DirectBuy Total disappointment in ripoff company Merrillville Indiana

Don't hold your breath that Florida is better. Florida is just as much a RipOff as any othe state that Direct Buy is in ( Note: On titles so that google picks it up please type in Directbuy as well as Direct Buy, Thanks)



I also joined DirectBuy and was ripped off by them. Mayby worse I bought a bunch of stuff and paid the price. My advice is to let it go. I have found out that contacting the BBB is a waste of time thaey are on the business side no matter what. I guess that makes the BBB a scam also.

This is the biggest scam I've ever seen...anyone who claims to have saved money is probabbly too proud or too dumb to second guess themselves.



People who say they've saved could have saved as much by walking into any store and asking for the manager and saying I'm going to spend $10K, $20K or $50K and I want your best price or I'm walking out the door. Most retailers will give 10% off for cash without even blinking an eye...Even if you're financing with your own CC or LOC, you can still bargain.



I walked in to a DirectBuy a couple of months ago, just to check them out, not knowing I needed to schedule an appointment. The bitchy receptionist treated me like an idiot for not knowing I needed to have an appointment and said I would need to call and schedule one...to which I replied..."I'm here now and I am ready to buy." She told me to call back and I said to her..."This is Bull Sh_t" and walked out the door.



I think the fact that they won't let you back in the door if you refuse their high pressure sales pitch is evidence of the fact that this is a scam. Any consumer should have the right to think about spending $4 to $5K on a membership such as they are offering.



For what it's worth...I won't even pay for a Sam's Club membership. I go to Sam's once a year for a big party I throw and load up my cart with soda, beer, chips, plates, napkins, buns, brats, burgers, etc...a ton of crap. Then I go to check out and when they ask for my card and I tell them I don't have one. They usually bring over a Manager who tells me that I need to buy a membership to purchase the items, to which I reply by saying..."No thanks...Have fun putting all of this crap back."



They always sell to me :)



Why pay to save money...It just doesn't make any sense.

Hi,



Thank you for your posting, it confirmed my husband and my gut reaction to Direct buy. I drug my husband last Saturday 1-24-2009, to Merrillville Indiana's Direct buy store. Their commercials were so convincing. As we sat through the 45 to 60 minute presentation by an attractive blond, both of the hair on the back of our necks started standing up! My husband said this smells like a scam. But I was hopeful. They show room is impressive with all the name brands I love. Next, we were turffed off to a salesman. He was a very good salesman. He actually almost won my husband overm which is VERY HARD to DO. At that time, I became leary. My husband wants a new truck very bad. The crucual moment came when he asked the salesman, "how much would you save on a Ford F150?" They salesman had the deer in the head lights look and said he didn't know and we would just go to the Ford Dealer and show we were Direct Buy purchases. THEN THE SAVINGS WOULD BE REVEALED. At that moment he lost my husband's interest COMPLETELY! Next, he sat us down at a table and told us membership would be $4,000.00 Dollars. I thought, Buddy, we can't get out of here FAST ENOUGH!" After we got into the car, we laughed our heads off! Then we came home a GOGGLED Direct Buy and our reaction was CONFIRMED! I only wished we GOGGLED Ahead of time, I would have slept in that day. THANK YOU!!!

"High end" furniture is not made of pine. It is made of solid oak, cherry or mahogany (not veneers) to which there is a pretty hefty price tag. There can be no price comparison made between pricing of quality hardwood furniture and pine.

We purchased our membership over 5 years ago and have been very happy with the savings. We were building a home and save 40K on cabinets and 10K flooring and a little an a few other items. However, the customer service is horrible. They don't follow up on items as they say. At least 6 times I was in the store during our building and asked if they had updates.



I waited as they followed up and made calls to say each would be a few more weeks. Then returned home to have a message the item was in and ready for pick up. One time I was asked to return the manufacturers call directly since they did not understand the product and the next time in the store was told since I had called the manufacturer then it was grounds for taking my membership away. I let them know I was working with the receiving clerk and she wanted insisted I call because I was explaining it to her and then she was explaining it to the manufacturer and it was getting lost in translation. They just said that oh, well you wouldn't believe what some members do and I would be OK if I was asked to call. I thought why would you approach me and accuse me of something without getting the fact first from your employee.



So, my opinion is the savings is there for big ticket items and you will have to deal with the rudeness and poor customer service. Otherwise, shop at other places and pay a little extra. As some have mentioned the pricing is not always cheaper than the stores. We bought our washer and dryer on line. It would have been $50 cheaper through direct buy and with the handling fees maybe more.

