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Making a BIG ISSUE of it


DaveH

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When I go shopping in town, taking in all the main shopping areas, - Moorfoot, the Moor, Pinstone Street, Fargate, High Street, Haymarket, Waingate it appears that you can't walk more than 20 yards without someone stopping you and trying to sell you the BIG ISSUE.

I know this is a charity run thing and many of the people selling it do look as though they are down on their luck, poor and practically living on the streets, - but not all of them.

Most of them are very friendly, polite and accept that not everyone will want to read the big issue

Some of them are OK until you say no to the big issue, - then they turn verbally agressive.

and there are one or two whose sales technique seems to border on a charge of harassment.

There are so many of them trying to sell it that it can't possibly make them any money. Even if people were keen to buy it they would buy it off the first guy they met selling it but then would still get stopped by at least a dozen others before they got the bus out of town home, all of which they would have to turn down as they had already bought a copy.

I do find the way Big Issue is sold annoying and so never buy one, - even though it supports a good cause.

So my questions are, -

Does ANYONE buy the big issue?

Does anyone who buys it ever READ it?

Is it worth £1 to buy it?

Does anyone SELLING the big issue ever make anything out of it?

Main reason for asking these questions, -

When RichardB and Stuart0742 both get made redundant in the near future they may be considering selling the Big Issue in a 10 yard "patch" on Fargate as a career move lol

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When I go shopping in town, taking in all the main shopping areas, - Moorfoot, the Moor, Pinstone Street, Fargate, High Street, Haymarket, Waingate it appears that you can't walk more than 20 yards without someone stopping you and trying to sell you the BIG ISSUE.

I know this is a charity run thing and many of the people selling it do look as though they are down on their luck, poor and practically living on the streets, - but not all of them.

Most of them are very friendly, polite and accept that not everyone will want to read the big issue

Some of them are OK until you say no to the big issue, - then they turn verbally agressive.

and there are one or two whose sales technique seems to border on a charge of harassment.

There are so many of them trying to sell it that it can't possibly make them any money. Even if people were keen to buy it they would buy it off the first guy they met selling it but then would still get stopped by at least a dozen others before they got the bus out of town home, all of which they would have to turn down as they had already bought a copy.

I do find the way Big Issue is sold annoying and so never buy one, - even though it supports a good cause.

So my questions are, -

Does ANYONE buy the big issue?

Does anyone who buys it ever READ it?

Is it worth £1 to buy it?

Does anyone SELLING the big issue ever make anything out of it?

Main reason for asking these questions, -

When RichardB and Stuart0742 both get made redundant in the near future they may be considering selling the Big Issue in a 10 yard "patch" on Fargate as a career move lol

nah, I've tried sales before, I am not a salesperson

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nah, I've tried sales before, I am not a salesperson

Most of them are very friendly, polite and accept that not everyone will want to read the big issue

Some of them are OK until you say no to the big issue, - then they turn verbally agressive.

and there are one or two whose sales technique seems to border on a charge of harassment.

So which of my defined categories of salesperson did you fit in to? lol

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Most of them are very friendly, polite and accept that not everyone will want to read the big issue

Some of them are OK until you say no to the big issue, - then they turn verbally agressive.

and there are one or two whose sales technique seems to border on a charge of harassment.

So which of my defined categories of salesperson did you fit in to? lol

I didn't thats why I packed it in

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I didn't thats why I packed it in

So if you're not into SELLING, why not get into BUYING.

See my other thread "Summat fer nowt" for details lol

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nah, I've tried sales before, I am not a salesperson

Hey its a good job Stuart,

Last week I got pestered by them every 20 yards.

This week it was raining and there was not a big issue seller in sight lol

Selling big issue is a fine weather job, they don't like being out in the rain ;-)

{ <_< I don't quite follow that myself, - if they are supposed to be homeless would they have any option but to be out in the rain? :unsure: }

What were you saying about teachers, - a bit of rain and half the schools get closed because the teachers can't get in

Looks like big issue selling also has that option. lol

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Hey its a good job Stuart,

Last week I got pestered by them every 20 yards.

This week it was raining and there was not a big issue seller in sight lol

Selling big issue is a fine weather job, they don't like being out in the rain ;-)

{ <_< I don't quite follow that myself, - if they are supposed to be homeless would they have any option but to be out in the rain? :unsure: }

What were you saying about teachers, - a bit of rain and half the schools get closed because the teachers can't get in

Looks like big issue selling also has that option. lol

Perhaps they are really teachers, selling Big Issues during all the time off work they (you) get, but its not proper work is it lol

Just stood there talking to a few kids for 4 hours a day 40 weeks a year lol

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Perhaps they are really teachers, selling Big Issues during all the time off work they (you) get, but its not proper work is it lol

Just stood there talking to a few kids for 4 hours a day 40 weeks a year lol

Corrections

5 and a half hours a day 40 weeks a year.

There's a bit more to it than "talking to a few kids"

Perhaps I could top up my wages by selling the Big Issue, - I could even do it when it's raining, - I would get loads of sales then as there wouldn't be anyone else close by trying to sell the same thing ;-)

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I always get stopped and always say no but mainly because I have not got a clue what the paper is about?? I thought reading this I might be enlightened so when you get to sell them can you please let me know.

