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Best Excuses for NOT buying a Timeshare?

swtravels

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Hi,

This may not turn out to be the most popular post, but my wife and I are attending a timeshare presentation next month. We got a big discount at the resort for a week for agreeing to it. From what I hear, the presentation can be very long (3-4 hours) and extremely high pressure. :mad:

We will give the presenters a fair chance to make their case, but we are 99% certain we are just not interested.

If they keep pushing and just won't take no for an answer, other than storming out, we're looking for a guaranteed line to give these folks to stop the hard sell. I'm sure they are trained well and have pat answers to almost every objection one can come up with and "I'm just not interested" is not going to cut it.

Has anyone come up with a certified show-stopper. One line or one answer that will stop them dead cold in their tracks? We need that line! Thanks.
 

aliikai2

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As soon as the bankruptcy is final

I will be ready:hysterical: :hysterical: ...

Or as soon as the attorneys get that pesky fraud , wrongful death, etc lawsuit off my back,

This isn't my wife, she didn't want to come ....

All of these work pretty well, but if you just don't respond and ask or answer any questions with anything except, I just came for the free gift, breakfast, room, etc over and over again, they normally get the message.

jmho, Greg

Hi,

This may not turn out to be the most popular post, but my wife and I are attending a timeshare presentation next month. We got a big discount at the resort for a week for agreeing to it. From what I hear, the presentation can be very long (3-4 hours) and extremely high pressure. :mad:

We will give the presenters a fair chance to make their case, but we are 99% certain we are just not interested.

If they keep pushing and just won't take no for an answer, other than storming out, we're looking for a guaranteed line to give these folks to stop the hard sell. I'm sure they are trained well and have pat answers to almost every objection one can come up with and "I'm just not interested" is not going to cut it.

Has anyone come up with a certified show-stopper. One line or one answer that will stop them dead cold in their tracks? We need that line! Thanks.
 
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Margariet

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Hi,

This may not turn out to be the most popular post, but my wife and I are attending a timeshare presentation next month. We got a big discount at the resort for a week for agreeing to it. From what I hear, the presentation can be very long (3-4 hours) and extremely high pressure. :mad:

We will give the presenters a fair chance to make their case, but we are 99% certain we are just not interested.

If they keep pushing and just won't take no for an answer, other than storming out, we're looking for a guaranteed line to give these folks to stop the hard sell. I'm sure they are trained well and have pat answers to almost every objection one can come up with and "I'm just not interested" is not going to cut it.

Has anyone come up with a certified show-stopper. One line or one answer that will stop them dead cold in their tracks? We need that line! Thanks.

First, the presentation should last no longer than 90 min. Be strict and professional. It's a business meeting. You are the customer and you are king. Stay firm. Keep in the lead! Don't let the sales person do the talking. Just overrule him or her. Just say: we are not gonna buy today. But if you really want the meeting to end quickly just tell the sales person that you know that many distressed sellers auction their TS on ebay for $1. So you are not thinking of spending anything more than just $1 plus MF's. The sales person will loose his or her interest quickly. Nothing so boring for a sales person as an unwilling customer. A sales person doesn't want to waste time! ;) Enjoy the free things like breakfast, tickets or whatever and just sit through the 90 min. It might sound unbelievable but you will get more experienced with this sort of talk, and sometimes it can even be a nice conversation! Yes, we often have met even nice sales people with whom we talked about everything but timeshare!
 

aandmrun

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It Works for us

I'm not sure what age bracket you are in, but this has always worked for us. As soon as we are paired with our "representative", I tell them, "We love our timeshares, have all that we need, are retired and not interested in upgrades or new buys", or something to that effect. I always tell them that timeshares are great and we wish them well in selling, but the selling will not be to us. With that said within the first few minutes of meeting us, they usually thank us for coming and show us our way out.
 

Passepartout

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"I can't afford it with 3 kids in college and my poor sick mom who lives with us."

I've been known to print out all the listings from that day's (or a day or 2 before you go) eBay listings for the exact resort they are trying to sell you.

2nd best, print the completed auctions from eBay to show what their resort actually has sold for.

Or both the above.

Feign illness. Keep looking at your watch. Ask for water to take your cancer drugs.

Wear a TUG T-Shirt (just kidding- hat maybe). Talk knowledgeably about resale. They know they can't compete with someone who understands resale

Most of all, just don't sign anything. Have some fun with this. These are really pretty likeable people. If you really get a good rapport with yours, just level with him/her- the sooner you are outta there, the sooner s/he gets a shot with someone who might buy.

