Real Consumer Reviews and Ratings
Direct Buy Reviews and Ratings
Consumer Ratings - Page 9 of 26
Works for me...but not for everyone!
10/11/2007 - Kevin of California, USA writes:
Me and my wife had heard about direct buy through a co-worker that had used them to remodel a kitchen. It had worked out well for him, so we decided to attend one of their open houses. I will admit, you do feel a bit pressured to make a decision on the spot, something to do with manufacturers trying to protect their retail distribution. The only reason we joined was because we were about to spend a lot of money on remodeling our kitchen and bath. ($35,000) We ended up saving our membership fee ($6,000) alone just in cabinets and countertops, so it was well worth it! The membership is good for 10 years and im sure we will do a lot more around the house in the next ten years. As good as it was for me, it is not for everyone!! If you don't plan on making any significant furniture purchases or any plans to build or re-model, it's not for you! Also not for you if you are in a time crunch to finish a product, some things can take up to 8 weeks to arrive. Don't waste your time unless you re doing major projects.
Direct buy is BLAHHHHH
10/8/2007 - Adam of New York, USA writes:
Ok number one $4300 for a 3 yr membership!! I was looking for electronic stuff at first and looked in the book at direct buy and the radio was MSRP $1700 My cost was $950 I went home and looked on the internet for it and I could get it for $928 You tell me if $4300 is worth it. They are pushie and tell you if you dont buy the membership now you cant for so many years and after the 3 yr membership is up it's only about $100 a year for it! get the hell out a here. Do some research look around on the internet and if you dont have it go to someone who does. You will find the direct buy is close to the cheapest you will get it but by far not THE cheapest!
Not for the average consumer
10/7/2007 - Barbara of Virginia, USA writes:
I am needing quite a few major upgrades in my condo, a fireplace insert, carpeting, flooring and my A/C unit is 20 years old so I thought this would be perfect. The presentation was necessary as they impress upon the viewers how important it is to NOT go back to retailers and complain about the mark ups...duh.....the examples they gave and passed around were very high end..things like an expensive pool table...?...the membership price of 4,800k for only 2 years seems only useful if you want to buy really high end merchandise. eg hypothetically...one would be happy with a thousand dollar matress but through DB you can get a 4K one for only 2K....I left.
Not For The Average Consumer
10/4/2007 - Britney of Ontario, Canada writes:
I just recently went to the presentation/open house at Direct Buy with my husband, we are newly married but well off and have been living in our home for a couple years and were thinking about re-modeling rather then selling because i love my home! We got there and were given cheesey name tags and were asked to sit and wait while they got someone to show us around. We then met with our rep and he gave us the background on the company, how long have have been in business blah blah we were given coffee and then brought into a theater room to watch a movie with 4 other couples. We were not allowed to have our cell phones on or speak and ask questions durning the video. Another guy came into the room and they told us how much the fee was going to be to join, just over $4,000.00 just for 2 years !!! I could not beleieve it, i thought maybe a couple hundered dollars, like the place isn't even that nice or anything! So then we met back with our original rep and we had to do a survery with him and i knew right away this was not for me, even if they COULD provide those saving, i am an instant gratification person, i want what i buy right then and there lol sthen the preasure really as put on telling us we had to decide then and there if we were going to join or we could never come back ever agian. I asked if they carried dry-wall and building supplied like that, i told him i was interested in a new bosch dishwasher and i new the model and the price it was at the local store it was almost 650.00 they showed me the exact same dishwasher for only 400.00 I COULDNT BELEIVE IT but then i remembered what the video said and i asked if i bought this TODAY how much money would i have to give them, he added taxes and shipping and then handeling fees it was almost 600.00 dollars and then was JUST to be shipped to them i would then have to pick it up and we only have a car so i would have to rent or borrow a truck. We decided this service was not for us. I thanked the rep for his time and he then reminded me we could never return and said he felt bad i would have to return to the retail world, i told him i would just rather pay that little bit more (because really your only ever paying a little bit more if not your even) to the retailers to get that item right away and usally delivered to my home for little or no cost to me at all. He said if i have money to throw away i might as well join. My husband then started to get upset and told him that if he truly believed in the service then they would let people go home and think about it, your making people decide today because he knew if they went home they would find out that they were lied to and not return. Which was proved to me through the bosch dishwasher. We went got up and walked out of the showroom.
