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8/18/2008 - nicaury writes:
my husband purchased the membership without me. I try to cancel the membership it was impossible. According to them you can not use it for business but I told them from the start it was for my rental apartment and other property I will be buying to sell. they told me it was ok. my husband told me let's just try it since we can not cancel it. we did total nighmare customer service horriable, shipment late, One never arrived, and it has been one year since one item never arrived, I never got my money back. They told my husband it was to be a 10 year membership. lie-it was 3 years membership. I went to 2 different direct buy. it must be a requirement to be nasty to the customers. who cares we already have your money! please stay away from them it is not worth the so claim savings.

8/18/2008 - E.Q writes:
My sister in law had signed up for the open house event at the DB on Queens Blvd, NY. So my husband and I decided to go with her and her husband just to see if we can get in without a pass. We get to the reception and they don't say anything but they let us in. We were met by a sales person, who also claimed to be one of the owners of DB at this location. That is the first thing that he messed up on. Needless to say, he kind of coerced people in our group to laugh at his not-so-funny jokes. In addition, he made comments about a family who could not stay for the length of the presentation due to lack of time and decided to leave. He said that, wow, that family was very annoying. I have yet to meet a sales person and especially a co-owner make negative comments about potential customers to a group of potential customers. Also, after he explained the membership costs, which was very confusing and not straightforward for some people in the room, an elderly lady asked him about the bottom line of the membership cost. He rudely answered Well, I don't have time to answer you that and he left the room. At that point, I had enough of this guy but I decided to stick to the end because I wanted to tell him a few things. So we sit down at the table with him and he said So we'll get the contract and we'll start the process for your membership. I said, well, just so you know, during your rushed presentation and your rude comments here and there, you have failed to convince me to join DB. First, there is no way you are a co-owner, your presentation skills are horrible and I don't trust you. I know when people lie to me I have been trained professionally to detect lies so this guy fit the perfect profile of a scammer. So going back and forth, asking him questions about his suppliers etc. he was not giving me a straight answer. At the end, I said, that I will not join for the many reasons that I stated and I have to do more research before I invest $6200 (for the first 10 years if you paid upfront) into the unknown and what seems to be a scam! He said that well, you will not be able to join for 7 years after today. I said, well, you forgot to mention that as well from the beggining and you are not being transparent. My husband at the end said to him Listen, you suck as a salesman/co-owner and frankly, with all the potential savings that DB may provide me with, you take them and shove them because I know a thing or two more than you do and you are not able to fool us. I also wanted to say to him at the end that You idiot, you have no way to prove that I came to this open house, why? Because you do not have my information, you only have my first name. Can you imagine to give up $6200 to a stranger and invest it into the unknown, without having full knowledge of the terms and conditions, without seeing a price list, without having time to think whether this is something that might work for you? It is the same thing as signing a sales contract without seeing the house first!

8/17/2008 - Tom writes:
Warning! Warning! Don't step foot into the place!? 2 or 3 years ago, because I was in the middle of renovating and adding to my home, I foolishly joined DB under the same pressure tactics as others have described. Since then I have not purchased a single item from there and it is not for lack of trying. Why? Their customer service is horrible - the staff knows little to nothing about the products they are selling. The catologues are outdated and poorly organized and many of the products offered are older models. I have had to contact door & window suppliers myself - DB just acted as a middleman. The potential savings on products are nowhere near what they claimed they would be. On certain products it has taken days and, in a few instances, weeks just to get a price. And they don't tell you in addition to the discounted product price you will normally also need to pay DB a handling fee and freight charges. Oh, and then you will need to wait 2 - 6 weeks for your product to be delivered. What a concept! I estimate one would need to spend about $100,000 on an expensive kitchen renovation or something similar in order to come anywhere near recouping the membership fee not to mention the cost of your valuable time for the dozens of hours of work required to find the desired products within the DB system of doing business. Direct Buy Membership: $4,500 Lesson Learned: Priceless! Not since that fateful night I have not, nor will I ever, make a significant expenditure without first Googling the name of the product or service accompanied by the word scam.

