Don't make our mistake

Complaint

-1
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.

Comments

  • 0
    mikey
    JUST found this on the net

    Direct Buy may be filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy

    good news for  those that have not joined,  bad news for all the  ones that got scammed
  • 0
    Miss_K
    Is it true that you can't come back or is it a scam
  • 0
    birddog
    | 1 reply
    We just returned from Direct Buys "presentation."  The pressure is similar to that of a Time-share presentation----buy now or else.
    We are in our 70's and they wanted us to sign up and pay for 10 years!!
    I feel this entire concept is a scam much like any pyramid scheme out there.  I would suggest you save your money.
    • 0
      Lady Lake Lady replies to birddog
      I'm going for the free stuff. I know how to say NO. Done it many times to time share marketers and still got the free stuff. You just have to have the resolve.
  • 0
    JPack
    | 1 reply
    Everyone should beware of any company that wants to be called a legitimate business and behaves like Direct Buy does. What other company will bring you in for a high pressure sales attack, and then demand that before you leave the building, you make a several thousand dollar decision on whether or not to join? They then threaten you saying that if you don't join on that day, you are not welcome back.
    Who does business like that? I'll tell you who - SCAM ARTISTS. People with something to be afraid of.

    If any Direct Buy owner or employee cares to post a defense to this practice, I would love to hear it. What could be wrong with allowing people to go home and think about that several thousand dollar investment. Let them mull it over for a day, a week, a month. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
    • 0
      Lady Lake Lady replies to JPack
      It is the same method used by marketers everywhere. Not defending them.  You just have to know how to say NO with a smile and thanks for the free stuff!
  • 0
    cgy1998
    Once the weather warms up, anyone interested in picketing the Calgary, Alberta Store?
  • 0
    Jeff
    Apples to apples? You sound just like our salesman :)
  • 0
    Jeff
    Well, I'm glad we didn't fall for it. Another thing they don't let you know is about all the mfg incentives they get (and keep for themselves) from the manufacturer. I went to an open house with my girlfriend and parents. The salessman was nice enough, but had a mood change when I asked about pricing. Their Samsung 50" plasma is 58 dollars more than Sears sale price. Plus, with a budget of 20,000 for our new home, I wouldn't spend 25% of it on a membership.
  • 0
    Karen
    Has anyone been successful in getting out of the contract?  We signed 10 months ago but have not purchased anything.
  • 0
    Julie
    Tonight I just signed up for a visit to an open house.  I thought I would try to see if I could find some information before we went to the open house in two weeks.  I am shocked by the business practices of this company and really appreciate that people have taken the time to share this information.  We will not be attending the open house.  I will keep my $5000 and use more wisely.
  • 0
    Lisa
    We should get in on the class action suit! Its all a scam! Please let all of us know what we can do so we can stop them from taking advantage of anyone else!
  • 0
    former employee
    Ok, time to hopefully shine some light. I have mixed feelings about direct buy, here in db. East coast membership average $5000. West coast 7 to 10 thou. Depending on the size and length of time in operation most newly opened clubs need approx 50 memberships to break even. Every membership after is pocket money. TRIVEST recently bought db. And if I have my facts straight they own bank of america too. That's why you can walk into a BofA and they will practically hand you the keys if you tell them you want to open a db.

    Db was an honest company when jim gagan owned and operated it. You only heard of db when we called you or word of mouth. Now trivest has raped the market with happy go lucky ads and jacked up membership fees so that consumers are practically turned into unexpecting victims.

    If anything its just another ponzi scheme where they promise a high ROI but they the franchise operator and his wife/partner blow it on coke and the new mercedes suv.

    The reason why a lot of clubs have horrible service is because the only focus is on obtaining new members because of the astronomically high advertisment prices that trivest enforces. Some clubs put so much time and effort into dressing up the center that they forget a business plan or to train employees on protocol.

    But people get treated differently depending on what club you join. If you do join. Find a club that been in business for 10+ years. There's less chance of the club folding and taking your money. Plus, that owner has paid their dues and you probably can talk them down on the membership. But its ridiculous to pay that sum of money to buy this year's something out of a catalog and save twenty or so dollars when you can buy a recent model, brand new from the store and save a couple hundred all while taking it home take day. Because the time db gets the item in its 8 maybe 20 weeks later and you have to pay a third party to deliver it or you gotta go get it.

    Now adays if a female calls you to set a tour time, she's a fat [***] that thinks veggitables are for rabbits. Or that peppy young man telling you that you have been entered in a $50thou home makeover give away, its all because he's just peaked off his line of coke he did in his cubicle.

    Just if you decide to go in for a tour, just don't go in with anynice jewelry. Cause if you tell them your broke or don't have any money. The sales directors will go as far as asking you to go pawn your wife's wedding ring and your blackberry and come back to put $500 down on the membership.

    I honestly don't know anymore. Db good, db bad for people? Supposedly its up to them who becomes a member or not. That's why you have to come and attend a 90min tour. 80% is spent on your ass while the sales director is eyeballing what kind of car you came in, googleing you, learning about your jobs and children, curious about important it is to keep up with the Jones'. They act like a db membership will increase your size by 6inches gentlemen!

    [***] they are.

    Bottom line is... don't do business with db unless you are sure that you are signing up directly with the franchise owner and you are secretly voice recording the conversation. Cause they record the phone calls and a lot of the time the tours, all with out telling you.