Biggest Rip Off Ever.
10/4/2007 - Ann of North Carolina, USA writes:
I was a member several years ago and it was the biggest rip off then and it is worse now. Look before you leap, you will never save any money here and you will pay through the nose. STAY AWAY, STAY AWAY. RUN, RUN, RUN.
DB is a complete SCAM!
9/25/2007 - Ricardo of Florida, USA writes:
Me and my wife went to an appointment a couple of days ago setup to "show us around" the DirectBuy business to see if we wanted to become members. We have been looking desperately for the best price on remodeling our kitchen all around town. We had seen the commercials of DB and thought it would be a good idea to check them out. Evnethough the sales pitch was very boring, basic, and just desperate, we got suckered into it thinking we could save some money on our kitchen project, simply because we too where desperate. First, these guys are in the stone age. All of there products are listed in 1970s style hard to read catalog folders. Trying to read them WILL ruin your day. Second, we knew we had three days to reconsider our membership for a full refund, so we tried desperately to get a quote for our new kitchen from the DB expert before that time was up. Guess what, although it was not stated directly, basically they did not want us to sit down with the expert until after the three days where up. Third, when we cancelled our membership the rep who worked with us went being a nice guy to a complete jerk. Also, I still have to validate that I am not charged because they do not give you a confirmation number of the refund. They asked that I fax a letter in. What the hell!!! Any one can claim they did not recieve it and therefore I will be charged. My fight with them is still not over. I will have to call their HQ to confirm I will not be charged. Unless you are an old lady that has more money than she knows what to do with, and you enjoy reading catalogs that lack pictures, description, and suck the fun out of shopping, I do not recommend you even waste your time with this mumbo jumbo company.
Best Scam on the Market !
9/24/2007 - Glen of California, USA writes:
Well you might have guessed, we were almost scammed in to this one time deal. Watch the TV commercial and you are thinking we have check this out. Well, make an appointment (couples only). We were late arriving and no other couples showed up for our 3 o'clock open house showing. We later found out no one showed up for the booked 5 o'clock either. This is a brand new store, just opened and still getting their floor fully stocked. As luck would have it, we met the requirements on the way in, we made over 50 grand a year, alive and have a checking account. We listen to the sales pitch and how we could buy at cost yada yada yada. The largest savings was in Cabinets. Lucky us, we were looking to buy cabinets. After the hearing about the big savings over the long run, the $6,000 membership fee, and the you are only offered this once, and if you don't join you are forever banished to buying retail forever. Hmmm. We needed a plan to figure this out, and fast. The sales guys walked us around the lovely well organized store stocked full of well labeled catalogs, reminding me of the old days for trading stamps catalogs to cash in your stamps for merchandise. Shuffled over to the kitchen cabinets where the saleman should us the stove that rivaled Viking and Wolf. Once he touch the flaky grill top it wouldn't fit back on right, there were no sealed burners, and it look cheap to me. So you have to talk with a specialist and make an appointment to make purchases. You need to drive to the showroom to look products up in catalog, place your order, wait for weeks, and either go back to the store to pick it up, or pay to have it shipped. They provide no return policy. You must deal directly with the manufacture. We figured you need to spend about $20,000 to break even if you are a really good shopper. That figure is more like $40,000 to break even, if that. Thiere is a lot of high pressure to join now or you are going to pay retail for the rest of your natural life. For most, we like dealing with local and Internet retailer, who do mark up the products, but offer good customer service, and the opportunity to return defective or merchandise you don't like (aside from special orders or restocking fees.) The deal breaker is they don't give you time to think it over, and come back. To me that was a big red flag. I later discover there is another 8 percent you need to pay to Direct Buy for there take. Turns out the whole Direct Buy is nothing more than a huge inconvienance, rip-off, and SCAM. The only winning move is not to play. Save yourself a trip to the members only don't ever pay retail again club to see what is behind door number one.
