A few weeks back, as I hung out with the kids at home, a knock came at the front door.
After wrestling with my dog to make sure he didn’t scamper out to see the mysterious visitor, I wedged myself through a small opening to the front step. The young man struck up some small talk before establishing that he was there to provide me an opportunity to make my life better with the product he was selling.
Ironically, this uninvited guest was selling alarm systems, devices made to keep out uninvited guests. I took some information and said I’d think about it, and he went on his way to find his next potential customer.
Should government protect me from such criminal behavior?
OK, it’s not criminal, but to listen to some folks, door-to-door salespeople aren’t much better than criminals.
Fayetteville and Bentonville have recently taken up ordinances to attack this scourge on our society. Fayetteville’s ordinance, brought forward by Ward 3 Alderman Justin Tennant, justifies consideration by noting that residents have been “inconvenienced and disturbed” by those knocking.
Since when do I need government to step in to keep me from being inconvenienced or disturbed?
Door-to-door salespeople get a bad rap. How many people who have gone on to great careers in business got their start selling newspaper subscriptions, vacuum cleaners or other products by walking through neighborhoods and honing their sales skills in face-to-face conversations with their neighbors?
And people in government today want to villainize them.
Both cities’ proposed ordinances would set time constraints on door-to-door activities and require registration of companies engaged in the practice, as well as their workers. Of course, no government solution can be fully realized with new revenue. Bentonville’s proposal would require $50 a year fee for companies wanting to use this sales approach. Fayetteville’s would set a fee of $40. Both would require additional fees for each worker and for background checks.
The heartstring-tugging example of the old ladies being pressured into handing over money to a stranger on the doorstep will, of course, be deployed.
It’s not legitimate door-to-door salespeople who are the problem, although the ordinances will mostly be a burden to them. The big problems arise from scammers, people who use high-pressure tactics with illicit intentions. People looking to take advantage. People who will steal, lie, cheat at the first opportunity that might enrich them. These ordinances are not going to stop them from their deceitful work.
Residents who don’t want to be bothered, even by legitimate sales people, should put up a “No Solicitation” sign. Fayetteville law already prohibits door-knocking at these residences.
Regardless of what city ordinance says, elderly people or other easily victimized residents should never open the door to a stranger. Families should make sure their loved ones know this. What they should not do is rely on government to keep them from being inconvenienced and disturbed. We don’t need government taking on roles we can handle ourselves.
I’m particularly turned off by the government fees, which will only be paid by legitimate businesses who aren’t the problem. Why should this create a new source of revenue? Why should the Schwan’s man be forced to fork money over to the government when he’s doing everything right?
And let’s talk about inconvenience. These elected officials so concerned with intrusions from door-to-door sales people will devote significant amounts of their time doing the exact same thing next year when they are asking for our votes. Are they going to suggest with a straight face that local residents find their door-step solicitations any less intrusive than someone selling a product or a service? These ordinances to protect the people from door-to-door solicitation don’t apply to those running for public office.
Honest-to-goodness door-to-door salespeople know they’re going to get 10, 20 or 30 rejections for every single “yes,” so are they going to hang around berating some poor resident who doesn’t want to buy? Nope, they’ll move on, because the know their sales are a function of averages — the more doors one knocks on, the more sales he can achieve in a day or a week. It’s mostly about volume and finding the person who recognizes your product meets a need in his life.
Let’s not impose government burdens on small businesses that don’t have the resources for big marketing campaigns. Foot power is one of their tools for seeking new business. Why put barriers in their way, especially with ordinances that won’t stop the scammers who are the real problem?
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GREG HARTON IS OPINION PAGE EDITOR OF NWA MEDIA.