    Their attitude is, "its a private club. Not only that, its my club. Screw you!"
  • 0
    former employee
    Ok, time to hopefully shine some light. I have mixed feelings about direct buy, here in db. East coast membership average $5000. West coast 7 to 10 thou. Depending on the size and length of time in operation most newly opened clubs need approx 50 memberships to break even. Every membership after is pocket money. TRIVEST recently bought db. And if I have my facts straight they own bank of america too. That's why you can walk into a BofA and they will practically hand you the keys if you tell them you want to open a db.

    Db was an honest company when jim gagan owned and operated it. You only heard of db when we called you or word of mouth. Now trivest has raped the market with happy go lucky ads and jacked up membership fees so that consumers are practically turned into unexpecting victims.

    If anything its just another ponzi scheme where they promise a high ROI but they the franchise operator and his wife/partner blow it on coke and the new mercedes suv.

    The reason why a lot of clubs have horrible service is because the only focus is on obtaining new members because of the astronomically high advertisment prices that trivest enforces. Some clubs put so much time and effort into dressing up the center that they forget a business plan or to train employees on protocol.

    But people get treated differently depending on what club you join. If you do join. Find a club that been in business for 10+ years. There's less chance of the club folding and taking your money. Plus, that owner has paid their dues and you probably can talk them down on the membership. But its ridiculous to pay that sum of money to buy this year's something out of a catalog and save twenty or so dollars when you can buy a recent model, brand new from the store and save a couple hundred all while taking it home take day. Because the time db gets the item in its 8 maybe 20 weeks later and you have to pay a third party to deliver it or you gotta go get it.

    Now adays if a female calls you to set a tour time, she's a fat [***] that thinks veggitables are for rabbits. Or that peppy young man telling you that you have been entered in a $50thou home makeover give away, its all because he's just peaked off his line of coke he did in his cubicle.

    Just if you decide to go in for a tour, just don't go in with anynice jewelry. Cause if you tell them your broke or don't have any money. The sales directors will go as far as asking you to go pawn your wife's wedding ring and your blackberry and come back to put $500 down on the membership.

    I honestly don't know anymore. Db good, db bad for people? Supposedly its up to them who becomes a member or not. That's why you have to come and attend a 90min tour. 80% is spent on your ass while the sales director is eyeballing what kind of car you came in, googleing you, learning about your jobs and children, curious about important it is to keep up with the Jones'. They act like a db membership will increase your size by 6inches gentlemen!

    [***] they are.

    Bottom line is... don't do business with db unless you are sure that you are signing up directly with the franchise owner and you are secretly voice recording the conversation. Cause they record the phone calls and a lot of the time the tours, all with out telling you.

    Their attitude is, "its a private club. Not only that, its my club. Screw you!"
  • 0
    BBB
    I think everyone's best bet would be to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  Direct Buy currently has a A+ rating.  How can that be with so many complaints?
  • 0
    Linean
    This was very helpful and confirmed the conclusion I had come to on my own.  Thanks for doing the research and posting this stuff.  I am doing a renovation and will be needing a lot of "stuff".  I made the appointment with Direct Buy and after doing some poking about and learning about the law suit DB brought against a web site critical of them - I tried to cancel.  Emphasis on on the "try".  There is no way to cancel an appointment on line and no way to do it by phone (representatives can choose to "share" their direct phone number with you).  Then the day before the appointment I got a phone call to confirm my visit.  The person I spoke with was very convincing and personable and had a reasonable answer to all my concerns (e.g. the lawsuit was brought against a disgruntled ex-franchise owner who lost his franchise for quality control issues and he unfairly defamed the corporation).  Bottom line?  It seemed clear to me that the modis operandi is to isolate the customer from any disenting opinion and to do everything with a veil of "special clubness" to it... only the smartest, cleverist buyers find their way to Direct Buy instead of shopping with the masses!  Hmmm, doesn't this sound familiar?  Think Bernie Madoff - and pretty much all confidence men.  Transparency is the foundation of successful business transactions - maybe the U.S. wouldn't be mired in a severe recession if the previous administration hadn't chosen to run the country like a giant Direct Buy.  See you at Sears!
  • 0
    Nap
    | 1 reply
    Yes, I joined Direct Buy in Southern Cal a year and a half ago, and I don't see any savings with this group. The cost of membership is way of the top compared to savings.

    Please pass on any information on the law suit, I would like to join also.
    • 0
      happycamper replies to Nap
      I have saved at least a few thousand dollars through directbuy. I dont know what all this complaining is all about. The only kind of people I see complaining here are the ones who didn't actually buy anything through them. All my furniture is through directbuy; I saved at least 40% on each piece and got quality stuff I would never be able to own otherwise.
  • 0
    MIKEY
    confront the manager in the parking lot with a few friends to  show that you are serious about getting your money back.

    post his and other db workers pictures on the net.

    if you see them in public,  confront them and imbarass them in front if their family.

    keep up the pressure
  • 0
    mikey
    WHAT really stinks about the db situation is that  most of the tv  stations get  ad $$ from db for the  ads, and thus  the "chicken shi(("  consumer reporters   won't do a story exposing the scam.

    you would think  20/20 or 60 minutes would  love to follow up on this.

    but then agin, most stations  late night have  infomercials for all kinds of  stuff that is a ripoff.

    like
    Kevin Trudeau , a marketer extraordinaire, with a more-than-checkered past. A twice-convicted felon, he served time in a Federal penitentiary, ...

    the stations know its crapola, and they keep  allowing the ads in favor of $$

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