“Hello, I’m Tim— your friendly pots and pan salesman!”
One of my first jobs was as a salesman for a fly-by-night company whose ad I answered from a Norfolk, Virginia newspaper. After two weeks of pumped up sales training (and a non-refundable entry fee of fifty dollars), I was cast out into a cold world not particularly fond of door-to-door salesmen. For two more weeks I honed my selling expertise at the expense of unsuspecting housewives who actually opened the door, which eventually led to my first sale!
Unfortunately, the woman was not interested in my expensive “waterless cookware” package at all. Instead, all she wanted to buy was the electric skillet we gave away as a “free” gift upon purchasing the complete kitchenware system. After placing a call to the office to determine a fair price, I sold her the skillet for nineteen dollars and ninety-five cents, plus $hipping and handling. A steal at any price.
I received my $.97 (five percent) sales commission check one week later!
Two weeks after that, the woman called me back after receiving her free $19.95 “gift”. She was irate at the inferior quality of the electric skillet, and demand her money back. Not only did I have to repay my company the shipping and handling charges, but I also had to give them back their ninety-seven cent commission check, which, I had not yet bothered to cash.
Thus ended my first professional career. And everywhere across the city, housewives sighed in relief.
I so remember door to door salesmen. My mother would always sit on her “throne” and when someone knocked at the door she would shout “Come in” and whomever it was just walked in with all the stuff. Fuller Brush, bread man, whatever. It was the 50′s and I guess it was safe. If I was home when the breadman came I always wanted a package of the raisin cinnamon breakfast rolls. I LOVED the door to door salesmen!
My venture was 1970, I believe. I felt like a million dollars walking out the door with my pots and pans in tow. Times have certainly changed.
Fuller brush, Cutco knives, Rainbow vacumn cleaners – when you can’t find a job – and opportunity knocks, give it a try. It usually ended similar to your own tale. What was I thinking?
I learned a very valuable lesson here. I only wish I knew what it was.
When I was little, my mother needed to earn some money, so she sold knick knacks door to door, like a fly swatter with a huge daisy on it.
Later on, my brother and I needed money, so I made medallions (it was the 60′s, so they were cool) with my own abstract and geometric designs, and we actually did sell a few door to door. I guess people felt sorry for the two Deaf kids at their door!
I guess we might have sold more if I had made them out of a sturdier material. I made them from balsa wood! I still have a few in my keepsake box. When you’re hungry, you do what you gotta do!
Oh, and my cousin was a door to door Kirby Vacuum salesman. Remember those? He sold a grand total of two. Both to his parents. LOL!