How is this helping anyone?

Here in East Anglia we get similar teams of young men in the area and the Neighbourhood Watch team send out a message warning everyone to be on their guard.
I never buy anything but wish them well and give them a chocolate biscuit (Kit Kat) to keep them going. Most of them are very polite.

I suspect that they are dropped off in areas and the sellers have to give a commission for the privilege. They probably just earn a percentage of what they sell. So well done Winterwhite for bypassing that.

They're supposed to be part of a charity scheme....I have my doubts.

DH drives me mad when they come round as he buys some totally redundant bit of c**p because he feels as though they are making an effort. But, we then get a rash of them until I'm the one who opens the door and I refuse to buy anything.

Sometimes they 'have just come out of prison' or 'just come off drugs' etc etc. If I thought they were genuine and that there wasn't a 'gangmaster' waiting round the corner, I'd probably be more generous.

Now, anyone short of TV screen cleaner, t towels, extremely thin dusters and an ironing board cover? Alternatively you can have DH!

I always buy something just in case they are genuine. At least you can use the items.

We have been advised not to engage with door to door salespeople. It has been reported that burglars have used this ploy in order to check out potential victims.

www.westmercia.police.uk/article/35428/Cold-Callers---Nottingham-Knockers

I really do not believe the dish cloth sellers are on a scheme of any sort. Sorry to be so cynical. Certainly not prison release.
Someone find me some evidence for this and I will retract my statement. with full apologies.

We had an elderly lady on our doorstep was selling some items of clothing. The clothing was cheap and her prices were quite high. When I regretfully told her that there was nothing I really wanted she demanded that I just give her a donation instead! I closed the door instead.

It is illegal to sell door to door but not sure if u can somehow circumvent this.

It is not illegal to sell door to door with a pedlars certificate.
Many police forces have issued statements that this sort of selling is NOT part of any probation scheme

I be never had any of these callers but I wouldn’t buy on the doorstep from a stranger

just ask your local police station for sticker for your door and gate .I rarely get anyone here after putting the NO cold Callers stickers up,they say cold callers will be reported to the police straight away .TBH I only put them up to stop a parade of Mormons and Jehovahs Witnesses,who my OH would chat to for ages and invite in for tea...lol.

We live in a no cold calling zone. Doesn’t stop the Jehovahs though.

We had these men coming round too. The latest one had a card saying he was deaf. He was trying to 'sign' to me but unfortunately for him I used to teach sign language and what he was doing with his hands was just nonsense. I told him that in sign then verbally. He understood when I said it and made a sharp exit. Hmmm

It is a scam and the poor sods going from door to door could probably be considered modern slaves

There were some articles in the national press about 10 years ago. The companies behind them go to areas of high unemployment and offer these lads a bright future in sales. They are housed in appalling conditions and given ridiculous sales targets, but are also told (around us) not to accept money to go away.

The best thing anyone can do is never ever buy anything from them so that the whole business model fails.

My response is when they come to my door is 'I am sorry I do not buy on the door step' and a pleasant smile.

The reason they come round during the day is because the people likely to be home are the retired and the ill and vulnerable who are less likely to say 'Thank you and Goodbye' and more likely to buy something to get them to leave.

fiorentina You live near me. Our weekly paper (MG) frequently advises against these people. One came a week or two back wearing an Armani jacket so I'm afraid I didn't feel sorry for him. He was determined to engage me in conversation and insisted he came from Peterlee where there was 80% unemployment. I checked and apparently there is a lot but only 25% more than the country average. He only left when DH came to see what was going on.

It is indeed a scam - see the link above. They are like prostitutes and drug dealers with a "pimp" who pockets the cash.

I too have a 'No Cold Callers' sign on my porch window, easily seen as anyone approached the front door. At first we still had a couple of callers and I just pointed to the Notice. It's now a long time since we've had any cold callers.

Definitely I wouldn't buy from anyone at the door.

We did have a problem until the Ray Winston lookalike ( my OH) had a word in his ear