Complaint Review: Network Direct

I received a postcard telling me to show up for an exciting buisness offer and a free prize. There were 4-5 others there, and nobody won the BIG prize (TV I think), but all of us got "free" 2 night hotel stays (still haven't been able to redeem mine due to scheduing difficulties or something). Anyway, I foolishly signed up.

What I was sold was a membership to a buying club where we could buy direct from the manufacturer at huge discounts. All this would cost would be a one time fee of $1200 and I could shop for life. Well, some time passed and I finally decided to use it. When I tried, I was told my membership had expired and I would have to pay $65 to renew. I complained and explained to them I was told I would never have to pay anything else. They said they knew nothing of that, that wasn't what they told their salespeople, and that the person who had sold it to me was no longer with them. But to be kind, they gave me a free year. I decided to get something, figuring I could salvage some of my cost. The first thing I got was a phone, savings was less than $2.

Later, I got another postcard, so I decided to go again, thinking I might get another prize and could warn people. didn't win the BIG prize, but got a golf discount card. Talked to a few people quietly and told them what I knew. Later talked to the sales guy and he told me that I didn't have to renew my membership to use their online services, so I could shop around without having to pay and only pay if I wanted to actually buy something.

So sometime later, I tried shopping on their online site. I couldn't get in because my membership had expired. I called and complained and was told I had to be a current member to shop, they never told their salspeople anything like that, and that the person who told me that was no longer with the company. But to be kind, they would give me a free year. Again I looked around a little, thinking it couldn't hurt since I already paid. This time I went bigger, shopping for a washer and dryer. We had looked around some and knew what we wanted. I looked it up and found they didn't sell the models we wanted. I called and asked, got some price quotes on comparable modles and found I would have saved at most $10.

Anyway, this whole thing may have worked years ago, but now with internet shopping it is basically worthless. They seem to have high personnell turnover and either don't tell their salespeople anything or allow (encourage?) them to be creative in their salespitch.

Brian
Greensboro, North Carolina
U.S.A.