aggressive cell phone salesmen in the mall

How do you handle these people? You walk be the kiosk; you don't make eye contact; you don't even look at them and they come out try to badger you into switching cell phone plans.
You're obviously not interested in buying cell phone service, but they persist in going after you.
Once, I was concerned by two of them who acted like they were trying to bully me into buying their service.
Why can't they only deal with people who come to them?
Could it be worth complaining to their manager or going to mall security?

 

I was just walking through a big mall with a friend today, and we saw tons of these kinds of people -- the salespeople, carrying trays of food or perfume or keeping an eye out for suspecting customers, ready to talk them up.

I turned to my friend and said, "How much does it suck being them?"

I just walk past. When they ask if I'm interested, I say, "No, thanks," and walk away. It's never much of a big deal for me.

 

Just keep on walking.

If you give off a menacing presence, they cower. Trust me. It works. I've had them take a couple steps toward me before, then I glance at them like "back off, jackass," and they stop in their tracks.

If they're ultra aggressive and try to start up a conversation, don't look at them while saying, "I don't want any," or something to that effect.

 

Why do they have to come to you? Why couldn't they wait until people who are interested in what they're selling come to them?

 

If you keep walking, they won't totally abandon their stand...

 

Because they're stupid.

Depends on how much of an a-hole front you're putting on.

 

Probably because they earn a nice commission if they make a sale. I'd be aggressive, too.

 

Walk by them as you loudly chat on your cell phone about how awesome your cell phone is and how you beat within an inch of his life the last guy who asked you to consider changing plans.

That or just leer at the girls in their low-riders and thongs. One or the other.

 

The second one is fun. I'm thinking about going to the mall to walk every afternoon, just for that reason.

 

This happened last week, it annoyed the hell out of me. I was going to meet up with someone and I passed the cell phone kiosk. He said something about phones, and I just quickly said, I've gotta go, thanks. Couple steps later, I hear, c'mon, not even gonna shake my hand? Great. I feel like a jerk now. We do get to talking (after I tell him that I understand what he has to do, but I need to go) and I'm finally saved when I see my friend. He was a persistent mofo though.

<crossthread>Should I have tipped him for his efforts?</crossthread>

 

Excellent advice.