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DirectBuy

peteduffy | Posted in Business on January 5, 2008 06:20am

You’re supposed to get stuff at wholesale prices direct from manufacturer.

I guess you have to sit through a time-share-like presentation before they tell you what it costs to join and what stuff you can get for how much.

Just wondering if anybody has joined, what it costs, is it for real, etc.???

Pete Duffy, Handyman

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Replies

  1. Piffin | Jan 05, 2008 06:29pm | #1

    Those things come and go all my life.

    The percieved savings is based on comparisons to MSLP.

    Guess what - NOBODY ever paays list price anyways. it is easy to shop sales and negotiate prices that are good for both the retailer and the customer without paying a membership fee to get savings

     

     

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    1. peteduffy | Jan 05, 2008 07:30pm | #4

      Thanks everybody.Pete Duffy, Handyman

  2. DougU | Jan 05, 2008 07:28pm | #2

    Pete

    Although I have no firsthand information about Directbuy it has been discussed on here a lot. Try a search and see some of the results. I don't remember the results being to positive though.

    Doug



    Edited 1/5/2008 11:28 am ET by DougU

  3. alwaysoverbudget | Jan 05, 2008 07:29pm | #3

    from my understanding it's high pressure,buy today or we won't let you JOIN.... thats the warning sign. i've heard it's 2400.00 to join,don't know if thats one time or yearly. save your money shop the interent. larry

    if a man speaks in the forest,and there's not a woman to hear him,is he still wrong?

  4. katiewa | Jan 06, 2008 01:16am | #5

    Early last year there was a discussion on the Motley Fool boards about DirectBuy: http://boards.fool.com/Message.asp?mid=25341694&sort=whole&terms=directbuy&vstest=search_042607_linkdefault.  Couple of people there have had very good experiences with it.  (And those couple are regulars with solid reputations on that board.)

    I read through their website and almost-but-never-did go listen to their sales pitch--I have a major emotional problem with "secrets", so couldn't justify my time (I was going to have to fit it in to some travel since the closest store is 180 miles away).  Plus, it looks to me as though you save money on high-end finish stuff; but I'm not interested in getting a $5000 crystal chandelier for only $1000.  (I just made up this example--have no idea if is at all related to reality.)  So it doesn't sound as though what they have to offer is really in line with what I want anyway.

    If you have a store near you and you're planning to buy a lot of stuff in the next year, I'd guess that it'd be worth your while to do your homework and then attend their presentation.  Be sure to report back if you do:-)

    Kathleen

  5. myhomereno | Jan 06, 2008 04:36am | #6

    Hi all

    It seems I am the only person who is a member with direct buy. I have to agree with most of you, I did not like the way they make you sign a contract for the membership with them. Once you see the presentation you have to decide on the spot if you want to be a member or not. The initial fee was IIRC $1200 (5 years ago). This includes a 2 year membership. I recently renewed my yearly membership and it cost me around 200 bucks.
    This seems like a lot of money, but it saved me money in the long run. 3 years ago I did a bathroom reno in my house. I looked at approx $4400 for the tiles, electric floor heat, Schluter Ditra and Kerdi. Since I am not a contractor I did not get a discount at the tile store. Through my membership I only paid 53% of this amount. Over the years I installed several tilt&turn windows in my house. A double pane 72w x 42h window would have cost me $1400, with the direct buy membership I only paid around $800 for it. According to the sales guy at the window place, I get the same discount that a contractor gets when he purchases every year $175000 in windows. I guess as a home owner I can't complain about such large discounts.

    Martin

    1. katiewa | Jan 06, 2008 05:58am | #7

      A double pane 72w x 42h window would have cost me $1400, with the direct buy membership I only paid around $800 for it.

      What brand of window, if you don't mind saying?  Do they carry a variety of brands?

      Kathleen

      1. myhomereno | Jan 06, 2008 06:06am | #8

        The windows I have in my house are from: http://www.euroline-windows.com/I think my local direct buy also carries Pella windowsMartin

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