Video Report: DirectBuy

Are buying clubs like DirectBuy a good deal? Our new video (right) details the experiences one of our reporters had at sales presentations for the nationwide buying club.

Although some readers commenting on our earlier story on DirectBuy have noted that the club’s prices are competitive, the video includes an interview with one DirectBuy member who found consistently lower prices elsewhere.

If you’d like to share your own experiences at buying clubs with other readers or discuss the pros and cons of these clubs, visit our forum for home shopping.—Gian Trotta

Essential Information: You can save money on cabinets, appliances, and other big-ticket items without committing to a buying club. And, remember, another way to save on appliances is to take advantage of the rebates and tax credits and tax holidays from local utilities and state governments.

Home & Garden blog readers debate DirectBuy

Since mid-September, readers of the Home & Garden blog have been engaged in a heated debate about DirectBuy, specifically this buying club’s sales tactics, membership fees, and product prices.

The folks commenting—some of them DirectBuy members, many people who went to a DirectBuy open house, others who are just interested in the club—have flooded the blog with tales of their own experiences with and opinions of the direct-buying service with the ubiquitous TV and print ads.

Some commenters are fans of DirectBuy and view it favorably. Many have expressed adverse opinions about the club. Still others have taken a measured view and revealed their reasons for not joining or their experiences after paying the membership fee.

If you’re looking for more telling anecdotes about and user-generated analyses of buying clubs like DirectBuy and other retailers as well as general shopping tips, check out our Home Shopping forum.—Gian Trotta