Do the "free" promotional gifts even exist?
Complaint
KnowBetterNextTime
Country: United States
My boyfriend and I attended a Direct Buy tour a few days ago in Coppell, Texas. Previously the two days prior, I had spent close to 2 hours on the phone with representatives and employees trying to iron out the details of this out-of-the-blue promotional visit I had strangely been selected to receive (not even sure how they got my number). I was promised that it would take 45-50 minutes, that I needed to fill out certain information to qualify, and that I did not need to purchase anything to receive my free gifts, which was a 7" Android tablet and a "free" 3 day, 2 night hotel stay at one of 40+ destinations.
Well first of all it took us almost 2 hours to drive there, and we had a plane to catch later that day so we had cleared our schedule to just leave earlier and hit up the appointment on our way. We got lost on the way there but one of the workers had been nice enough to give me her cell number to help us find it since they admittedly knew it was tricky to find. Finally got there and filled out the paperwork, then went on a "tour" with a sales rep that was rather more like 10 minutes of showroom time and an hour and a half of sit time while he showed us different price comparisons and tried to wow us with what a great deal becoming a DB member was. Once we saw the membership prices though (wow!) we talked it over and decided against it since it will be a good 2-3 years before we even think about buying or building a new house. I asked BEFORE we declined the offer whether the free gifts were contingent on whether or not we became members. I was ASSURED that it was a free gift regardless, just for showing up to the open house. I can't remember whether it was then or after we told him we were going to decline, that he said "...UNLESS you're here for the Android tablet. We ran out of those yesterday. We were supposed to get a shipment today but they didn't come." Uhhh. Ok. The sales rep, who had spent 2 hours being very friendly and encouraging us to sign up, got up and walked off without even shaking our hands after we told him we were declining. So rude.
We went up to the front desk and the receptionist gave us the voucher for our "free" hotel package...which goes through a third party and you have to pay a $20 processing fee to activate the voucher, plus the package doesn't include tax or extra fees on the hotel. Seriously? So not only was it not a free gift, they supposedly didn't have the tablet either. I live 1.5 hours away from this store so I asked if they could mail it. She said they usually dont but since I live so far away she took my name and address and told me they probably could, and that they should arrive on Monday and they would give me a call. I said, "I really hope so because that's really the only reason I came." Which was the absolute truth. I said thank you and turned away to leave after that, but my boyfriend was still facing the woman and said that she had rolled her eyes and said "Well....?!" under her breath after my last comment.
I called them today (Monday) and what do you know, they are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. My boyfriend and I are both wondering if the "free" tablet gift exists at all? Right after the sales rep walked away from us claiming to need to assist another customer (none in sight), he had gone up to the front desk and spoken to the receptionist for a few seconds before we arrived there ourselves. Makes me suspicious that maybe he whispered to her, "They declined! I told them no more tablets!"
Regardless, after reading all these awful reviews I have to agree. I'm not necessarily saying it's a horrible store, but you have to really need the services of Direct Buy for a LOT of household things for the $4000+ membership fee alone to be worth it, not counting the extras they tack on without telling you up front. It's the hidden rip-offs and dishonesty that ticks me off. You can be assured I am going to be dogging them to make sure I get my promised Android tablet, but did anyone else experience this sudden disappearance of "gifts"? To my knowledge, other than the vacation package and drawing for a home makeover, this was the only gift offered.
Well first of all it took us almost 2 hours to drive there, and we had a plane to catch later that day so we had cleared our schedule to just leave earlier and hit up the appointment on our way. We got lost on the way there but one of the workers had been nice enough to give me her cell number to help us find it since they admittedly knew it was tricky to find. Finally got there and filled out the paperwork, then went on a "tour" with a sales rep that was rather more like 10 minutes of showroom time and an hour and a half of sit time while he showed us different price comparisons and tried to wow us with what a great deal becoming a DB member was. Once we saw the membership prices though (wow!) we talked it over and decided against it since it will be a good 2-3 years before we even think about buying or building a new house. I asked BEFORE we declined the offer whether the free gifts were contingent on whether or not we became members. I was ASSURED that it was a free gift regardless, just for showing up to the open house. I can't remember whether it was then or after we told him we were going to decline, that he said "...UNLESS you're here for the Android tablet. We ran out of those yesterday. We were supposed to get a shipment today but they didn't come." Uhhh. Ok. The sales rep, who had spent 2 hours being very friendly and encouraging us to sign up, got up and walked off without even shaking our hands after we told him we were declining. So rude.
We went up to the front desk and the receptionist gave us the voucher for our "free" hotel package...which goes through a third party and you have to pay a $20 processing fee to activate the voucher, plus the package doesn't include tax or extra fees on the hotel. Seriously? So not only was it not a free gift, they supposedly didn't have the tablet either. I live 1.5 hours away from this store so I asked if they could mail it. She said they usually dont but since I live so far away she took my name and address and told me they probably could, and that they should arrive on Monday and they would give me a call. I said, "I really hope so because that's really the only reason I came." Which was the absolute truth. I said thank you and turned away to leave after that, but my boyfriend was still facing the woman and said that she had rolled her eyes and said "Well....?!" under her breath after my last comment.
I called them today (Monday) and what do you know, they are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. My boyfriend and I are both wondering if the "free" tablet gift exists at all? Right after the sales rep walked away from us claiming to need to assist another customer (none in sight), he had gone up to the front desk and spoken to the receptionist for a few seconds before we arrived there ourselves. Makes me suspicious that maybe he whispered to her, "They declined! I told them no more tablets!"
Regardless, after reading all these awful reviews I have to agree. I'm not necessarily saying it's a horrible store, but you have to really need the services of Direct Buy for a LOT of household things for the $4000+ membership fee alone to be worth it, not counting the extras they tack on without telling you up front. It's the hidden rip-offs and dishonesty that ticks me off. You can be assured I am going to be dogging them to make sure I get my promised Android tablet, but did anyone else experience this sudden disappearance of "gifts"? To my knowledge, other than the vacation package and drawing for a home makeover, this was the only gift offered.
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