Yesterday I spent 26 minutes on the phone with a handicapped gentlemen trying to sell me a $46 umbrella or $89 light bulbs. 26 minutes! And let us not forget the Kirby Vacuum incident of late....4 hours! 4 hours on a weekday afternoon with a 3 week old and a 2 year old watching a stranger vacuum the dust mite egg sacks out of my mattress!
People, I have a problem. I cannot look a salesman in the eye and tell them no, and apparently I can't do it over the phone either. It is so hard for me! I get sweaty and nervous and can't think logically. I finally ended up just hanging up on the poor handicapped man and actually rescheduled an appointment t with the Kirby salesmen which I made Tanner cancel.
PATHETIC! I know.
I don't know what it is....I have this curse of being able to empathize with people. I picture myself in their position and genuinely want to make their day. I have an annoying habit of thinking of what their family must be like or what their kids might need......my freaking bleeding heart! It probably doesn't make a difference to them and who knows if they are even telling the truth. The problem is I WANT to believe them. I give them my time because I want to be fair and respectful, but in the end I get myself into a place where I either have to lie to get out of it or blame it on my Husband.
It drives Tanner crazy! Whenever we go shopping for anything big I'm not allowed to open my mouth or act excited about anything. His point is that I'm just wasting their time by listening to their pitch if I know I'm not interested....when they could be making sales to someone else. It's just not that easy for me! I hate it!
I won't get into the plethora ridiculous things that I have been sold since we have been married, but in the last 2 years alone I have caved on:
-signing up for and cancelling Winder farms 3 times.....3.
-a year supply of chicken for $300 (it made sense at the time)
-2 happenings books
-$50 worth of wrapping paper
-25 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies
-A carpet cleaning punch pass (really? How often do you really need carpets cleaned in a 6 month period of time)
That isn't counting the many donations I've been talked into....
Help! It is to the point where I am scared to answer my door for fear I will be cornered by a salesman of some sort.....the "my husband won't let me" excuse doesn't seem to be effective ;)
9 comments:
I'm the same way! The best thing that happened for us was we moved to Mexico where they don't have any door to door or phone salesman.
Oh, kbell... THAT'S why I love your freaking guts! You have an amazing ABILITY to empathize.
HA! Sorry mean salesmen seem to sense that in you and take advantage of it! ;)
At least now, you can wrap up those 25 boxes of girl scout cookies in really expensive wrapping paper and give them away as presents. Did I mention that I love girl scout cookies?
You and Geoff! Geez!!! If I hadn't experience this with Geoff, I wouldn't believe it. But he too is a softy...and saying no, doesn't make sense!
I-on the other hand- am the opposite extreme. Not sure that is any better!
I think it is time to put a "No Solicitors" sign on your door. I know how you feel though- I hate saying no too.
I used to do that on the telephone with surveys. Did you know that some places give their employees an extra quarter (amount from 10 years ago) for each survey completed?
So yeah. I finally just start saying, "I don't live here." That seems to do the trick- it confuses the @#$# out of them.
Haha I have a similar prob but not quite as serious as yours :) I called to cancel Winder 2 times before the 3rd, and finally successful, time. They kept talking me out of it! And my record is 16 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies! You got me beat!
my mom ALWAYS buys those $89 bulbs! and $55 garbage bags.
I finally got a NO SOLICITING sign because I can't say no either. I would just rather not know that they tried to stop by. I let the sign tell them no now. Good luck!
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