Selling on trains

What is it about?

This article explores the work practices of ambulant vendors on a Buenos Aires trainline. Focusing on the unique spatiotemporal challenges of this setting, the researchers analyze how vendors employ verbal and embodied resources to sustain their sales pitch, manage interactions with commuters, and overcome physical obstructions while working on the move. Through a multimodal pragmatic analysis of video-recorded interactions coupled with ethnographic observations, the study reveals the complex interplay of verbal and embodied cues, spatial arrangements, and temporal constraints in relation to the progressivity of their sales pitch. The findings challenge the prevailing negative views of vendors in public space by highlighting the methodical approach, dexterity, and civility of their working practices, and how their labour fills a gap in the market. The article provides new insights into the dynamics of urban labour in public spaces, specifically how multimodality is essential for maneuvering the unequal conditions faced by these workers.

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Why is it important?

By understanding the work practices and challenges of ambulant vendors, researchers can contribute to a more nuanced understanding of labor, social dynamics, and the informal economy. This knowledge can help inform policies that support vendors' rights and improve their working conditions.