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5/13/2007 - Liam writes:
i recently joined direct buy. i am a home remodeler and figured if anyone could benefit from a pace like this it would be me. after all i own 5 homes, and am constantly buying and selling. i had direct depot design a beautiful kitchen for me and the retail price for a 15\'x15\' kitchen came to just $80,000 for painted maple cabinets. w/o installation counter tops appliances, flooring etc,etc,. but with my direct buy discount it came to only about 25k imagine all that money saved. only problem is that simular cabinets @[] cost about 12k good thing i joined direct buy.thats a savings of about -13k plus the 6k i paid to joing looking foreward to lots more simular saveings

5/4/2007 - Adam writes:
While I don't agree with Direct Buy's high pressure sales tactics, I have saved about $20,000 thus far. My wife and I joined about 6 months ago because we are fixing up our house. We typically buy high end products and can save 30-40% through Direct Buy. You will not see these types of savings on electronics and low-to-medium grade products. I would advise going to the sales presentation armed with information on specific products you intend to buy (make, model, and best price you can find). If you can save more than the $5,000 membership it makes sense to join.

5/1/2007 - Zach writes:
I joined in 2005 while finishing a basement, the membership was $3650. I agree that the \"buy now or you can\'t buy for another 7 years\" sales pitch is cheesy. DirectBuy is not for everybody, however I saved over $8K completing and furnishing my basement. The DirectBuy price for our carpet was $1200 less than my contractor could get. He is a friend of mine and he wasn\'t marking up his contractor price. The bottom line is this: if you are satisfied with IKEA quality you don\'t need a DirectBuy membership. Some items such as electronics and appliances have low margins and you won\'t save money. DirectBuy shouldn\'t indicate you will save money on these items. High end building material and furniture has an extremely high mark up and you can save a lot of money with DirectBuy. Go to a Drexel Heritage store and price out a bedroom set, even the sale price will shock you. The customer service isn\'t always great at DirectBuy and we did have to wait 90 days for our bedroom set. We love the furnishings and friends compliment us all the time. I do think it irresponsible to sell memberships on contract at 17% interest. We paid cash and I don\'t remember an option to finance. If a member\'s need to finance should indicate they won\'t be in a position to take advantage of the potential savings. My suggestion to DirectBuy: don\'t pay a big sales commission to your sales reps, lower your membership fee, stress honesty and give people a chance to think about the purchase. They would sell more memberships and have less complaints.

4/30/2007 - Dean writes:
Hello All, We have been members in Edmonton Alberta for about a year and a half. Inreading most of the complaints, I see where some could think it a scam. I can assure you that there are no "set-up" people, posing as customers. We have been in the showroom about 25 times, and we always see new prospective clients looking around. I have asked a few if they had any questions. We have saved Thousands!! We saved about $7500 on our first purchase, which was cabinets. Yes, we have had a couple of things that showed up with a scratch, or not exactly what we thought it was, but Directbuy has made it right Every Time, and quickly! I recently ordered an exercise bike, and found out after about 4 weeks that it had been discontinued. They asked if I wanted to order something else or have the money refunded. I recieved a cheque for the full amount about 5 days later. We have used there service about 20-25 times, and we are 100% satisfied, and have recomended them to friends! dean

4/29/2007 - Gary writes:
This is not a complaint nor a advertisement for directbuy but I feel it will not be read in the defense section. This is my unbiased opinion and advice. 1) I am happy with Directbuy. Not everyone will be happy. 3) If you like the quality of Ikea, you will not likely find much cheaper stuff than Ikea. So DirectBuy is not for you. 4) Could you potentially save alot? Yes. I have gotten my membership back in savings and I am in still saving comparing to the best retail sale prices. Savings will depend on what you purchase see number 3. Buying better gives more savings. Ex. The cost do the manufacturer between a double mattress and a king size mattress is virtually the same however retailers will charge at a lot more for the King compare to the double. Therefore less savings for a double and more savings for a king size. 5) You need to make a few big purchases before you can recoupe the membership fee. So my advice to you to determine whether or not DirectBuy is for you is to find the best retail prices including best sale prices of a few of your future major purchases before you go to one of DirectBuy's seminars and check out the price you'll pay for them there and see if you can recoup your membership fee. If so then it's a pretty easy decision to join or not. This is why they don't let you go in again for the seminar if you don't join or else you can keep going in to see the costs and use it against the retailer for bargaining advantages. This is the "so called pressure to join" people were complaining about. The people who "got scammed" were not prepared or wanted the cheapest "sofa" they can find and not the best price of a specific sofa. Remember the markups on cheap items are small. So the low end fridge will not be a big difference since they only have very small markups. I hope this helps everyone decide and was more informative than an advertisement or complaint.

