How does "Direct Buy" work?

[Knottscott]

I hear lots of ads and have talked with their telemarketers but am hesitant to sit through the propaganda session in fear that I'll find out it's just a high price membership club. Anyone have any experience and insights how this program actually works?

[footprintsinconc]

it is a high priced membership. i think it was like $1500 and them couple of hundred yearly there after. i am scratching my head, since its been like 4yrs since i attended their sales pitch.

during the sales pitch, they dont give you any hard numbers on what something will cost. they had their standard items, and their standard % that you will save, blah, blah, blah. i mean, if i am going to fork something that big, tell me what i am going to pay for the several big things that i have in mind, that will clearly tell me what i am going to save and then i can make a concrete decision to join or not to join. then, at end, they said that if we dont join now, we cant do that later. its a policy for fairness, required by manufactures who sell items through them.

but it would be real interesting to see if there are people here who are members and what they have seen. please give numbers so that we can actually quantify the savings.

[catta12]

I looked into this with an internet search awhile back and came to the conclusion that it was a rip off. If it sounds too good to be true, google it.

[LCHIEN]

it is a high priced membership. ...

... then, at end, they said that if we dont join now, we cant do that later. its a policy for fairness, required by manufactures who sell items through them.
...

That right there, when a salesman tells me this deal is only good right now and I'd better buy it, tells me that its a scam. That buy it now, its such a good deal, you'll not be allowed again, is BS. Just a high pressure sales tactic which is what they do when they really want your money.

[LinuxRandal]

There has been at least two discussions of this over at Sawmillcreek recently. The above membership fee, is the LOWEST I have seen listed, the average seems to be $5000 (which in reality is a LOT more then that as people put it on their charge and don't pay it off right away).

This is followed by, (paraphrased) you have to decide then and there, they don't let you take a day.

Then how unless you are building HUGE, or a lot (might be a good deal for SOME builders), the average stuff people buy (electronics, etc, non large household stuff), is no bargain and in several cases is more expensive.

Then there were other factors I read about (may have been elsewhere), about how what you order is shipped to a warehouse, and you have to go pick it up, etc. With gas and all, I read one case (I think it was the second or third listing googling it) about how they saved $50 on a washer/dryer set, at the cost of waiting quite a bit longer to get it.

[Thalermade]

Ohio Attorney General takes on "Direct Buy"

Feb 13, 2008
http://www.wcpo.com/mostpopular/stor...b-f4fc4cbd2b5b
Reported by: John Matarese
No doubt you've heard radio ads for "Direct Buy" ...the buying club promising wholesale prices on furniture and appliances. What the ads don't tell you is that it can cost you $4,000 dollars or more to become a member.
After dozens of complaints about high pressure sales tactics, from consumers who attended a "free tour" of Direct Buy's showroom, Ohio's Attorney General has announced a major settlement with the buying club.
AG Marc Dann says "Direct Buy" has now agreed to provide Ohioans a "3 day right to cancel" on their $4,000 membership. Until now, if you joined, you could not back out for any reason....even if you "slept on it" and decided the next morning that joining was not a good idea.
Meantime, Consumer Reports magazine says "Direct Buy" will save you money only if you plan to furnish an entire house, or buy many thousands of dollars of furniture, cabinets, and appliances.

Copyright 2008 The E.W. Scripps Co. All rights reserved.

another link:
http://www.infomercialscams.com/scams/direct_buy_scams

[Knottscott]

Thanks all...it's worse than I even suspected!

[HarmsWay]

I went to a couple of sales pitches (even though they told me both times that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity). The first time it looked tempting but it seems too good to be true so we bailed. I did my homework for the second time a few years later by getting actual street prices of stuff that I would want to buy to compare with their catalogs. They had a few bargains but nothing like what they advertise.

Several things bug me about the concept:
- You're basically buying stuff sight unseen and they depend on you going to the brick and mortar stores to check stuff out (in spite of them saying specifically not to do that). So "go to the real store and waste all their time then buy from us". Maybe in the age of internet sales this shouldn't bug me but it does.
- Returns are more complicated. Count on restocking fees and delivery charges.
- Membership fees were staggering. I'm pretty sure they wanted close to $20k up front. I had assumed it was the same for everyone but obviously not. Interesting.

Bob

[MilDoc]

"If it sounds too good to be true ........"

[Uncle Cracker]

Once in a lifetime? Riiiight... Show up next week with $4000 and guess what... You get another lifetime! How great is that?

[footprintsinconc]

wow, i thought 1500 was way out of wack, but several thousand for a membership is stealing and you have to be stupid to buy that!

[Russianwolf]

Another thing i notice, was many were claiming that the products were 'top of the line', when i asked about the names of cabinet makers from someone who had purchased i was told Kraftmade. Okay, but not what I'd call top of the line.

[TheOne]

Interesting reading about various peoples experiences with Direct Buy. My wife signed us up several years ago. The cost then was less than two thousand. For us though it was a good deal as we were getting a new house built and we needed pretty much all new furnishings. After price comparing we did save several thousand and that included the cost of membership. Back then a membership was good for three years, then you had an annual cost after that if you wanted. I think it was a couple of hundred.

$4000 seems a little hard to swallow but if you are going to do some major purchases in the near future it may be a good option otherwise I also would not recommend it. After all we build our furniture now don't we?

[430752]

Also

Beyond the costs of membership, which you may or may not get back in savings, I thought the problem was that you had to buy what they could stock. So, sure, if you're furnishing a new house it might make sense financially and you'd recoup your money plus some, but what if you don't want to choose from the basic 3 or 6 or 12 sofas? Or the basic 10 tv carts, or etc. Yeah, basset furniture works sometimes, but dammed if I'm gonna stock my whole house with it and have the inside of my house look like every tom, dick, and harry in the land.

Just my opinion, but I guess that's why individuality costs more.

[JoeyGee]

The sales tactics sound an awful lot like a sales pitch LOML and I went to last year for a vaction club. The "buy it now or miss out" garbage is almost verbatim. Perhaps not coincidentally, they had a wholesale/direct purchase program as part of their membership that sounded A LOT like Direct Buy.

I think the membership started out around $4,000, but AMAZINGLY kept coming down the more I said no.