, 2008 at 7:20 am