Real Consumer Reviews and Ratings
Direct Buy Reviews and Ratings
Consumer Ratings - Page 21 of 24
Paying money to save money?
7/1/2006 - Linda of California, USA writes:
I came across DB on the internet. I called them! When my "invitation" arrived, I see that a husband is required. Are women incapable of making indepdent financial decisions? And we're all married? The rep kept calling - repeatedly, but couldn't tell me what it cost. My having homes in two states upset them. High end buyers can afford several homes. I know costs - the DB will cost you. They're banking (literally) on your coughing up the big fees up front. Then, there's little incentive to keep you happy because they've made their money on day one. ****Any time, any salesperson tells you a deal is now or never, get up and leave.*** Do the math and don't join.
No Way Never!
6/27/2006 - AnnMarie of Louisiana, USA writes:
4300.00 + 182.00 a year is NOT worth it AT all! Seems as though each state has a different membership amount! Only showed items with HIGH mark-up- NOTHING that we could use in every day life. Could NOT beat any local sales on items that we have watched. DO NOT LOSE YOUR MONEY!! 15 minutes of bulloney!!! PUSHY sales! NO THANKS!!
Patrick-is that you?!
6/26/2006 - Linda of New Jersey, USA writes:
My husband and I just signed up yesterday. Already we can see that we were lied to. We visited the DB in Edison, NJ and were introduced to Patrick (see 6/10/06) who would give us the sales pitch and disapear leaving us with another representative who told us that membership fees would be the same for NJ and South Carolina, where we would be moving. What a lie! The warehouse looked disorganized but we were assured it was not always that way-another lie. We can't get our money back and I hope that Amex can help with stop payment on the membership but it doesn't look good. Stay away from direct buy.
Glad we joined
6/24/2006 - Chelby of California, USA writes:
I'm a major bargain hunter but also like to have nice things. I also do a lot of research before purchasing anything anyway so it's nothing new to me. We are also going through major rennovation in our house so we have much to purchase, including hardwood floors for about 1000 square feet. Before we signed up with Direct Buy, we were going to settle with Bamboo but we were able to get distressed Walnut 5" plank for just a little more money. We probably got our membership money back in that one purchase. If you don't have big purchses in the next 3 years or so or if money is tight as it is, then this is not going to be for you. If you have to finance the membership fee, I don't think you should join. Also, I expected poor service based on reviews here but everyone has been more than helpful. Maybe it depends on location...???
Avoid the Headache
6/23/2006 - Fred of Maryland, USA writes:
This place is horrible. Total sales ptch and no follow through whatsoever. When your order is screwed up, give at least another 6 weeks minimum for it to be fixed. You may save a cuck or two, but its not worth the endresult reprecussions
From a former employee...
6/20/2006 - Michelle of Pennsylvania, USA writes:
I worked the phones, calling the customers who saw the infomercial every 2 hours. Your going to pay atleast $4000 for a 3 year membership, with over $100 every year after. You might save money on some things, but I would rather go to a store that knows the products and can assist you, rather than save $100. When you do go to the "Open House", you see a 15 min presentation, listening to a guy talk like a robot, then sit with your salesperson. YOU HAVE TO JOIN THEN, OR NEVER!! They know that you'll go home, think about it, then never come back. They TRAIN us to be persistant and pushy. Basically, don't join if you arent building a new house. They don't have financing for the products, only for the membership. Your better off at a local, or even main stream store, that doesnt make commission. YES they do make commission, even the phone reps.
Great if you do your homework
6/19/2006 - Debra of Pennsylvania, USA writes:
You absolutely HAVE to do your homework for Direct Buy to be a worthwhile investment. After the harsh punishment of sitting through the presentation we bought and have never looked back. I had a kitchen design by [] and [] and the cabinets we got through Direct Buy, which were of higher quality, saved us almost 70%. The kitchen sink alone was 35% cheaper then any wholesaler we went through. Counter tops- about 30% better then [] best price. I will admit you have to have alot of patience to do this kind of shopping but if you are persistent the savings are there. You really need to know what you are looking for, who the manufacturers are and what the best retail price out there is. In otherwords DO YOUR HOMEWORK!! It is hit and miss with the sales people but over the last year we have figured out who to work with and who to avoid like the plague!!!
Great Purchases
6/14/2006 - Starlin of Oklahoma, USA writes:
This requires a great deal of research, but great buying power on high end products. Salesmen and women were very helpful and friendly. I did catch a manufacturer upcharging their price list, but the savings on the product was still about $1000. But I did not purchase due to ethical issues. I have some very high end products in my new home and stayed within budget.
