[net.consumers] How hard are hard sell practices?

stanwyck@ihuxr.UUCP (Don Stanwyck) (09/05/84)

Our experience has been that none of the salepeople are so utterly convincing
that any reasonably intelligent person can't decline the offer.  It is true
that they try everything from guilt to blackmail (Your children will fail
all their classes at school if you don't buy this encyclopedia tonight!)
(Your wife will never have another chance to own a fake diamond at this price,
don't you love her?).o

We have found that we can easily say no.  And to encourage it, we usually don't
take our checkbook or credit cards with us, so we can't make any deposits or
other foolish actions on the spur of the moment.  We also refuse to fill out
any credit applications/historys or give any detailed information about income
or financial status.

Finally, as I pointed out in a previous article, we have been known to take 
advantage of the free gift offers to go in and talk the salespeople out of
continuing to sell the product.  Generally, if the salesperson doesn't already
own one of the product, it is not very difficult to point out the problems
with this fantastic offer, and point out that what they are doing borders on
lying, or at least intentional misleading.  Most people don't like to admit
that they lie for a living, and will quickly become less effective salespeople
once they realize what they are doing.  (And less anyone claim we are trying
to put people out of work, I would point out that we try to put house-robbers
out of business, too.)
-- 
 ________
 (      )					Don Stanwyck
@( o  o )@					312-979-3062
 (  ||  )					Cornet-367-3062
 ( \__/ )					ihnp4!ihuxr!stanwyck
 (______)					Bell Labs @ Naperville, IL