Lost 1 hour of my life.

[NoShangriLa]

The GF & I went to DirectBuy for 30 min cheesy information video. The sleazy agent wanted $4190.00 membership fee to browse through their "discount catalog library" for the next 36 months, after sizing me & the GF up by asking where we live, type of housing, and occupation.

$4190.00 upfront cost has to be made before we leave the building. Or, 50% of the upfront cost and 17% monthly interest on the residue.

$289.00 yearly membership fee after the 36 months for the next 7 years.

All purchase must be ship to DirectBuy warehouse so they can charge handling fees (unclear of shipping fee arrangement). They don?t have drop shipment supplier.

Internet order can be made and ship to the nearest city (2+ hours drive, and 2 hours ferry ride for me) if disruption occurs at local outlet.

I would have had a hidden video cam with me if I knew how sleazy these people were before hand.

And, I?m surprise that the law or the media hasn?t exposed these shysters to the public.

 

[Muadib]

I knew it was too good to be true, but wow.

 

[orakle]

You could probably talk them down on the membership fee.. I wonder if the deals are any good. I would think you'd have to completely furnish a house to save a decent amount of money.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: orakle
You could probably talk them down on the membership fee.. I wonder if the deals are any good. I would think you'd have to completely furnish a house to save a decent amount of money.

You have to spend at least $12,000.00 to break even using their figure that indicated in the information video with saving of 50% less than MSP, or 32-37% after shipping.

The handing fees rate weren't disclose even those I twice ask the agent about it.

Therefore, it may take very large purchases to recuperate the initial membership fee...if ever!

 

[Zedtom]

OMG, my girlfriend and I got suckered into one of their appointments a couple years ago.

I sensed something was fishy when they made us sit in a room with two-way glass while we waited for our meeting. The receptionist suggested we look at the computer monitor doing a slide show while we waited. WOW!

 

[aphex]

DirectBuy is really only a good deal for people furnishing an entire house with expensive stuff, or even multiple houses as my friends dad used them for.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Yeah, I've seen news shows about DirectBuy. High pressure tactics and everything is a secret. The prices supposedly aren't even that special nor is the selection. They've received a ton of complaints and are being investigated by several Attorney Generals from various states.

 

[Drakkon]

I rank the DirectBuy infomercials right up there with that guy that sells the colon clenser and the other one selling the book about how everything kills you

 

[Wuffsunie]

Originally posted by: aphex
DirectBuy is really only a good deal for people furnishing an entire house with expensive stuff, or even multiple houses as my friends dad used them for.

Any chance on being able to give us a head's up on the shipping costs? Just so we can get a full idea of the gouging.

 

[dud]

The next time another Directbuy commercial comes up on your TV, take a good loooong look at their pricing. Their prices can easily be beat by someone willing to do a little research and legwork. Now, if I were some Hollywood "star", totally awash in cash and just wondering where I can find a toilet to flush it down ... I couldn't think of a better commode to flush it down than Directbuy.

 

[PottedMeat]

Originally posted by: Zedtom
OMG, my girlfriend and I got suckered into one of their appointments a couple years ago.

I sensed something was fishy when they made us sit in a room with two-way glass while we waited for our meeting. The receptionist suggested we look at the computer monitor doing a slide show while we waited. WOW!

Do they at least feed you? This would be good for hungry college students. Waste some assholes time and get free food. Leave your checkbook and credit cards at home.

 

[Zedtom]

Originally posted by: PottedMeat

Originally posted by: Zedtom
OMG, my girlfriend and I got suckered into one of their appointments a couple years ago.

I sensed something was fishy when they made us sit in a room with two-way glass while we waited for our meeting. The receptionist suggested we look at the computer monitor doing a slide show while we waited. WOW!

Do they at least feed you? This would be good for hungry college students. Waste some assholes time and get free food. Leave your checkbook and credit cards at home.

I suppose if you want some pretzels and a can of soda while they shake you down for how much money you got to spend.

 

[compman25]

Well, I'll tell you this much as a former truck driver who hauled Whirlpool appliances from Seattle to Spokane. I usually went to the Whirlpool warehouse, but one time I had to deliver the whole load to DirectBuy. First, those effing assholes refuse to unload trucks, they make the driving pull everything off the trailer. Second, I had the bills from Whirlpool with their charge for shipping the load with us, it was $1000. So that was a full 53' trailer delivered for $1000, let's say that was 100 appliances total, so $10 each. Whatever they charge the consumer is a joke. I hate those asshats.

 

[Greenman]

Lots of info here.

http://www.infomercialscams.com/scams/direct_buy_scams

 

[jandrews]

Originally posted by: Greenman
Lots of info here.

http://www.infomercialscams.com/scams/direct_buy_scams

wow...I was AMAZED to see how many people signed up! I was waiting for people to say they went to the presentation then they walked out the door because of the ridiculous 6000 dollar fee as well as the buy now or never policy. It turns out almost every person who made a complaint on that site signed up!!!

 

[manowar821]

Are you allowed to cancel your payments?? I hear they won't let you cancel for the first 2 1/2 years.

