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A natural development…DirectBuy Clubs partner with Legacy of Barrington, a conservation development.

CHICAGO, GURNEE, NAPERVILLE, TINLEY PARK, IL …

Legacy of Barrington, a conservation development located in North Barrington, recently announced an exclusive offer for DirectBuy Club members for referrals and purchases. Legacy of Barrington will pay DirectBuy members a $5,000 finder’s fee for referring a buyer of one of Legacy’s 14 lots. In addition, if a DirectBuy Club member wishes to purchase a lot, Legacy will deduct $10,000 off the sale price.

“Legacy of Barrington is attempting to do something truly special by building luxury homes in harmony with conservation land,” said Dave Kushner, owner of DirectBuy of Northern Illinois, located at 3900 Washington Street in Gurnee. “By offering these incentives to DirectBuy members at any of our Chicago area clubs, we’re hoping interested and environmentally conscientious homeowners will take advantage of this incredible opportunity.”

Located eight miles north of downtown Barrington at the end of Tara Drive north of Indian Trail Road, “Legacy” features 14 approximately one-acre lots surrounded by more than 25 acres of high-quality natural areas, including woodlands, savannas, prairies, sedge meadows, and wetlands. Legacy is also part of Barrington Unit School District #220, which has been consistently ranked among the state’s top five percent of school districts academically.

Legacy gives prospective luxury homebuyers the opportunity to share owners Mary and Eddie Chin’s dream of building single-family custom homes in a conservation community. Conservation development seeks to restore a more natural balance and improve the quality of habitat for both people and wildlife in the following ways:

  • By effectively managing storm water on-site with vegetated swales and other such natural methods, flooding is reduced in the neighborhood and downstream.
  • By using natural storm water management methods, silt, salt, and surface pollutants like automobile fluids, cleaning solvents, and other chemicals are naturally removed from ground water, providing cleaner drinking water.
  • By discouraging the use of certain chemicals, fertilizers, and weed killers, the level of toxins are reduced in the air, ground, and water, providing a healthier environment for all residents.
  • By encouraging the use of environmentally sound materials and methods for homebuilding, the negative impact of building on the environment locally as well as globally is reduced.
  • By restoring native ecosystems, a creature and plant-life biodiversity evolves whereby species populations are naturally kept in check, providing homeowners access to lovely woods, prairies, and other native vistas.

“At Legacy, we envision time-honored and exquisite custom design elements paired with high-quality construction in homes that feature awesome, expansive views of open prairies, oak savannas, and native woodlands. This is where conservation and luxury meet,” said Scott Nelms, Project Manager for Legacy. “We think future Legacy property owners will have no problem feeling good about the stewardship of natural areas and habitats at Legacy. We are excited about talking to potential buyers as to how we can partner with them to build their dream home in a community that truly cares about the environment.”

For more information, go to www.legacyofbarrington.com or call (847) 592-6250 to schedule a tour. Visitors to the community will be entered in a raffle to win a Luxury Hotel/Spa Package in a Green Seal-certified downtown Chicago hotel. In addition, Legacy will host three open houses:  July 24, August 21, and September 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

About DirectBuy Club

Since 1971, DirectBuy has helped hundreds of thousands of families enjoy a better quality of life, enabling them to buy directly from more than 700 manufacturers or their authorized suppliers. Buying direct makes members’ hard-earned money go much further, while having the selection and choice not available at any retail store. Access to confidential prices, local suppliers, and unparalleled selection helps make members’ dream projects a reality. The DirectBuy Clubs serving the greater Chicago area are part of more than 150 locations throughout North America.

Consumers interested in becoming members may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting http://www.directbuy.com. 

Locations of the DirectBuy clubs serving the greater Chicago area are: DirectBuy of Chicago North, 6325 North Avondale Ste. 110, Chicago, IL; DirectBuy of DuPage County, 1864 High Grove Lane Ste. 124, Naperville, IL; DirectBuy of Northern Illinois, 3900 Washington Street, Gurnee, IL; and DirectBuy of Tinley Park, 18400 S. 76th Avenue Ste. B, Tinley Park, IL.

To learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy Club membership, visit www.directbuycares.com.

A natural development…DirectBuy Clubs partner with Legacy of Barrington, a conservation development.Read More

Springfield resident Chris Keeton celebrates 10 years with DirectBuy Club

Chris Keeton of DirectBuy

SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI…

Springfield native Chris Keeton, receiving supervisor at DirectBuy of Springfield, was recently recognized for his 10 years of service at DirectBuy’s International Sales & Service Conference, held May 23-26 in Dallas, Texas.

Keeton began his tenure in 1996. After a four-year stint in the Marines, he rejoined DirectBuy and quickly established himself as a jack-of-all-trades and owner Tracye Corbin’s “right-hand man.”

“Chris is the most versatile, well-rounded employee at the Springfield club,” said Brian Gerstenberger, DirectBuy Corporate’s Manager of Field Sales. “When a situation needs defusing, he frequently steps in and handles it.”

A lifelong Springfield resident, Keeton is active with the local Shriners. He’s is also an avid reader and writer, has completed the draft for a children’s book, and is currently writing a book on minor league baseball.

“Even though a lot has changed over the course of my career here, the main premise of DirectBuy has not–we still save our members a lot of money,” said Keeton. “The only thing that’s changed or improved through technology is how we do that.”

The leading home improvement and furnishings club with direct insider prices, DirectBuy Club offers manufacturer-direct pricing on products ranging from light fixtures to televisions to kitchen cabinets, all from more than 700 manufacturers or their authorized suppliers. DirectBuy Club also offers design, delivery, and installation services.

DirectBuy of Springfield is conveniently located at 1265 East Lark in Springfield. DirectBuy Club provides a comfortable, country club setting, where consumers finally have the financial control of buying direct.

For more information on a DirectBuy membership, you can visit http://www.directbuycares.com.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement, and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories, and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the U.S. and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada. Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service, and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

Springfield resident Chris Keeton celebrates 10 years with DirectBuy ClubRead More

Rochester’s Top 5! DirectBuy of Rochester celebrates five years in business.

ROCHESTER, NY…

For five years, DirectBuy Club has been offering consumers in the greater Rochester area a brand new way to save on home improvement projects, furnishings, and accessories.

The leading home improvement and furnishings club with direct insider prices, DirectBuy of Rochester offers products ranging from light fixtures to televisions to kitchen cabinets, from more than 700 manufacturers or their authorized suppliers at direct insider prices.

“Our five years in Rochester have been particularly rewarding because DirectBuy has been able to help its members save literally thousands of dollars on their home improvement projects and home furnishings in what’s been a very difficult economy for many people,” said Marc Nadeau, owner of DirectBuy of Rochester. “As the economy improves, we’re looking to what the next five years brings.”

In addition to tremendous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, flooring, and accessories, DirectBuy Club also offers design and delivery services to its members, as well as a listing of local contractors who offer installation services many times at a discounted rate.

“That’s another beauty of DirectBuy. We not only help members save on products but can put the in touch with very capable installers who offer discounted rates for our members,” said Nadeau. “That’s quite a load off your mind when you’re undertaking a renovation or remodeling project that the installers are from a trusted, reliable source.”

Conveniently located at 45 Saginaw Drive in Rochester, DirectBuy Club offers consumers a comfortable setting where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement, and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories, and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the U.S. and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada. Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service, and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

Rochester’s Top 5! DirectBuy of Rochester celebrates five years in business.Read More

Your new travel guide…Kelly Miller opens Best of Lehigh Valley Resort Maps franchise.

Resort Maps' Kelly Miller

BETHLEHEM, PENNYSYLVANIA AND WAITSFIELD, VERMONT…

Resort Maps, creator of nearly 100 customized travel maps across the United States, England, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, recently announced Kelly Miller as the owner of the new Resort Map to be published for the Lehigh Valley. The map will include all key destinations in the Easton, Bethlehem, and Allentown areas.

