- Report: #79614
Complaint Review: UCC TotalHome - Chantilly Virginia
-
Author Confirmed
Why?
UCC TotalHome
14101 Sullyfield Cir Chantilly, 20151 Virginia, United States of America
Phone:
703-817-0220
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
UCC Total Home They say say there is no mark- up but what is the 8% handling fee? Chantilly Virginia
We joined UCC Total Home in anticipation of saving 1/2 or more on furnishings for our new home. We were lead to believe that the money we saved on window treatments alone would pay for our membership of $2,990. This was not the case. After the 8% mark-up and delivery charges, purchasing window treatments for 38 windows saved us less than $200. I would have been much better served my purchasing them from Next Day Blinds. I would have been able to deal with a knowledgeable representative and would have received my purchase in much less than 6 weeks.
We were also lead to believe that we were going to be able to purchase merchandise at the same price that retail stores were able to purchase it from the manufactures, with no mark-up. There are manufactures that UCC works with that have 2 prices in their catalogs, one for the retail stores and a higher price for UCC. UCC also charges an 8% handling fee. What is the difference between a handling fee and a mark-up?
Once we receive a phone call to let us know that our merchandise has arrived in their warehouse we have only 3 days to pick it up or we are charged a storage fee based on per box per day. With all manufacturers that I have seen there is no option to have it delivered to our home. Is that so that UCC can collect their mark-up (oh excuse me, handling fee)?
UCC charges sales tax on everything including the shipping and handling fee. I'm not sure how they are able to get away with taxing services.
Since we are in the process of furnishing our home and were suspicious that we are finding little savings with UCC, we began to do price comparisons of UCC's TOTAL costs with other stores. We have found, consistently that UCC prices are very close to the other stores but that the other stores will deliver to your home omitting the warehouse pick-up that UCC requires. By the way, I was told to make sure that I had people with me to lift my merchandise onto my truck when I came to pick it up. So, not only do I have to borrow or rent a truck to pick up my purchases, I have to bring people with me to move the merchandise.
So, I have to wonder what the $2,990 membership fee is for, considering I still have to pay a mark-up and have to rent a truck and movers to finally get it to my home.
We are very disappointed in this company and would like to get our membership fee back. The savings we were promised were not realized. We were counseled to do price comparisons. We have only purchased from UCC because we are paying such a high membership fee. After the membership fee, the inconvenience of shopping from the UCC office and having to pick the merchandise up from their facility only to pay virtually the same (and sometimes more), we would have been much better off to have simply purchased it from our local retailer.
Also, if you are in need of an item quickly, such as a washing machine, forget it. Most everything takes 4 6 weeks for delivery. Better get out those quarters for the laundry mat.
I strongly suggest that if you are planning on joining UCC Total Home, also called Direct Buy, you reconsider and put your money into your actual merchandise, not a member ship fee, handling charge and extra delivery charges.
Jennifer Ashburn, Virginia
U.S.A.
We were also lead to believe that we were going to be able to purchase merchandise at the same price that retail stores were able to purchase it from the manufactures, with no mark-up. There are manufactures that UCC works with that have 2 prices in their catalogs, one for the retail stores and a higher price for UCC. UCC also charges an 8% handling fee. What is the difference between a handling fee and a mark-up?
Once we receive a phone call to let us know that our merchandise has arrived in their warehouse we have only 3 days to pick it up or we are charged a storage fee based on per box per day. With all manufacturers that I have seen there is no option to have it delivered to our home. Is that so that UCC can collect their mark-up (oh excuse me, handling fee)?
UCC charges sales tax on everything including the shipping and handling fee. I'm not sure how they are able to get away with taxing services.
Since we are in the process of furnishing our home and were suspicious that we are finding little savings with UCC, we began to do price comparisons of UCC's TOTAL costs with other stores. We have found, consistently that UCC prices are very close to the other stores but that the other stores will deliver to your home omitting the warehouse pick-up that UCC requires. By the way, I was told to make sure that I had people with me to lift my merchandise onto my truck when I came to pick it up. So, not only do I have to borrow or rent a truck to pick up my purchases, I have to bring people with me to move the merchandise.
So, I have to wonder what the $2,990 membership fee is for, considering I still have to pay a mark-up and have to rent a truck and movers to finally get it to my home.
We are very disappointed in this company and would like to get our membership fee back. The savings we were promised were not realized. We were counseled to do price comparisons. We have only purchased from UCC because we are paying such a high membership fee. After the membership fee, the inconvenience of shopping from the UCC office and having to pick the merchandise up from their facility only to pay virtually the same (and sometimes more), we would have been much better off to have simply purchased it from our local retailer.
Also, if you are in need of an item quickly, such as a washing machine, forget it. Most everything takes 4 6 weeks for delivery. Better get out those quarters for the laundry mat.