My wife and I received a promotional offer in the mail from the DirectBuy center in Latham, NY. Enclosed in the envelope was a key with a message that prompted us to call and set up an appointment to attend their presentation. At the end of the presentation, we would be guaranteed 2 of a possible 4 parting gifts, regardless of our decision to join or not, and we would also be given the opportunity to use the key to unlock a box for the Grand Prize.



We had called on a Saturday and oddly enough, they returned our call on a Sunday to schedule us for the following Tuesday evening. We were told under no uncertain terms not to bring any children. So far we felt the similarities were strikingly similar to the dozens of times we have been contacted by time share resorts for presentations and gifts. Although we were turned off from the get go, we tried to keep an open mind about what we might see because we are doing a complete home renovation right now and we wouldn't be putting in due diligence if we did not at least check it out.



We arrived about 10 minutes early, signed in, and we were then greeted by a customer service rep who offered us refreshments. We made small talk and he began trying to get a feel for what we were all about and why we were interested in the club membership. In his opinion, based on the renovations we are doing and the amount of money we will be spending over the next few years, the program was taylor made for us. Of course! As other potential buyers began to arrive, we were escorted through french doors into a theatre type room with a plasma television.



Another rep came in and explained we would be watching a few informational videos explaining the company with some power point stuff mixed in as well. He would interject from time to time and was vey robotic in his style and mannerisms. Questions in between videos were not tolerated and we were reassured that they would be answered after the presentation.



The nuts and bolts of the presentation are as follows:

-The first segment talked about the utterly ridiculous potential for savings on every item under the sun for the home. Anywhere between 10 and 70%. It was a basic lesson in economics, supply and demand, and eliminating the retail "middle man" by paying factory prices.

-The second segment was a comparison of pricing fliers made to look like they came from big box stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. that showed what they are getting for specific "big ticket" items in comparison to prices at DirectBuy. The spin they put on this is that the fliers were actually brought in by members who were mesmerized by the boatloads of cash they were saving. They were so excited, they saved the fliers and reported their finding to the DirectBuy marketing executives! Now those are loyal customers!

-The third segment was testimonials of the savings by a bunch of bad actors that obviously couldn't land any real roles, hence thay are doing tasteless work for DirectBuy.

-The fourth segment described the "rules" that DirectBuy members must strictly adhere to after deciding to join. The funniest one is that members must agree to keep DirectBuy's confidential pricing a secret. They must not torment retail businesses by using the low prices to negotiate a better deal in that sector. If DirectBuy members blow the company's cover, the manufacturer's will in turn get angry because it will disrupt their business relationships with retail, and in the end, DirectBuy members will lose out because the manufacturers will stop doing business with DirectBuy.



After the presentation, we were greeted upon exiting the theatre by the sales rep we had talked to when we first came in. We were quickly shuffled away from the other potential buyers. My guess is that they didn't want us bouncing question off one another, comparing notes, or shooting holes in the information we had just received. The rep quickly reminded us that he is not a salesman and that his sole purpose was to be present to answer questions so that we could make an informed decision.



As we walked through a showroom that contained model kitchens, home furnishings, vinyl fencing, and outdoor home improvement products, he kept reiterating that we could save between 10 and 70% but when we asked to see concrete examples on products that we knew retail prices for, he kept stating that the manufacture price books that they had on the shelves were confidential and for members only. He also stated that the center could not be used as a "public library" of manufacturer pricing because if they took the risk of showing us and then we decided not to join, we might blab the prices to the retail stores and blow their cover.



When the rep couldn't close a deal with us, he called over a genaral nmanager who tried to treat us with kid gloves and ease our apprehension. I explained that I would need to see bonafide, concrete evidence of savings if I was to make a $4,000 investment off the bat. He said I seemed nervous as if I had been burned on a bad business deal in the past (which is not the case I might add). I then posed a hypothetical question to him..."If you were on a street corner in New York City with some money in your pocket, and a person approached you claimimg he could save you 70% on a Rolex watch that would normally retail at $3,000 and said "Give me $900 and wait right here I'll be right back with the watch" would you give the guy the money?" His reply was that he would not, but that is not comparing apples to apples. When I asked why, he gave me a quick rundown of DirectBuy's history and established reputatiuon for saving people money.