Direct Buy
9/22/2007 - James of California, USA writes:
Just got threw with the sales pitch from Direct Buy.. For anyone interested, here is my cost/benefit analysis. First of all here they were asking about $6k for membership.. I didn't try to negotiate that down. Nevertheless, I toured the facilities, compared prices, with items I had recently aquired elsewhere. To their credit the prices they had were better than the prices I paid for quality stuff, And I do consider myself to be a savy shopper for these things.. I don't pay retail price hardly.. never pay sticker etc. But.. And there is a but.. With the $6k membership fee, and the fact that by there own admission the average savings over retail is about 33%.. That being some items are more like 50% and some are more like 25%.. So at 33% the break even point is $18k.. so Unless you are going to spend more than 18K on items for your home in the next 24 Months.. There is no savings, buy through Direct buy or through you friendly neighborhood Retailer.. The cost is the same at 18K.. Furthermore. Since I don't typically pay sticker.. The direct buy prices I saw compared to what I paid were more like 10-15% better than I did.. So at a 10-15% benefit it would require expenditures in the excess fof $40K or more to start saving money with Direct Buy. So my take is this .. They do have good prices.. The savings may be there, but the rate of return on your investment for the membership may be somewhat less than it is presented, since if you went to one of their open houses, you obviuosly have been someone who doesn't pay retail in the first place. Also.. They make a deal about how you have to make your mind up right then, no second chances. This is a bit odd, because they don't tell you upfront that they are going to ask for a sizable financial committment.. So even if you like the prices and can see the benifit but the timing is wrong, financially .. they don't seem to be very forgiving. .although it would be interesting to see if one would show up on the doorstep with 6K in hand wanting to join whether they turn that person away.. So probably a good deal if you plan to spend ALOT of money.. You can get a return on your investment in the membership.
High pressure scam
9/20/2007 - Michael of New York, USA writes:
My fiance and I attended a Direct Buy seminar a month or so ago. I think I'm a fairly savvy shopper/buyer. The dog and pony show we were subjected to was a joke. Nearly $6000 to join!!! We did not join, and as I compared some of their examples that were shown to us, it's obvious that with very little effort, (which is also fun!)anyone can come up with as good or better pricing from many sources. You just need to get involved and not be a lazy consumer. There are as good or better deals out there and you won't have to be treated like a criminal for not giving those thugs ANY money ... stay away!!!
Know what you are buying
9/12/2007 - Robert of Michigan, USA writes:
We joined early in a major home remodeling project (it was then called UCC Total Home). Our initial membership sales experience was a little long, but otherwise OK. Our first order was plumbing fixtures from well known manufacturers for two baths and a kitchenette. I know many of you will think this is fake, but we saved enough on that order to pay for our membership fee! We have been renewing our membership for years. Not everything will save much over internet or mail order prices (computers and power tools for example). Very heavy items can cost so much to ship that the savings disappear. Floor coverings and similar things can depend on the local showroom to negotiate with local suppliers for the best price. But watching the quarterly Directions magazine can offer even more savings. For example, we replaced all of the appliances in our kitchen when a manufacturer offered a free delivery and installation promotion. We have literally saved tens of thousands of dollars on products for our home ), and I research purchases very carefully. I tell anyone that is planning a building or remodeling project that they are losing out if they don't check out Direct Buy. However, if you are not planning to spend at least ten to fifteen thousand on major purchases in the first couple of years, don't waste your time! You won't break even!
highway robbery
9/6/2007 - Edward of Ottawa, Canada writes:
We paid almost $5000 to join. We had some major reno's to do and thought it would be worthwile. No, no no, it would not be! Here is an example: for a 20'x40' 5 year pool cover the DB price seemed pretty good at $133 but when all was told with fees and shipping etc the actual cost was going to be $316.13!! I went and bought a better 7year one at a local store for $244.36 everthing included. They say the real savings are on kitchen cabinets, well maybe if you're buying $40,000 cabinets, we did our kitchen very, very nicely with thomasville from [] for under $8000. If the membership was $500 maybe, but $5000 is highway robbery.
