Complaint Review: DirectBuy

Rip-off Report Investigation:

EDitors UPDATE: Positive Rating and Recognition has been given to DirectBuy for its Commitment to Excellence in customer service.

Rip-off Reports investigation of DirectBuy uncovers an ongoing commitment to total client satisfaction. This means that clients can expect the company will always work towards finding a mutually satisfactory resolution to any complaints or concerns in the past, present or future. DirectBuy pledges to help members and guests realize their dreams through exceptional customer experiences and unparalleled savings, service, and selection.

The Rip-Off Report Investigation revealed a demonstrated commitment by DirectBuy to providing excellent customer service and resolving customer issues. They achieve this through several means, including a recent partnership with customer service experts to actively survey their members and guests and make changes that improve their processes and ensure a uniform exceptional experience for every customer. To address the most common concerns, DirectBuy recently started offering free trial memberships at participating club locations, as well as additional tiers and terms of membership to meet a broader range of household budgets.

The Investigation also showed that DirectBuy members are renewing their memberships at record rates, indicating members are still very satisfied with the value they receive through DirectBuys home furnishings and home improvement products and services. DirectBuy is one of the largest consumer buying clubs of its kind, and we are convinced they are dedicated to using feedback from customers to continually improve their policies and procedures.

One DirectBuy executive explained about their many changes stating, We have a team of service support specialists available specifically to address concerns from members and guests who visit Rip-Off Report. We want to ensure that their experiences with DirectBuy are positive, whether they join or not." Should you require this assistance, please contact them at DirectBuyHELP@directbuy.com Provide your name, the date of your issue, and the name of the location you visited. If you are a member, please include your member number if available.

Given DirectBuys commitment to excellent customer service, they were alarmed by some of the complaints lodged with Rip-off Report. Rip-off Report found that most complaints about DirectBuy were made by non-members who were critical of the cost of membership and the policy that a decision about membership must be made the same day of the open house visit. The policy is there to protect the manufacturers. It ensures their confidential pricing cannot be used by non-members to negotiate better deals with retail stores, thereby protecting the best possible pricing to members. The policy has not changed, but as stated above, new tiers and terms of membership are being offered at participating club locations

DIRECT BUY recognizes that complaints posted on Rip-off Report (true or not) are issues that need to be addressed and if handled correctly can be valuable learning opportunities. With the feedback generated by Rip-off Reports Investigation DirectBuy has made the necessary organizational changes to allow their members a more streamlined approach to problem resolution and a total overall commitment to customer experience. As one senior executive stated, We have learned that even the most committed companies can make mistakes, but if you really pay attention, you can learn from them. Weve adjusted policies to please both members and manufacturers, and we hope that anyone who has further suggestions on how we can improve our services will contact us with their ideas.

In summary, after our investigation, which included discussions with DirectBuy Senior Management, Rip-off Report is convinced that the company has been and is committed to quality delivery of services resulting in total client satisfaction.

Read about DirectBuy .. see their websites and the services they have to offer.

Read more about DirectBuys Commitment to Excellence and Total Consumer Satisfaction and why consumers should feel safe, confident and secure when doing business with a member of Rip-off Report's Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program. ..yes, a long name for a program that does a lot for both consumers and businesses alike.

Read about Rip-off Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program,..A program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business. this program works.

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NOW TO THE ORIGINAL REPORT THAT WAS FILED
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DirectBuy NO MEMBERSHIP FOR 7 YEARS if you do not Pay for/ finance membership on the day of your OPEN HOUSE Ripoff Spokane Valley Washington

You see the TV infomercial. You call, give your pertinent information. Your packet arrives with your Open House day and time. They call you to make sure you got the packet. You confirm all the data.

Arrive at the DirectBuy warehouse and are greeted with smiles and offered coffee and donuts. You help yourself and are shown around (looks like a great facility). Taken into a Video viewing room where you are shown adds from retailers and compare their prices to direct buy prices. WOW SAAAAVINGS!!! Denise then tells us Leisa Hart will take over and explain all of or most of our questions on the video.

While viewing the video Leisa Hart tells you becoming a membership is a decision you will have to make TODAY, at that point we wanted to get up and walk out, but surely that would not be the case and there is more to this Open House. Still excited about becoming a memeber we stay, have more coffee and Denise comes back in to finish the presentation and tell us the membership fee. HOLY HECK in shock, but would eventually be something we would do, because it seemed like such a great amount of savings. (WE STILL THINK THIS)

We are now taken out to a table and shown a select few price books and items they have to offer. (NO WE DID NOT SEE ACTUAL PRICING)I assume they assembled these books from the info we provided on the checklist sheet when we first arrived.

All still sounding great,we head to the next row of tables where we discuss the Membership fee. Denise shows us the OPTIONS on how we can fund our membership that day, because we could not shell out $#,###.## right then and there. We told her we had no $$ to start a membership today, but when we did it would be in full and within the next year. She then asked if we had a credit card. I know Denise needed to get the membership because that is how DirectBuy makes their money and offers such low pricing.

We were then told this is a one time deal that if we do not commit to paying for a membership today we will be in their system for 7 years and cannot become members until after that time frame. Had we known that we would not have scheduled the OPEN HOUSE until we were in a financial situation to purchase the membership in full or to finance it by way of our own checking account or I assume one of their services. We took our name tags off and were shown to the front exit to get our coat. However there is a conviently located exit right by the tables where you sign to become a member of the exclusive YOU HAVE MONEY TODAY MEMBERSHIP CLUB OF DIRECTBUY AND IF YOU DON'T THANKS FOR WASTING AN 1 1/2 OF YOUR SATURDAY.

Denise told us she should have been more clear on that upfront. (YA THINK) or even the infomercial should state this. We asked her where we could find this information out because we would have waited. Her response was it is in the book they sent with our invitation and she wished there was something else she could do, but she cannot. This is a POOR WAY TO DO BUSINESS AND a definte loss of honest people who wanted to become DirectBuy members at some point.

*****ALERT READ PAGE 12 of the booklet***** It says it is your choice to become a member at the open house. It does not state that if you opt not to at that time you will not be allowed for another 7 years to become a member. VERY MISLEADING AND FALSE ADVERTISING!!! This was a was of my time and I will tell everyone I know to make sure before they go be prepared to PAY some sort of MEMBERSHIP FEE starting at the lowest price of $###.## and then you can make installment payments if you cannot afford the $#,###.## all at once.

ALL THAT BEING SAID: Denise was great up until it was a no we cannot do it. She really did not know what to say or do at that point just basically got quiet and lead us on our way out of the Warehouse. Good Luck to her on the next round of members she gives the presentation to. I am ANGRY at the Corporation, not the employee trying to seal the deal. BE UPFRONT AND HONEST so we don't miss out on what you are telling us is such a great thing.

01-20-07 VISITOR 10AM
Spokane, Washington
U.S.A.