People hawking stuff at work...weird!

[RosieTR]

So, I know it's somewhat common to have people at work ask if you want to buy stuff for the school fundraiser type of thing or some kids' club or charity. I get that, I usually don't because it's nothing I want and I would rather just give money to the charities I've chosen for the reasons I have. I also don't ever ask people at work to contribute to my pet charities (I don't have kids, thus no school fundraiser things).

But, at this office there's a person that comes by every so often to sell random candies and nuts. I think there's also a tamale seller as well, but less often or only during the winter or something. The nuts/candy person is kind of irritatingly aggressive (to me)...she ALWAYS asks me, in person, if I want anything. Once this happened while I was on the phone for business (!) and I just shook my head but most of the time I do a somewhat curt "no thank you". I have never shown the least bit of interest and in fact, am trying to ignore her when she's here. Today she came while I was cooking my lunch and I seriously thought about just shutting my office door. I think it's 1) weird to have a random vendor come in selling non-work-related stuff, and 2) why does she have to ask directly every damn time? It's a quasi-public building (ie not locked during the day) but it's not like I'm in public, or even at my house. It's not like the Mormons or JWs would ever be allowed to come peddle their religion, nor politicians shilling for votes.

Anyway, I just thought this was really weird. Anyone else have random sellers come to their work?

[iris lily]

Why does your management allow this?

[lbmustache]

I actually had to check your location... this happened to me at my old workplace. One person who sold lunches was friends with the manager so she got to do it that way. I don't know if the manager took a cut or what.

The person did not come directly into our offices though, would just hang around the lobby/break room area.

[partgypsy]

This would totally not fly at my workplace. I would bring it up with the supervisior/head personnel person. It could be that it's a friend, but it's really a non-professional to have people going around trying to sell things during the work day. Maybe the person can put up a flyer or stay in the lobby, whatever, but while people are working? Jeesh. 

[Eric]

Time to add a "No Soliciting" sign to your office decor?

[FatCat]

That's really strange. There are some people that sell things like that here, but they put flyers in the break room and you have to contact them about it.

School fundraiser candy is also in the break room with an honor system envelope beside it. Nobody ever asks you in person to buy anything.

You should probably mention it to management.

[AZDude]

Usually that sort of thing is frowned upon if not outright banned. Just politely decline each time end eventually they will stop bothering you.

Reminds me of working at a place where there was a stiff competition between department heads over charitable giving each fall. So the HR folks assigned to each department would bug the living hell out of everyone to try and squeeze every last penny to prove their department was the more generous, or something. Everyone hated it. Anyway, somehow due to HR incompetence my name never made it onto their list of potential givers in our department, so they never came over to my desk and I was never harassed like the rest of the folks.

I was the envy of the entire floor.

[Gone Fishing]

Banned per policy.  I do get numerous company generated PAC donation requests in my (paper) mail box, and an occasional ra-ra "support your industry" talk about it, though.  No political donations for me, though!

[Bracken_Joy]

We had this exact same thing at a hospital I had a rotation through! It confused me- a snack/nut vendor in a locked ICU? But all the staff seemed to be happy when the guy came through, and it happened every week.

[The Fake Cheap]

Similar situation in a bank where I used to work.  A person, a non bank employee, wouldn't actively sell items, but leave a sign up sheet and an envelope for money for the items.  The items were mostly kid focused stuff like books and toys.  The salesperson would leave this sheet in the staff room and come buy once a week to take the orders, cash, and leave a new sheet.  This was super annoying because whoever was working the welcome desk at the bank (sometimes me) when the seller randomly stopped in, would have to stop whatever they were doing and track down the people who said they wanted stuff but didn't leave money, or didn't put their name, etc.  I couldn't believe the bank actually permitted this, maybe they got to advertise they were a sponsor of this company for putting up with this annoyance. 

I agree very weird for a non employee to solicit in person at your work.  I feel awkward enough when co works directly ask you to buy whatever their kids are selling, I rarely buy.  A mass email would be ok to let people know, but directly asking should be banned.

[vern]

"Always be closing."

[coppertop]

Equally irritating is the fellow employee who solicits on behalf of her daughter's MLM business at work.  If I were queen, this would never be allowed.

[big_slacker]

I hate this kind of shit. I mean the people selling crap at work I'd make sure that went away, no question.

But I get seriously PO'd when I can't even go to the grocery store without running the gauntlet of charities, girl scouts, boy scouts or whatever random sketchy product someone convinced a store manager was ok to set up shop out front and sell.

About the original topic, I was doing some work for a government agency a couple weeks ago and they had random ethnic clothing and jewelry stands obviously staffed by people that worked there (chatting with all their friends) taking up like 1/4 of the cafeteria seating. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone sometimes. 

[Unkempt Stash]

Amusingly I was debating the opposite position. I enjoy cooking and people have suggested that I start bringing food for the office and sell lunch once a month or so.

I was leaning against it but y'all have sold me to do it.

[MillenialMustache]

I used to work with a very sweet lady, but she sold Avon. The first time she offered me a catalog, I took it, knowing I wouldn't buy anything. Big mistake. She came around like once a week asking if I had decided what I wanted. ugh. I started declining the catalogs and basically stopped talking to her after that. I can't even imagine if I didn't even know the person. How odd.

[KittyCat]

At my old workplace, people sold chocolates for fundraisers. They'd leave the box of chocolates in a communal break-ish area and/or the cafeteria with an envelope to collect the funds. Some people sold tamales, one person sold this El Salvadorian thing (forgot what it was called), one person sold the salsa that his friend made, and some people sold girl scout cookies. They were never pushy about it though. They'd only ask if they knew you were interested or did not know about the thing beforehand. Otherwise, they were simply on display (cookies and chocolates) and you can inquire if you'd like to purchase something.

[I'm a red panda]

Amusingly I was debating the opposite position. I enjoy cooking and people have suggested that I start bringing food for the office and sell lunch once a month or so.

I was leaning against it but y'all have sold me to do it.

Are the people suggesting it the people who would be buying it?  If so, that seems fine.


I don't mind when people set things out to buy.  I mind being asked.

[Rosy]

I just say yes or no - we buy the girl scout cookies or whatever the kids of Mr. Rs co-workers sell. Big deal - we like the cookies:)

Sometimes someones spouse brings in items that they might be selling at Etsy or online - usually around the holidays. If it saves us a trip to the Mall and it is a nice gift, whyever not.
One lady is a great baker and she brings in some baked goods once a year - yum, homemade blueberry bread or poundcake - thanks, I'll take some.

Strange vendors at least at all the places I have worked are not allowed, unless there is a connection to the owner or manager of the company.

If it bothers you that much and I can see why it would if they even ask while you are on a business call, just pull them aside and tell them you are not and never will be interested and you would appreciate it if they walked past your office next time.
It is quite possible they are a friend of the building owners or who knows who - so keep it friendly and move on.

[Chris22]

Never had anything like that, but I worked in the executive tower of my old employer, and every day at like 3PM the people from the company cafeteria would come around with a cart with warm cookies, fruit, pudding, drinks, etc, to sell.  And on 1 day/wk in the summer (Tuesdays?) they had ice cream, for like $2-3 you could get a couple scoops of ice cream plus some toppings, etc.  THAT was fantastic for everything except my waistline. 

[trailrated]

Time to add a "No Soliciting" sign to your office decor?

I have always wanted to go door to door selling no soliciting sings