Has anyone joined the Direct Buy organization? This is the one often advertised on HGTV about saving thousands on cabinets, appliances, and other home remodeling materials. How does it work? Is it worth it? What type of situation is it good for, and what type is it not good for? I've been to their website but I'd like some personal testimony!
My husband and I are thinking about buying a home that was built in 1982, and everything in the house is original and UGLY! But the lot is beautiful with gorgeous tress, a quiet street, and the house had good bones.
I was going to do it, but the $3500 up front - meh.. not worth it. There is a custom carpenter here in town who will build GORGEOUS cabinets, custom, for a normal 10x10 kitchen for right at 6 k - about the same cost that Lowe's charges for their cardboard laminate 10x10 kitchen... and 8 times the quality, easily. These cabinets last 50 years.
S.
If you google Direct Buy, you will see many negative posts about it. I personally wouldn't do business with them.
http://www.infomercialscams.com/scams/direct_buy_scams
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/175/RipOff###-###-#...
And many, MANY more...
Would you be better off negotiating your own prices and doing your own homework?
I had an older couple do this because they planned on remodeling their kitchen. After wards, and after the remodel, she wished they hadn't done it. So much money for someone else just to get a little discount. She said she would never make up the money spent on it.
Maybe others would do better.
Good luck, c
Prices are okay but heaven help you if you have a problem with anything. Their customer service is the pits. It took many letters and follow up phone calls to resolve what should have been a minor problem. Good luck if you decide to use them.
My husband and I have a Direct buy membership and for the most part it is not bad. The people there are great. You need to have some kind of idea of what you are looking for and they will help you find it, once you have gone in once or twice they rememeber you and stop and talk with you. It is good on almost everything you can think of just not on the electronics part of it.
My husband and I visisted there about five years ago. We were impressed with the materials and things you could buy there, but we did not have the $3500.00 fee to join. It seemed a little excessive to me. I am all for saving money, but how much do I save when I have to pay $3500 up front. We were then told that if we didn't join at that moment we would not be able to ever come back. So we decided to pass.
We have been members a long time--back when it was named United Consumers Club! We have used it for some materials for redoing things in our home and it is cost effective--almost like half off what it would be elsewhere, things like wallpaper, tile, etc. They have local showrooms for tiling, carpet and countertops that you can actually go and order from their stock and so you know exactly what you are getting--not just looking at catalog pictures like you do with furniture. I am not sure how much it costs to get in, though, these days.
No personal experience for me but I would certainly NOT go after the experience my friend had.
The ads make it sound GREAT, however, it is a very high pressure sell to get you to join upwards of $2000 and THEN you get to shop. Much like the dreaded time share sells with super high pressure. You MUST have the strength and will to say NO and be prepared for them to make you feel like a piece of ______.
From all I have heard....you can do much better shopping around and doing it yourself.
Good luck.
I do not have my own personal experience, but my mother has relayed hers to me. My mother worked (retired in February) in building wholesale for years. Her company has stopped selling to Direct Buy.
Direct Buy will pass on their savings to you. They will also pass you along to the vendors for any issues/questions you have about the products. These vendors are wholesalers and have no interest/time in dealing with the public at large. They will pass you along to the manufacturers. The manufacturers will often times refer you back to the company where you made your purchase- Direct Buy. Now the loop starts all over again.
My daughter and son-in-law joined but, they were sorry because of the big joining fee. They got good prices on some things but found other things on sale cheaper. Some of the things were hard to get or had an added shipping fee. It was a waste of money for them. If you have a lot of money to spend after the initial joining fee you may eventually make up for it by buying a large volume of items.
