Anyone use Direct Buy?

[hornadylnl]

I've heard ads for Direct Buy for awhile now. Does anyone hear use them? Any idea what a yearly membership costs?

 

[1032JBT]

Never been there or know anyone that has and couldn't find what the membership costs, but here are a coupe links:


DirectBuy Club: The Best Way to Buy Direct


Consumer Reviews.org |

 

[hornadylnl]

11-23-2009*Juan Williams writes:
I finally placed my appliance order today. On my refrigerators, I saved $1000 per refrigerator plus on my washer/dryer, I saved over $400 more. A day saving over $2,400 on appliances is a good day and that is more than half my membership. So to those who ask, "Of course it is worth it" and "yes I'll make my membership money back!"

the above review leads me to believe membership is in the $4k range.

 

[1032JBT]

I guess if you were re-doing your whole kitchen/house then it might be worth it to save a bunch, but I can't think of anything I would want to replace right now that would justify a 4K membership. Maybe someday I'll build my "dreamhouse" and I'll change my mind.


I wonder if they allow you to purchase things while on the "free 30 day trial"?

 

[hornadylnl]

On a quick google search, I found this. Direct Buy Star Tribune 20050209

Sounds like a pyramid scheme to me. Cost is $4200 plus $99 a year after 18 months. You have to sit through an hour presentation and you have to make your decision that day.

I've heard about this place but I can't stand high pressure crap so it probably isn't for me. Has anyone here dealt with them and what do you think?

I'm going to be building but I already have a custom cabinet maker lined up so I wouldn't need to order cabinets. I do need furniture but I won't be buying all that much. I do need about 2000 sq ft of slate floor tile. I'd like to be able to compare prices but I'm not going to sit through an hour long spiel and get pressured to find out. Anyone here with a membership that wants to make a few bucks on purchase for me?

 

[CountryBoy19]

I've heard about this place but I can't stand high pressure crap so it probably isn't for me. Has anyone here dealt with them and what do you think?

I found them online while searching for a stove. I signed up for an appointment hoping that it would finally let me browse their selection online. It didn't. What it did get me was a phone call the night before the appointment and a mailer in the mail the day of the appointment. I told them that I was no longer interested and that I only signed up so I could try to browse their selection online and that I had already purchased a stove. The guy on the phone went off on me saying how he could have saved me so much money and that I made a huge mistake and I should call the people I bought the stove from and see if they would refund my money. I laughed and told him no thanks, I'm not going to drive an hour to Indy just to see their selection. I wanted to see it online and that was that. For the next week I got 2 phone calls per day from them. I never answered a single one of them and they would never leave a message for me. They finally quit calling.

IMHO, stay FAR FAR FAR AWAY from this place.

 

[Cpt Caveman]

Yeah , we went in to the interview with direct buy a couple years ago when it was $3000 for a membership.We were contemplating buying an old farmhouse. The way they did it then was you got to sit through a video about how great the program was and how much money you would save by being a member. Then you got to look up two items in their catalogs. Just two, and they sat with you and kept the other pages covered so you couldn't see what the other pages had on them. I chose one that had power tools in it as I had just been pricing a new circular saw for work. The price was the same as what I'd seen at the big home improvement stores. We tried to look at couches but they for some reason couldn't show us any, laminate flooring was the same response.
My wife said if you want to pay $80 for a $150 polo shirt then you might do ok with the membership otherwise its probably not worth the money.If you buy VERY expensive items like top end custom cabinets, or crystal drinking ware it might be useful, but I doubt it.
The guy in charge was creepy, too.
So we said no thanks and left.
Every time we see the commercial my wife and I say " Hey, we saved $3000 by not joining!"
I'd leave 'em be and do your own shopping.