And by all means, unplug the unit's phone after you are done with the presentation.

Jim Ricks
 

vacationtime1

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I'm also a big fan of having copies of recent eBay auctions to show the sales staff what their property is really worth.

When they then tell you that if you buy from them you receive benefits not available to resale purchasers, ask why you should pay extra for benefits that are not transferable when you sell.

The most important thing, however, is not to engage them any more than necessary. If you do, you give them a subject on which to sell you. If you are bored, adamant, and disengaged, they should figure out they are wasting their time with you and should go on to the next victim. (Note: the last two paragraphs are not entirely contradictory.)
 
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swtravels

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I will be ready:hysterical: :hysterical: ...

Or as soon as the attorneys get that pesky fraud , wrongful death, etc lawsuit off my back,

This isn't my wife, she didn't want to come ....

jmho, Greg

A few more facts may be helpful. This is in Mexico so threats about my gringo attorney will be rightfully laughed at. Also, these people are smart enough to request photo ID in adavnce to establish that you are indeed husband and wife. Finally, I haven't seen any resales for these, but I don't even want to get involved in that back and forth. I still want that one line that stops them cold in their tracks...:crash:
 

vacationtime1

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Mexico? Be aware. I have read stories on this board about customers being plied with alcohol.
 

linsj

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"I'm not going to buy anything today. I only want to learn about the program."

"I don't spend more than x dollars without thinking about it for at least a couple of weeks." Certainly something that costs thousands of dollars isn't an impulse purchase.

Announce at least 15 min. before the end time (whatever your paperwork says for the appointment) that you have something planned that you have to leave for at that time. You don't have to tell what it is, and it could be as simple as sitting on your balcony, enjoying a book. Then look frequently at your watch to be sure you end the appointment in time to get your gift.
 

chriskre

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I don't do "tours" anymore but when I did, the sales person asked me how long I had owned my TS, I told him 6 months which was true at the time. When he asked me where I purchased it, I told him Ebay. He turned to me and said do you want your $100 check now? :rofl:

I actually told him to please give me the sales spiel as I truly was a newbie but knew enough by then not to buy retail. This was obviously preTUg.
Turned out he was a nice guy. I'm a realtor so we talked real estate for the hour and a half and we got a free breakfast and $100 out of the deal. They're just sales people. They don't usually bite. I've only done the Royal resorts tour in Mexico and they were very low key but I've heard horror stories about other places. Good luck and watch your wallet. ;)
 

ScubaKat

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Have a screaming two year old with you... :D Dd was actually really well behaved but drew all over their contract... :rofl: What got us out the door was "why would we want to buy when we can rent a week without the commitment for less than the MFs?"
 

swtravels

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Announce at least 15 min. before the end time (whatever your paperwork says for the appointment) that you have something planned that you have to leave for at that time. You don't have to tell what it is, and it could be as simple as sitting on your balcony, enjoying a book. Then look frequently at your watch to be sure you end the appointment in time to get your gift.

They've already got that figured out. Remember, this is a 7 night reduced rate stay. On the agreement it specifically states that we will not book any other activities that entire day! Also, if we don't honor the agreement we will be charged rack rate for the entire stay which will add over another $1,000 to the week and they have our credit card info.
 

Karen G

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Once owned these: FirstFairway@Walden X 2; Lawai Beach; ManhattanClub; PuebloBonitoRose; 4 South Africa--now timeshare-free

billymach4

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They've already got that figured out. Remember, this is a 7 night reduced rate stay. On the agreement it specifically states that we will not book any other activities that entire day! Also, if we don't honor the agreement we will be charged rack rate for the entire stay which will add over another $1,000 to the week and they have our credit card info.

Why bother and get aggravated. Guess it is too late now.

Don't come back here crying if you get scammed. You know what you are in for!
 

ronparise

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The best way is to say no and mean it..but these guys dont listen..they simply see what you say as another objection that can be overcome..They will lie to your face, you can call then on it and they will lie again.And if that doesnt work they will insult you and your children

Im not advising this but what worked for me was to finally agree to a small purchase...I signed whatever they put in front of me.

I had my rescission letter written before I got home.
 
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Rent_Share

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Having tried my hand at the other side of the table - The sales liars are under tremendous pressure to hold you at the table so the other marks do not see an exodous for the door, it can create a stampede:doh:
 

heathpack

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Do not make any excuses, they will have an answer for every excuse you make. Just tell them the truth, you will not be buying from them. Period. You are just there to learn about the program and you only have 90 min (or whatever you agreed to).