I then asked how it is possible that retail stores still exist if DirectBuy is really saving people that kind of money. He stated that as long as there are skeptical people such as my wife and I, retail stores will always stand a chance. I laughed, thanked them for their time and said I had heard enough. They reminded us if we passed this "opportunity" up, we would never be welcomed back. I said "fine," the manager said "whatever," and we began walking out. The manager then muttered to the rep "Some people wouldn't know a good deal if it came up and punched them in the face." Then in a louder voice he said "Have fun paying those retail prices, good luck to you!!!"



For parting gifts we received a cheap gold-plated tennis braclet described as Austrailian crystal and a weekend getaway package that requires another sales pitch and a purchase of some sort to redeem.



In summary, this is a typical and not so clever sales pitch and scam that I will implore people no to be suckered into. If you read this, be smart and don't bother attending. It is a total waste of time.

My wife and I received a promotional offer in the mail from the DirectBuy center in Latham, NY. Enclosed in the envelope was a key with a message that prompted us to call and set up an appointment to attend their presentation. At the end of the presentation, we would be guaranteed 2 of a possible 4 parting gifts, regardless of our decision to join or not, and we would also be given the opportunity to use the key to unlock a box for the Grand Prize.



We had called on a Saturday and oddly enough, they returned our call on a Sunday to schedule us for the following Tuesday evening. We were told under no uncertain terms not to bring any children. So far we felt the similarities were strikingly similar to the dozens of times we have been contacted by time share resorts for presentations and gifts. Although we were turned off from the get go, we tried to keep an open mind about what we might see because we are doing a complete home renovation right now and we wouldn't be putting in due diligence if we did not at least check it out.



We arrived about 10 minutes early, signed in, and we were then greeted by a customer service rep who offered us refreshments. We made small talk and he began trying to get a feel for what we were all about and why we were interested in the club membership. In his opinion, based on the renovations we are doing and the amount of money we will be spending over the next few years, the program was taylor made for us. Of course! As other potential buyers began to arrive, we were escorted through french doors into a theatre type room with a plasma television.



Another rep came in and explained we would be watching a few informational videos explaining the company with some power point stuff mixed in as well. He would interject from time to time and was vey robotic in his style and mannerisms. Questions in between videos were not tolerated and we were reassured that they would be answered after the presentation.



The nuts and bolts of the presentation are as follows:

-The first segment talked about the utterly ridiculous potential for savings on every item under the sun for the home. Anywhere between 10 and 70%. It was a basic lesson in economics, supply and demand, and eliminating the retail "middle man" by paying factory prices.

-The second segment was a comparison of pricing fliers made to look like they came from big box stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. that showed what they are getting for specific "big ticket" items in comparison to prices at DirectBuy. The spin they put on this is that the fliers were actually brought in by members who were mesmerized by the boatloads of cash they were saving. They were so excited, they saved the fliers and reported their finding to the DirectBuy marketing executives! Now those are loyal customers!

-The third segment was testimonials of the savings by a bunch of bad actors that obviously couldn't land any real roles, hence thay are doing tasteless work for DirectBuy.

-The fourth segment described the "rules" that DirectBuy members must strictly adhere to after deciding to join. The funniest one is that members must agree to keep DirectBuy's confidential pricing a secret. They must not torment retail businesses by using the low prices to negotiate a better deal in that sector. If DirectBuy members blow the company's cover, the manufacturer's will in turn get angry because it will disrupt their business relationships with retail, and in the end, DirectBuy members will lose out because the manufacturers will stop doing business with DirectBuy.



After the presentation, we were greeted upon exiting the theatre by the sales rep we had talked to when we first came in. We were quickly shuffled away from the other potential buyers. My guess is that they didn't want us bouncing question off one another, comparing notes, or shooting holes in the information we had just received. The rep quickly reminded us that he is not a salesman and that his sole purpose was to be present to answer questions so that we could make an informed decision.



As we walked through a showroom that contained model kitchens, home furnishings, vinyl fencing, and outdoor home improvement products, he kept reiterating that we could save between 10 and 70% but when we asked to see concrete examples on products that we knew retail prices for, he kept stating that the manufacture price books that they had on the shelves were confidential and for members only. He also stated that the center could not be used as a "public library" of manufacturer pricing because if they took the risk of showing us and then we decided not to join, we might blab the prices to the retail stores and blow their cover.



