When you come to your appointment, you walk in the front door and are dazzled! They sit down with you and show you how much $ you can save. It's very high pressure. The initial investment is $5000 for the year and all you are getting is 10% off the price at a retail store through Direct Buy. If you don't sign up...you are escorted out the back door with a foot in your rear!
Maybe you aren't a member, but I am. And it wasn't high pressure at all where we live.
We joined here in Maryland, and couldn't be happier! I so wish I'd joined BEFORE we built our new house. We've wasted money at Ethan Allen (although it's nice furniture) before joining. We just finished out a bar and built-ins in our basement, and did it all through them (buying the cabinets, appliances, and tile through them, plus the carpet guy works with them).
It was actually $4000 to join, and I saved that just on furniture for my kids' bedrooms! One nightstand for my DD retails for over $900 (it's same quality as Ethan Allen but a different manufacturer, very well made) and I paid a little over $300 each. I got her a beautiful wrought iron bed for about $200. My kids have big bedrooms with sitting rooms, and I wanted to furnish them once and be done with it, so was looking at items that will be well made.
We haven't even gotten to the window coverings yet, but we'll definitely save thousands on those too.
Also, I got two Hickory White chairs for my living room - I met with a salesperson at one furniture store near me, and she said with my fabric they would be over $3000 each. I got both for $1700 total from Direct Buy. Of course I told the furniture salesperson I was just going to think about it.
Now, it does take time, and the showroom does not have actual samples on display like Ethan Allen, or another furniture store. You have to do some legwork if you want to see furniture in person. They have catalogs from the various manufacturers all organized, plus fabrics, and you can get the best deals for furniture, appliances, and other household items (ceiling fans, kitchen items, Waterford crystal). The only items I really do not think are worth getting from them are electronics.
When my husband wanted to join, I thought it was a scam. Then we got ordering some things, and I realized that it is a great deal - if you need lots of furniture (like we do) or are redoing a room with flooring, cabinets, appliances. Oh, I could kick myself in the rear for doing our closets with California Closets! Not that they are bad, but man I could have saved thousands. We keep saying we wished we'd have joined sooner!
Our experience has been a good one. If you are planning large purchases, it's a good deal. If you aren't, then I wouldn't bother. It does cost a lot upfront.
I agree that their ads sound very appealing but from this report, they are quite misleading.