 

[Bubba]

I don't have direct experience but my grandmother went to one of their pre-membership appointments about a year ago before moving to a new house. The opinion she gave me was that it wasn't worth the hassle or money unless you planned to outfit multiple houses with high-end stuff.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Given the price of "membership", I don't think that it'd be worth it for just A house. Especially if that house is a relatively modest one belonging to someone who's solidly upper-low to lower-middle class.

But I'm also a firm believer that you can find everything you want for less money *somewhere*.

These days, cash is certainly king. If you can find the fridge you want at HH Gregg, Sears, and Best Buy... let each of them know the others' price. See who wants your cash the most. Big ticket items should be slightly easier to "haggle" with, especially when it comes to electronics (TVs).

Over on the East side of Indy (near English Ave / Franklin St) there's some kind of factory direct furniture place... You're not allowed to walk around the warehouse without being escorted... (Of course, I didn't see this sign as I walked in) The prices on the furniture in there were higher than L-Fish furniture just a mile away. I get the feeling that this Direct Buy dealio is similar. Pay money to shop here to THINK that you're getting a good deal.

-J-

 

[4sarge]

I've heard ads for Direct Buy for awhile now. Does anyone hear use them? Any idea what a yearly membership costs?

I thought that they had a FREE trial membership for a limited time. I always think that these things are come ons. I do have a source for high end appliances at extreme discounts while they last. The wife just replaced all of our kitchen appliances and 2 of our children have bought refrigerators. No delivery, Cash only but you will save $$'s. PM me if you are interested. They are in stock and you pay and pick up at the same time in Indy.

 

[HandK]

You would have buy allot of stuff the justify the membership cost! We got invited to join had to go listen to a four hour spiel on how stupid we would be not to hand them over almost $5000.00. I would not bother.

 

[4sarge]

You would have buy allot of stuff the justify the membership cost! We got invited to join had to go listen to a four hour spiel on how stupid we would be not to hand them over almost $5000.00. I would not bother.

FOUR Hours !!! Did you get a Kiss after the ordeal

 

[printcraft]

Yep, if you were redoing and ENTIRE house or 2 you would come out on top even spending the $5000 membership.
If you don't have a project like that then stay away.
You will never make up the difference.

The wife and I went for the "orientation" seminar and saying we were
pressured was an understatement.

NOTE: They also BAN you from joining for a YEAR if you don't join on the spot. K.M.A.

 

[hornadylnl]

After your responses and reading the net, I definitely won't be doing business with them. I made the mistake of signing up online for the free trial so I'm sure I'll get bombarded with emails and phone calls.

If a place can't be transparent with prices then I don't want to deal with them.

 

[Big John]

I signed up on line too!! Then blew them off after I got the same advice from friends.

Be prepared for them to call you non-stop!!! A year later and I still get about one call a month from somebody with Direct Crap!!

 

[suds]

At their current membership prices, I would not recommend joining. As a slight counterpoint, the wife and I joined circa 10 years ago when we first got married and the membership was only ~$1,200. In that time we have more than paid for our initial membership fee. The areas that we have been able to save $$ would be higher end furniture, rugs, and lighting. Past that, the savings are minimal especially if it is something that plugs into a wall.

 

[Clif45]

It is worth it if you need to buy a lot of stuff. My mom works there and you do save a good amount of money when ordering anything. But it wont pay off unless you order a bunch, or really high end stuff. They are a big company, and there is a showroom right here in Indiana to show all the stuff they have. Most of our furniture, all of our beds, and soon possibly a TV will all be from Direct buy. And when things get a bit better economically, most of the stuff for the new house will be from there. They cover everything from the TV and rugs down to cabinets and faucets. But it is a big price to pay to join anymore. Employee perks FTW!!!

 

[sporter]

Direct Buy=scam

 

[Soonerdoggy]

I always wondered about that deal. thanks looks like a good thing to stay the hell away from.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I always wondered about that deal. thanks looks like a good thing to stay the hell away from.

Got that 50 now huh?
Bet we'll never see you anywhere but the classifieds again...