I'm Quitting My Sales Job Tomorrow

[Butters]

As I'm building my e-commerce t-shirt store I needed some income and found this door-to-door sales job with high commissions. I've done this for 3 days now and haven't made any sales yet, but I also really don't think it's for me for these reasons:

1. The job doesn't value truth. I'm basically expected to ring people's doorbell and manipulate them into trusting me and then talk in such a way they don't really know what's going on and change their cable plan. People usually look angry when they open the door, and it's my job to make them trust me, only to sell them something. This feels a bit like a con. 
2. I don't care about the product. Look, Tony Robbins applies all these manipulation strategies on stage, and I love the guy, but he's selling personal development. I could sell that, that's a product I stand by as it's changed my life. I don't understand how changing cable (TV and internet) providers could change your life, although surely some people have complaints about their current provider. 
3. As an introvert who's been diagnosed with asperger's in the past, I feel like I'm constantly putting on a mask, both at the doors and with my colleagues. This is exhausting to a degree I couldn't do this job 5 or even 4 days a week. 
4. I have strong reasons to believe this job lowers my consciousness. And all my colleagues smoke cigarettes so before you know it I'm smoking again (ex smoker). 

Those are the reasons. It does feel like I'm quitting without properly developing the skill, but I'd like to learn sales techniques later when I apply them as a public speaker. 

What I did enjoy about this job proposal were the relaxed informal atmosphere, relaxed work hours, and the fact you get paid / judged based on your performance. Also that it's quite independent work and no cap on bonuses. If anybody has a job suggestion that could work for me I'd love to hear it. 

Edited April 27 by Butters

[Butters]

5 hours ago, Michael569 said:

yeah, I think the door to door salesmanship has gradually been dying since early 20s and is possibly completely dead by now. In Europe it doesn't even happen that much anymore although my mom who lives back in eastern Europe says she still gets these people selling cleaning utensils, kitchen electronics and stuff like that. I think they choose to target villages with older population nowadays because young people can't be bothered. 

I think there is also a general perception of distrust hanging in the air since covid. People distrusting each other much more than before, especially when a stranger comes knocking on your door. 

Could you instead aspire for an inhouse sales role in a company? Like corporate sales etc. 

Surprised me too but it still works. Those guys I worked with close 2 - 5 per day, and the commission is €200 per sale. They all drive big cars and wear expensive brand clothes, which doesn't really interest me but I enjoyed their confidence. 

Inhouse not really as I'm not looking for any commitments right now. My goal really is to do my ecom full-time once it's profitable, just looking for some side income until then. 

Edited April 28 by Butters

[Fabio]

Im currently doing door to door setting up appointments for Solar evaluations. Commissions $500-$3500 typically, can be $5000+ CAD. I started in October 2024, and have averaged about $2900 a month  (I was learning and had no sales first month).. The last 2 months Ive made $5k-9k month. A lot of potential for growth. But anyway, its hard, ideally a product that actually works and has real value . Door to door is a good playground for doing one of the simplest, yet emotionally difficult jobs with the ability of earning more than a doctors salary if you're disciplined. Its you vs you essentially if the company is good. And what I like about it is the freedom, being a sub contractor, and how you choose how much you're going to make with your dedication while learning to stomach tons of rejection, kinda like doing pick up. Can be fun too and you learn a lot about humans meeting 20 + people a day typically.

Edited May 8 by Fabio

[hyruga]

Definitely door to door sales can work especially if the product is relatively easy to sell and you have some skills in selling.

But most people do online sales now.

[PenguinPablo]

On 4/28/2025 at 7:39 AM, Butters said:

Surprised me too but it still works. Those guys I worked with close 2 - 5 per day, and the commission is €200 per sale. They all drive big cars and wear expensive brand clothes, which doesn't really interest me but I enjoyed their confidence. 

Inhouse not really as I'm not looking for any commitments right now. My goal really is to do my ecom full-time once it's profitable, just looking for some side income until then. 

With a lot of in-house stuff the roles are often hybrid 3 days in the office 2 from home.

Or even fully remote. 

Granted you still need to put in the hours.

If you just want to a contractor or something where you set your own schedule (where it's like commission based) then that another story.