Here is the NY Times article detailing the life of kids on ‘mag crews’, the annoying phenomenon that rings your bell and tells you they’re collecting points for a paid vacation etc. The reality is much more grim…
violence, drug use, indebtedness and cheating of customers during their cross-country travels….Daniel Burrus scrolled through digital photographs of bloodied faces as he described how, on a crew he helped manage for several years, men who missed their sales quota were forced to fight each other…Isaac James sat with his wife and newborn daughter as he told how he and others on his mag crew — as they are typically called — stole checkbooks, jewelry, medicine-cabinet drugs and even shoes from customers’ homes.
And finally…
Many also said that subscriptions for magazines were never actually fulfilled.
Looking to escape small town boredom or bad familial environments many of these kids find themselves in disastrous situations from which they’re afraid to leave and for which they will never be paid. It goes without saying that you should not buy from or admit these crews to your home. Someone quoted in the article suggests you might offer them a call home or to an aid organization. Sadly, like panhandlers, these crews exist because there are enough people who decide to support them. Charity and altruism are wonderful qualities. But when misdirected they can actually harm those you’re trying to help. Try to remember that the next time your doorbell rings.
December 4, 2007 at 10:30 am
Funny, actually… I had not been visited by one of these since college (where it occurred on a weekly basis), until a couple months ago when some kid “from Philly” knocked and tried to sell me some mags. I refused, but finally just offered him the $6 in my wallet and a slice of pizza (which was subsequently delivered by the pizza man I thought was originally at the door in the first place)…
Anyway, he said others on our street had done similar things (sans pizza) but it doesn’t do him any good since he wouldn’t get credits for actual magazines, so he filled out a form that had “Nickelodeon” scribbled on it since our cumulative “bribes to leave” were enough for that subscription (and I guess he noticed my kids peeking from the background). I blew it off and figured I would never see it, but we’ve since received 2 issues (which btw I wouldn’t recommend to anyone).
But to the point, when I saw the crowded unmarked van come by minutes later and hurriedly pick him up I couldn’t help but wonder if my contribution was, in the long run, positive or negative to his disposition.
February 11, 2008 at 7:31 pm
I worked on a magazine crew from 1990 to 1995 and just recently, I’ve tried getting in touch with some of the people I worked with, and reading some of the web sites out there devoted to mag crews, or news articles.
While, there is a lot of truth to a lot of what I’ve read, I’ve seen a lot of untruths as well, specifically concerning the life of a mag agent. While I’m sure others had experiences differing from mine, it wasn’t all horror, and I’ll soon be writing something defining my 5 years on the road as a mag agent.
Hopefully I can find somewhere to put that article, that will take it seriously.
I just wanted to point out, that not receiving magazines was usually due to the manager not submitting the receipts, and in some cases, the agent themselves not giving the person a receipt and keeping the cash themselves so they could eat.
I do know though for a fact that people did get their magazines as there were many friends I made along the way who were not part of the magazine crew and a few girlfriends who I did stay in touch with for awhile and they did get their magazines.
Even one person who I never had any contact with outside of selling her magazines at the University of Arizona, saw me the next year at the beginning of school and bought more from me.
June 28, 2009 at 11:24 am
Hey Roman, I wholeheartedly agree with you…I know of the stories, but I personally did not experience any of the bad parts/people of the business and am producing a documentary film about the business. I have a group on facebook called “ex mag agents” and it would be great if you joined – you may even find people you worked with, and if you have anything you would like to contribute to my film you can contact me through there. If anyone else out there is interested in telling their story whether you sold or bought my e-mail is cincyvideo@ayhoo.com