When the rep couldn't close a deal with us, he called over a genaral nmanager who tried to treat us with kid gloves and ease our apprehension. I explained that I would need to see bonafide, concrete evidence of savings if I was to make a $4,000 investment off the bat. He said I seemed nervous as if I had been burned on a bad business deal in the past (which is not the case I might add). I then posed a hypothetical question to him..."If you were on a street corner in New York City with some money in your pocket, and a person approached you claimimg he could save you 70% on a Rolex watch that would normally retail at $3,000 and said "Give me $900 and wait right here I'll be right back with the watch" would you give the guy the money?" His reply was that he would not, but that is not comparing apples to apples. When I asked why, he gave me a quick rundown of DirectBuy's history and established reputatiuon for saving people money.



I then asked how it is possible that retail stores still exist if DirectBuy is really saving people that kind of money. He stated that as long as there are skeptical people such as my wife and I, retail stores will always stand a chance. I laughed, thanked them for their time and said I had heard enough. They reminded us if we passed this "opportunity" up, we would never be welcomed back. I said "fine," the manager said "whatever," and we began walking out. The manager then muttered to the rep "Some people wouldn't know a good deal if it came up and punched them in the face." Then in a louder voice he said "Have fun paying those retail prices, good luck to you!!!"



For parting gifts we received a cheap gold-plated tennis braclet described as Austrailian crystal and a weekend getaway package that requires another sales pitch and a purchase of some sort to redeem.



In summary, this is a typical and not so clever sales pitch and scam that I will implore people no to be suckered into. If you read this, be smart and don't bother attending. It is a total waste of time.

My wife and I received a promotional offer in the mail from the DirectBuy center in Latham, NY. Enclosed in the envelope was a key with a message that prompted us to call and set up an appointment to attend their presentation. At the end of the presentation, we would be guaranteed 2 of a possible 4 parting gifts, regardless of our decision to join or not, and we would also be given the opportunity to use the key to unlock a box for the Grand Prize.



We had called on a Saturday and oddly enough, they returned our call on a Sunday to schedule us for the following Tuesday evening. We were told under no uncertain terms not to bring any children. So far we felt the similarities were strikingly similar to the dozens of times we have been contacted by time share resorts for presentations and gifts. Although we were turned off from the get go, we tried to keep an open mind about what we might see because we are doing a complete home renovation right now and we wouldn't be putting in due diligence if we did not at least check it out.



We arrived about 10 minutes early, signed in, and we were then greeted by a customer service rep who offered us refreshments. We made small talk and he began trying to get a feel for what we were all about and why we were interested in the club membership. In his opinion, based on the renovations we are doing and the amount of money we will be spending over the next few years, the program was taylor made for us. Of course! As other potential buyers began to arrive, we were escorted through french doors into a theatre type room with a plasma television.



Another rep came in and explained we would be watching a few informational videos explaining the company with some power point stuff mixed in as well. He would interject from time to time and was vey robotic in his style and mannerisms. Questions in between videos were not tolerated and we were reassured that they would be answered after the presentation.



The nuts and bolts of the presentation are as follows:

-The first segment talked about the utterly ridiculous potential for savings on every item under the sun for the home. Anywhere between 10 and 70%. It was a basic lesson in economics, supply and demand, and eliminating the retail "middle man" by paying factory prices.

-The second segment was a comparison of pricing fliers made to look like they came from big box stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. that showed what they are getting for specific "big ticket" items in comparison to prices at DirectBuy. The spin they put on this is that the fliers were actually brought in by members who were mesmerized by the boatloads of cash they were saving. They were so excited, they saved the fliers and reported their finding to the DirectBuy marketing executives! Now those are loyal customers!

-The third segment was testimonials of the savings by a bunch of bad actors that obviously couldn't land any real roles, hence thay are doing tasteless work for DirectBuy.

-The fourth segment described the "rules" that DirectBuy members must strictly adhere to after deciding to join. The funniest one is that members must agree to keep DirectBuy's confidential pricing a secret. They must not torment retail businesses by using the low prices to negotiate a better deal in that sector. If DirectBuy members blow the company's cover, the manufacturer's will in turn get angry because it will disrupt their business relationships with retail, and in the end, DirectBuy members will lose out because the manufacturers will stop doing business with DirectBuy.



After the presentation, we were greeted upon exiting the theatre by the sales rep we had talked to when we first came in. We were quickly shuffled away from the other potential buyers. My guess is that they didn't want us bouncing question off one another, comparing notes, or shooting holes in the information we had just received. The rep quickly reminded us that he is not a salesman and that his sole purpose was to be present to answer questions so that we could make an informed decision.



