Complaint Review: Direct Buy

My mother read OUR LOCAL Direct Buy's full-page ad in our local paper and thought it sounded like a good idea. She and my step-father purchased a 16 year old home that was going to need some updating, e.g. windows, fencing and cabinets. They also wanted to purchase a pool.

My step-father works in Iraq and is home only two weeks every 5 months, so I live at home and act in his stead. My mother called and scheduled an appointment for herself and I. She told the receptionist that she had a durable power-of-attorney and the receptionist said that was fine, and my mother also explained that she would be bringing me along; once again she was told fine.

When we arrived at OUR LOCAL Direct Buy we were greeted by a bunch of friendly and courteous sales people. Our Meeting was with a gentleman named Mike and a woman named Bonnie was sitting in with us. Before the meeting could start I informed Mike not to try and B.S. us, due to the fact that we have worked in retail for a number of years and that I was a very good shopper. He agreed that he wouldn't try anything fishy and the pitch started.

I have to admit I was skeptical in the beginning, but as Mike talked on and showed us some prices, I was impressed. BIG MISTAKE!

My mother was informed that she would not be able to signup without my stepfather present. She informed Mike that the woman she talked to on the phone said there would not be a problem. He gave some lame excuse and then the standard if you leave there's no coming back bit. He also questioned my mother's hyphenated last name. We told him it was her maiden name followed by her married name. I stated that I could prove it was her maiden name due to the fact it was my last name on my birth certificate.

Mike then told us that to allow my mother to get a membership and to save me from having to spend an additional $5,000.00 for my own membership; I could be for all intense and purposes my mother's spouse. It sounded like a good idea, due to the fact that I would be the one with my mother when ever she made any purchases. Mike's manager, Teresa, popped her head in his office, Mike told her the plan and she Okayed it.

Now the woman who accompanied us to this meeting was a senior citizen, and thus was entitled to a discount. Bonnie was told her membership would be $4,000.00 minus a thousand if she paid in two payments. Fine, the contracts were signed and on to the tour.

I specifically explained that there were at least four big ticket items we needed to purchase, as stated above, fencing, cabinets, windows and a pool. We were shown the PELLA window display, we were shown their mockup kitchen with its high-end cabinets and were told that OUR LOCAL Direct Buy did business with a LOCAL pool company and we could get a terrific deal. It should be noted that Mike also said we could get a deal on a screened pool enclosure.WELLB.S. & more B.S.

First: About two weeks after signing the contract and putting down $500.00 (the check was cashed), the managers son approached my mother and I stating that there was a problem with our membership. It seems, Teresa the manager that Okayed the idea of me being on my mother's membership, had complained to the owner of OUR LOCAL direct Buy, that I wasn't a member. I told Mr. Dillon JR. the whole story, and he stated no problem. Fine.

Second: The fencing that OUR LOCAL Direct offers is purchased out of Kentucky; we live in Florida, the manufacturer DOES NOT install in our area, so we would have to pay someone else to install it. This adds to the cost and ends up costing us more than if we went to our local Lowes or Home Depot.

Third: The company that OUR LOCAL Direct Buy uses for their windows, WILL NOT install windows in homes that are over 10 years old. Now once again, we have to pay someone else to install them, once again not a good deal.

Fourth: OUR LOCAL Direct Buy DOES NOT sell pools or screen enclosures. I inquired about pricing a few weeks ago and was told they are currently trying to find a company that will work with them.So, we were told BLATANT LIES. There's no way around it.

As to Bonnie; she was told she HAS to make monthly payments (she agreed to make two payments, the $3,000.00 membership split into two) and they are not going to honor the $1,000.00 discount, why you may askBonnie was told that MIKE never told her such a thing. My mother and I were sitting there with her! She happened to come across an Interior Designer that I sometimes do work for and he gave her our number. It's a good thing because now she has two witnesses.

I fully understand that there are members that have had great success with Direct Buy, however, from all of the postings I have read it seems these are members that have a boundless amount of money who are either building homes or have multiple units to rehab or furnish.

Contrary to popular belief, there are people who DON'T have all kinds of money to make large purchases all at once. And those members are losing out!

It doesn't negate the fact that Direct Buy or UCC or both use blatantly misleading tactics to get people to become members. The laws in the United States are setup with the understanding that most of us are not as savvy as we should be and need protecting from just such dealings.

My mother, Bonnie and I intend to fight. We want our money back and we want Direct Buy to be more forth coming and honest with potential consumers. Those of you that have had a positive experience, good for you, but talking down or just being rude doesn't help convince people that have been ripped-off that Direct Buy is anything but another cash cow company robbing honest hard-working folks!

If anyone else in Florida has any problems with this store, please reply. There's always strength in numbers!

J.Wesley Deltona, Florida
U.S.A.