Mixed results so far
6/13/2006 - Dawn of Maryland, USA writes:
Big savings on certain products such as furniture, appliances, jewelry, rugs. We found better prices on cabinets/[], lawnmower/[], flooring/[]. Worth considering IF you plan on making several large purchases. Somewhat deceptive. For example they said they carried the full line of Movado and they really don't. Salesmen are slimy - must be a prerequisite. Employees aren't that friendly. No returns unless damaged. No financing - you buy a new living room set you're putting it on your creditcard and not getting some X months no interest deal that stores offer. Unless you're able to pay off your credit card every month, won't save you $. It's not readily known what the shipping cost for an item and that could be the difference between buying from directbuy or a local retailer. Go to your visit with examples of items you want to buy. If they won't show you the price sheets, walk.
Direct Buy Rip -Off
6/12/2006 - Deborah of Alabama, USA writes:
Very Dissappointed with Direct Buy. I was told I would be able to get a product for my mobile homes and when I attempted to order the product, DB did not offer the product. Now, I am told I will not be able to get a refund on my membership. Run, don't walk away from DB.
This experience truly made me nauseous!
6/11/2006 - Nae' of Pennsylvania, USA writes:
Before we even got to this warehouse of insanity we had numerous calls from these people trying to set us up for this sales pitch. They called day and night and truly were pushy then and I should have taken better notice then. When we went for our scheduled presentation the man was obnoxious and condescending. I figured ok ... maybe he was just the door greeter. Well he was not. He was the presenter and it did not get any better once we had to sit n front of him and listen to the sales pitch. The sales pitch started and I was able to stomach him for the first 15 minutes or so and then I suddenly started to feel dizzy and sick to my stomach. I was starting to get a headache, sweaty and like I needed to throw up. When I was trying to listen to this person I had a question or comment and I was quickly talked over or he talked so fast and loud that there was no room for any questions. The sales pitch was fast and overbearing. When I or spouse or the other couple finally did get to ask a question we were asked not to interrupt. What is that? At this point I had enough. I felt oh God I am going to be physically sick! I excused myself just to get out of that room and went to use the rest room (praying I wasn’t going to get literally ill) Towards the end of this pitch (when I finally returned from the bathroom) the sales guy was actually getting personal with this other couple making smart remarks towards them and then laughing at himself. I whispered to my spouse that “this is nuts”. From there we were taken out to the floor where I am 110% positive that they had people sitting and walking about to pretend that they were actual “happy club members” The sales person started this new conversation with asking me “well how did you like the presentation” I was hesitant to say … Maybe its best to keep such a negative feeling to myself and just find the quickest out. Well he insisted so … I just let it out. I let him know it was the worst sales pitch I ever heard. The man made me literally sick. The sales man then appeared to be very shocked and not sure how to comment back. Then he stated he felt that “I had a personality issue”. I assured him that when you talk fast and over people and then shove papers near their face long enough to get a glimpse (not actually comprehend this comparison) that I was pretty sure it had nothing to do with “my personality vs theirs” Also the $3999.00 price tag for three years along with the $179.00 a year there after was amazing as if you sit and figure out their 8% charge on everything you do and then there other extra fees … if you would save $1000.00 on something if really would never be a savings (see the monies you had to spend to get that $1000.00 savings) The other concern was ok if the product breaks then what? Well … we were given three different answers. Initially we were told there things “never” break (what a hoot) then we were told that if it did break it would be our responsibility to deal directly with the manufacturer. Then … he figured I guess to give the answer that everyone wanted to hear which was “We at DB will take care of it for you. Hum … pick the best answer and maybe it will shut us up? Sigh … I am feeling nauseous again thinking about it all. I am so glad my husband busted out laughing at me once I shared with them how I felt. He later told me he was scared that they had suckered me in and thought that I wanted this. What a relief to him and by the way he is still walking around snickering over this ordeal but so glad we didn’t fall into the trap.
Only fools buy retail
6/10/2006 - Patrick of New Jersey, USA writes:
I joined 15 mths ago, and absolutely love it. I am confused by some of the coments on this site. Sometimes I think the negative comments are coming from retailers. Reader beware. If you need to purchase things for your home, request an invitation and go see for yourself. I am sorry I did'nt have this 10 years ago.