I strongly suggest that if you are planning on joining UCC Total Home, also called Direct Buy, you reconsider and put your money into your actual merchandise, not a member ship fee, handling charge and extra delivery charges.
Jennifer Ashburn, Virginia
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Joe
Austin,Texas,
U.S.A.
DirectBuy NOT the scam some suggest!!!
#2Consumer Comment
Wed, December 15, 2004
We have been looking for products to complete our new home for over 1 year. We have had cabinet quotes in excess of $125k for the kitchen, and have already spent in excess of $18k for plumbing fixtures BEFORE joining DirectBuy. We had the local distributor of cabinets configure our kitchen as we wanted. They then priced our kitchen. We then took the same quote to UCC/DirectBuy to see what we could save. We had already done significant homework on them, and took our plumbing fixture invoice with us when we went for the "big sell". Our savings with them would have been 35% on the plumbing fixtures alone. Even WITH a handling fee of 8%. This ALONE would have paid for the membership fee and much more! On the kitchen cabinets it turned into a 60% savings. On the counter tops it was around 15%. If you expect to save significant dollars on electronics and typical consumer goods, you are not going to get there. But for construction and furniture, we saw huge rewards. We found that many of the manufacturers of fine furniture represented by DirectBuy were sold by one or two local "high-end" furniture retailers. After shopping around and pricing it out, we saw good savings in many areas. In today's internet, it is easy to find the facts you need. All you need is the patience to do the research. As for the "handling fee", they must recoupe some of the investment they have made. They have "some" of their own trucks picking up and delivering goods to the store, rather than a "regular" over-the-road carrier. There are employees inspecting deliveries to the store on your behalf. Do you expect them to provide this service free of charge? They only make money off the membership fee. The handling fee is basically a wash.
Iva
Merrillville,Indiana,
U.S.A.
URL Links to More information about Directbuy - UCC Total home
#3Consumer Comment
Mon, July 05, 2004
Warning! Directbuy is a scam that use to go by the name UCC Totalhome. Before that they were known as United Consumers Club. They are trying to get consumers to buy a non-refundable, non-cancellable "membership" contract costing $3000 or more, payable in advance. You are led into this trap by thinking that by paying $3000 (or more) membership fee (in advance) that you will get better prices - that you will be able to buy at "cost." But there are no guarantees. The National Post news article got it right when they reported: "Another fine print stipulation stated: "No oral promises or statements not contained in this agreement shall bind or obligate the club." News Net 5's expose on what was then UCC Totalhome (now DirectBuy) found out: "But UCC's contract states: "No oral promises or statements not contained in this membership agreement are binding." There are no guarantees that you will be buying at "cost" and there are no guarantees of savings whatsoever. Since the "membership" fee is non-refundable and non-cancellable, should you not realize any savings, oh well, too bad - no refunds! Buyer beware this scam! Here are some links to more information about them- http://www.nationalpost.com/financialpost/story.html?id=19E244B1-7DD0-45A2-B66D-7883F94E1DB4 http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/services/ucc/ http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/video/programs%5f2001%5f02/ucc%5fqt%5f020306.html http://www.newsnet5.com/news/335540/detail.html http://www.wbz4.com/lyons/local%5fstory%5f063165203.html http://www.startribune.com/stories/1229/4780642.html http://archivesearch.wtnh.com/news/ct/ct090497.html http://formeraboutguides.com/investingcanada/library/weekly/1999a/aa062399.htm http://formeraboutguides.com/investingcanada/library/weekly/1999b/aa110499.htm http://formeraboutguides.com/investingcanada/library/weekly/2000b/aa122100a.htm [DELETED] A NY court found the membership contract "grossly unconscionable" and that "Club membership is nothing more than a cleverly disguised method of selling nothing but hopes and dreams." http://www.mlmlaw.com/library/cases/mlm/state/nyniemiec.htm A Canadian court found the membership agreement untenable and unenforcable because it violated the Consumer Protection Act, the Sales of Goods Act, and The Trade Practice Act. Read this at at paragraphs 13-20 of the ruling. http://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/judgments/pc/2002/01/p02%5F0197.htm Paragraph 8 is where they said they aren't required to give any service after the sale. Yes, see for yourself they used it in court to try to save themselves. http://www.sconet.state.oh.us./rod/documents/2/2002/2002-ohio-3806.doc UCC blames the member for the delay in receiving merchandise for over 4 months! Read it for yourself at paragraph number 33! http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/documents/2/2004/2004-ohio-2426.doc Lawsuit shows lack of moral and ethical conduct by UCC/TH/DB franchisee Darryn Fossand. http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/archive/ctapun/0405/opa031376-0511.htm BEWARE: The contract specifically states: There are no merchandise returns. There are no refunds if not satisfied. Merchandise is sold without warranty. There is no after sale support or service. DIRECTBUY FYI: [DELETED] MEMBERSHIP AGREEMENT - READ IT BEFORE YOU GO IN FOR THE PRESENTATION: [DELETED]