8/17/2008 - Paula writes:
I want to thank all of you for posting all this information. I was just on the website and first flag to come up was all the downloading they wanted you to do. No real info at all just click visitors pass to arrive. so I decided to check a little further and found this site. Again thank you all for saving me the headache of direct buy I will not be contacting them for any further information, this does sound like a cult and I hope all potential seekers find this first and don't go thru what you have. Again all I can say is Thanks!

8/17/2008 - wilson writes:
iam a member 2years yes it is expensive and horrible sales most products ive found there are less expensive but read closely when selectabilty and shipping frt costs and delivery time are considered it is not worth the membership cost. not worth it out $$4700 and wiser did not no this site existed whats the latin for buyer be-ware!

8/17/2008 - tom writes:
Before signing up ask them why you can find cheaper products on sites like [], [], and []. As for furniture i'm not sure yet but as for most electronic products, you're better off not using DB. They take 3-5 weeks to ship and charge you for it. Most sites ship in 2 days for free.

8/17/2008 - Paul writes:
I received a phone call around 8pm from Direct Buy asking if I'd like to tour their showroom. My wife got their follow up call and said we could at least go check it out. We were late for our Appointment and we were told to wait in their waiting area. Then after about 20 min a sales rep arrived and explained we missed their presentation and would have to book an appointment. They also mentioned that if we do not commit to the membership fee we could not sign up again. Telling a customer you missed the presentation and will have to re-book when you got them in your showroom is a complete waist of the customer's time and not a good way to run a business. I, at the very least wanted to know the membership cost. Thanks to this site, I do and will not be returning to Direct Buy.

8/17/2008 - Tim writes:
Just saw thier new informercial and found a few ommissions: 1. Membership fee of $5000 plus 2. 8% handling charge of most merchandise 3. Must pay shipping charges and sales tax on all merchandise. 4. Over 700 manufacturers; How many are only distributors? 5. How many of those manufactures offer the full lines? 6. I have never seen a design consultant at my Direct Buy 7. Installation and delivery is extra. 8. Internet site is one of the worst and least effective I have ever seen. 9. How many stores actually sell at retail? The savings are completely exaggerated because they only use the retail number. Even [] will discount an average of 20% off of retail. 10. Most small items will actually cost you more then buying locally due to the handling and shipping charges. 11. If you have to finance the membership, then you are paying double digit interest rates on the financing. 12. Price several products off the net before you even walk thru the door. You will be surprised that you are not saving anything on a majority of these products with all the fees that are charged by Direct Buy. They need to you to join on the day or night of your offer because if you have time to research their pricing vs purchasing on the net or locally, you would never join!

8/16/2008 - judy writes:
We were invited to Direct Buy. It was all very impressive, with their endless fresh baked cookies and impressive saving. Yeah, we were stupid and greedy, thinking we would finally be able to get the items we couldn't afford at this time. And of course we had to sign up right then or never be able to have another opportunity to do so. We have been happy members for six months (NOT). Their catalog collection is massive and intimmadating, with no sales persons to help you find what you are looking for. So far we have found products we wanted to purchase cheaper and quicker at the local merchants. Could it be that members are sworn to keep the secret not to protect their merchants, but to protect Direct Buy so they can continue to scam more people with their slick ads and show rooms. After the payments of $146. for 36 months including the $1,500.00 down payment we can't afford to buy anything! Watch the payment plan, look at the financing, no matter what you do you will still have to pay the $1,205.72 interest. It's amazing how the payment is always posted late, so its more interest and charges. Does anyone have any ideas how to get out of this, May be an investigation or class action legal action?

8/16/2008 - Adam writes:
Anyone who thinks this is a scam was either turned off by the initial fee, the join now or you can never join line, or just has no clue. I've been a DB member for about 6 years, and I saved around $25,000 furnishing my first house when I first joined. You don't join DB to buy a chair or a TV. You should only join if you plan on furnishing or renovating a house. If those are your goals, you will make back your initial fee very quickly. I initially paid $2700, and I'm still paying about $180 a year to continue membership. I know that the joining fees are now $5000 and up depending on the location, but it's worth it if you join for the right reason.

