Complaint Review: DIRECT BUY AKA UCCHOMES

Since I joined I have saved more than member fee - its been worth it for me

5 or more yrs ago my wife and i bought a membership to what was UCC Total Home and now is Direct Buy here in Victoria, BC.

i read with some surprise and at times amusement that so many 'cave' to some high pressure sales tactics. when we were listening to the sales pitch i knew this must be how they train their salepeople - they are just trying to make a living and there were no laws or ethics broken.

when listening to this or ANY presentation/sales pitch, if you don't like the feeling in your gut then walk out of the store and go home people! good grief is all i can say when i read someone actually bought a membership because they believed this was a one time only opportunity. did you just turn 18? if someone said that to me i'd ask to speak to the manager immediately and call the local authorities and report them - that is the only way consumers can stop bad companies dead in their tracks. (and beside that it always makes me feel really good inside when i stand up for myself and make a scene - everyone should try it!)

these are franchises and if some of what i read is actually true, and not just ticked off non assertive people with no self control or awareness, then be responsible and care enough for fellow consumers and follow through with reporting them/sueing them whatever but do something concrete!

we saved the actual cost of membership quickly (within one year) with being patient and shrewd buyers - we also bought much higher quality items and still saved 100s of dollars. on a high end range/oven we saved 500 bucks over any store in this province and anything on the net. in Canada with our taxes, the savings go even higher with the tax being paid on much lower prices.

the Victoria store employees we've had help us have always been nothing but professional. (can't say that for a lot of local businesses in this town).

i've referred some people to them but repeat what i read from one reporter and that is if you don't have patience or time to research prices (both in the Direct Buy showroom and also out in the local stores), don't normally buy higher end items, are not planning on filling your home with a lot of 'stuff' etc then the savings will not be experienced and you should not even bother hearing their 'over the top' presentation.

one definate thing i agree with everyone who reported is that presentation of theirs is getting them a BAD reputation and that comes from the top management of the entire company but as franchise owners they have the ability to tone it down.

In response to the people who feel this is a scam, think about it. If you are just scraping enough money together to do a little home improvement, this is not for you. If you are use to buying your funiture at Walmart, this is not for you. If you ARE building a home, doing a major remodel or plan on furnishing a home or redecorating, this is for you. If you are use to buying the finer things in life and buy them regularly this is for you. I'm sorry if you are not on this level in life but some of us are and we are going to get our money's worth and more. This really is the best thing since sliced bread if you purchase things on a regular basis that you may purchase full retail and see the difference in price.

I am not saying this to be cruel to anyone, but I expect that it's hard for many people to admit that they had their clock cleaned by such a transparent, ridiculous sham as this. And, any rebuttal that claims that Direct Buy is ANYTHING other than an overpriced rip-off is, well, just such a person...or someone affiliated with Direct Buy.

People, THINK A MINUTE! I'm not going to explain the whys or wherefores about this company, because they are quite obvious. That people would buy into this scares me, it really does. You want to belong to a "buyer's club" and get your money's worth doing so? Slap down $40 for two Sam's Club cards, or splurge and pay $100 for a couple premium Sam's Club cards, and you'll get an extra year warranty on everything you buy. That's well worth it when you REALLY DO get savings that amount to something.

I am responding to the fact that the more I read about Direct Buy the more upset I get. None of the people who post on here or any of the other sites are MEMBERS. It is people who went in for the presentation and didn't like it. Nobody likes high pressure, it is no different then buying a car, going to a time share and so on. You have a choice, nobody is forcing you to sign up. Sadly not being a member you have no idea how the company works or anything about the savings. YOU ASSUME. To the lady who claims her cabinets were 11,000 more at Direct Buy then at Home Depot, if it was apples to apples {Kraft-maid- Kraft-Maid} it is impossible. People are just upset because Direct Buy wasn't for them. You bash what you know nothing about. If you have so much time to sit and whine about the company than you have time to wait for the product. Enjoy paying retail.

Where to begin?

