Is it wrong that I am bothered by a coworker trying to sell me candy?
- July 11th, 2009
- Posted in Etiquette
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There is a coworker who sent out a broadcast email saying she has candy at her desk she is trying to sell to pay her way to chaperone a trip for her church. The case is fine but I don’t eat dairy products in the chocolate and I am also very broke right now. It was not just the email but also a walk-by of “Are you going to buy chocolate from me?” and then I just heard her say to someone “oh johnny you have to buy some chocolate from me.”.
I dunno, it just makes me feel a little weird, it is striaght up asking for money and I’m neer really down with that.
Usually, companies frown on people selling stuff on company time. Most even stress that her broadcast email might even be borderline. The only time I see a candy fundraiser as being benign is when you have someone with a box of candy sitting out and people slip money in and take the candy out. Pushing someone to buy is a definite no-no
Just be firm that you do NOT want to buy anything. If she attempts to pressure you, step it up a notch and warn her that it is inappropriate for her to push it like that.
NOTE: Be sure to actually use the word “inappropriate”, that kind of formal term will remind her that she is at work for a specific purpose and she should not waste company time on other activities.
An email is OK, verbal pressure is not.
I know how you feel, there is a lady at our church that sells her candy bars. It makes me feel bad not buying any , but i can’t afford it. I don’t blame you being bothered.
I have a coworker like that. She is always collecting money for some russian orphan she wants to adopt, or go visit with her church, or selling all kinds of crap. She is also always asking about stuff anyone might be giving away. Its annoying
Let it go,she is trying to sell candy to better herself in the eyes of her church people,it is simply a request =you do not need to say any thing=you do not need to do any thing just let it slide off your back.If she says to you “You have to buy one” laugh politely and say oh no I don’t, pass it off as a joke and it will stop soon as she sells her box of candy.
Personally I would rather buy candy as a fundraiser than have a sponsorship form pushed under my nose,which really is the same thing in a different guise.
I found working in an office it seemed like every week someone was asking for money for one thing or another. I did find it started to be bothersome. The email would have been fine since it is just letting people know but not the “you must buy some chocolate from me”. Ignore the email and if she says anything to you about buying some just say you don’t eat dairy products. You are really under no obligation to buy it and your co worker is wrong to putting people on the spot like that.
Tell her you are diabetic or just say you are not in a position to help out right now. Also i saw your profile with the little hijaab on, so cute!! so salam aleikum too you as well, i am a recent convert but since you probably dont want to lie…. ask her to come by your masjid and donate there just to be fair, we must look out for our own first, right??? Once you say that im sure she will feel uncomfortable and leave you alone.
Just nicely say, “No, I don’t want to buy any candy. Thanks for the offer.”
The email is ok, but constantly pestering you about it is not.
The e-mail is boarderline okay, depends on how it was worded. If it was fairly “FYI” as opposed to “guilt trip” or “high pressure sale” I’m good. Leaving it out with a sign I’m good. I don’t like the “going around pressuring a sale.” Though be comfortable with saying “no” and don’t let the guilt trip get to you. We have guys going around work a lot collecting for various charaties. If I gave them money every time they asked then I WOULD be the charity. ha-ha! Be polite in saying “no” and don’t feel bad about it.
If you are having a real problem then talk to your supervisor or your HR department and tell them you are not comfortable with this in your work environment. The powers that be should be able to take care of the problem discretely. Also check company policy. There is likely already something on the books about soliciting at work if you are in a properly sized company.
Call her a bit*h and punch her in the face…but don’t be a hypocrite and take her wallet.
I’m surprised that your company allows that. Personally i think it’s wrong to do. So many people are hurting right now with the economy and who is she to try and get money out of ppl. If it was a fund-raiser then maybe but she still shouldn’t be pushing it. I’d talk to her or go to my boss.
Talk to her about how it bothers you. It’s fine to do a friendly email asking,but it’s another to pressure/guilt trip someone into it. It’s not appropriate for her to do this at work any ways. She should do this some where else.
That’s probably against the rules of your company. Most companies don’t allow soliciting though people still do it. I’m like you though, I’ve cut people off for the remainder of the year. Don’t ask me for anything else. I’ve given enough.
I don’t see a problem with it. She isn’t psychic. She doesn’t know if you’d like to buy some candy or not until she asks.
A friend once called me selling girl scout cookies. I was glad she did because they hadn’t come to my door that year and I was wondering if I’d have to go a year without girl scout cookies.