Don't make our mistake
Complaint
Polly Globe
Country: United States
We attended their presentation and after some calculation decided to pay for the membership which was $4990. We wanted to update our kitchen and bathroom cabinets, as well as bedroom furniture. We put down about $1000, and the rest was financed through their lender Beta Finance.
A month later we started planning our purchases and realized we were about to pay more by buying through them than we would otherwise. What the don't tell you on their presentation is that while you save about 10% on furniture they add 8 % handling charge in addition to 7% tax, and that doesn't include shipping.
I am now trying to get our membership money back. Do not become a member! Buy from other stores.
A month later we started planning our purchases and realized we were about to pay more by buying through them than we would otherwise. What the don't tell you on their presentation is that while you save about 10% on furniture they add 8 % handling charge in addition to 7% tax, and that doesn't include shipping.
I am now trying to get our membership money back. Do not become a member! Buy from other stores.
Comments
Congratulations! I hope that check gets to you very soon. What a nightmare this has been for you. I am proud that you stuck with it and proved that DB was wrong. You give hope to others who are in the same situation and don't see a way out. Thanks so much for staying in touch and sharing your story. I hope you'll be able to keep on the site to give advice along with Trudy!
Sincerely,
General Counsel
I did not find any fax number or email address for beta finance, The name in the finance contract is DB however at the end of the contract it is written that the financing is from Beta, all I found is that it is a branch of DB. Any way I asked them in my letter to concel both document. The contract has changed they removed "no refunds...not sold on trial basis
I will inform you as soon as I have new info.
Thanks again
I am glad you are staying in touch,
You are doing everything right & you did the right thing to remind db that you want both the membership and the Beta contract cancelled.
What is strange is the fact that it appears that you were not offered the new db scam (unless you did not mention it)
Google: "directbuy offers new levels"
Were you offered this 30 day trial offer? (Let me know)
OR did they just high pressure you without the offer that apparantly began on August 26, 2009.
IF YOU DON'T GIVE YOU WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF THE CANCELATION IMMEDIATELY,
THEN I suggest a follow-up fax stating that they did not offer that to you.
IF they did offer it to you, they still did not allow you the opportunity to have the 30 days free,
EITHER way, they still definitely used undue pressure to not allow you time to think or to have it written in French.
Good Luck.
What the **** you talkin' bout
Let my try to clarify wut cha said,
I think it was "Blah Blah Blah & WAH WAH WAH!!!!!!!!!
DB defenders ALWAYS
THREATEN CUZ they don't got nuthin honest or factual to explain.
I'm so scared!!!!!!!!!!! Whatever!!!!
Then you said you were legal counsel -Which is it?
You add a last name to your blog & you threaten instead of explaining
Who cares about whether there are rebates or not because
A CRIMINAL IS A CRIMINAL AND THAT IS WHAT DB IS!!!
Thanks so much !
DB were calling me every day since May, I responded that I was not interested, they sent me an invitation I did not respond to it, they keep calling me and the error I made is to answer the phone one day, they told me that I am a semi-finalist in our 38k dollars home makeover, the sent me an other invitation and they wrotte that have to go to pick up my free gifts and . and that I have to try a key and if it fits the lock in the showroom I’ll win the make over. And they give me 2 of the 5 bonus gifts (a $20 gift certificate and vacation package) just for trying the key.
When I went in person to cancel the contract, I wanted to return the free gifts, they said that it is not related to the contract and that any way it is not possible to cancel.
Title Directbuy, the home improvement & furnishings club with...
This should be the form to apply for the trial
CITY Toronto
Where it says PROVINCE (SELECT ONE) Click on & select Ontario
leave the rest blank & print a copy & fax them to show proof that they conveniently forgot to offer you this & it violates
CPA of Ontario PART III
14. (2) 13. contract involves or does not involve rights
14. (2) 14. ...failing to state a material fact of the contract, in order to deceive
15. (2) (e)vague statements must be interpreted in favour of the consumer
(g)undue pressure is misleading
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This should be enough ammunition to make them give up the fight...
I found one ad that offers a free 30 day trial
Google: "directbuytv.ca"
If you were not offered this option, then I think that you should be able to use a printout of the ad, in your favour, in order to cancel any obligations. (no time to think & no offer of having any choices)
Although, It is unclear to me, as to exactly what the facts are,
What exactly did you sign?
