# What did travelling salesmen sell? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2007, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-travelling-salesmen-sell/408240 "2007-06-16T12:16:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-travelling-salesmen-sell/408240/61 "2007-06-20T15:45:13Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] How did that work out for you? Was it profitable? Worthwhile? Hellish and unbearable? Any good stories? [/QUOTE] I quit after one day. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-travelling-salesmen-sell/408240/62 "2007-06-20T16:39:34Z")
[QUOTE=AWB] We get Schwan’s deliveries every two weeks. (The confusion of the company spelling is partly because their logo is a stylized swan.) We get sliced cheese, hot pockets, chimichangas, ice cream, mashed potatoes, and dinner kits. It’s a little pricey, but it’s definately quality. [/QUOTE] Back when I thought shlong=penis and schwanz=vagina, I would joke with my friends who get Schwan’s that they deliver all kinds of things, but it all tastes like fish. I’ve learned and matured since then; witness my post up-thread for proof. ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-travelling-salesmen-sell/408240/63 "2007-06-20T16:43:37Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] No, that’s the Schwanz driver. [/QUOTE] I may have found the mission that my mid-life-crisis self has been seeking. As soon as I hit “Submit” on this post, I’m headed down to HR to turn in my resignation and I’m going right out the door and down to the Schawn’s warehouse to apply. ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-travelling-salesmen-sell/408240/64 "2007-06-20T18:31:02Z")
Just a few years ago, I had several Mormon friends take summer jobs selling pest control service door to door. Heck, they already had plenty of experience with door to door sales pitches, were clean-cut decent looking young guys who could charm the stay at home moms, and it was a whole lot easier than trying to sell religion! As far as I know, they did OK and made a decent amount of money. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-travelling-salesmen-sell/408240/65 "2007-06-21T02:00:11Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] Aren’t there still many people who do this? [/QUOTE] You bet. There are manufacturer’s representatives (they sell things from different companies that might appeal to the same customer – like selling paint and pipes to hardware stores); the pharmaceutical representatives who go from doctor’s office to doctor’s office; even the beer distributors who get paid a salary to deliver the stuff but get a commission if they get the liquor store manager to order more than the usual. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-travelling-salesmen-sell/408240/66 "2007-06-21T02:05:34Z")
[QUOTE=Enola Straight] I quit after one day. [/QUOTE] _\_ 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-travelling-salesmen-sell/408240.md?page=3)