Complaint Review: Direct Buy - Hauppauge New York

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 [email protected] 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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Direct Buy Almost scammed!!! My trust has been violated. Hauppauge New York

I have been watching the Direct Buy commercials for a few months now and decided to give them a call. They sent me a pamphlet along with an 'invitation' appt.

After speaking to my husband, I made an appt. to go with him this past weekend. I was so excited to see what it was all about and upon our arrival was very impressed with the showroom and the courteous sales persons there.

We were given a brief tour of the showroom and I found it to be very impressive and even a little overwhelming...just filled with really great items. There were also catalogs with price lists on the other side of the showroom but we were not shown those. They had a nice breakfast buffet and my husband and I helped ourselves to buttered bagels.

Soon thereafter we sat down with a few other couples to listen to a short film about the company, how long they have been in business, what they were all about, how they were able to sell items for much lower prices and how happy their members were. Then they mentioned the price for membership and I almost fainted! $4,990.00 for the first 3 years and 190.00 a year for the next 4-10. They then buffered the blow by saying you could almost make back that investment immediately by purchasing a few home improvement projects, furniture, etc.

After the film, we all went out and listened to the owner explain the importance of never revealing to retail stores what direct buy is selling the same wares for because that would hurt the retailers and their business with direct buy. It is a very important rule that must never be broken. I thought that went without saying and I would never stoop that low to try to haggle a store owner to lower their prices beyond reason.

Then my husband and I sat down with one of the sales reps. She asked us what we think we would be needing within the next few years and we checked off almost everything because we plan to sell our house soon and move to buy another home immediately. I mentioned that one of the very first things I wanted to buy was a bed. I told her the type of bed I was interested in and she found something similar but no where near what I was looking for. I explained to her that I would not buy anything that was not exactly the same thing. I had back problems and if I was going to spend 3,000 on a bed, it had to be what I wanted. I also explained that there were many variations and lower quality materials used in this type of bed I was looking for and I would need to find out exactly what type of materials and process was used in it's production. She told me that she could call the company and find out more details. Still, I would not have bought a bed similar to what I wanted, so I would have had to go out of direct buy to purchase a 3,000.00 bed.

That being said, she then explained again the price of membership and we told her it was a very large amount of money to pay. She said that she could take a lower 'down payment' and then I would be obligated to pay the balance within the 3 year time frame. I was very enthused but my husband told her that we would need to think about it and do some research before he would feel comfortable. She then said to my surprise and disappointment that if we did not sign up right there we can never be invited back for 7 years. Right away I was VERY upset and I asked her that if I had known that, I would have set up the appt. after we had moved and were ready to do some shopping. She then stated that it was in the booklet I received. I never recalled reading it but I believed her and was angry at myself for missing that information. We left shortly thereafter without signing anything.

After we got home, I immediately read the pamphlet again and again. GUESS WHAT??? I could not find that information if you paid me a million dollars...because it was not there in the first place!! If it is, then it is VERY DECEPTIVELY written and that is a MAJOR turnoff!!!! Here I was, feeling stupid and mad at myself.... but all the while I was being LIED to. What a complete let down. My trust was violated and I was furious about it.

Unfortunately, I am a very trusting person...very gullible. If my husband was not with me, I would EASILY have become another victim of this scam.

To my horror, today my husband showed me over 40 complaints posted on this site about Direct Buy and their deceptive business. I was shocked and saddened to see so many poor people that have been victimized. They have complained about being misled, how expensive the shipping rates are, how long they wait for products, how terrible the customer service is...and worst of all...how no one can get out of the contract they were scammed into. There are hundreds more, dating back to 2004.

I can not believe that this has been going on for as long as it has and Direct Buy has not been exposed with a major investigation! Besides all this, price variations for membership ranged up to 2,000.00! So I guess depending on where you lived, they set the price higher or lower.

All I can say is THANK GOD I was not another one of their victims. I feel so angry that I was almost lured into signing over almost 5,000.00 of my hard earned money to these rip off artists! I just hope that someday in the very near future there will be a public investigation regarding this disgusting corrupt business.

Kim

Bay Shore, New York

U.S.A.