Please research before you buy
6/9/2006 - Tammy of Florida, USA writes:
My husband and I were building a home ourselves. Were told we'd save $5000 (membership fee) on the cabinets alone. Seemed we couldn't lose but would like time to think about it. Told if we did not join today would never be allowed to join. That statement alone should have been my clue that something was wrong. Their quote for cabinets came in and needless to say we bought somewhere else for less. Been back several times to find something to buy to get some of our money back. When we could find an item it was discontinued. In the end almost every item we priced could be bought cheaper locally. They know nothing about these products. Much easier to pay the same price and be able to talk to a person who cares, see and touch the product and have your questions answered. We've had this memebership for one year and have bought nothing! Not worth it.
Glad We Did Not Join
6/8/2006 - M. Walker of Arkansas, USA writes:
Went to DB appointment tonight. Very high pressure to join tonight or never, fee of $3999 for 2 years then $99 per year after that. Tried to explain to salesperson that we are not impulse shoppers and do not make snap decisions on major purchases, which this membership was, and they were asking us to take their word for it that all of their claims were the gospel. As soon as we left the showroom with our cheap chinese knives, we breathed a sigh of relief -- the sales pressure was very intense. Would rather buy from retailers who warranty their products; our conclusion is that what DB is selling is Not Merchandise but Memberships.
Waste of Money and Time
6/8/2006 - Christine of Massachusetts, USA writes:
Bottom line: Don't sign up. I find Direct Buy and their employees very draining. You can save some money - but you have to DO ALL THE WORK. They are HELPLESS to you and UNKNOWLEDGEABLE! I always leave their showroom FUSTRATED and TIRED! I totally REGRET signing up!
Hardcore Salesmanship With Nothing To Back It Up
6/3/2006 - Christina of New York, USA writes:
Our Direct Buy appointment was sheer torture. We were assaulted with the most cheesy, hardcore sales job ever. We went to our meeting with specific models of all the appliances we want. Not one of the manufacturers was listed in their "Manufacturer's Book", but our sales person assured us they could get these products from "local vendors". Isn't the whole point that we are supposed to get them straight from the manufacturer? She said they carry any product we could want, but couldn't find one listing in their own Product manual (including the kitchen sink that was in their showroom). This seemed VERY odd to us. She then argued with my husband about needing to commit to a $4900 membership on the spot. She was so upset that we weren't hooked that she walked off and didn't shake my hand that I offered her. This place left a horrible taste in our mouths!
Buyer Beware!!!
6/2/2006 - Denise of Washington, USA writes:
We thought we did our homework - we thought we were well-prepared, seasoned consumers. We were dead wrong & wasted $4K on membership fees. We're building a home & want many items that we were assured were available - granite counter tops, high-end furniture, etc. ... NONE of what we wanted is available. We've saved a few hundred dollars on small items, but it doesn't begin to compensate for the membership fee or the aggravation and wasted time spent buying from DirectBuy. The old adage still holds ... "If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't" Stay away from DirectBuy!
Lousy Customer Service - Disorganized
6/1/2006 - Tim of British Columbia, Canada writes:
My Rating: High Pressure Sales: 5 Stars Up-to-Date Catalogues: 2 Stars Customer Assistance: 1 Star Problem Resolution: ZERO Stars Organization: 2 Stars Directbuy is after one thing- Membership Dues. They are too disorganized on every other front to be of any value to a consumer. We ordered some small things and had few problems. The larger more expensive things have been a nightmare. One order came (after 12 weeks!) in the wrong colour. This error was proven to be their error - not ours or the mfgr. To correct this took three weeks of negotiation with the manager. Another item, ordered Jan 11 was due Apr 11. After 14 weeks we phoned for an Update. On Week 14 we were told Jun 11 was the new shipping date. On May 24th we phoned and asked for an Update. On May 31, the Manager phoned and said the order had arrived. The wharehouse person told us the order had arrived well over a month ago. We're going back to the "retail club".
Direct Buy is a Scam
5/28/2006 - Paul of Otago, New Zealand writes:
Direct Buy is a Scam. They falsely claim you can save up to 50% but thousands of testimonials say otherwise. They are just after your $4000. They treat you like crap. AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE. Save your money! You can buy at cost at plenty of other locations
Something Fishy
5/26/2006 - Anonymous of Maryland, USA writes:
Went to DB open house. Wish we saw this site before attending. Did not bite...something fishy. Too expensive member fee, $4500 for 3 years. Prices not cheap enough to make it worth it. Knowing prices before going paid off when comparing. After reading many reviews here, glad we stayed away! No decision of good value (at that high price) should be made on the spot. If it were more legitimate, there would be no high pressure. We did not appreciate the now or never tactic. We are willing to pay more than DB to touch, feel, experience products in person and deal with reputable retailers. We like good old fashioned customer service & relationships.
