DirectBuy of Toronto North

I must say, this is by far the best purchase I’ve ever made. I was pretty resistant to join as a member at first, but I am definitely a fan now! We recently just got a new home, and this has saved us so much money! The staff are beyond friendly and helpful. They are so patience with everything. and I have a lot of questions too! They would patiently answer all my questions and really take the time to guide me to the right direction.
I’ve ordered many things from them since I’ve joined a year ago. Best investment!
They often have customer appreciations days, seminars on how to fix your home… I recently just joined the one for how to put in your own laminate floors for next week! I’m pretty excited. They really do take care of their customers. I love it!

I’ve been a Direct Buy member at the Toronto North location on Torbay since 2000. I’ve bought stone tile, quartz countertops, light fixtures, flooring, exercise equipment, housewares and lots of furniture. I’m looking forward to using DB in the future for kitchen and bathroom renovations. I’m a happy member but DB may not be for everyone.
Direct Buy only sells good quality stuff at prices below what you normally find in stores. You can get cheaper stuff at Walmart but it will be cheaper in both senses of the word. DB has manufacturers at a range of prices — even if you pick the most affordable option, it is still always good quality. Being a Direct Buy member saves me the hassle of going around to different stores looking for sales and floor model clearances. You can choose from a much wider range of products than you would get in a store and even choose finishes and fabrics. So you get to pick exactly what you want — rather than choosing something just because it was on sale — much more fun.
I like their business model — staff are helpful but never pushy b/​c they don’t make money off purchases but rather from member fees. I prefer that to commission salespeople. The member fee has gone up over the years — you have to decide if it is worth it for you depending on how much stuff you have to buy, if you are planning renovations, etc. Also, be aware that you pay for stuff when you order it, then wait for it to come in, then go back and pick it up. Shipping times vary from 4 – 8 weeks officially, but in my experience, stuff always comes in faster than they say which is great.
If you are an impulse shopper who wants to take a product home today and pay for it later, DB is not for you. But if you are a planner, like to take your time choosing, have the money to pay cash when you buy things and don’t mind waiting, you will love DB. The old adage is true: time, price and quality: pick two. DB gives good quality at good price but takes more time.
They have a great website now where members can search for products and even order some online — this can be very useful so you don’t have to make a trip to the showroom just to do some research. However, the showroom is very helpful for seeing samples of fabrics, finishes, etc or just browsing for ideas. You can check samples out for free to bring home and see how they would look.
For me, DB is great! I’m at a stage in my life where I don’t want more stuff, I want better stuff. So if I can get better stuff anytime for the same price as regular stuff on sale, that is very appealing to me.