4/25/2007 - Sherry writes:
We joined Direct Buy about a year ago. We were starting a new home and pricing a lot of items. I saw the infomercial and called them. We went sat through the talk and the video. The reps. were very kind, served us donuts, coffee, coke and such. We did feel that our rep. was a little high pressured but we nipped that right away. He did allow us a lot of time alone to talk about it. He did answer our questions or found someone that could. We were scepticial but did join after spending about five hours there contemplating the decision. We are very happy and I can tell you in the building process we have saved a bundle of money. We drive two hours to the closest show room and even taking that into consideration it is well worth our time and money. The only time that I can see that we would not save money is on items of lesser quality. I just bought a new living room suit. I did buy it locally because of a time issue (I didn't have time to order furniture I needed it that day). I ended up with fake leather at a bigger cost (even with the sales price), than the real thing would have cost me through Direct. We did pay the membership of over $4000.00 (ouch!). However we saved that back on one item that we bought and we had done a lot of pricing. I use this to buy a better quality item than I could normally get. I do like the fact of so many retailers that we would not have access to without driving across the USA. Also access to the full line of products for the retailer rather than the few that our local stores carry. Our showroom is always full of members. These people are turning in orders just like I do. We have not been in there one time (even in the evenings) and seen an empty showroom. The past few time we could not find parking. Bottom line is, this is saving us a lot of money. Our reps welcome us calling them and placing orders over the phone. They have become like family to us and have taken time to get to know us and our minor children. Good job Tuls office. OKC City has a good show room also. Our experience has been good with both Oklahoma showrooms.

4/15/2007 - April writes:
I have got to say, we have been a member since 2001. We love Direct buy.. This is our 3rd new home in 9 years and we have furnished it well.. We have friends and family over and they want to know where we bought our furniture. I simply tell them Direct Buy. We furnished 3 bedrooms for the price of 2 at a local retail store that had the same furniture made by the same manufacture. Our bar is amazing with the bar stools and the pub table and stools.. they all go together. Black jack table, pool table.. The amount of money I saved by not going to a retail store that sells the same product is in the 10's of 1000's. Im sorry but I am not asked to be a stand in while a meeting is going on.. I am there purchasing items for our new home. I just love the staff and they know me by name when I come in even though it might be a few months.. When we signed up we didn't even listen to what they had to say. We were like "Where do we sign".. We knew the concept and wanted in.. Thank you Direct Buy..

4/14/2007 - Christine writes:
I have been a member since 2003 and believe that Direct Buy is truly a valuable investment. I have been able to furnish my house with quality that I could have never afforded without the membership. The furniture is high-end and not the particle board stuff I was buying before. I am in the process of remodelig a kitchen and have saved approximately $20k in materials just for this project. I did not have to cut corners or leave out the "niceties" I wanted like glass front on the cabinet doors, crown molding, decorative trim, silstone countertop, etc. I am still paying less than my neighbor did for a kitchen done by a local kitchen distributor-- and their kitchen cabinets are low-end and they couldn't afford to finish it nicely. I am replacing windows and doors all at significant savings over the local big box store and getting better materials at the same time. The savings at DB are not always there for every item. But if you own a home and plan to upgrade or buy furnishings a couple of major purchases will save you the membership fee.

3/29/2007 - Joe writes:
Unbelievable! For those of you who dont join welcome to retail hell. I joined over 6 years ago and built my home literally through DirectBuy and save in excess of $70,000. I have the wood floors I always wanted but thought it wasn't possible, the ceramic tile floors, the carpet, the lighting fixtures, upper end plumbing fixtures and all the upper end furniture we always dreamed about. Our family has benefited greatly because of them, unfortunately for those of you who dont join - you get to give your money away to the retailers who make 40-50% profit on you! I know this to be fact - i was a buyer for two major retailers and my bonuses each and every year for 15 yrs in a row were $100,000 because of the profit i brought into the company. That was just my bonus! Keep giving away your money to the retailers and all us members will continue to laugh at you. Those who cant make their decision that day, you just have an inability to make a decision. However, you have no porblem going out and dropping 20-30k on a car the sameday - no pressure there from the salesman - ask yourself how much money is that car gonna make you? DirectBuy is awesome!

3/28/2007 - Droz writes:
Sad! People are duped into joining! That is funny! If you don't want to join, then don't join! DirectBuy has been around for over 35 years and they estimate that because of their average monthly growth, DirectBuy will be bigger than [] in just a few short years! But to you it is such a scam! Hell of a scam. So much of a scam that DirectBuy is laughing all the way to the bank and opening at least 4 new franchises a month along the way!