8/14/2008 - John Paul writes:
My wife and I wanted to try this Product and we called the toll free number. DB scheduled an appointment for an open house. The sales pitch was impressive, attractive and makes you feel you are making a good choice. After the presentation we were led to the tables where we would have make a decision. In a couple of minutes, the representative attending to a customer next table barges in and says the other customer is signing-up and needs help. Our Salesrep goes off to help them and after they come back and thank us profusely. All this perhaps is staged. Before going to the open house, I checked the price of an Appliance at [] and a Bicycle. The Salesrep said they have about 750 manufatures and we get almost all products. I asked him to show me the cost savings on the two products I wanted. He said another person was checking it for me. He was showing the cost benefit on the products he wanted to show but not on the Products I wanted. When I insisted I wanted to see the cost saving on my products, he said he placed a call to the [] rep to get the quote and probably might hear frm them the same day. This is a blatant lie. One would always get this from the web. Finally, I told him that I would like do a cost comparision of more products and then make a decision to join, he said I would have to join the same evening or else I would have the chance to join then ever. I told him that I would not like to be pressured into joining wiithout being satisfied and that I wanted to back off from the membership if I did not like it. He said that could not be done. He was insisting that he was showing me all the products. But he was showing all the products that he wanted to show and not the Products that I wanted to see. I finally told him I would like to waste any more time on this and we walked off. My advise to others, do not join this scheme. It is a true Rip-Off scheme Regards, RI

8/13/2008 - Fred Ritchie writes:
My wife and I did the DirectBuy tour yesterday at Woodside, Queens. First, the access to the customer parking lot was through a narrow and steep driveway similar to Lombard Street in San Francisco. Judging by the nicks and missing chunks on the house next to it, I believe a number of vehicles suffered some damage. There were only two cars parked. From the moment we arrived at the reception desk, it was all too apparent that our entire stay was choreographed. As we were ushered into the catalog room, a deal was being closed with handshakes, thanks and a personal check being handed to the agent in full view. A few people were sitting at the tables going through some catalogs. We were rushed in to watch the video with about eight other people, brought into the showroom to get the savings spiel, brought back in to watch the rest of the video, and sent to sit at one of the tables to await a sales agent. The total membership fee is $9800 (at 20% interest if you finance). The first thing I said was that we would have to think it over, and he responded that we needed to make the decision right then or we wouldn't be able to join in seven years. My wife said that we would see him in seven years then and left. There was no attempt to change our minds and we had to find our own way out. Personally I think they run this operation like a cult - everything is secretive, once you join you can't get out of it, what they say is not open for discussion, you are excommunicated for seven years if you don't come up with the $$$ right away, etc. The people we toured with may have been employees, as well as those who were reading catalogs and signing up - I don't know for sure but it may be the case. The experience can border on the surreal when you consider the the presenters and salespeople who spew out the BS - do they actually believe what they are saying - and the movie-set layout of the place. Save yourself some money, time and sanity - don't bother with DirectBuy.

8/13/2008 - Bard writes:
After my wife and I attended the open house and tour of their facility at the Direct Buy of Tampa Bay in FL we decided to join citing how much money we would save. We paid the 5100 some odd dollars to be a member and we were robbed. We were told that we would be able to buy the same items we buy every day, only at cost. and that if we didn't join today we would NEVER be able to join again. Both of these statements are FALSE. First off, everything my wife and I went in there to buy, we found at other places cheaper. After talking to one of the owners, Perry, about this he said that their prices are cheapest of the products they offer which are all very expensive anyways. I told him that I felt that we were lied to and that we were told that we would be able to buy the same items we buy everyday, at cost. He said that that is not a lie because people do it everyday. These items are not items that we would buy everyday and there for it was a lie. After about an hour of talking with him he said there was no way we could get our money back; after only 1 month of membership and not buy anything. Second, we were told that we would never be able to join again if we did not join that night. That is a bold face lie. The truth is that you do have the opportunity to join in 7 years. I STRONGLY suggest that if you know anyone or if you are considering going check it out, DON’T! It is a waste of time and money. Please learn from my mistake. DON”T JOIN DIRECT BUY!

