Door To Door Salesmen

When I was small, we always had the Fuller Brush Man come to our door in hopes of selling his cleaning products. My mom sometimes bought them. Today, you don’t see many door to door salesmen anymore. In the 50s, 60s and 70s you would see them all the time - trying to sell encyclopedias, cleaning products, vacuums and even Funeral Insurance.

Many cities starting passing a Green River Ordinance (named for Green River, Wyoming where the bill was first passed). This ordinance prohibits door to door selling without permission from the household ahead of time. Some ordinances include a clause that prohibits even political, charitable or religious groups as long as there is a “No Trespassing” or “No Solicitation” sign posted. The Supreme Court has reviewed several of the ordinances and found that those that prohibit selling are constitutional (and a state’s rights issue). However, those suggesting a total ban may be deemed unconstitutional based on freedom of speech and religion issues.