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Corrections

5 and a half hours a day 40 weeks a year.

There's a bit more to it than "talking to a few kids"

Perhaps I could top up my wages by selling the Big Issue, - I could even do it when it's raining, - I would get loads of sales then as there wouldn't be anyone else close by trying to sell the same thing ;-)

27.5 hour week eh, is it classed as part time work lol

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I always get stopped and always say no but mainly because I have not got a clue what the paper is about?? I thought reading this I might be enlightened so when you get to sell them can you please let me know.

I don't really intend going out selling the big issue Syl, - I'm just having a bit of fun with Stuart0742.

But I must admit I am in the same situation as you, - I don't buy it, have no idea what is in it or what the "big issue" is which its title refers to.

In an earlier post (#1) I have asked questions like :-

Does ANYONE buy the big issue?

Does anyone who buys it ever READ it?

Is it worth £1 to buy it?

Does anyone SELLING the big issue ever make anything out of it?

and I was hoping someone would come along and tell me in this thread.

Looks like we will both have to patiently wait to see if we get any answers.

Perhaps Stuart will tell us next year when he starts his new career selling big issue lol

Or perhaps we should just go out and buy one (only £1 from any 20 yard section of street near you) to find out :unsure:

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27.5 hour week eh, is it classed as part time work lol

No, - thats only "student contact time" (lesson time)

On top of it theres planning, marking, meetings, reports, parents evenings, .......

Tell you what, if you are about to be made redundant and you think teaching is so easy why don't you retrain as a teacher ;-)

The Government cuirrently has a campaign to recruit new teachers and you would be the ideal sort of candidate lol

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No, - thats only "student contact time" (lesson time)

On top of it theres planning, marking, meetings, reports, parents evenings, .......

Tell you what, if you are about to be made redundant and you think teaching is so easy why don't you retrain as a teacher ;-)

The Government cuirrently has a campaign to recruit new teachers and you would be the ideal sort of candidate lol

No there's a thought

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No there's a thought

What do you fancy training to teach?

Nursery, Infant, Junior or Senior?

If Senior (secondary school 11-16 or 11-18 with sixth form), like me, what subject do you fancy teaching?

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Most of them are very friendly, polite and accept that not everyone will want to read the big issue

Some of them are OK until you say no to the big issue, - then they turn verbally agressive.

and there are one or two whose sales technique seems to border on a charge of harassment.

So which of my defined categories of salesperson did you fit in to? lol

One Asian guy who stands on the Moor is particularly pushy and fits into my category 3 above

It was raining last week and he was still there trying to sell, - probably the only one.

It was raining again this week and he wasn't there, - instead there was an Asian lady in his place (his wife perhaps? or other female relative?)

She was much more sociable, - comes into my category 1 above. Perhaps she should be there more often.

Still didn't buy a copy though.

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One Asian guy who stands on the Moor is particularly pushy and fits into my category 3 above

It was raining last week and he was still there trying to sell, - probably the only one.

It was raining again this week and he wasn't there, - instead there was an Asian lady in his place (his wife perhaps? or other female relative?)

She was much more sociable, - comes into my category 1 above. Perhaps she should be there more often.

Still didn't buy a copy though.

Come on then Dave, its only a pound,

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Come on then Dave, its only a pound,

Are you having trouble with repeating posts again (the previous 2 posts are identical) :huh:

Or are you just repeating yourself deliberately to goad me into buying a copy of the big issue :angry:

Anyway £1 for a paper is a lot of money. Last time I bought the Dandy and the Beano they were 3d each.

So I could have had both of them for 40 week for £1, - thats 9 months, - as long as it takes to make babies, - its the best part of a year :blink:

And I bet what's in the Dandy & the Beano is a lot more interesting, entertaining and intellectual than the contents of the Big Issue lol

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There is one shop in Sheffield (name and location witheld) which is trying to actively discourage Big Issue salesmen from harassing their customers as they attempt to enter or leave the shop.

Obviously they have to be quite descrete in how they do this as the Big Issue is after all a registered charity.

In their window is a poster with the following wording

Knock Knock

Who's there?

"Big Ish"

"Big Ish" who?

No Thanks

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There is one shop in Sheffield (name and location witheld) which is trying to actively discourage Big Issue salesmen from harassing their customers as they attempt to enter or leave the shop.

Obviously they have to be quite descrete in how they do this as the Big Issue is after all a registered charity.

In their window is a poster with the following wording

Knock Knock

Who's there?

"Big Ish"

"Big Ish" who?

No Thanks

Saw this & thought of you Dave! Is this you and Stuart on a night out? he he

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Saw this & thought of you Dave! Is this you and Stuart on a night out? he he

Looks to energetic for us, neither of them have beer bellies lol

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Looks to energetic for us, neither of them have beer bellies lol

That nurse down at the doctors said that I needed more exercise, - and to watch my diet.

So far I have lost about 5kg

That's just through walking about more, - especially at weekends when I go out and take photos for SH posts, and eating the same stuff as I have always had a good diet, but in somewhat smaller portions!

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Saw this & thought of you Dave! Is this you and Stuart on a night out? he he

No Dunsbyowl,

This is more like me and Stuart on a night out

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