Did I just get taken

[juliebug]

glad you got it

 

[holycow]

Glad you got your kindle!

 

[North of Mouse]

Based on this post, I would say it doesn't matter whether you get the Kindle or not.

You were taking advantage of an offer and knew in advance you didn't want the product. So your hands aren't really clean.

Direct Buy = not for me. I am not saying that I don't think they are legitimate. It's just that I prefer to be able to shop around. I want to have more control over my major purchases.

In response to your question, I think you'll probably get the Kindle.

Well, I would say this was a very rude response. The OP did exactly what was required of her. They didn't ask her in advance if she was going to join - so her hand were clean

 

[peanutsmommy10]

Well, I would say this was a very rude response. The OP did exactly what was required of her. They didn't ask her in advance if she was going to join - so her hand were clean

Ty so much north of mouse I appreciate you're sticking up for me. I would never do anything illegal to obtain something, it was offered if I completed the class which I did no purchase necessary

 

[Arabelle]

It isn't illegal, but rather questionable morally, isn't it? You weren't going to check out the place but to get a freebie.

 

[angierae]

It isn't illegal, but rather questionable morally, isn't it? You weren't going to check out the place but to get a freebie.

Not at all. They offered the Kindle to people who would come and listen to their sales pitch. She did what they asked. They know full well only a small % of people will actually sign up, but it's worth it to them to give out the incentives. They know their business.

 

[SandrA9810]

It's no different than all the time share pitches in Orlando to get free park tickets. Of course once people arrive in Central Florida, they don't want to "waste" their vacation time. It isn't worth it at that point to save $150 for a day of their time.

When you're at home though, taking a day to get 2 free park tickets doesn't sound so bad.

It's not like Disney hands those things out to other companies, they might get a 10% discount for bulk purchase, but no where near free. So it's still the same thing.

 

[North of Mouse]

It isn't illegal, but rather questionable morally, isn't it? You weren't going to check out the place but to get a freebie.

Wow, just can't believe some of you people By the way, a lot of us just received invitations from Disney to get a $40 GC for having them send a packet to look over for DVC ownership. I did it because I was interested, BUT had no intention of buying in now. Was that morally wrong to you?? Did you participate? I was willing to do exactly what they asked me to do - wasn't even asked if I wanted to buy, just look, so I cheerfully am taking their $40 GC - no qualms about it whatsoever

 

[EllenFrasier]

I hope you didn't sign up for their "club" if that's what you meant by hoping you didn't get taken because you also said (re: the gift card) you spend money to get money.

From what I've heard and read, they are a huge ripoff. I love their commercials: "I just saved sixty THOUSAND dollars on cabinets for my home". $60 THOUSAND on cabinets??? Is your entire home made of cabinets????? Just from their commercials, you can tell what a scam they are! (In my opinion of course!)

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

It isn't illegal, but rather questionable morally, isn't it? You weren't going to check out the place but to get a freebie.

I think this is how that system works--they offer the free gift because they don't have enough people who are already interested. They count on people coming just for the free gift, and then they use their salesman tactics to convince them to buy. They didn't convince OP, but there are people out there that they HAVE convinced.

This is just like the timeshares (e.g., Marriott) that send offers for really inexpensive accomodations at their resort.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Not at all. They offered the Kindle to people who would come and listen to their sales pitch. She did what they asked. They know full well only a small % of people will actually sign up, but it's worth it to them to give out the incentives. They know their business.

Good point. What can the OP tell us about her specific Direct Buy presentation?

I'm absolutely not judging morals or ethics - but while they didn't require anyone to join Direct Buy in order to get the gifts, they also didn't say, "We need warm bodies to fill seats; in exchange we'll give you X and Y just for being there, awake or not."

 

[Pigeon]

It isn't illegal, but rather questionable morally, isn't it? You weren't going to check out the place but to get a freebie.

No moral questions about the OP's behavior. The offer was to come listen to a sales pitch and get an ereader. The OP gave the company the required amount of her time. It was not to be a sucker for an insanely overpriced scam and get an ereader. Companies make these offers to draw an audience, knowing full well that most of the people who take them up on it will not end up signing.

The only shady thing about it was the company not having the ereaders on hand (likely in hopes that many of the people who followed the terms of their offer wouldn't bother to follow up) and them not supplying the version of the ereader they said they would supply.

 

[tink2dw]

the DirectBuy in my state was sued by the State Attorney's Office for the "bait and switch"!! They would ask you to the 90 minute presentation and when you said No, oh darn they were out of the item, how ever if you said yes, you were given the item!!

Even the OP was given "bait and switch items"!! they were not what was advertised!!

DirectBuy wanted me to buy a giant Case taller than me of Diapers thru them, I would have to wait a month to get them, it was so stupid, my baby would have changed sizes before I even got them, and then I'd be stuck with an old size?? it was so stupid.