Resort Maps are colorful, hand-drawn maps of towns and cities, distributed free to area visitors at travel information and rest areas as well as at advertiser locations. The Best of Lehigh Valley map will highlight local attractions and things to do, restaurants, festivals and fairs, accommodations, retail shops, real estate and other services in Lehigh Valley. Each advertiser on the map will be represented with a display ad surrounding the perimeter of the map, including a color-coded grid locator and their actual building hand-drawn, highlighted and labeled, making it easy to locate. 

“There’s so much going on in the Lehigh Valley right now with the development of local sports teams, casinos, festivals and other locally owned businesses. That’s not only drawing interest from the locals but tourists from all over,” said Miller. “There aren’t any maps that cover the attractions of this area and showcase what local businesses have to offers. Our map will help locals and tourists alike discover the Lehigh Valley.”

A lifelong resident of the Lehigh Valley, Miller graduated from Northampton High School and Cedar Crest College. In addition to owning a Resort Maps franchise, she is a notary and tag agent for the Department of Motor Vehicles in Wind Gap. Miller resides in Bethlehem Township.

“I’m extremely excited about this opportunity and the potential for additional maps within and around the Lehigh Valley,” said Miller.

Slated for a fall 2010 distribution, The Lehigh Valley Resort Map will offer a treasure trove of things to do for people vacationing in the area or just out for a day or two. Resort Maps free ‘souvenir style’ maps will be on display at local advertisers’ shops as well as at many non-advertiser locations throughout Lehigh Valley.

The Lehigh Valley Resort Map will also be available on-line at www.resortmaps.com, along with interactive maps to over 100 areas that Resort Maps covers. These interactive maps allow the viewer to read a description of each business as they scroll over each building and to connect to the website of the business for further information. 

For information on how to advertise on the initial Best of Lehigh Valley Resort Map, you can e-mail Kelly Miller at kellym@resortmaps.com or call 610-401-7796.

About Resort Maps

Headquartered in the Green Mountains of Vermont, Resort Maps has been creating and publishing advertising maps in the northeastern U.S. since 1986. In 1993, Resort Maps expanded its reach by creating a franchise model for distribution of its colorful, hand-drawn maps of resort towns and cities. Today, that network of franchises has grown to over 98 Resort Maps in publication in the US and the UK, with several more in the process of being published. Twenty million Resort Maps will be printed and distributed in 2010.

For more information on Resort Maps and/or the franchise opportunity, visit www.resortmaps.com or call 802-496-6277.

Resort Maps franchises serve cities and towns in California (Carmel, Monterey), Colorado (Boulder, Breckenridge, Cherry Creek, Colorado Springs, Denver, Eagle River, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Summit County), Delaware (Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach), Florida (Clearwater Beach and Gulf Beaches, Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, New Smyrna Beach, St. Augustine, Tarpon Springs), Georgia (Savannah/Tybee Island), Maine (Bar Harbor/Acadia, Boothbay region, Camden-Rockland, Kennebunkport, Kittery, Portland, York-Ogunquit), , Maryland (Annapolis, Eastern Shore, Ocean City,  Solomons Island, St. Mary’s County), Massachusetts (Berkshires, Chatham-Orleans, Falmouth, Hyannis-Yarmouth, Martha’s Vineyard, Newburyport, Plymouth, Sturbridge, Worcester), Michigan (Traverse City, Northern Michigan), New Hampshire (Franconia/Notch Region, Hampton Beach, Hanover/Lebanon , Keene, Lakes Region, Mount Washington Valley, Portsmouth), New Jersey (Barnegat Bay, Cape May, Hoboken/Jersey City, Hunterdon, Lambertville , Long Beach Island, Ocean Grove, Point Pleasant, Princeton, Sandy Hook), New York (The North Fork, Lake George , Lake Placid, Saratoga Springs, The Hamptons,), North Carolina (Asheville, Brunswick County, Hendersonville , Outer Banks, Salisbury and Rowan County, Sandhills, Wilmington,), Pennsylvania (Bucks County, Chestnut Hill, Delaware River Valley, Gettysburg, Lehigh Valley, The Main Line), Rhode Island (Newport, Providence), South Carolina (Charleston, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach), Tennessee (Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge), Vermont (Addison County/Brandon, Barre/Montpelier, Burlington, Killington/Rutland, Mad River Valley, Manchester, Mount Snow, Okemo, Smugglers’ Notch, Stowe, Waterbury/Richmond, Woodstock/Quechee) and Virginia (Northern Neck & Middle Peninsula) —as well as towns and cities in England (Chicester, Lewes) and Puerto Rico (Vieques, Culebra).

