Those Directbuy ads on DU - those stores are not what they seem!!!

[Initech]

Ok so I attended one of their sales presentations last year. After you arrive they make you sign a waiver saying you will not come back to their "store". And for good reason.

So after that, they take you back to a flashy home theater setup where they begin a series of initiation procedures eerily reminiscent of the Movementarians episode of The Simpsons. The first thing they do is show you a 90 minute video filled with marketing-created catch phrases where all they do is talk about how much retail sucks and how awesome their non-stores are (even though it's a store and you go in one expecting to buy a product). Then they wear down your resistence by feeding you a bunch of snacks to take your minds off of what you're getting into. Which is basically surrendering your will and all of your money to them. The salesman then will not let you leave and really tries to lock you into their initiation fee and will talk you down if you're not interested.

The initiation fee? $6000. $2000 annual renewal.

They also show you their catalogues and the prices aren't really that much of a difference. You think you're coming out ahead but you're not.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

1. They are what they seem.

A big giant rip-off.

[Nikki Stone1]

3. Silly response. If they "seemed" like rip-offs, no one would be tempted.

Lots of people get caught up in this crap.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

8. Silly response.

Just because lots of people got caught up in this crap, that doesn't mean it didn't SEEM to be a rip-off.

[Nikki Stone1]

20. SIlly response. People get caught up in crap because it looks good on the outside.

You insist on being silly, so this is my last response to you, regardless of what inane thing you say.

:D :D :D :D :D

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. I think Nikki Stone1 is a wonderful person and great DUer.

:)

[Nikki Stone1]

2. Thanks for this!

K & R

[tosh]

4. Interesting. Sounds a lot like what I've heard about those

timeshare sales pitches.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Did they get you?

[Initech]

7. Thankfully no. I don't have $6k to spend on something like that.

[Fire1]

5. Wow! They've really gone up!! My annual fee is only 90 bucks!

And 3k on the outset. I have rental property, so it has saved me, big time. I don't see alot of difference in appliances but garage doors, furniture and carpeting have huge discounts.

edit: My husband just told me the original fee for us was 3k and even then, we thought that was kinda high!

[Kingofalldems]

6. Is that the one where the lady says--" I purchased a coffee maker,

food processor etc. And the savings was significant...." ?

[Initech]

9. That's the one.

[donco6]

10. I fell for it once - lot less than $6000, but it was a lot for me.

And then a few months later they closed.

You really take a risk with paying upfront for anything.

[we can do it]

11. Just Like Those BS Warehouse Stores - $50 a Year Membership

save 35 cents on 70 pounds of peanuts or 5 pairs of the same pants

[Initech]

18. Huge difference between Costco and these guys.

Costco is available to everyone, these guys are available only to upper-lower-middle class types with tons of money to blow on unnecessary household improvements.

[Nikki Stone1]

21. How much money does the "upper-lower-middle class" make?

Just trying to get this pegged.

[Statistical]

22. You sir are an idiot.

Comparing a $6K scam to a $50 Costco membership where prices are substantially lower on everyday products is just silly.

[ret5hd]

12. What's the deal with the waiver???

just curious.

[Ruby the Liberal]

13. I don't get the waiver part?

What good does it to them if you never return?

[jtrockville]

16. Maybe you're supposed to buy from the catalog only?

Otherwise they'd have a store full of angry people and they'd never get anyone else to take the bait?

[chalky]

17. The waiver's to scare you into thinking that if you don't sign up right then

and there, you'll NEVER HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AGAIN!!! (oh, noes!!!)
I'll confess that I got sucked into the Direct Buy thing way back when. It only cost me $200.00 at the time. I did see some savings on furniture (local stores had a bedroom suite for twice the amount in the catalogue). But, come on, how many bedroom suites can one person purchase?

[Initech]

19. I couldn't figure that part out either.

[Xithras]

25. It's part of their high pressure sales tactics.

Signup TODAY or you can never come back!

It's a lie, of course. Both of the people I know who took out DirectBuy memberships left without purchasing that day, and ended up coming back later. The "waiver" never even came up on the second visit.

[aquart]

14. It is, however, useful if you're doing major renovations.

My sister had to gut her kitchen and bathroom because of black mold. She did save substantially using DirectBuy. And yes, she did price everything elsewhere as well.

[Booster]

15. There's a website (probably more than one) called

Ripoffreport.com and I advise everyone to get familiar with these types of sites. DirectBuy has quite a few complaints on the site. You have to read through them in order to figure out if the complaint is legit or just somebody pissed, but I do recommend the site.

[Xithras]

24. DirectBuy is worthwhile IF...

And this is a HUGE IF....

If you are planning on dropping some huge dollars on major purchases over a relatively short period of time. AND IF you verify that DirectBuy has access to the brand you already want. AND IF you have plenty of time for the purchase/order/replacement process.

I know two people who used DirectBuy for high dollar home renovation ($100k+ budgets) and saved a HUGE amount of money. For them, it was worth it. They were able to put their orders in many months ahead of time, they received huge discounts, and the $6,000 expense was more than eclipsed by their savings (one saved about $25,000, and the other nearly $60k). Neither renewed their membership after that first year either...there was no point.

But for Joe Average just looking to renovate a room or two? Not even close to worthwhile. You need to buy at least $50,000 worth of merchandise just to break even with the signup fees.

[Bozita]

26. I got 349,000 hits when googling: directbuy complaints

Everybody thinking of a DirectBuy membership should do the same.