3/25/2007 - John writes:
Go to [].com I have been part of Directbuy for over 3 years and feel that, well, everyone has an opinion. Seeing is proof of savings. Hard sell? Go back to the stores see if they care if you walk out after a sale. Try and get the sale price after the sale is gone. Its an offer. A offer to buy like stores do. dont believe it? Well, just keep telling yourself the stores dont make that much off you, and maybe you will beilive it. Think about it. 750 companies do business with DirectBuy. Hundreds and Hundreds thousands of members. 35 years. 132 locations. Ever meet 100 people, how bout 10 people. Did you like em all? Can you say everyone likes you? Some DirectBuys care more than others. They are all individually owned. People. They are honest, more than the stores. They are as open as anyone you will ever meet. At least they show you costs on everything, including how much memberships cost. The 750 cost books, well they are real...they aren't all going to save you 50%, so get real. Costs from manufactuer to manufactuer differ. They are like people-some give larger margins than others. So keep an open mind, and just maybe you will see they do care.

3/22/2007 - Micki writes:
DirectBuy offers you the choice of becoming a member at their open houses because of the manufacturers request. The same manufacturers whom you pay for in the retail stores! People abuse the priviledge of knowing insider pricing. They run out to stores such as [] and demand that they match pricing! So why is it DirectBuy's fault if this is their partner's request? You do have the option of being invited in after a period of 5-7 years. So whats the fuss? You either have the time and money to invest or you don't. Why put a company down? They are a franchise so when you have a bad experience at one center it is because of the center's owners and management. Don't hold it against the company as a whole!! That just isn't fair. You wouldn't like being judged becuase of how your brother, sister, aunt, uncle, nephew, or neice carries themselves right? There is no "persuasion tactics". If you are in the market for middle to high end quality merchandise and you plan on spending $5000 or more over the next few years than give them a try!! DirectBuy has almost everything you would need to build a house from the ground up AND furnish it inside and out!! I know that I plan on purchasing a membership within the next year. I am young and so a lifetime membership will be beneficial. I've seen the value of homes double thanks to the ability to buy direct!! What contractor helps you accomplish this?? Thank you for your time!!

3/17/2007 - Donna writes:
When I was first offered a job at Direct Buy (in Calif), I almost didn\\\'t accept it. I looked on line at the complaints and decided there was no way I could work for a company that was a rip-off. I then found this site and read all the wonderful things people have to say about Direct Buy. And then I looked at sites with consumer complaints about other business...you name the business and they have complaints on-line. I\\\'m so glad I found this site. I love my job, the owners are incredibly caring about the members and the employees. We get new members all the time that join because they\\\'ve heard such great things about us from friends or family. And sadly, we get people who won\\\'t even check us out because of the on-line complaints. There may be some not so great Direct Buy owners out there that deserve the negative comments, but you can\\\'t judge evey location by the mismanagement of a few.

3/15/2007 - Stephanie writes:
I've been a member of Direct Buy since 2000 and have worked with 2 centers, one in Fairfax, VA and one in Ft Myers, FL.. I have been very pleased with my membership. My first piece of furniture saved me over $2000, more than 1/2 of the cost of my membership. Since then,I have bought all of my top of the line custom made furniture from them and all of my accessories (including candles.) I price shop all of the time and I know I've saved over $10,000 on top of my membership fee. The furniture they carry is the same that is carried at our highest end furniture stores. I recently moved to Florida and sold my condo and moved to a new one. The buyer loved my furniture so much that I sold everything to him and went back to Direct Buy and reordered the same items. Everything came in as promised. On top of that, I usually get some type of a refund on my shipping charges because they come in lower that estimated. I am shocked to read so many complaints. I love my membership and now with their new updated web site, shopping is easier than ever. Talk to someone who has been a Direct Buy customer for over 5 years and who has ordered as many items such as I have if you want the real truth.

3/13/2007 - Diana writes:
DirectBuy employs thousands of hard-working, honest, respectable people who enjoy their work because they actually HELP people save money every day! There is hardsly any turnover at DirectBuy. In any company, there will always be someone with a bad experience here and there, but for most members DirectBuy has been great! Notice that most of the complains are not even from members of DirectBuy!