Your new travel guide…Kelly Miller opens Best of Lehigh Valley Resort Maps franchise.Read More

A perfect 10! DirectBuy of Nassau County celebrates 10 years in business.

WESTBURY, NY…

For 10 years, DirectBuy Club has been offering consumers in greater Nassau County a brand new way to save on home improvement projects, furnishings, and accessories.

The leading home improvement and furnishings club with direct insider prices, DirectBuy of Nassau County offers products ranging from light fixtures to televisions to kitchen cabinets, from more than 700 manufacturers or their authorized suppliers.

“We help consumers stretch their dollars and create the homes of their dreams. Even after 10 years that doesn’t get old,” said David Pena, owner of DirectBuy of Nassau County. “Ten years later we’re just as excited about this opportunity because DirectBuy makes even more sense for consumers than it did when we opened our doors.”

In addition to tremendous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, flooring, and accessories, DirectBuy Club also offers design and delivery services to its members, as well as a listing of local contractors who offer installation services, many times at a discounted rate.

“Our 10 years in business have not only given us the opportunity to help families create the home of their dreams, but also to establish ourselves as part of the local business community,” said Pena. “We look forward to further cultivating those relationships with our customers and the community as we build toward even bigger and better things in the years to come.”

Conveniently located at 200 Shames Drive in Westbury, New York, DirectBuy Club offers consumers a comfortable setting where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement, and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories, and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the U.S. and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada. Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service, and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

A perfect 10! DirectBuy of Nassau County celebrates 10 years in business.Read More

DirectBuy of Puget Sound’s Matt Martin receives Service Professional of the Year honors.

DirectBuy of Puget Sound's Matt Martin

LACEY, WA AND MERRILLVILLE, IN…

 DirectBuy Club, the leading home improvement and home furnishings club offering direct insider prices, recently announced at its International Sales & Service Conference in Dallas, Texas that Matt Martin, a Lacey resident and service manager at DirectBuy of Puget Sound, had been named DirectBuy’s Service Professional of the Year.

Candidates for the Service Professional of the Year award are nominated by their peers, supervisors and franchise owners and are graded on their role in providing an exceptional member experience by going above and beyond for their members. Martin achieved the highest grade among service professionals from more than 150 DirectBuy Clubs across the United States and Canada.

“Matt possesses three key attributes that make him a successful service professional. He’s a hard worker, dedicated and has a big heart. He’s the epitome of what we strive for in serving our members,” said Dimitri Olympidus, owner of DirectBuy of Puget Sound. “Matt puts himself in the members’ shoes with every situation, good and bad.  As a result, members pick up that he is genuinely interested and committed to them. This breeds a culture of service that is second to none at our club.”

Olympidus presented Martin Service Professional of the Year award on stage at the Conference, where he received a commemorative plaque for this achievement.

“I am very honored to receive this award and the recognition that comes with it,” said Martin. “From day one, it has been my goal to provide an exceptional level of service to our members and I have had the pleasure of working with a fantastic team in Puget Sound.  I have also been blessed to have the support of our owner Dimitri who has given me all of the tools to make this team so strong.”