As we walked through a showroom that contained model kitchens, home furnishings, vinyl fencing, and outdoor home improvement products, he kept reiterating that we could save between 10 and 70% but when we asked to see concrete examples on products that we knew retail prices for, he kept stating that the manufacture price books that they had on the shelves were confidential and for members only. He also stated that the center could not be used as a "public library" of manufacturer pricing because if they took the risk of showing us and then we decided not to join, we might blab the prices to the retail stores and blow their cover.



When the rep couldn't close a deal with us, he called over a genaral nmanager who tried to treat us with kid gloves and ease our apprehension. I explained that I would need to see bonafide, concrete evidence of savings if I was to make a $4,000 investment off the bat. He said I seemed nervous as if I had been burned on a bad business deal in the past (which is not the case I might add). I then posed a hypothetical question to him..."If you were on a street corner in New York City with some money in your pocket, and a person approached you claimimg he could save you 70% on a Rolex watch that would normally retail at $3,000 and said "Give me $900 and wait right here I'll be right back with the watch" would you give the guy the money?" His reply was that he would not, but that is not comparing apples to apples. When I asked why, he gave me a quick rundown of DirectBuy's history and established reputatiuon for saving people money.



I then asked how it is possible that retail stores still exist if DirectBuy is really saving people that kind of money. He stated that as long as there are skeptical people such as my wife and I, retail stores will always stand a chance. I laughed, thanked them for their time and said I had heard enough. They reminded us if we passed this "opportunity" up, we would never be welcomed back. I said "fine," the manager said "whatever," and we began walking out. The manager then muttered to the rep "Some people wouldn't know a good deal if it came up and punched them in the face." Then in a louder voice he said "Have fun paying those retail prices, good luck to you!!!"



For parting gifts we received a cheap gold-plated tennis braclet described as Austrailian crystal and a weekend getaway package that requires another sales pitch and a purchase of some sort to redeem.



In summary, this is a typical and not so clever sales pitch and scam that I will implore people no to be suckered into. If you read this, be smart and don't bother attending. It is a total waste of time.

My wife and I received a promotional offer in the mail from the DirectBuy center in Latham, NY. Enclosed in the envelope was a key with a message that prompted us to call and set up an appointment to attend their presentation. At the end of the presentation, we would be guaranteed 2 of a possible 4 parting gifts, regardless of our decision to join or not, and we would also be given the opportunity to use the key to unlock a box for the Grand Prize.



We had called on a Saturday and oddly enough, they returned our call on a Sunday to schedule us for the following Tuesday evening. We were told under no uncertain terms not to bring any children. So far we felt the similarities were strikingly similar to the dozens of times we have been contacted by time share resorts for presentations and gifts. Although we were turned off from the get go, we tried to keep an open mind about what we might see because we are doing a complete home renovation right now and we wouldn't be putting in due diligence if we did not at least check it out.



We arrived about 10 minutes early, signed in, and we were then greeted by a customer service rep who offered us refreshments. We made small talk and he began trying to get a feel for what we were all about and why we were interested in the club membership. In his opinion, based on the renovations we are doing and the amount of money we will be spending over the next few years, the program was taylor made for us. Of course! As other potential buyers began to arrive, we were escorted through french doors into a theatre type room with a plasma television.



Another rep came in and explained we would be watching a few informational videos explaining the company with some power point stuff mixed in as well. He would interject from time to time and was vey robotic in his style and mannerisms. Questions in between videos were not tolerated and we were reassured that they would be answered after the presentation.



The nuts and bolts of the presentation are as follows:

-The first segment talked about the utterly ridiculous potential for savings on every item under the sun for the home. Anywhere between 10 and 70%. It was a basic lesson in economics, supply and demand, and eliminating the retail "middle man" by paying factory prices.

-The second segment was a comparison of pricing fliers made to look like they came from big box stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. that showed what they are getting for specific "big ticket" items in comparison to prices at DirectBuy. The spin they put on this is that the fliers were actually brought in by members who were mesmerized by the boatloads of cash they were saving. They were so excited, they saved the fliers and reported their finding to the DirectBuy marketing executives! Now those are loyal customers!

-The third segment was testimonials of the savings by a bunch of bad actors that obviously couldn't land any real roles, hence thay are doing tasteless work for DirectBuy.

-The fourth segment described the "rules" that DirectBuy members must strictly adhere to after deciding to join. The funniest one is that members must agree to keep DirectBuy's confidential pricing a secret. They must not torment retail businesses by using the low prices to negotiate a better deal in that sector. If DirectBuy members blow the company's cover, the manufacturer's will in turn get angry because it will disrupt their business relationships with retail, and in the end, DirectBuy members will lose out because the manufacturers will stop doing business with DirectBuy.