Saxve your money
9/3/2007 - Anonymous of Washington, USA writes:
I am a builder and became a member to see what the deal was about. What an error in judgment! The whole thing is a bad joke. It is difficult to order, difficult to get to, not user friendly in any manner and over hyped. Save your money...I sure wish I did.
Out the door Quick !!!
9/1/2007 - David of Arizona, USA writes:
I went to their seminar but I never made it in the door. They check you out before you ever get to the sales pitch. after filling out the survey the salesman pulled me aside from the rest of the group and said that the membership was a only for those who are serious about joining and that it was an big investment. Hmmm why did he say that because I thought they were asking for way to much information when you walk in the door and I had wrote down occupations that were not great paying jobs...its all about the money if they think you don't have any they don't want you in the store for the pitch.
Go with your gut!
9/1/2007 - Pam of Arizona, USA writes:
When my husband and I signed up for the open house, we were curious about what they had to offer and asked lots of quesions such as how the concept works, fees, etc. We were told they couldn't give us that information...I felt like it was a covert operation! At the open house, we weren't even give the opportunity to attend the presentation. The salesman was very rude and told us that they expected us to purchase the membership after the presentation or we would lose our 'opportunity'. It truly is a scam, because everything is so secretive. It's almost like your expected to know all the information before you attend, and then when have the info, they act like 'why didn't you know this before'. Horrbile experience...Stay Away
Caveat Emptor
8/31/2007 - Mark of Manitoba, Canada writes:
Let the buyer beware. My wife set up an appointment with DB to attend one of their recruitment seminars. The sales rep was quite friendly and the savings they presented seemed very good as it was explained they included the freight and the "handling" fees. At the end of the presentation we were told the fee was $4590 for the first 3yrs and $195yr for the next 7yrs. This would be offset by the HUGE savings I was assured by all the video testimony. "We saved $22000 in only 3 years" "We saved over $100,000 since 1980" Does anyone know how much money they spent at [] or anywhere in the last 25yrs? Nevermind how much they saved! But we had to decide tonight. WHAT? WHY? I have never made a major purchase on furniture, cars, homes anything where the salesman said. If you leave now forget it. You can never come back if you don't buy it now! Think about that. Is that the company you want to do business with? I would suggest if you join you will save money if you are spending ALOT of money and agree to seriously limit your available choices of product selections. You will have to deal directly with the manufacturer for warranty. Mail it back to them, wait and wonder. Not taking it to the retailer and exchanging it. You also lose the satisfaction of the instant gratification you get when you buy your new power tool, tv, camera, etc. In closing we compared pricing on exact make and models of 3 of our latest major purchases (stove, granite counters, espresso machine) We purchased each at 20% lower than DB book prices and no freight or handling. In fairness our stove was a floor model.
Use your head...
8/23/2007 - Connie of Arkansas, USA writes:
My husband and I just returned from the "open house," and though we decided not to join, I just wanted to see if our opinion was shared by others. Apparently, we are not alone in our assessment. First, we felt like we were at a time share presentation, especially near the end, when we were told we needed to make our final decision on the spot. To me, if you have a great product or service, you don't need to apply undue pressure on someone to make a decision that involves thousands of dollars. You'd be happy to let someone go home, think about it, and realize that the deal is that good. But, I don't think the deal is that good. The presentation comparisons seemed impressive, though I would not have bought any of the items (I never heard of the brands on the display table). We had open minds, though, and spent more time going through the order books than the other couples present. We finally decided that the price mark-downs were not that good, esp. when compared to some products I recently bought (and I didn't even have to wait for delivery (3-5 weeks, for example)), nor pay for shipping on some of them. We are also in need of a lot of furniture items, and we just didn't like not being able to sit down and try out or examine the products. I would merely suggest that you go to the open house armed with prices and brands (don't forget model numbers!) of things you would purchase there, and have recently purchased. Then, do your own comparisons. List at least a dozen or more items, as they might not have all your brands. Then, use your head. I think you'll be able to arrive at an INFORMED decision that is right for you, whether you join, or not.