Martin started with DirectBuy in 2007. In his role, he oversees all aspects of DirectBuy of Puget Sound’s service department. A graduate of the University of Oregon, he holds a bachelor’s degree in business. Martin resides in Lacey with his wife Christie and their two daughters.

DirectBuy of Puget Sound offers area residents thousands of items, including kitchen cabinets, flat-screen televisions and major appliances from more than 700 top manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. 

To assist members with their home renovation projects, DirectBuy employs interior designers and product specialists who are specially trained in one of five areas of merchandise: Home Furnishing, Home Improvement, Flooring, Accessories, and Entertainment/Outdoor.

DirectBuy of Puget Sound, conveniently located at 8719 Commerce Place Drive Northeast in Lacey, Washington, offers consumers a comfortable, welcoming setting and design center where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service, and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

DirectBuy of Puget Sound’s Matt Martin receives Service Professional of the Year honors.Read More

DirectBuy of Syracuse receives Top Customer Service Award at International Conference in Dallas, Texas.

EAST SYRACUSE, NY AND MERRILLVILLE, IN…

DirectBuy Club, the leading home improvement and home furnishings club with direct insider prices, recently announced at its International Sales & Service Conference in Dallas, Texas, that DirectBuy of Syracuse as the 2010 Top Customer Service Star Rating Club.

DirectBuy clubs have the opportunity to be recognized as a Top Customer Service Star Rating Club based on the results of a customer service survey that goes out monthly to new and old members, as well as to consumers who visited a DirectBuy location and declined to become members, regarding their experiences with DirectBuy. The survey measures all clubs according to DirectBuy’s Service Theme and Standards, from the appointment-setting process and new member orientation all the way to problem resolution and renewals.

“DirectBuy of Syracuse achieved a 5-Star Customer Service Rating for five of the six quarters of the qualification for this award. They narrowly missed having six straight quarters of 5-Star Ratings by just .02 points!” said Patti Titus, DirectBuy Corporate’s Senior Director of Merchandise Services. “That speaks to how focused they continue to be in delivering the absolute best member experiences each and every time, and also stands as a testament to the talents of their team members.”

DirectBuy of Syracuse owners Maurice King and Melina Cholmondeley accepted a commemorative plaque onstage at DirectBuy’s International Sales & Service Conference.

“We take customer service very seriously at DirectBuy of Syracuse. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve,” said King. “This award really is a testimony to our staff. It is a team effort all the way as we strive to elevate the shopping experience for our members while continuing to provide them with tremendous selection and savings.”

DirectBuy of Syracuse offers area residents thousands of items, including kitchen cabinets, flat-screen televisions and major appliances from more than 700 top manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. 

To assist members with their home renovation projects, DirectBuy employs interior designers and product specialists who are specially trained in one of five areas of merchandise: Home Furnishing, Home Improvement, Flooring, Accessories, and Entertainment/Outdoor.

DirectBuy of Syracuse, conveniently located at 6804 Manlius Center Road in East Syracuse, offers consumers a comfortable, welcoming setting and design center where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories, and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service, and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

DirectBuy of Syracuse receives Top Customer Service Award at International Conference in Dallas, Texas.Read More

DirectBuy of Minneapolis awarded Top Renewal Club of the Year honors.

BLOOMINGTON, MN AND MERRILLVILLE, IN…

DirectBuy Club, the leading home improvement and home furnishings club with direct insider prices, recently announced at its International Sales & Service Conference in Dallas, Texas, that DirectBuy of Minneapolis had won the coveted Top Renewal Club of the Year award.

The Top Renewal Club award is presented to the DirectBuy Club with the highest percentage of renewals for both first-time members and subsequent renewals. DirectBuy of Minneapolis achieved an 83.7 percent renewal rate for 2009.

“Every Conference, DirectBuy of Minneapolis is always near the top in all our service awards. Last year they were DirectBuy’s Service Club of the Year for 2008, and this is their third year placing in the Top 5 in Member Renewals,” said Joe Tayon, DirectBuy Corporate’s Director of Merchandising-Home Improvement. “These accomplishments are truly a testament to the dedication and hard work of their staff and the commitment of the owners to build a strong service culture.”

