Print the value of index0
UCC Total Home - Direct Buy Company of North Seattle ripoff! Bothell Washington
We joined last year ago and paid $3,000 upfront for a membership after a ridiculously cheesy sales presentation which I was embarassed to even watch. We were building a house at the time and our objective was to get back the membership fee and additional savings in the cabinets alone. They went on and on about how much you could save in cabinets! Have you ever tried to do your own cabinet design? You get absolutely no help from the misguided "experts" they employ there so we had to hire a kitchen designer who they referred us to just to figure out what to order!
When it was all said and done and after 3 4-hour trips to the center we ended up buying the exact same cabinets through a rep from Canyon Creek and saving money. The UCC Total Home people were astounded and said they couldn't belive it - we should have been saving 60%. Yeah, right. We also ordered hardwood flooring, carpet, and appliances. We saved a little money on the hardwood floor and carpet but had to pay to have it shipped from the center to our house.
The Amana appliances we bought (range and dishwasher) for a total of 1700 were defective and when I called the center they said they don't get involved in returns and told me to call Amana and deal with it through them. They wouldn't even give me Amana's phone #! Bad, bad experience. Big hassle and waste of money!
Tracy
Anacortes, Washington
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Melissa
Miami,Florida,
U.S.A.
Great experience with Direct Buy
#3Consumer Comment
Fri, July 31, 2009
All the appliances we purchased from them have worked fine. The representatives helped us through every step of ordering products to remodel our home and when we compared prices to multiple other companies, we had huge savings!
Iva
Merrillville,Indiana,
U.S.A.
URL Links to More information about Directbuy - UCC Total home - Membership Agreement is untenable, unconscionable, and unenforceable
#3Consumer Comment
Mon, July 05, 2004
Warning! Directbuy is a scam that use to go by the name UCC Totalhome. Before that they were known as United Consumers Club. They are trying to get consumers to buy a non-refundable, non-cancellable "membership" contract costing $3000 or more, payable in advance. You are led into this trap by thinking that by paying $3000 (or more) membership fee (in advance) that you will get better prices - that you will be able to buy at "cost." But there are no guarantees.
The National Post news article got it right when they reported:
"Another fine print stipulation stated: "No oral promises or statements not contained in this agreement shall bind or obligate the club."
News Net 5's expose on what was then UCC Totalhome (now DirectBuy) found out:
"But UCC's contract states: "No oral promises or statements not contained in this membership agreement are binding."
There are no guarantees that you will be buying at "cost" and there are no guarantees of savings whatsoever. Since the "membership" fee is non-refundable and non-cancellable, should you not realize any savings, oh well, too bad - no refunds!
Buyer beware this scam!
Here are some links to more information about them-
http://www.nationalpost.com/financialpost/story.html?id=19E244B1-7DD0-45A2-B66D-7883F94E1DB4
http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/services/ucc/
http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/video/programs%5f2001%5f02/ucc%5fqt%5f020306.html
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/335540/detail.html
http://www.wbz4.com/lyons/local%5fstory%5f063165203.html
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1229/4780642.html
http://archivesearch.wtnh.com/news/ct/ct090497.html
http://formeraboutguides.com/investingcanada/library/weekly/1999a/aa062399.htm
http://formeraboutguides.com/investingcanada/library/weekly/1999b/aa110499.htm
http://formeraboutguides.com/investingcanada/library/weekly/2000b/aa122100a.htm
[DELETED]
A NY court found the membership contract "grossly unconscionable" and that "Club membership is nothing more than a cleverly disguised method of selling nothing but hopes and dreams."
http://www.mlmlaw.com/library/cases/mlm/state/nyniemiec.htm
A Canadian court found the membership agreement untenable and unenforcable because it violated the Consumer Protection Act, the Sales of Goods Act, and The Trade Practice Act. Read this at at paragraphs 13-20 of the ruling.
http://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/judgments/pc/2002/01/p02%5F0197.htm
Paragraph 8 is where they said they aren't required to give any service after the sale. Yes, see for yourself they used it in court to try to save themselves.
http://www.sconet.state.oh.us./rod/documents/2/2002/2002-ohio-3806.doc
UCC blames the member for the delay in receiving merchandise for over 4 months! Read it for yourself at paragraph number 33!
http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/documents/2/2004/2004-ohio-2426.doc
Lawsuit shows lack of moral and ethical conduct by UCC/TH/DB franchisee Darryn Fossand.
http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/archive/ctapun/0405/opa031376-0511.htm
BEWARE:
The contract specifically states:
There are no merchandise returns.
There are no refunds if not satisfied.
Merchandise is sold without warranty.
There is no after sale support or service.
DIRECTBUY FYI:
[DELETED]
MEMBERSHIP AGREEMENT - READ IT BEFORE YOU GO IN FOR THE PRESENTATION:
[DELETED]