Not for everyone, but great for me.
8/22/2007 - Evan of Washington, USA writes:
I'll say right up front that I hated the sales pitch. It was long, redundant, and pretty condescending. And I hated the high pressure. But, I'd done a fair amount of research, pretty well knew what to expect, and knew that I would probably join before I walked in the door. I'm building a house, so I have the kind of large purchases that are a great match for this concept. I won't say that everything has been perfect, but I saved enough on the cabinets to pay for the membership over four times. Thus far, I've saved in the neighborhood of $40,000 on the house. I've had a couple of snags along the way, but the staff at my particular center has always been helpful and the owner has taken a personal interest in resolving any problems. If you're looking to purchase a couple of items here and there, DB may not be worth the initial investment, or the extra time it takes to know what you're ordering. But if you have a major project or need some high end goods and are willing to do some legwork, DB can save you money. It's not perfect, it's not for everyone, but it works for me and I would join again in a heartbeat.
Beware! Did not work for us! Cancel Immediately!
8/21/2007 - Kimberly of New Jersey, USA writes:
Please be aware that you can try to cancel this contract if you act immediately (even though the contract language says otherwise). If you leave Direct Buy feeling uneasy about your contract, than this may not be for you! We were successful! Consider calling them (local franchise) immediately and telling them that you want a refund of your dues. Also consider calling the corporate offices at 18008276400 and sending a certified letter. Our story - My husband and I were invited to attend a best buy open house. We were very skeptical but prepared to compare some cabinet prices when given the opportunity. The sales presentation was VERY long and exageratted. We compared the price of one individual base cabinet to our estimate from a local cabinet store. For the one cabinet, there was a substantial savings. Anyway, after 2.5 hours of sales presentations and being followed by one of the managers, we were very tired and worn down. We signed an agreement and left feeling uneasy. I had difficulty sleeping that night and the next day I had an opportunity to read all of the reviews/information available on the net. My impression is that you need to be a very savy customer to be able to use this club. You also need to have a lot of time to do a lot of big project planning and servicing yourself. I also subsequently found out that there would have been $0 savings on the built in refrigerator and high end dishwasher we were considering. Be careful but if you read this after you've signed, ACT QUICKLY!
Don`t go
8/21/2007 - Paul of Ontario, Canada writes:
Attended the open house and can only pass on that you better be ready for high pressure tactics and totally unsupported findings. Be fair to yourself and investigate your planned purchases before you go. I did not see anything above the 5 to 10% savings potential. (And I mean potential) Compare a brand name LCD TV was looking at 2%. Compared brand name engineered flooring product 5%. Granite counter top same price exactly. And last but not least kitchen cupboards-- first off I would not know where to start to design my own kitchen, would never attempt to put it in myself and would never consider paying $250 for the privilige of someone to do this that will have nothing to do with the instal. I did compare a bathroom vanity cabinet in solid Cherry and admit it looked like I had the potential for just under 10% savings. Next time the commercial comes on just turn the station and you will be truly saving money.
I intend to
8/19/2007 - Edward of Florida, USA writes:
I intend to devote some Saturdays to stand at the door of their outlet and let would be customers know the truth about this "club". Don't ask them to show you the catalogs, to allow you to speak to existing members, or about the claims they are making in their pressure sales speech because they will kick you out like they did me. They'll claim they don't want you as a member because of your attitude. I saw two members in the catalog room...didn't seem very happy. In fact the sales hound dog asked them while we were running through the center "Have you found anything yet" Wow what a question. The members kind of mumbled an answer.
