Rip-off Report REVIEW:EDitor’s UPDATE: Positive Rating and Recognition has been given to
DirectBuy for its Commitment to Excellence in customer service.
Rip-off Report’s investigation of DirectBuy uncovers an ongoing commitment to total client satisfaction. This means that clients can expect the company will always work towards finding a mutually satisfactory resolution to any complaints or concerns in the past, present or future. DirectBuy pledges to help members and guests realize their dreams through exceptional customer experiences and unparalleled savings, service, and selection.
The Rip-Off Report Investigation revealed a demonstrated commitment by DirectBuy to providing excellent customer service and resolving customer issues. They achieve this through several means, including a recent partnership with customer service experts to actively survey their members and guests and make changes that improve their processes and ensure a uniform exceptional experience for every customer. To address the most common concerns, DirectBuy recently started offering free trial memberships at participating club locations, as well as additional tiers and terms of membership to meet a broader range of household budgets.
The Investigation also showed that DirectBuy members are renewing their memberships at record rates, indicating members are still very satisfied with the value they receive through DirectBuy’s home furnishings and home improvement products and services. DirectBuy is one of the largest consumer buying clubs of its kind, and we are convinced they are dedicated to using feedback from customers to continually improve their policies and procedures.
One DirectBuy executive explained about their many changes stating, “We have a team of service support specialists available specifically to address concerns from members and guests who visit Rip-Off Report. We want to ensure that their experiences with DirectBuy are positive, whether they join or not." Should you require this assistance, please contact them at
DirectBuyHELP@directbuy.com Provide your name, the date of your issue, and the name of the location you visited. If you are a member, please include your member number if available.
Given DirectBuy’s commitment to excellent customer service, they were alarmed by some of the complaints lodged with Rip-off Report. Rip-off Report found that most complaints about DirectBuy were made by non-members who were critical of the cost of membership and the policy that a decision about membership must be made the same day of the open house visit. The policy is there to protect the manufacturers. It ensures their confidential pricing cannot be used by non-members to negotiate better deals with retail stores, thereby protecting the best possible pricing to members. The policy has not changed, but as stated above, new tiers and terms of membership are being offered at participating club locations
DIRECT BUY recognizes that complaints posted on Rip-off Report (true or not) are issues that need to be addressed and if handled correctly can be valuable learning opportunities. With the feedback generated by Rip-off Report’s Investigation DirectBuy has made the necessary organizational changes to allow their members a more streamlined approach to problem resolution and a total overall commitment to customer experience. As one senior executive stated, “We have learned that even the most committed companies can make mistakes, but if you really pay attention, you can learn from them. We’ve adjusted policies to please both members and manufacturers, and we hope that anyone who has further suggestions on how we can improve our services will contact us with their ideas.”
In summary, after our investigation, which included discussions with DirectBuy Senior Management, Rip-off Report is convinced that the company has been and is committed to quality delivery of services resulting in total client satisfaction.
Read about DirectBuy .. see their websites and the services they have to offer. Read more about DirectBuy’s Commitment to Excellence and Total Consumer Satisfaction and why consumers should feel safe, confident and secure when doing business with a member of Rip-off Report's Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program. ..yes, a long name for a program that does a lot for both consumers and businesses alike. Read about Rip-off Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program,..A program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business. this program works.=====================
NOW TO THE ORIGINAL REPORT THAT WAS FILED =====================
Direct Buy is dishonest, misleading, unprofessional and don't seem to care about their customers concerns or complaints. Ripoff Beaverton Oregon
First issue:
My husband had just purchased a new home in January 2006. We were looking for Hunter Douglas wood blinds. We came to the show room and found the blinds that we where looking for on display in the show room. "Hunter Douglas Real Wood Blinds" When we tried to order the blinds, noone seemed to know the stock number or item number, after several days we were told that the blinds were discountinued the previous year.
We asked why the blinds where still on display if they where no longer available to the customer, and had not been available for a year, we got no response...However, they did removed them while we were present in the showroom. We returned about a week later to place an order for our sofa...What did we find? Those beautifully displayed cherry wood Hunter Douglas blinds that they can no longer deliver.
This time I asked a different Rep if those blinds where available and she said Yes, but when she showed me the blinds in the Hunter Douglas sample book, they where very different and not real wood. She kept insisting that they where the same, but it was so obvious that they where not.
The second issue:
We found a beautiful outdoor grill in their catalog. We went to the show room to order it and they could not find the item number at first, and then they came back and told us that it was not available for purchase and did not know why it was in the catalog.
The third issue:
We placed an order for our Sofa in January and was told that it would take approx. 6 to 8 weeks. We chose our fabric for the sofa and pillows...only to find out about 2 weeks later the fabric we chose from the show room was no longer availble and we had to come back in and choose something else. Again, I asked if the fabric had been discountinued why do they have it on display? Again, we got no response. We returned to the show room and picked out new fabric. About 5 months later we finally received our Sofa. Unfortunatley, the fabric on the pillows was not the same as the sample in their show room. When I called the office to inform them of the situation it took about 3 or 4 days before anyone got back to me. And when they finally did, we where told that all sales are final.
Fourth issue:
We tried to order "Hooker" bar stools from the catalog in the showroom. Come to find out later...that Hooker discontinued its relationship with Direct Buy. Again, why have these items displayed or catalogs available if you cannot truely order the item?
Sabrina
Camas, Washington
U.S.A.