H
 

scrapngen

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They've already got that figured out. Remember, this is a 7 night reduced rate stay. On the agreement it specifically states that we will not book any other activities that entire day! Also, if we don't honor the agreement we will be charged rack rate for the entire stay which will add over another $1,000 to the week and they have our credit card info.

Be VERY careful if they have your credit card info that you don't sign anything there, and doublecheck your cc within the recission period, even if you think you didn't make a commitment. There really are horror stories on here about some of the Mexico presentations. Do a search for those threads in particular. Make sure you have your own transportation if they try to take you somewhere off property. Again, look to other threads where people were held and pressured well over the supposed allotted time for the presentation. Good luck and JUST SAY NO.
 

Andythefox

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My wife and I have a rule that for any major purchase we have to wait one day per $1,000 to think about it. When Bonnet Creek tried to get us to pay $67k for 308,000 points I simply told them to call me in 67 days for my decision. We were out of there 10 minutes later. I would use the same rule for Mexican Pesos :)
 

insuralife

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I found that if I took the dollar amount of the proposal per week that the proposed points would buy, and I multiplied it by 50, for 50 sellable weeks per year, and asked the sales agent if that 1 bedroom unit was truely worth the 800 thousand dollars the math says ... If you say it just a tick louder than a normal voice, they wisk you away in short order...
Wealth isn't magic, it's just math!!!
Figures don't lie; but liars figure!!

I believe I came up with Bonnet Creek being worth $217,000,000... Even the sales gal chuckled and thoiught it was a bad deal!
 

GeraldineT

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I have sat through probably about 10 presentations. It's a cheap way to travel and when you save a few hundred on the room plus a few hundred more on tickets or meals it's worth it. We just tell them that we cannot afford it. They will try to talk you into a lower one or an eoy and we tell them we can not afford that. The last one I told the salesman that we thought they were like $1000 for a week since we always see them for free on eBay.
 

jehb2

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I prefer "we're not interested" but honestly that's just going to make them work harder to come up with a deal that's just to good to refuse.

We got out of our last tour with "we have way more timeshares then we can use, upcoming job obligations are allowing me even less vacation time, currently I'm am having to give my current weeks away to family and friends". They still tried to sell us a every 3 year use TS.

Good thing they didn't know we were currently on a 5 week holiday:rofl:
 

MOXJO7282

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I have sat through probably about 10 presentations.

We've probably have done 12 if my memory is right and we've ready never really had a high pressure pitch. That is mainly because in my experience 9 out of 10 Marriott sales guys aren't high pressure but its also because I don't allow it.

I tell them I am prepared to purchase but at my price or conditions, which of course they can never acheive. So at that point we agree that the discussion is over.

For instance I just did one for at the SurfWatch and I said I was ready to buy 2,000 points under one condition, qualify all my resale weeks into the DC and I would buy. I have 4 weeks purchased after 6/20/10 so they can't qualify. I was actually being honest when I said I would buy if they accepted all my weeks into the DC, but I knew that they wouldn't so we parted ways not being able to make a deal.
 

klpca

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true story: we were at the presentation at the Westin in Maui and my husband's cell phone rang. He knew that things were heating up at work, so he excused himself and said that he would be right back. He came back about 5 minutes later and said "I just got laid off".

Pretty sure that is not covered in their scripts.

But a credit to their salesmanship, we still signed a contract because we were too chicken to just walk out. We rescinded the next day. We haven't gone to any more "presentations". We're not ballsy enough and we know it.
 

BevL

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Don't do the tours anymore but personally I would never use the "I can't afford it," line. They just work harder and keep bringing out new "bargains" and "discounts."

We always confirm that our meeting time was X - whatever time the appointment time was, NOT the time they meander out to get you. And then just politely repeating, "I'm not interested in buying anything today. I was told that I could get (whatever) for listening to your presentation and that's the only reason I'm here." And if they try to embarass you with "I have to feed my children, I can't work for free," or, "So you only came because of something free," just keep repeating variations of the same lines.

I think out of the last half dozen presentations we did, we only ended up sitting through one and that was because our friends (they put us together) were far to nice and interacted too much.

I can understand if you're getting a reduced week somewhere, but frankly we don't do the tours for the $100 or whatever. Just too darn much work for too little reward.
 
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