Direct Buy??

[OldFortYork]

With DB there is no need for haggling

If you read my post that's exactly what I mean.

I have a friend who has an account with DB, and almost everything that she has bought I ended up being quoted a better price.

Plus, she has to wait eons to get certain items.

[BartBandy]

A very interesting (and long) set of complaints against Direct Buy:

http://www.infomercialscams.com/scams/direct_buy_scams

[patrob]

If you read my post that's exactly what I mean.

I have a friend who has an account with DB, and almost everything that she has bought I ended up being quoted a better price.

Plus, she has to wait eons to get certain items.

Not sure what your friend bought but I can only speak on my experience & so far everything I have bought has been cheaper. Just recently ordered a Napoleon BBQ & I did get quotes from other stores & I was unable to match DB's price, along with some lighting, again DB price was lower again. Just because I have their membership does not mean I will not compare prices before I buy

A very interesting (and long) set of complaints against Direct Buy:

I do agree that their sales pitch is a bit strong & that does scare people off. We were able to see prices before we signed up & they actually encouraged us to, so not sure why some people are claiming they were not able to do the same But in my situation form the purchases we made, I have saved quite a bit. I know a few DB members that are very happy with their membership but you rarely hear from those people. Maybe I should ask them to speak up

[TrevorK]

Not sure what your friend bought but I can only speak on my experience & so far everything I have bought has been cheaper. Just recently ordered a Napoleon BBQ & I did get quotes from other stores & I was unable to match DB's price, along with some lighting, again DB price was lower again. Just because I have their membership does not mean I will not compare prices before I buy

The worst part is you can't tell us the price so we'll never know

That's the big problem I have against DirectBuy, you're forced to take a company at their word their prices are significantly lower and you'll save in the long run.

There is no opportunity for potential members to price shop, and as the saying goes "...if it's too good to be true it probably is....", and without any evidence to support the contrary it is no wonder people scream "scam".

[Regin8r]

I know a few DB members that are very happy with their membership but you rarely hear from those people. Maybe I should ask them to speak up

I try to be impartial in dealing with DB. One of the gripes I have is that some of the things I ordered take forever to arrive while others arrive well before the expected date.

Their prices are always very good, but you will have to know what you are buying ahead of time. In most cases such as with appliances, it will be very hard for competitors to beat their prices for the latest and greatest stuff.

The same applies to electronics such as televisions. If you want a clearance/older TV, then you can definitely beat the DB pricing, but if you want the latest and greatest, a competitor will likely not be able to match it.

For a serious DIY'er, I find DB to be a great resource to research different products that are available at places such as Richelieu.

Sure, if you know somebody, you might be able to match or beat DB pricing, but for the majoirty who don't have such a connection, DB is good pricing start point.

[Gabriella]

DB is good pricing start point.

Yabbut, it shouldn't be a 'starting point' when we consider the thousands of dollars it costs to be a member. Essentially, once you've commited to DB, you will want to try to take advantage of any cost savings that may exist.

[Regin8r]

Well, if you don't want to shop around, it is the best prices you will get and you can get pretty much anything there.

How much is your time worth? The prices you get from DB you will not be able to get if you walk into any store. At the store, you'll have to go back and forth for a bit, and then haggle over the price.

In the end, you might be able to match DB, or beat it by small margin. In my experience of knowing the DB prices, I haven't been able to save much via haggling.

Pretty much if you are just buying a few things or one off items, then it's not worth it for you since you can spend the time haggling and driving store to store to price match.

For a lot of things at our new home, it's been the starting price point and the ending price point. Paid thousands, and got the best prices for the items we chose. If you are consistently looking for the bargain basement appliances or the cheapest slightly older electronics, or the cheapest quality furniture, then you won't need DB.

[JAC]

Well, if you don't want to shop around, it is the best prices you will get and you can get pretty much anything there.

Says you. Until someone posts a copy of the mythical DB catalogue, we really only have your word on it, don't we.

[Regin8r]

It's not one "mythical" catalogue, each manufacturer has it's own and the cost pricing is different for each.

I'm basically trying to explain how if you don't have the time to search all over the place, it's the best price you can get for the time you invest. If you want to search and haggle, then you can beat it.

If you want to twist my words around into gospel, then that's your perogative. I'm just posting my personal experience as is Patrob.

[patrob]

I'm just posting my personal experience as is Patrob.

That's all we can do

Actually I forgot to add that if by any chance you find a price that is lower than DB's, they will match it & beat it by 20% Obviously they have to verify the price. So find me a retail store that will do the same I often forget about their price matching policy because it has only happened once to me that a product was lower somewhere else. And as I said before, I do my pricing research before I purchase anything & with this policy I know for a fact that my price will be the lowest!

[grant]

I often forget about their price matching policy because it has only happened once to me that a product was lower somewhere else.

1) if you "often forget" to price match, how do you know that only once the retail price would have been lower?

2) If direct buy really sells to you at-cost, how could other retail prices ever be lower?

It sounds like they're deceiving people.

[Regin8r]

Sounds like you've never heard retailers say they can't sell it to you at that price because it's below their "cost".

The "cost" price is based on volume of the outfit. A big box store might be able to volume purchase at a lower per unit cost that DB.

I had friends that work at Future Shop, and they were able to show me their "cost" price on their system for a few electronics, and I was able to beat their supposed "cost" price. Even their "cost" price for appliances, I was able to beat quite easily.

Another example is the Vermont Casting 5 Burner BBQ that was on sale at Costco earlier this year. It was selling for $600 and if you go to any fireplace/BBQ specialty store, that BBQ at cost was at least $800 at a high volume store.

Again, based on personal experience which I'm sharing. I don't need to promote it since it doesn't affect me if people join DB or not. OP was asking for opinions from people who have experience with it, not what people think of their marketing or claims.

[GunnerX]

Regin8r joined DB because of me. :P I've been a DB member for 8 years and I'm definitely making full use of my membership. I stopped posting about DB on RFD because it's definitely not something most RFD members can comprehend and will just bash it no matter what other people say.

[patrob]

1) if you "often forget" to price match, how do you know that only once the retail price would have been lower?

2) If direct buy really sells to you at-cost, how could other retail prices ever be lower?

It sounds like they're deceiving people.

What I meant is that I haven't had a chance to use the price matching policy because I haven't found a lower price, up until recently. Trust me if I did I would be all over them & getting my 20% back So with this policy you have nothing to loose since you know you will get the lowest price guaranteed.

I've been a DB member for 8 years and I'm definitely making full use of my membership. I stopped posting about DB on RFD because it's definitely not something most RFD members can comprehend and will just bash it no matter what other people say.

That is so true & I feel sometimes that I am wasting my breath explaining that DB does work

[branat]

What I meant is that I haven't had a chance to use the price matching policy because I haven't found a lower price, up until recently. Trust me if I did I would be all over them & getting my 20% back So with this policy you have nothing to loose since you know you will get the lowest price guaranteed.

But doesn't that mean you break a cardinal rule of DB? Paraphashing Bob Closard, "as a member, you cannot bother retail stores if you are not going to purchase from them?"