After the presentation, we were greeted upon exiting the theatre by the sales rep we had talked to when we first came in. We were quickly shuffled away from the other potential buyers. My guess is that they didn't want us bouncing question off one another, comparing notes, or shooting holes in the information we had just received. The rep quickly reminded us that he is not a salesman and that his sole purpose was to be present to answer questions so that we could make an informed decision.



As we walked through a showroom that contained model kitchens, home furnishings, vinyl fencing, and outdoor home improvement products, he kept reiterating that we could save between 10 and 70% but when we asked to see concrete examples on products that we knew retail prices for, he kept stating that the manufacture price books that they had on the shelves were confidential and for members only. He also stated that the center could not be used as a "public library" of manufacturer pricing because if they took the risk of showing us and then we decided not to join, we might blab the prices to the retail stores and blow their cover.



When the rep couldn't close a deal with us, he called over a genaral nmanager who tried to treat us with kid gloves and ease our apprehension. I explained that I would need to see bonafide, concrete evidence of savings if I was to make a $4,000 investment off the bat. He said I seemed nervous as if I had been burned on a bad business deal in the past (which is not the case I might add). I then posed a hypothetical question to him..."If you were on a street corner in New York City with some money in your pocket, and a person approached you claimimg he could save you 70% on a Rolex watch that would normally retail at $3,000 and said "Give me $900 and wait right here I'll be right back with the watch" would you give the guy the money?" His reply was that he would not, but that is not comparing apples to apples. When I asked why, he gave me a quick rundown of DirectBuy's history and established reputatiuon for saving people money.



I then asked how it is possible that retail stores still exist if DirectBuy is really saving people that kind of money. He stated that as long as there are skeptical people such as my wife and I, retail stores will always stand a chance. I laughed, thanked them for their time and said I had heard enough. They reminded us if we passed this "opportunity" up, we would never be welcomed back. I said "fine," the manager said "whatever," and we began walking out. The manager then muttered to the rep "Some people wouldn't know a good deal if it came up and punched them in the face." Then in a louder voice he said "Have fun paying those retail prices, good luck to you!!!"



For parting gifts we received a cheap gold-plated tennis braclet described as Austrailian crystal and a weekend getaway package that requires another sales pitch and a purchase of some sort to redeem.



In summary, this is a typical and not so clever sales pitch and scam that I will implore people no to be suckered into. If you read this, be smart and don't bother attending. It is a total waste of time.

My dh set us an appt for the store in Toledo for this Thurs. I told him I don't believe we will save anything, and it is probably a high-pressure sales thing. I am a consumer who researches everything I buy. The first thing I did was go to the AG website for Ohio. I was shocked at how many complaints have been lodged against this co. in Ohio alone. I also went to the BBB for information and was rewarded with another shocking amount of complaints. I will let my husband know what I have found. When the guy calls back to confirm our appt. I will talk to him and see if he will give me any info, but we will not be joining. By the way, the first thing he did was tell us no kids, and we had to go by their schedule not ours. Although, no that I think about it, I don't think I want my children to see displays by sales people as what I have read about.

The fact that you are aware that this company charges 40% to finance a membership should have been one of your first clues that it's a consumer ripoff.

Whatever, I have NO interest in DirectBuy other than it is saving us money on our resale homes. I stated TWICE that I DID not state that Ashley was high end furniture but that we saved money on Ashley through DirectBuy, but that portion of both of my comments went conveinently ignored. It's a shame peopel can't post positive comments without everyone else thinking they are either an agent of the company or stupid. WE did not fall for the sales pitch, WE sought out DirectBuy on friends recommendations. WE would have NOT bought into the membership if we were not investers and planning to spend a LOT of money reselling houses. Maybe everyone is upset with us becuase we are investors, or maybe becuase they are upset with themselves for falling for the sales pitch. Either way, there is no need to attack those of us who have SAVED money and are NOT unhappy with OUR DirectBuy. To be fair to OUR Hampton Roads DirectBuy franchise, I have not seen one other complaint here about them. Maybe we really do have a decent franchise here. BTW, even with the 8% handling charge, 1.42% frieght charge and 5% sales tax (we do the math), we still saved money AND in one year our membership has paid for itself. We bought our membership in full so as to not pay the 40% interest on the financing.

No nasty here, just plain common courtesy to inform others on the REAL DEAL.



