Why You Should Avoid DirectBuy

They have just completed a DirectBuy "showroom" in my city. The infomercials that play late at night tell people locally and across the country all about DirectBuy, about how it can save them thousands of dollars on home items. For remodeling a home or appointing a new home, they claim to be an exclusive club that allows the public to get items for hundreds to thousands of dollars less than at a retail store or catalog. The problem is, these claims are backed up by absolutely nothing.

Problem #1: Sexism

A relative of mine called the local showroom and asked about going in to look at their showroom and perhaps join the club. No. she was told that she was not allowed to come unless she brought her husband. A little shocked, as anyone should rightfully be, she asked why. The answer was that they wanted each couple to be able to decide together whether or not to join. She came away confused about this rule and vowed not to bother with this company. Unfortunately, this is the standard response that the company gives to any woman who wants to join.

The reason for this is that DirectBuy isn't just a club you sign up for and then shop in like a Sam's. The membership costs thousands of dollars, an expense that the company believes a woman won't spend without her husband present. This is likely legal, as DirectBuy is a private club and can probably discriminate based on sex, much like the Freemasons and the Masters. The question many women probably want to know, however, is why they can't look around and then go home to discuss it with their husbands? Because the hard sell delivered by DirectBuy is driven home with a vengeance. If you don't decide to join right then and there, you are banned from coming back. In come locations, this is a lifetime ban. In others it's in effect for seven years. If the deals are really that great, why would this be necessary? Why not just let people think about it? To put it simply, it's because the deals aren't that great.

Problem #2: Where are the Deals?

The problem that many members have complained about is that they got little to nothing for the thousands they paid in membership fees. How much are these fees? As much as $100? How about $500? Nope. Many members report in their complaints that their fee was decided based on their income. The lower range for fees seems to be about $4,000 and the upper range is about $7,000. For that price, they do not guarantee that you will save anything at all. The prices available through them are sometimes slightly lower than could be found elsewhere, but they are sometimes higher. And, even when the price is lower, DirectBuy tacks on shipping and handling fees that bring the price up to what could be found elsewhere. Consumer Reports found that there are a few deals to be found but that the available deals add up to very little savings over time if any at all.

Problem #3: Customer Service
There are hundreds of complaints online about the poor customer service people have experienced from DirectBuy. There is allegedly no customer service or return policy that protects buyers. Many buyers report staff making measurement mistakes that the customer is then responsible for buying anyway. Other customers report receiving broken items that they then had to pay for.

Conclusion: Keep Your Money

There's no reason to spend such an exorbitant amount on a membership when you are not allowed to price everything beforehand. A cost-savings club with nothing to hide will let you look at prices and compare them before joining. DirectBuy will not allow anyone who has not yet joined see their "secret" prices. Does this mean they have something to hide? They do have a long history and some showrooms have a decent BBB rating. But, in the opinions of thousands who have joined the club and/or filed lawsuits, the whole thing is a scam.