I hate, hate, hate this. Seriously, people, when I want to buy something I will contact you. Until then, leave me alone!!! I broke my personal rule to buy cookies from two clients. ARrrgh.
And don’t get me started on “parties” that are really guilt trips to buy something.
Cat Whisperer the cosmetics folk at Cross Iron Mills seem to be a strange breed. I live in the far north of Calgary and often stroll around there. I do buy some lotions and potions from one store as it suits my needs/skin type - however it is expensive. Anytime I am walking around with any of their products in their distinctive carrier bag, I am accosted by the other cosmetic reps demanding to know what I have bought and if I know that they carry the same item at lesser cost for greater quality or more product per dollar etc. etc. Drives me nuts.
Now I just carry the stuff in my handbag and they no longer bother me so much.
(Aside - awesome shoe stores in that mall! Lots not to my taste, but sure do love browsing and trying on some of the absurd torture devices/shoes they have on show. Super rainy or snowy day entertainment.)
Yeah, a huge pet peeve of mine.
Can’t stand them in the streets, at the mall or even worse - at my office.
I work in a big office building where there are several different companies on each floor, and people from the street actually come into my office to pitch their product. It’s even worse when they come on my lunch break and I have to tell them several times (with my mouth full of sandwich) that NO THANKS I’M EATING LEAVE ME ALONE. But then they insist it won’t take long and I really lose my patience sometimes.
This shit drives me insane. I was at Home Depot and needed help getting a key copied, so I flagged down an employee. He came all the way over to the key station and proceeded to tell me all about attic insulation and why they were the best people to install it. I told him all I wanted was a key, thanks, and then he said he’d get someone to help me, and walked off. They have a huge display in front of the store now, playing a loud recording about getting estimates on new windows and doors. They’re really pushing their contracting stuff lately, and it’s annoying as hell. I’m already in your store and I want to spend my money here. Stop pressuring and upselling me, or I will leave.
As for the mall kiosks, my aunt once got into a physical fight with one. He had one of those “magic bags” you can use as a hot or cold pack, and he wanted to show us how good it was. The second time we passed him, ignoring him and making no eye contact, he followed us and put it on my aunt’s shoulders without asking. She reflexively whipped around and slugged him in the shoulder (she grew up in a rough neighborhood :p). He said he’d call mall security, but when we pointed out that he started by attacking us with a magic bag, he backed off. I don’t condone punching these people, obviously, but they’re annoying enough even before they step over the line to physical assault.
Girl scouts, however, get a pass. I mean, cookies. Come on.
Good God, really? I haven’t had anyone approach me inside of a store to try to sell me something, unless you count a store employee offering help and maybe a product warranty.
Now there are product representatives to hound you inside a store? And they wonder why people are starting to take their business to the internet.
My husband fantasizes about taking whatever shit they’re trying to push on us and just whipping it as far as he can down the mall concourse. Since he is a trained baseball player, we think he could get it quite a distance. 
The one time I did kinda enjoy going to the grocery and giving to the Salvation Army bell ringers was when they had a group of bubbly women who cheered every time someone gave. I let my niece put the donation in the pot and they cheered for her and she felt like a million bucks. We gave on the way out, too.
One of my first job interviews was, so I thought, a manufacturer’s rep for perfume. It started with a group presentation, where I quickly learned it wasn’t selling *to *businesses, but rather at businesses - like walk in, try to sell to the receptionist, & then sweet talk her into letting you hit up the rest of the staff. Since I was young, naive, & polite I waited until a break before running (not walking) out. Immediately went home & took two showers.
Yeeeeccchh, slimeballs!
I can vouch for that shit happening at my Petsmart, too: seems like it’s always reps from an expensive pet food company – never just, like, Purina – so when there’s something I absolutely have to get at Petsmart I just try to avoid the food aisles (I buy my dog food at the grocery store).
Really, really annoying.
Exactly, she went so far as to tell me that the food I was buying was the dog equivalent of McDonald’s food. when I asked if she was employed by the store she said she was an invited representative from XYZ company. I told the manager about it, and he said he would talk about hard selling to her. Don’t know if anything came of it, but she was definitely the worst, and I haven’t seen anyone in there since then.
Good job for running out! Slimy indeed.
The ones doing that in Spain are mainly the Red Cross and branches of the UN. The shopping area in downtown Madrid is full of them; after a while I start getting an itch to stop being polite to all those light-blue vests… we also get them in the big train stations, sometimes in malls.
Also hate being solicited for donations at every drive thru window, check stand, or cash register. No, I would NOT like to give you a dollar to write my name on a balloon, shamrock or any other piece of paper for you to display on your wall or window.
Them: “Would you like to donate a dollar to (insert worthy cause here) today?”
Me: “No, but while we’re on the subject, would YOU like to make a donation to (insert worthy cause here) today?”
This is good. I think I’ll make up an official looking, laminated Save the Kitties Fund card and solicit $3.50 from everyone who asks.
I have visions of you recreating the charity solicitation scene from Airplane!
I just simply say “no thank you.” and move on.
Works every time. 