I would say DirectBuy is the unethical immorals ones!!! OP was given the "bait and switch items"!!

 

[Dacky619]

Good point. What can the OP tell us about her specific Direct Buy presentation?

I'm absolutely not judging morals or ethics - but while they didn't require anyone to join Direct Buy in order to get the gifts, they also didn't say, "We need warm bodies to fill seats; in exchange we'll give you X and Y just for being there, awake or not."

But that is the way a lot of the high pressure sales pitches work, just like the timeshare pushes in Florida that give you a 1 day ticket to Disney if you sit for an hour or so. They know that if they get 100 people to come in, an average of X will buy in, making it more than worth it to pay off those other participants. If they only wanted people that were really interested in Direct Buy, they wouldn't be offering a kindle for the people just to come in.

 

[bpesch]

I totally disagree with one poster who said DirectBuy is reputable. Google DirectBuy complaints. Enough said.

 

[cats mom]

If you want to question morality, what about the DB folks claiming gift value of $249 and then giving a restaurants.com gc and a basic kindle? Assuming it was a $25 restaurants.com gc, they could maybe claim gift value of $105. To get to $249 value they'd have to give multiple restaurant.com gc's and a kindle fire (I'm guessing that's exactly what they wanted people to think they would be getting) Not exactly ethical in my book.

So how high pressure was the sales pitch OP? I've heard one of the sales tactics DB uses is telling people if they don't sign up on the spot, they can never come back.

 

[susianew]

Wow, just can't believe some of you people By the way, a lot of us just received invitations from Disney to get a $40 GC for having them send a packet to look over for DVC ownership. I did it because I was interested, BUT had no intention of buying in now. Was that morally wrong to you?? Did you participate? I was willing to do exactly what they asked me to do - wasn't even asked if I wanted to buy, just look, so I cheerfully am taking their $40 GC - no qualms about it whatsoever

I agree that OP did nothing morally wrong! That's the whole deal...they're banking that the percentage that will buy will make up for those who just show up for the freebies. And if they get the math wrong, they'll go out of business pretty quickly.

I chuckle every time I see that DVC giftcard thread...2 years ago my "free" $25 giftcard ultimately cost me about $20k...and I have no regrets. My parents have vacationed for years on free timeshare offers...and someone finally 'got' them this summer.

My issue would be with the switch on the Kindle...they offered her the more expensive model IN EXCHANGE FOR HER TIME, she accepted and gave them her time AS AGREED, and then they substituted something LESS THAN WAS PROMISED. And THEY were the ones who offered the deal. I can understand if she was happy with the base model and it just wasn't worth the hassle to her, but I'm the kind of girl who would have held out for what was promised. My time is valuable.

OP, I would still contact the parent corporation with your story & also post the facts of your experience on any internet business review sites you can find, just to let future attenders know they should ask them to 'show me the Kindle" before they spend 90 minutes on the presentation. My brother is the kind of guy who would take it even further- he would paint a big old sign, put it on his car, then park his car right in front of the offending business. But he's just ornery

 

[Bob NC]

You were taking advantage of an offer and knew in advance you didn't want the product. So your hands aren't really clean.

It isn't illegal, but rather questionable morally, isn't it?

I'm absolutely not judging morals or ethics -...... they also didn't say, "We need warm bodies to fill seats; in exchange we'll give you X and Y just for being there, awake or not."

Oh man, the Dis is getting filled more and more with posters who don't care what the heck the OP was about, they just want the chance to tear somebody down with their judgments.

Oh, and by the way, I'm in sales and you wouldn't believe the number of people who tell me up front they aren't going to buy and then they do.

I bet *most* folks who go to a time share presentation, (and buy), have absolutely no intent to buy, and if you asked them beforehand they'd tell you that.

Direct Buy wants people in those seats even if they are adamant that they are not going to buy.

You posters and your, (unsolicited), concerns about other posters morals and ethics really need to think about keeping some of your opinions to yourselves.

 

[m&m's mom]

Oh man, the Dis is getting filled more and more with posters who don't care what the heck the OP was about, they just want the chance to tear somebody down with their judgments.

Oh, and by the way, I'm in sales and you wouldn't believe the number of people who tell me up front they aren't going to buy and then they do.

I bet *most* folks who go to a time share presentation, (and buy), have absolutely no intent to buy, and if you asked them beforehand they'd tell you that.

Direct Buy wants people in those seats even if they are adamant that they are not going to buy.

You posters and your, (unsolicited), concerns about other posters morals and ethics really need to think about keeping some of your opinions to yourselves.

Read your whole post. Hopefully the hypocrisy will stand out to you.

 

[jaminmd]

Read your whole post. Hopefully the hypocrisy will stand out to you.

Just ignore him. He's always on here trying to shame us in the error of our ways.