Most of the facts stated on the topic of Direct Buy/UCC are acurate. Keep in mind, non-members who express OPINIONS about thinking it's a scam, are expressing only that: Opinions. Take them with a grain of salt (just as you should take my opinions)

I will agree that they use high pressure sales tactics not unlike Time-sharing, and if you attend, you will likely be "hearded" like cattle with the other attendees.

I would suggest that every Direct Buy franchise operates a little different, and I'm sure some are better than others. I belong to the franchise in Victoria, BC and think the owners do a reasonable job.

I disagree with the statement "Direct Buy is a Scam". Is Direct Buy for everybody? No. Is it right for most people? No. Do I think many people waste their money on a membership? Yes. Does anybody ever benefit from a membership? I think so.

I've spent probably over 50 hours in the last 6 months shopping at Direct Buy. I've bought mattresses, kitchen cabinets, carpeting, tiles, leather goods, bedding, clothing, jewellery, electronics, speakers, squash equipment and shoes amongst other things. I'm intimately familiar with many of their catalogues, manufacturers and pricing. I was a thrifty shopper before I joined, and cotinue to be now.

It is true that (in my opinion) the savings are exagerated. In particular, if you are a thrifty shopper as I am, and always buy loss-leaders (those 70% off deals in flyers), you're not likely to see any savings, in fact, you'll probably spend more. The only benefit here is that now you would actually have selection, instead of always buying the "deal of the day".

In addition, many small purchases, especially electronics are not worthwhile. As a former manager at Future Shop, I can tell you that on average, electronics are marked up between 20-25% at discount retailers. Once you add in freight on an individual item, there is practically no savings (if any).

To sum up, I think buying a membership to direct buy is a kin to buying time-sharing. Many people end up feeling screwed, but many people are also happy with their purchase.

Don't believe it when you hear people say "It's a scam". The job of a salesperson is to sell, so don't be surprised if they only tell you about the good stuff. If you buy a membership, don't assume you've been ripped off if you read the posts on this site. Maybe you'll save money, maybe you won't. Only you can decided if the membership is right for you.

We had bought a new house and wanted to furnish it. Amazingly, we received an invite. As smart shoppers we checked the electric catalogs and a couple of others. We didn't find a deal at all. In fact you could get these items cheaper at local stores or even on the net.

My husband and I were the last ones in the room. We were still looking. What started out as $5000 to join came down to $2400. At that point my husband and I started to laugh. We knew what all this was about. We thanked them for their time and walked out without joining.

This was before they went on TV.

You are right! This is a rip-off.

We had bought a new house and wanted to furnish it. Amazingly, we received an invite. As smart shoppers we checked the electric catalogs and a couple of others. We didn't find a deal at all. In fact you could get these items cheaper at local stores or even on the net.

My husband and I were the last ones in the room. We were still looking. What started out as $5000 to join came down to $2400. At that point my husband and I started to laugh. We knew what all this was about. We thanked them for their time and walked out without joining.

This was before they went on TV.

You are right! This is a rip-off.

We had bought a new house and wanted to furnish it. Amazingly, we received an invite. As smart shoppers we checked the electric catalogs and a couple of others. We didn't find a deal at all. In fact you could get these items cheaper at local stores or even on the net.

My husband and I were the last ones in the room. We were still looking. What started out as $5000 to join came down to $2400. At that point my husband and I started to laugh. We knew what all this was about. We thanked them for their time and walked out without joining.

This was before they went on TV.

You are right! This is a rip-off.

We had bought a new house and wanted to furnish it. Amazingly, we received an invite. As smart shoppers we checked the electric catalogs and a couple of others. We didn't find a deal at all. In fact you could get these items cheaper at local stores or even on the net.

My husband and I were the last ones in the room. We were still looking. What started out as $5000 to join came down to $2400. At that point my husband and I started to laugh. We knew what all this was about. We thanked them for their time and walked out without joining.

This was before they went on TV.

You are right! This is a rip-off.