traveling salesperson

noun

1. a representative of a business firm who travels in an assigned territory soliciting orders for a company's services.

Word History and Origins

Origin of traveling salesperson¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Related Words

• dealer 
• hawker 
• merchant 
• peddler 

When To Use

What does traveling salesperson mean?

A traveling salesperson is a person whose job is to sell products or services by traveling to different places, often within a certain region or assigned territory.A salesperson is often said to “work in sales”—in which sales refers to the type of occupation or the division or department within a company. The term salesperson can refer to a person who sells directly to customers or to other businesses or organizations. Sometimes, salespersons sell things in person, such as at a retail store or dealership. They also commonly sell things over the phone or by communicating with people online.A traveling salesperson, though, typically meets with potential customers in person—this is often the whole point of traveling. In the past, it was common for some salespersons to travel door-to-door to make sales to people at home. Some traveling salespersons are door-to-door salespersons, while others may simply visit customers along a specific route. For example, a traveling salesperson who sells wholesale food products may visit all of the restaurants within an area.Another term for salesperson is sales rep (or sales representative). The terms salesman and saleswoman are used (including in traveling salesman), but salesperson and sales rep are often used in their place. The plural of salesperson can be salespeople or salespersons.Example: To be a successful traveling salesperson, you have to know the territory and the people in it.