Complaint Review: Directbuy - Hunt Valley Maryland

I agree that DirectBuy is not a ripoff per se. It sounds like they lay out all the fees and costs, and say pretty explicitly that they don't guarantee anything they tell you. It also sounds like, if your situation is right, you can save a lot of money. However, it also sounds (just in my opinion) like they are predatory - that they prey on the weak and ill-informed consumers who only listen to the good parts of the infomercials and are not savvy enough to check all the numbers out for themselves ahead of time, go in completely prepared, and can resist strong sales tactics. Is this illegal? No. I agree that companies do not have the legal obligation to bring their sales pitch down to the lowest common denominator, and I would resist any government efforts to force them to. But immoral? I think so. I also believe that companies have a moral obligation not to use such high pressure sales tactics. I have read scores of reports from people saying DB does use such tactics; and although I have not experienced them personally (being warned by these reports), I have experienced them from other similar companies, and one time succumbed - at a cost of thousands of dollars for a few hundred dollars return. I have read that DB does not "force" people to stay and listen; but this is double talk, and everybody knows it. So, DB should not be legally required to change their tactics; but I don't understand how anybody working there can live with themselves. Is it technically the fault of the poor consumers who buy memberships and then never use them? Totally. Still, I personally would not be able to sleep at night knowing that I had drawn in poor people who can ill-afford to spend the money they spent, when it could have been easily predicted in advance they'd never recoup that money.

I joined the direct buy in Columbia almost 1 year ago and frequently visit the hunt valley directbuy. While I admit the 4500 I paid for a 3 year membership is high it didn't take very long to recover. I was rehabbing a house in Baltimore city and saved over 4500 on just the cabinets and granite counter tops. In the beginning I would always compare the direct buy price on a item (including handling + tax) to the best deal I could find online I found the saving to me marginal. On appliances for example the saving was 50-100 per item. It adds up but I agree it would take a long time to equal 4500. We purchased almost everything for the house from direct buy, cabinets / hardware, flooring, tile, appliances, lighting, fans, tubs, toilets, bathroom fixtures, exterior lights, etc. I would guess we have spent over 40K with them already. I plan to use them again when we rehab our next place. Bottom line is yes it's expensive to join and unless you plan on buying a lot of things it's probably not worth it. I don't think calling it a rip off is appropriate, you will save money in the long run, it's just not for everyone.

I work for DirectBuy in their call center and I truly do believe in their concept if you are some-what young and still have quite a few purchased to make. Examples include: remodeling, building a new home, buying gifts, furniture, etc. DirectBuy carries just about everything for, in, and around your home at factory direct prices. Now after reading your post about the price and how long it lasts I was like "that can't be right!" but then again each showroom is different. The DirectBuy I work at has been around for 6 years and the membership fee is $4,200 and lasts you for 10 1/2 years and it is only $99 a year after that! THAT IS AN EXCELLENT DEAL! If you're building a home or doing major remodeling and you can find a DirectBuy with the same prices that last that long, then I would say go for it! DirectBuy can save you a LOT of money!