# e-trade...is it worth $49?



## SunLover2 (Oct 22, 2014)

What's the feeling out there about spending another $49 for e-trade?


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## klpca (Oct 22, 2014)

I just did a second eplus retrade and I was thinking that I may add this to every exchange from now on. I have been able to move up in unit size and change locations. It has worked perfectly for us.


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## SunLover2 (Oct 22, 2014)

I just got a trade for FSA in CA for Sept 11-18, 2015 but using our deposited week from 2014 (a three bedroom house! in MN).  II has me in a Studio w/ Kitchenette. It is just the two of us - but it would be nice to have a true one bedroom w/separate Kitchen.
Are you suggesting that if I buy e-trade they may offer me a true 1 bdrm?


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## Saintsfanfl (Oct 22, 2014)

SunLover2 said:


> I just got a trade for FSA in CA for Sept 11-18, 2015 but using our deposited week from 2014 (a three bedroom house! in MN).  II has me in a Studio w/ Kitchenette. It is just the two of us - but it would be nice to have a true one bedroom w/separate Kitchen.
> Are you suggesting that if I buy e-trade they may offer me a true 1 bdrm?



I add E-Plus to every single eligible exchange. They will not offer you an upgrade. You will have to browse available inventory on your own. You can do this without E-Plus, but if you re-trade you would pay another full exchange fee where E-Plus would provide you with 3 free re-trades.

I consider E-Plus not only flexibility but also a type of insurance. It enables you to upgrade unit type or change plans entirely and fetch something else.

E-Trade also allows you to possibly use an AC that would otherwise go unused. If you have an AC that drops the grid closer to check-in you can keep an eye out for another unit. If something pops up you can use the re-trades for something else. It's obviously not without restriction but if you travel alot it can work out pretty well.


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## HudsHut (Oct 22, 2014)

SunLover2 said:


> I just got a trade for FSA in CA for Sept 11-18, 2015 but using our deposited week from 2014 (a three bedroom house! in MN).  II has me in a Studio w/ Kitchenette. It is just the two of us - but it would be nice to have a true one bedroom w/separate Kitchen.
> Are you suggesting that if I buy e-trade they may offer me a true 1 bdrm?





They would not have matched your unit to a studio if you had set  a minimum unit size on your on going search.

I would  decline the trade, and put a minimum unit size on your ongoing search to get a 1 or 2 br unit. Be aware that a match to a larger unit may not happen until you are much closer to check-in. You have to decide how bad you want to stay at FSA. 

Are you limited to a specific timeframe? Oct - mid-December usually has quite a bit of availability.


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## gmarine (Oct 22, 2014)

SunLover2 said:


> I just got a trade for FSA in CA for Sept 11-18, 2015 but using our deposited week from 2014 (a three bedroom house! in MN).  II has me in a Studio w/ Kitchenette. It is just the two of us - but it would be nice to have a true one bedroom w/separate Kitchen.
> Are you suggesting that if I buy e-trade they may offer me a true 1 bdrm?



FSA is arguably one of the nicest timeshare resorts in the country. A studio there for any unit in Minnesota is a good trade. That being said purchase Eplus and keep checking inventory. You might get lucky, especially last minute. Worst case youre out $49.


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## LLW (Oct 23, 2014)

I agree with the sentiment to add eplus to all exchanges. I have 3 outstanding confirmations. The first one was done when eplus first came out and does not have eplus on it. I have upgraded from a 1BR to a 2BR, and paid the full $174 exchange fee for the second time. The second and third ones have eplus on them. I just switched the second one from a second tier resort to a first tier one, without paying anything. But it's a studio, and I intend to use the 2 remaining epluses to upgrade in size.

It also has the accidental benefit of adding a year's life to the expiration date of the week, as the eplus life is one year beyond the check-in date of the first exchange.


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## SunLover2 (Oct 23, 2014)

It also has the accidental benefit of adding a year's life to the expiration date of the week, as the eplus life is one year beyond the check-in date of the first exchange.[/QUOTE]

That's a good reason to get e-plus. Didn't know that! But if I understand the other posts...if I give up my FSA in Sept for some reason and invoke the e-trade I can then only choose something within the 59 day window? Is that correct? I can't request something 4-5 or 6 months out?


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## SunLover2 (Oct 23, 2014)

gmarine - I have to agree. And truthfully, I just want to visit CA. With just two people a studio should be fine.


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## mdurette (Oct 23, 2014)

I have set criteria for myself whether or not to add e-trade plus.

If my vacation will be in a high inventory area (example Orlando) and my initial exchange will be ok...but I would like better - maybe different unit size or resort.  Then I purchase it.   Another factor is if I have purchased air yet.  If not and it would be helpful to move around dates a bit due to air cost.

If my vacation match is perfect for what I am looking for and in a low inventory area (example, Boston) then I don't purchase.  Because I know nothing better will probably come along.