If any one is an average consumer, they better look closely at the tanglements involved in the DirectBuy scheme of business. It cost 4330.00 in Membership and if you do the math it may leave you obligated to buy through them just trying to recoup your losses for the next 10 years.



By the time you add to the cost of shipping most of the vendors products and the handling fee, all you are saving is an insignificant amount that any company in business would need to display and service your merchandise. You can also get the headaches of finding out that the merchandise you order may not be all the QUALITY they lead you to believe.



Anyone who thinks High End Furniture is Ashley is misinformed. The cheap Bedroom set they boast about on their infomercial is nothing but junk. After all the aggravation, how will anyone get a return on their investment even if they buy two of these sets? How many bedrooms does one family really have to furnish? YOU HAVE TO MAKE {10} TEN OR SO PURCHASES SAVING YOU 400.00 OR SO DOLLARS EACH TIME to GET BACK THE MONEY INVESTED then turn around and ORDER MORE so it's profitable for you to be a member.



It is a vicious circle of poverty for the vast majority of Americans if they can't keep buying, because now they've lost money. Unfortunately, the rich get richer and poor get poorer.

How do you even know good quality if you don't see it?

Then you run around all over town trying to find out what this manufacturer is producing and if it is a good deal for you.

Who will answer your questions about these products you shop for?

Does it have particle board and fiberglass molded resin?



At the presentation given by the director at their open house described an entertainment center as solid cherry wood. It was so obvious that it was not solid cherry. False information was handed out at precise moments and on purpose to build value.



And as for the flooring, the contractor doing the work is able to get pricing just like they're offering because they deal with the same flooring centers that the contractors do and get the same discounts. I am glad I did alot of homework before going to this presentation and happy to say I am going to spread that fee of 4300.00 out to the places that give me good products and service and most of all, take the headaches out of buying.



In that HEFTY MEMBERSHIP FEE, DirectBuy is inevitably getting the little profit your neighborhood retailer would make. The sales consultants at the retailers make a small percent of your business and services are provided in return. Why would anyone tip a waiter or waitress before being seated and served a meal? What is to guarantee they will even provide you with a service? READ THE CONTRACT FOR YOURSELF IF YOU WILL.. IT IS BINDING YOU TO THEM AND NO OTHER STORE RIGHT UP FRONT.. SPENDING ALOT TO SAVE A LITTLE!



Another thing I should note that.. be proud that you are an American and have the freedom of choice as you keep people working in this country in small ways. Economically, if we all eliminated the middle men, which DIRECTBUY really is and not saying so, then we inevitably pay for it by supporting the welfare recipients and unemployment lines with those "saved" dollars. What do people think happened when 80% of the Furniture Manufacturing went overseas to China and elsewhere?

Americans didn't want to pay the labor cost of their own people here manufacturing,,, because it was too EXPENSIVE??? Think about how many thousands of jobs were lost. In reality, none of us can afford DirectBuy and it's method of operation.

I have read all the responses, It appears all the franchises have the same problems (FRAUD & DECEPTION). I consider myself an educated consumer and are presently attempting to cancel my membership (Signed up 04/06 ) I have a dispute with credit card company.



I have been treated as poorly as the others. The members who are stating otherwise must have a controlling interest in the company. As a retired law enforcement officer I have been preparing a case folder on Direct Buy of the Jersey Shore in Eatontown,NJ.



I recently had a very intimidating phone call left on my answering machine (claiming to be the CEO of Direct Buy, Eatontown) stating I cannot cancel and demanding me to call him. Lynn don't expect and other location to be any better.



Corinna

Barnegat, NJ

Direct Buy may work out for a few people. But what are the odds that 98% of the people that walk in there are going to be needing to buy carpet or furniture or household appliances more than once every ten or fifteen years or once in a lifetime? Slim to none.



So for 2%,it's a great deal, the others are wasting their money. The other thing I have a problem with is that first time visit pitch. What a line of crap.

I WILL have saved more than my membership and no matter how nasty you get, I am still happy with DirectBuy and I am NOT mis-informed, you are just unhappy with your membership so you have to make everyone else unhappy.



We have been members for over a year and we have already saved more than our membership cost us, which we paid in full when we joined... so I know how much I spent and have saved. No, we could not have gotten the flooring for $0.76 a square foot no matter what coupons or discounts are out there. We looked.



As for Ashley, I did not say Ashley itself was high-end, but it is solid pine and not hard-board or corrugated wood. I was stating that we saved over $2200 on the set over retail. I stated that we may have a better franchise and can not speak for all DirectBuy franchises.