 

[CycloWizard]

The "now or never" sales scheme works very well. I used to sell Kirby vacuum cleaners door-to-door and we did the same thing. We set up appointments to "give you a free carpet shampooing," then made you sit through a 90 minute demo with high-pressure sales messages applied throughout. It was amazing that so many people would cough up $1700 for a vacuum just because they couldn't say no. Looking back on it, I feel like a bastard, but at the time I really needed the money so I didn't really think about it. I was #1 in sales for my office and sold more in 6 weeks than anyone else did the entire summer. All I did was follow the marketing training demo word for word - they had apparently really done their homework. To be fair, Kirby makes a good vacuum - I was previously a janitor and used one from 1949 that still worked better than a modern Orick, but not $1400 better. My advice: don't let the guy in the door or you will have a very hard time getting him to leave.

 

[shodge37]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard
The "now or never" sales scheme works very well. I used to sell Kirby vacuum cleaners door-to-door and we did the same thing. We set up appointments to "give you a free carpet shampooing," then made you sit through a 90 minute demo with high-pressure sales messages applied throughout. It was amazing that so many people would cough up $1700 for a vacuum just because they couldn't say no. Looking back on it, I feel like a bastard, but at the time I really needed the money so I didn't really think about it. I was #1 in sales for my office and sold more in 6 weeks than anyone else did the entire summer. All I did was follow the marketing training demo word for word - they had apparently really done their homework. To be fair, Kirby makes a good vacuum - I was previously a janitor and used one from 1949 that still worked better than a modern Orick, but not $1400 better. My advice: don't let the guy in the door or you will have a very hard time getting him to leave.

Kirby - LOL. just a couple months ago, i got the free shampoo, etc, and was actually very impressed. if i had that much $$ just sitting around, i'd have bought one. but when the guy came to the door to make the appt, my daughter was acting all cute and he kinda forgot to ask me if i was employed. so after he does over an hour's work, he asks me where i work and i say i don't work and it was SO funny. he went from chatty and nice to almost mean and nasty. finally he told me outright - oh, i guess i forgot to ask you that when i made the appt. hahaha.

but my carpet looks GREAT!

 

[alchemize]

LOL my wife once let the Kirby crew come over. I eventually had to throw them out of the house...almost physically.

"There is no way I am buying this overpriced vacuum cleaner from you. None whatsoever. Now would you like to leave on your own accord or should I help you to the door?"

$1,700 vacuum cleaner. Give me a break. I told them I could re-carpet the whole house for that price

They are good vacuum cleaners, but waaaay overpriced. It's carpet for crying out loud, how clean does it need to be?

 

[OutHouse]

i made a thread about directbuy a few months ago asking if any OT'ers were members. there were a few who responded on yea its a good deal. but i could never really get a firm price out of them. now i know why.

 

[Vic]

Well, I hate to sound cynical, but don't you think there really should be a societal price to pay for the kind of passive aggressive submissiveness it takes to fall for pressure sales tactics like these? Those who will pay thousands rather than say no to a stranger? And then whine and cry about being ripped off after the fact when they had to have known all along? Boggles my mind.
But then again, I went to one of those Trendwest high pressure sales things and made the salesperson cry. Damned straight too, they could've just come clean up front that it was $20k upfront and $600/year for one week a year instead of wasting my time. But since my time was already wasted, I maliciously fscked with the salesperson as much as possible ("I suppose I could just put it on the equity line... " and things like that :evil.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: Vic
Well, I hate to sound cynical, but don't you think there really should be a societal price to pay for the kind of passive aggressive submissiveness it takes to fall for pressure sales tactics like these? Those who will pay thousands rather than say no to a stranger? And then whine and cry about being ripped off after the fact when they had to have known all along? Boggles my mind.
But then again, I went to one of those Trendwest high pressure sales things and made the salesperson cry. Damned straight too, they could've just come clean up front that it was $20k upfront and $600/year for one week a year instead of wasting my time. But since my time was already wasted, I maliciously fscked with the salesperson as much as possible ("I suppose I could just put it on the equity line... " and things like that :evil.

yea those are the worst. my wife and i went to a trendwest thing and i couldnt belive how those people operate. they try to make you feel like scumbag for not taking your kids on a vacation, that you are a bad parent for not taking your kid to someplace for a week. i laughed all the way through the movie they show.

like what you said what they dont tell you is the real cost, and if you are stupid enough to sign up for their scam if you dont get the dates you want for your "rental" they put you up in a sleeze ball hotel miles from a beach.

 

[mrrman]

my friend got suckered into that....they never bought anything but picked me up an entertainment set...I saved $500 over the retail cost...they would never recommend this place and they are not renewing the annual fee

 

[mrrman]

Originally posted by: Wuffsunie

Originally posted by: aphex
DirectBuy is really only a good deal for people furnishing an entire house with expensive stuff, or even multiple houses as my friends dad used them for.

Any chance on being able to give us a head's up on the shipping costs? Just so we can get a full idea of the gouging.

You can pick the stuff up yourself

 

[FoBoT]

shens, nobody is dumb enough to do what you are describing