DirectBuy of Minneapolis owners Darryn and Dana Fossand accepted the award onstage at the conference.

“Service is the key to retaining your members. Working to constantly improve customer service is something our service staff takes very seriously,” said co-owner Darryn Fossand. “This award really is a testimony to our staff. It is a team effort all the way as we strive to elevate the shopping experience for our members while continuing to provide them with tremendous selection and savings.”

DirectBuy of Minneapolis offers area residents thousands of items, including kitchen cabinets, flat-screen televisions, and major appliances from more than 700 top manufacturers or their authorized suppliers. 

To assist members with their home renovation projects, DirectBuy employs interior designers and product specialists who are specially trained in one of five areas of merchandise: Home Furnishing, Home Improvement, Flooring, Accessories, and Entertainment/Outdoor.

DirectBuy of Minneapolis, conveniently located at 2090 W. 98th Street in Bloomington, is a 12,000 sq. foot showroom that offers consumers a comfortable, welcoming setting and design club where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service, and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

DirectBuy of Minneapolis awarded Top Renewal Club of the Year honors.Read More

Power to the people… Social buying gives buying power to the consumers, but is this really a new trend?

MERRILLVILLE, IN…

In addition to becoming a daily ritual for millions worldwide, social media sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter have spawned additional trends. Most notably, group or social buying. But is this really new trend or simply a different spin on what membership clubs like DirectBuy, or wholesale membership clubs like BJ’s, Costco, and others have been doing for decades?

For those of you not in the know, each day group buying sites like Groupon.com, LivingSocial.com, and many others advertise products or services at deeply discounted rates. Usually the offerings are for a specific geographic region (e.g. – a day at a local spa); however, the discount only becomes valid when a pre-determined number of buyers has been reached.

“The Internet has made the world a much smaller place and it’s helped consumers realize that there is strength in numbers and they do have far more bargaining power than they realized,” said Mike Georgeff of DirectBuy. “The irony is that it’s a power consumers have had for years through DirectBuy – and not just in a certain geographical area or on certain products.”

Since 1971, DirectBuy Club has helped its members save literally thousands of dollars on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, flooring, and accessories – by purchasing direct from hundreds of brands. The similarities between DirectBuy and the social buying craze end at buying power. At DirectBuy, members have access to:

  • A wide range of products to choose from, while social buying sites typically offer only one product or service per region per day.
  • Product and design specialists to answer questions and make suggestions that will help them to complete their projects.
  • Professional design, delivery, and installation services.
  • No quotas needed to make a purchase. For example, if members want to buy a new refrigerator, they do not need a certain number of members to also commit to purchasing the very same refrigerator.
  • A no retail mark-up model. DirectBuy Club members pay a membership fee to have access to these savings, as opposed to paying retail markup on every product, resulting in significant savings. For many members, particularly those planning a home renovation project, the membership fee is recouped in savings fairly quickly, and in many cases, several times over.

“We saved more than 50 percent on the purchase of our bathroom fixtures, shower, and toilets,” said Jason and Laura Gilbert, members of DirectBuy of Chattanooga. ”That was a savings of $1000 over our membership dues on our first purchase.” “

While DirectBuy’s form of group buying has nearly four decades of staying power, it remains to be seen how the newest crop of group buying Internet portals will fare. Still, it has changed the landscape for consumers.

“Gone are the days when 10 percent off coupons are going to raise people’s heart rate,” said Andrew Begley, a social buying blogger on Sitewire.com. “Admittedly, the extreme 50-80 percent off deals seen on Groupon are not likely a viable long term play, but businesses should consider this option in terms of volume selling, inventory liquidations, net new customer acquisition and as loss leader.”

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

Power to the people… Social buying gives buying power to the consumers, but is this really a new trend?Read More