I also stated that we aren't the typical consumer since we buy flooring, roofing, windows, doors, appliances, fixtures, siding, etc., for several houses a year. Added all up, we have saved thousands in just year with DirectBuy compared to what we spent before we joined, including the membership. However, since our friends are also happy with there decision, at the same franchise we use, I guess you are smarter than all of us.

Kimberly is a typical consumer who will spend alot to save a little using Buy Direct and it's scam because in order to realize any savings, she will need to buy alot of what she claims so far.



She is mis-informed if she thinks Ashley is HIGH END in Furniture. It is cheap, cheap and sold everywhere. It is hard to believe she doesn't know that a retailer spends money to display, stock and service products like that so she can see the difference between High and Low End Furniture and that's where a trained professional sales consultant comes in. That's how they get paid, providing the information people need to make informed buying decisions.



A HIGH END Furniure Manufacturer will not market it's product in a hap hazardous or unethical way.

They have agreements with retailers to Display and Service their products and are too proud to PIMP them out to shoddy places because it gives them a bad reputation. To try to get around proper merchandising of their merchandise would bring about their demise. They spend alot of money in the manufacturing process and warrant the proper presentation of their product.

In order to Buy from most of them, retailers need to allocate a certain amount of the product displayed on their floor.



The small savings was nothing shy of a DO-IT-YOURSELFER in the SOFT PINE Ashley bedroom purchase. Once she has managed to recoup the membership fees, she will have to buy alot more to make the whole buying experience profitable.

Like she said, there was NO savings on the Hi Def Television, but there should have been some savings since the Manufacturer don't sell direct to everyone else. Direct Buy is not for the vast majority of people who make casual purchases over time. Not even for 20,000.00 in sales.



It is not providing consumers with savings worth the headaches of making their lives complicated and expensive. It is an ILLUSION OF SAVING.

The small amount saved on her flooring purchase could be obtained with the discounts installers receive at some of the flooring centers they frequently buy from. The installers at times will even charge more for Labor if you've purchased tiles etc., elsewhere. The package deal is broken for them and there goes that savings of 300.00.



Direct Buy's enormous membership fees is an attempt to get consumers to pay them for a job they don't do, up front, leaving them hoping to get something out of it eventually. Then with the poor service they provide, who would tip a waitress before she has even seated you and served your meal? Who would do that?

I am sorry to hear that so many people are having such a difficult time with DirectBuy. I would love to be able to find all these other deals that people are finding outside of DirectBuy. The DirectBuy of Hampton Roads, in Chesapeake, VA must be the only reputable franchise in the country because I LOVE IT.



My husband and I flip houses for profit and have remodled our own home. At our age (early 40's) we don't want "Wal-Mart" furniture. We went high-end good quality furniture that we can pass on and will last several lifetimes. We and all our friends are DirectBuy members, and we love it.



Our first purchase was Mohawk Harwood Laminate flooring. After we placed our order, at $.76 sq. ft., DirectBuy notified us that our color was no longer available and that they had a very similar color that was more expensive but they would give it to us for the same price as the original if we still wanted it. We did. We saved over $300 on the flooring compared to Lowe's and Home Depot.



Our next purchase was a solid pine Ashley Furniture bedroom suite consisting of queen headboard, footboard, rails, 2 night tables, 7- drawer chest, hutch mirror, 9-drawer dresser and a 3-drawer TV armoire. The entire set retailed for over $4000.00, I did the reseach and cost comparision, not DirectBuy. After freight and handling, we bought the entire set from DirectBuy for $1800.



Then we purchased a 8-piece living room set with reclining sofa, love seat, recliner, 3 tables and 2 lamps through the Directions magazine for $1000 with frieght. My previous el-cheapo sofa bed cost me more than that by itself.



We just purchased carpet for our home and carpet and cabinets for a home we are remodling. The cabinets from Lowe's would have cost us over $2700. DirectBuy $2200.



Granted, low-end furniture and fixtures are cheaper elsewhere, but we like high-end. Plus, DirectBuy told us upfront that we probably wouldn't save much money on electronics and appliances becuase the retail mark-up wasn't as high on electronics, and they were right. I can get a Samsung 50" DPL HD TV for $1400. At DirectBuy its $1408.17, (both without shipping and frieght) and at BestBuy it's $2000. So I can get it for about the same as DirectBuy.



Anyway, I just wanted to add my two-cents that not all the DirectBuy franchises are ripping people off.