3/7/2007 - Kevin writes:
My wife and I have been members of DirectBuy / UCC since 1991. We were both apprehensive when we made our appointment and got the hard sales pitch, but knew a member who told us good things about it so we took the leap. We made our first purchase after visiting several stores, and to our delight the curio cabinet we wanted was roughly half of what it was on sale for at two local stores. We had similar savings on our next several purchases and in the 16 years we have belonged we have easily saved over $30,000. No bull. Every item we buy we investigate thoroughly at retailers and online before buying at DirectBuy. Not everything is a significant savings, and some things were the same price or only slightly cheaper, but I'd say 95% of the things we have researched at store retailers and on-line retailers have been significantly cheaper (40% or more) at DirectBuy. In spring of 2006 we bought a Sony LCD HDTV, which we paid $2800 for including all fees, taxes, and delivery charges. The exact same unit was $3499 at [] and [] City and a couple of months later was on sale at [] for $3199 before taxes. A wall entertainment unit we bought at DirectBuy few years ago for $3300 for everything was on sale at a local retailer for $5500. I am currently in the process of finishing my basement and am researching prices on flooring, cabinetry, home theater, bar, sink, bathroom fixtures, etc. I haven't purchased anything yet but in comparing prices to exactly the same items at [], [], on-line retailers and other local stores I expect to save several thousand dollars by buying at DirectBuy. If you have significant purchases ahead, especially if you are moving into a new home and have a lot of furniture and other expensive items to buy, you'll easily save the membership fee several times over.

3/7/2007 - Rosanne writes:
We are members of Direct Buy in Canada and our experience has been very positive. It may be that one aspect is that US products are typically more expensive in Canada and so the savings are more apparent. However, in renovating our basement to make a room and a second bathroom for our two daughters, we were able to get tiles that were in a local store for $10/each for $3 each, lighting fixtures and bathroom fixtures were significantly cheaper and furnishings at savings (and for individuals who say they can get it cheaper online, I compared online through the company website and the on line price was still significantly higher than Direct Buy and also had additional S & H). we have purchased bamboo flooring of beautiful quality for $3 less a square foot than anywhere else. As well, the staff are friendly, helpful and have been very considerate. We live a distance out of town in a rural region and when it has been difficult for us to quickly get to the city to get our order, they have held it without storage charge. I am sorry to hear that others are having negative experiences as ours has been very positive. Further, as we live in a rural area, the selction offered, even though in catalogues, is much better than we could hope to get in our home community AND we do not have to drive from store to store to pick it. Just to note-savings are important to us as we have 6 children we are caring for. Rosanne

3/5/2007 - Kevin writes:
I am sorry for those who id not listen to the TV ads. "If you are buying or remodeling your home, you can save." I have been a member for two years and I plan to stay a member until our house is completed. We bought a new home and sold over 70% of our old furniture with the house. Yes, you have to pay for everything up front and wait 4-6 weeks for your merchandise. We used Direct Buy to furnish 5 rooms and saved around $10000. Local Direct Buy stores also work with local businesses as well. We saved 10% on a $50,000 pool from a local builder which covered the membership fee. We laugh at our neighbors who paid more for less of a swimming pool. If you are looking for just a few items, Direct Buy is not for you. If you recently purchased a new home and need to furnish it, check into it.

2/26/2007 - Kyle writes:
I feel really bad for those of you who have had unfortunate experiences with DirectBuy. My experience has been the complete opposite. I joined about 2 years ago with my wife and we enjoyed the great savings as we used our membership to build our home. We purchased everything including fans, light fixt, plumbing fixt, our tub, garage doors, our appliances. Overall a great experience and we saved upwards of $15,000. The membership definitely paid for itself, and we continue to use our membership while avoiding retail prices. We just love it!! Sorry for everyone's experience

2/22/2007 - Lindsay writes:
My husband and I became members of UCC, now DirectBuy in 2002, shortly after purchasing our first home. We paid $3000 Cnd for our membership, and $200/yr after the first two years. We did find the sales pitch cheesy and quite pushy, particularly since we were only given a few minutes to make the decision, but we have not regretted it since. We have purchased all new appliances, over 10 windows, a digital camera, and many childrens' items, saving enough money to cover the cost of membership. We didn't expect to buy everything we would ever need from them, and always shop around first. People have to understand that DirectBuy deals with mostly very high-end manufacturers, and that the cheapest item they carry is probably going to be more expensive than a lot of stores, but you're looking at the name and the quality of the item. We have never had a problem with items being late; in fact we are always told that the item will take 4-6 weeks to come in, and I don't think we've ever had to wait more than 2 weeks. The only issue that we had originally was that the salespeople did not seem the least bit interested in helping us out once we had purchased the membership. In fact the former owner of the franchise that we attend once told us when we asked for help that they "have to concentrate on the people who have not yet purchased memberships". Since UCC became DirectBuy we have found the salespeople much more helpful and several have gone out of their ways to help us look for items. A lot of people with complaints were not aware of the full situation when they purchased, which is understandable considering the high pressure sales tactics, but I can assure you that if you leave without buying a membership they're certainly not going to say no if you ask to join after you've thought about it. No business is stupid enough to turn down money and potential customers. The people complaining should have taken advantage of what DirectBuy had to offer, rather than waste the money they spent on a membership.

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