8/12/2008 - julie writes:
On Sunday i called DB for an information packet. Yesterday (monday) i recieved a call to scheduel a appointment to tour a DB showroom. i thought it was odd that we had to have an appt. to just see in the place but the DB person led me to believe that DB was like a [] or [] with a minimal fee associated with membership. I was thinking a membership might be $50.00 or $100.00. I should have asked more questions. That is why i was looking on the web tonight to see just what DB might have to offer us. And like many posts i read, there isn't much info on DB that i saw posted by DB itself. Than i went into this sight and i am so greatful to have read a few of your posts. Our whole goal is to save money and time on remodeling. I'm all for saving money but am not about to spend 4 5 or 1 grand on a membership to DB to do it. Plus when i read that if you dont sign up right then and there you cant be a member for 7 years? If that is true, it seems disreputable to me. Purchasing a membership out of fear of not being able to have a membership for 7yrs. its my opinion that it says scam, not savings. Im curious to as to the reasons people were given as to why one would have to wait 7yrs to join DB if you didn't join that day? Anyways thank you. I feel we were just saved a ton of time an money as the closest DB is 2 hours away from us. Our appt. wasnt until September but after reading the honest thoughts of others about this company, i will be cancelling the appointment tomorrow.

8/11/2008 - John writes:
My wife and I visited the DB showroom just outside Philadelphia. From the moment we arrived this place had the look and feel of a get-rich-quick pyramid scheme- the remote location, the get in now or you won't have another chance. During his pitch, the presenter mentioned he grew up a block from my childhood home. I raised my hand and mentioned this. He subsequently (and conveniently) said that after his talk he wouldn't converse with any of us in the audience. I believe he was lying and said this to avoid any vetting that would reveal his lie. There's no way this guy, same age as me, grew up a block from my home and I didn't know him. After the pitch I asked the salesman if he would give me the model number and price for any random appliance they sell so I could check the web for the same item to verify their claim of "at cost" prices. He wouldn't allow this. Add this to the "you can never come back if you don't give us your money today" and it equals scam. Avoid at all costs. Besides, great deals abound thanks to the net; []

8/11/2008 - Athena writes:
I saw the Direct Buy ads on television, and they looked pretty good. I went on Google today to check them out. On their web site, there was NO information that you could get without clicking on something that said "download". As a professional computer programmer, I do not do business with companies that hide information or insist on downloading unknown material to my hard drive. As I left the site, I noted *this* site in the list that Google had provided, so I came here. Buyer beware; when a "business" insists on being in control of the buyer, such as downloading content to your PC, there is something dishonest about it. I would also like to point out the "good" message of 8-8-08 from David. Please be aware that when a company is as customer-abusive as Direct Buy appears to be (or has proven to be), they are not above having employees post glowing recommendations to sites like this one. Be VERY wary of 100% satisfied reports; they may just be part of their viral advertising.

8/9/2008 - Teri writes:
Today we had our Open House appointment at a Direct Buy Showroom. I originally set up two Open House appointments in different states as we have properties in more than one state. From the telemarketer reservations agent who set up our appointment to the actual sales pitch itself I was expecting that it wasn't going to be cheap. It is true, they tell you it's is Join today or never, ever have the chance to join again. Our sales people were all very nice but what I thought was an alarm bell going off in my head was the fact that when I asked if the membership fee was the same from DB Showroom to DB Showroom the answer was somewhat sketchy. They said that each DB Showroom was required by the Corporate DB to have a minimum fee. It might be that other showrooms charge a different fee. The fee pitched to us was $6190.24 after tax for the first two years and then $198.00 per year for the next 8 years. We had our sales rep walk away while my husband and I talked about it and did some calculations to see how it would pencil out, how long we thought it might take to recupe our investment, etc. We decided to ask about a specific manufacturer to see if they were in the program, one that we had already gotten a quote from. They weren't part of the program. In the end we decided not to join because of the high fee, but felt like we were probably missing out. After reading these posts, I'm so glad we didn't join. We too do not only buy High End stuff.

