Joe McDoakes starts his new job as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman for the Atom Smasher Corporation, whose sales managers treat the company like it's the military and the salesmen its foot soldiers. Joe follows the training manual in trying to sell the vacuums, but doesn't seem to have much luck, even in the off chance that he does come across a willing buyer. His failure in this job is to the dismay of his exasperated wife, Alice. On the possibility of a court martial by the sales managers and a dishonorable discharge from the corporation if he doesn't come through, Joe is certain that he can become a success in the sales business.