What did you commit to, at the end of the month?
I feel strongly that you have been mislead, because you describe
they will 'RUN YOUR CARD' at the end of the month,(this implies that they are going to charge your card, & it seems that you don't know how much)
But, it appears that you have been led to believe that you have "no obligation, until after year 3."
From my experience, I would never trust this kind of contract that appears to have a lot of info missing.
I will do my best to help you, if you can explain what the contract says
Whatever the case, I always suggest registered mail to owner, IMMEDIATELY
Explain that you do not intend to pursue the contract, & you were under undue pressure to sign... Ask for written confirmation of your cancellation... Good Luck...
Texas Deceptive Trade Practices - Consumer Protection Act
Any questions, please ask.
Club # 398
Owner: DirectBuy, Inc.
DBA DirectBuy of Sunnyvale
610 East Highway 80
Sunnyvale, TX 75182
972-203-8881
Financial Summary:
Cash price-3 year membership $5262.00
Sales Tax $ 0.00
Total $5262.00
Membership Downpayment $5262.00
Balance due $ 0.00
Corporate support center use only
Membership number : (Left blank)
Amount due : (Left blank)
Date of signing agreement : 10/20/2009
Signed by my wife, myself and Ron (the agent we met with)
We have the 30 day free trial we were sent in the mail. The sales guy Ron quickly wrote that off and proceeded to tell us he would be saving us more than $300 to go full on with the $5262 as that plan is regularly $6400. We also have signed by all 3 of us NEW MEMBER CONFIRMATION OF UNDERSTANDING, which states :
5. I/We understand privileges of membership begin immediately and I/we may purchase as much as I/we want, so long as purchases are within the stated rules of membership. I/we understand membership in DirectBuy is not granted on a trial basis, not based on usage, is non-cancelable and that there is no refund of dues.
We cannot use our membership, because it has not been assigned any membership info. No account numbers, passwords or anything. This document is dated 9-12-2009 and signed by my wife, myself and Ron, the agent.
Lastly, we have the CC swipe dated 10-20-09
Description : Pending
Sub total : 5262.00
Tax : 0.00
Total : 5262.00
The business name on it is UCC total home of Sunnyvale
My wife signed this swipe.
I will inform all of you
Thanks for you help
If you have not scanned through the letters, we are gradully getting more successes since Roger (in California) & myself (Ontario, Canada), started on this site 5 months ago.
Our newest success is Chantal in B.C. who got her money back after joining more than a year ago.
What is just as important as the refund, is the fact that we keep encouraging people not to give up their hope.
So you already have a great advantage because you have already found the power to "follow up" "until you get your money back"
That is the kind of determination that keeps me motivated to keep trying to help those who are scammed.
Thank you for your post on the blog. Tried to find your letters, would you kindly forward these again or reply with a link to find these...? Thank you, I am looking FW to sending them a registered letter as per your instructions.
I want to get unstuck, fortunately did not buy anything but want to tie loose ends!
Thank so much for your posting, it was a relief to hear it is possible to undue such a huge mistake!!
Thanks and look forward to your reply!
Pat2009
I am in Illinois and joined in July of this year. Was not offered any trial memberships. Was told if we didnt join right then we could never return. My husband lost his job. We have not made a payment yet to Beta. Just the $790 check we wrote to DB that day. What can I do? We called DB and they said we had to call Beta to see if they would release us which is funny because we called Beta first and they said call DB. I felt the people in the showroom were very manipulative and completly brainwashed into the right thing to tell us to get us to join. I am so discusted.....
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Last Update: 8:11 AM PT
Class Says DirectBuy Has Hidden Markups
By JOE HARRIS
CLAYTON, Mo. (CN) - DirectBuy lures consumers to buy memberships with false promises of savings of 40 to 50 percent, a class action claims in St. Louis County Court.
Named plaintiffs Tammy and Jerry Randall say DirectBuy claims members can save 40 to 50 percent off retail price, but charges handling fees and freight charges, which are actually disguised retail markups.
The class seeks damages for deceptive trade and an injunction. It is represented by David Marcus with Graves, Bartle & Marcus of Kansas City, Mo.