Posted on 04/04/2008 4:41:26 PM PDT by xcamel
I got a tour of the place, where it was explained that everything was selected and purchased out of a ‘catalog’, then shipped from the manufacturer to the store (I had to pay shipping costs) then from the store to me (I had to pay more shipping costs and milage), and if what I bought wasn't what I wanted, I could send it back (paying shipping costs again).
When I asked what the fee was for becoming a member, the salesman told me he could only tell me once I sat down and started filling out the paperwork. He said that once I was told what the fee was, I either had to sign or I couldn't think about it and come back later.
Also, it was only for couples. I couldn't bring my sister-in-law with unless my brother was with her.
I said, “No thanks!” and left. When I got home, I researched on-line and found that the “membership fee” was anywhere from $3,000 to over $6,000 - depending on where you went.
I think it depended on how much they thought they could sucker you out of.
It may suit others, but for me, DirectBuy is a major waste of money, and a sneaky business enterprise.
Sounds like a furniture time share
That is either 25 or 33 % savings. If she lost track of 10 grand in her purchases, you know the intelligence of actual buyers. They don't know what they are buying nor can keep track of 5 digit sums.
Thanks for posting this. Solves my curiosity and desire to look into it.
BTTT
Mopp,
After reading about DB yesterday on FR, I did some internet reading about the company. I enjoyed it even though I needed to go out and plant my garden.
In addition to the huge numbers of people who feel and believe they were deceived by DB, the stuff I read about a self-professed “hired gun” attorney named Dozier who tried to shut down a site critical of DB using a pathetic cease and desist letter, was spellbinding, but I’m easily entertained.
Anyway, all I can say is “Wow.”
At first, I was thinking some sort of class action lawsuit against DB might fly (I could get rich!), it sounds that bad, but then I realized it gets back to “buyer beware.”
I also figured out why the DB PR/Advertising folks are pushing the company on conservative radio. Conservatives, as a group, compared to the vast percentage of liberals, have the money for the membership fee of 4 to 6 thousand, which appears to be charged in a totally arbitrarily fashion (i.e., how gullible does this dude and dudette couple look), and appears not even to be the same for the same DB franchise. I think conservatives, as a group, are only a little less likely to succumb to high pressure sales talk than liberals, but they have the resources to get taken in sufficiently high amounts whereas 90% of liberals don’t. I don’t know; maybe DB does advertise on Air America.
Plus, the potential member must make his/her/spousal unit decision on the spot. No overnight to think about it. Shocks me how people can be so easily parted with their money.
I could pay the membership, but I never would, which explains, in part, why I have the money to pay it.
Anyway, it seems like a timeshare for shoppers.
If you don’t plan on spending at the least 30 to 40 grand or maybe you are a residential contractor, or maybe you get into it with about five friends and secretly split the fee (I question this last approach), forget it.
Our “friends” on the radio should stress this 30 to 40 grand issue by way of qualification.
Two final observations: I hear liberals all the time trashing Walmart for hurting mom and pops, but I don’t hear anyone trashing DB for hurting higher end retailers.
More to the quick, especially in view of the furor beneath the surface about DB, I never never hear anyone say anything about DB, and I run with a group that does not do all its furniture and high end shopping at Walmart.
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