Consumer Tips

Travelling Sales Jobs/Marketing Cults

SUMMARY: Prospective salespersons are advised to obtain in writing details about food and lodging arrangements, commission rates and payment schedules, bonus programs, and return transportation. If there is a training period, find out how long it lasts, who pays for expenses while training, and how much trainees are paid. Find out how commissions are handled when customer orders are cancelled. Find out how many people have actually received an award, bonus, or trip from having sold products. Also, learn how you can be reached by family and friends while on the road. Make sure any oral promises are confirmed in writing.

The BBB advises job seekers to be cautious when responding to classified ads for sales jobs that require travel and promise high commissions, often stating, "no experience necessary." Often, these jobs are for sales crews going door-to-door selling magazine subscriptions, cleaning products, toys, novelty items. Jobs such as these seldom deliver the financial rewards they promise and you may wind up spending money rather than earning it.

THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU WARNS THAT MARKETING CULTS APPEAR TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING TRAITS:

1. Commission pay.

2. Vague newspaper want-ads offering piles of money.

3. Charismatic supervisors and promoters.

4. 12 to 16 hour days of door-to-door sales.

5. Sleep and food deprivation.

6. Long road trips away from the employee's home city.

7. Manipulation of employee's self-esteem.