8/9/2008 - Anthony writes:
My wife and I went to Direct Buy today. There were five couples including us. We sat in on the dvd presentations on how much money we would save. They had celebraties agreeing with Direct Buy in the dvd. A Direct Buy salesperson then showed us some examples of products from well known companies, and how much can be saved using Direct Buy. Then comes the numbers. The cost of our membership is based on our location, which happens to be Savannah, Georgia. The upfront cost will be 5,000 dollars. With payments of 160.00 per month. We were told that if you wait to make your decision you will not be able to come back to Direct Buy for 7 years. We were let out of the viewing room and each group was assigned a sales person. This person was very forceful. We said we had to leave, but would come back tomorrow to give them the money. They said we usually don't allow this, but if you let us make a copy of your drivers license and credit card we will agree to see you tomorrow. My wife and I agreed at this point just to get out of there without having to sign anything. They came back and said they will need to put a 100.00 payment on my credit card to let us leave. We said NO and left. Their was still apart of me thinking about going back there. Still thinking of how much money I could be saving using Direct Buy. Thank God I saw this site tonight. I still worry about them making a copy of my credit card and my drivers license though. Something needs to be done to stop this from happening again.

8/9/2008 - Andrew writes:
I was bored one night when I saw the infomercial, so I called up requested the information. I was later set up wit an appointment for 8/9/08. We were called several time by a pushy appointment confirmation setter. We arrived at the showroom 15 min early as they requested for our meeting with Lisa. We were set up in a the prep area with a agent that asked personal questions (where do you work, how have you worked there, where do you live, what does your wife do, where does she work, do you have any kids) after the kids question we told her she's asking way too many questions. The agent got up and walked away. 15 minutes later Lisa circles the area and gathers 5 couples all which arrived after we did as members of DB were trying not to look at us as I peered around the room. We dicided to leave. if it looks like a scam and smells like a scam. it's time to walk.

8/9/2008 - Melissa writes:
My husband and I fell for this scam too, unfortunately. We were building a home and needed to save money on the supplies. We live 3 hours from the closest DB so thought we would do our search on the web to save travel. We too had a hard time finding anything on the website. They told us if we had trouble finding something on the website to call them. When we called they only told us that we would just have to keep looking a little longer and use the #'s on the product from the manufacturer's site. Like others they had told us that we just need to go onto the site and pick out what we needed and then order it. First of all they did not usually carry the particular item that we looked at and wanted and that was why we couldn't find it on their website. Then, when we wanted to order, we couldn't just call them and place the order giving them our credit card over the phone so we could pick it up when delivered. Remember, we live 3 hours away, we had to go to the center, look it up in their books, give them the filled out ordering slip, pay them for the item, then when it came in, we had 3 days to pick it up and if not we would be charged $5/day for storage. We were not told this during the tour. We had spent several hours at the store looking through the multitude of books they have with products available for you to purchase, (since everything we found on the website was never something you could purchase from DB) and they close and 5PM - it was just a few minutes before closing and we finally had all our selections ready and went up to get them ordered and they said, Sorry, we quit taking orders at 4:30. We begged them to take the order since we did not realize that and we live so far away and had multiple things we had just painstakingly picked out. They would not budge, poor customer service. Windows (same brand-[]) we tried to order through their merchant who is the one DB tells you to purchase from to get your bargain could not beat the price of our little home town Hardware store. The tile shop (they were great)they referred us to could not get them to let us go pay for the tile either, we had to make a 2nd 3 hour trip to pay for the tile so he could order it. We too did not realize when we went to the tour that we had to join then or never or we would have looked it over closer before going. Yes, high pressure sales is the perfect signal - do not join. If we would have just looked it up on the site we would have done the 3 day resignation, but we looked it up on the BBB and only a few things were listed that could be with any business. We have saved a little money on one product, but not without a lot of time and expense put out to do it; therefore, we have not saved any money overall.

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