I consider them a social event. If I dont want to go, I decline. However, I’m not above eating people’s free food, having a good time and not buying anything.

I can be too nice sometimes to turn these invitations down. However, I usually just show up and then purposely not bring cash or my credit cards so that I have an excuse not to buy. Or I just politely tell the salespeople I am not interested in buying anything simply there to see the demonstration.

My sympathies to your wife.

I am in exactly the same boat. I just decline, saying I have other plans.

There is no obligation to buy, but most people do end up buying something.

Now, my neighbors have started giving them!

Since these are friends, not merely strangers or business associates you can’t go with “purely business” manners. However these parties are definitely business, not social, events. You decline by saying “no thank you.” If a lady’s feelings get hurt when people decline to hear her sales presentation — well, such a frail flower has no place in the world of sales and marketing.

I pressed as to why she can’t attend, your wife should be mysterious. “It’s just impossible” and “I’ll call you if I change my mind.”

If your wife is getting too many of these invitations and is sick of them, she can and should tell the hostess/friend that she has no interest in the product and won’t be attending. Better to tell her the truth and not go instead of attending, wasting everyone’s time and money because the hostess need to cater some food for the such parties and she ends up not buying anything. If she declines, at least the host can find someone else who would be interested and who might make a purchase.

Don’t go.

I would simply say that you have something else going on that night and if you don’t want to be caught in a lie then make an occasion for yourself…Take your wife out to dinner or to a movie, or an overnight getaway. For me, I **** those situations because I always feel obligated to buy something. They’re whole purpose is to get you buy something. Your hostess may be a friend, but the salesperson probably doesn’t really care about you one way or another unless you buy something.
If it were me, I would decline nicely and say you have other plans.
Good luck!

I strongly dislike these meetings/parties because they do make you feel awkward about not buying anything, yet if I’m not interested in the product, why should I waste my money just to please my “friends”??? I try to avoid them as much as possible…. I’ve attended a few but sometimes I just tell my friends that I had a previous committment or that I really can’t attend, maybe next time…… and it’s true, they eventually stop inviting you to those things…. thank goodness!!!

Just tell them ‘if you are having Cookie Lee (for example) then let me know’ & ‘Tupperware is not my thing.’

It is exactly what you said ’selling’.

Its not much different that being approached by sales person in a store, invited in to munch a few sandwiches, eat some dip, then feel pressured into buying something you don’t want/need.

I suggest that she not feel that she is hurting anyone’s feelings. They will pressure her to come. They have been trained to know what to say (oh, it will be fun, you don’t have to buy anything) - the product they are selling is owned by a manufacturer who makes money from their sales. If she goes, eats the food, she will feel as though she must buy something after all this is her ‘friend’.

Friends don’t pressure friends to spend hard earned money.

A simple ‘no thanks’ may not be sufficient. How about ‘I don’t like those sort of ‘parties’. Its the plain truth.