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## Saintsfanfl (Oct 23, 2014)

SunLover2 said:


> That's a good reason to get e-plus. Didn't know that! But if I understand the other posts...if I give up my FSA in Sept for some reason and invoke the e-trade I can then only choose something within the 59 day window? Is that correct? I can't request something 4-5 or 6 months out?



Once inside 60 days you have to use a "hop" strategy. This entails making multiple E-Plus retrades in order to hit an exchange further out. The E-Plus flex restriction is different in that it is always 59 days out from the confirmed exchange. For example if you are 58 days out from check-in, you can then retrade for something just short of 4 months out, then another retrade for 6 months out, then 8 months for the final retrade.

What I really want to know is if you are still "flex" restricted after the final retrade in the scenario above which would be approximately 8 months from the current day. When you complete all your retrades the exchange returns to normal in your history, so you can still make snother full price retrade, but is it restricted? Can you cancel all together and get a non-restricted replacement week? 

This also begs the question of what is the expiration if one used E-Plus to extend beyond the original deposit expiration? When you exhaust your retrades the expiration returns to the original which would be in the past. My guess is that the deposit is then "expired" and can no longer be used, but of course you still have that last exchange.

Still unanswered E-Plus questions...


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## theo (Oct 23, 2014)

*E trade? E Trade Plus? Is there an E Trade minus?*

Pardon my ignorance, but I don't "exchange" at all and don't plan to begin doing so. To me, "e trade" is actually an Internet based stock trading tool. 

Just the same,  what exactly is "E trade" and "E Plus" when referenced here on Planet Timeshare?
Who issues it? Is it something limited / applicable only to certain specific exchange companies, "chains" --- or something else?

Inquiring (non-exchanging) minds want to know.


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## tschwa2 (Oct 23, 2014)

theo said:


> Pardon my ignorance, but I don't "exchange" at all and don't plan to begin doing so. To me, "e trade" is actually an Internet stock trading tool.
> 
> Just the same,  what exactly is "E trade" and "E Plus" here on Planet Timeshare?
> Who issues it? Is it something limited / applicable only to certain specific exchange companies, "chains" --- or some other limitation?
> ...



Its an Interval International product.  It is $49 paid either at the time an OGS is initiated up to 5 days after a match is confirmed, either through the OGS or a manual search and confirmation.  Once added it allows up to 3 retrades to a different unit that can be up to a year after the check in date of the original confirmation.  As long as your retrades are outside of 60 days they don't have any additional restrictions.  If you cancel a confirmed exchange inside of 60 days and up to the day before check in, you can still retrade without any additional fees but there are additional restrictions on the time frame for the new exchanges.

This is II's short blurb.  


> E-Plus
> With E-Plus, you can retrade up to three times for a low one-time fee. Change destinations, resorts, or travel dates — until 24 hours before check-in.


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## theo (Oct 23, 2014)

tschwa2 said:


> Its an Interval International product.  It is $49 paid either at the time an OGS is initiated up to 5 days after a match is confirmed, either through the OGS or a manual search and confirmation.  Once added it allows up to 3 retrades to a different unit that can be up to a year after the check in date of the original confirmation.  As long as your retrades are outside of 60 days they don't have any additional restrictions.  If you cancel a confirmed exchange inside of 60 days and up to the day before check in, you can still retrade without any additional fees but there are additional restrictions on the time frame for the new exchanges.



Thanks for the explanation --- much appreciated. Frankly, I'm glad that we don't play the exchange game at all anymore. Different "levels" of membership with different levels of "access", changing rules and changing fees, limited (or disappearing) inventory, etc. I have to tip my cap to those of you with the patience, focus and resolve to persevere in what increasingly seems to me like something of a "no win" proposition.


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## Saintsfanfl (Oct 23, 2014)

theo said:


> Thanks for the explanation --- much appreciated. Frankly, I'm glad that we don't play the exchange game at all anymore. Different "levels" of membership with different levels of "access", changing rules and changing fees, limited (or disappearing) inventory, etc. I have to tip my cap to those of you with the patience, focus and resolve to persevere in what increasingly seems to me like something of a "no win" proposition.



There is definitely "win" involved but it is not without work.


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## mav (Oct 23, 2014)

Saintsfanfl said:


> There is definitely "win" involved but it is not without work.



   I have only used it once, but it was worth it. And yes, it did involve work on my part like checking about 10x's a day. Still glad I got it.


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## LLW (Oct 23, 2014)

mdurette said:


> I have set criteria for myself whether or not to add e-trade plus.
> 
> If my vacation will be in a high inventory area (example Orlando) and my initial exchange will be ok...but I would like better - maybe different unit size or resort.  Then I purchase it.   Another factor is if I have purchased air yet.  If not and it would be helpful to move around dates a bit due to air cost.
> 
> *If my vacation match is perfect for what I am looking for and in a low inventory area (example, Boston) then I don't purchase.  Because I know nothing better will probably come along*.



What about if you have to cancel altogether? With eplus, you can retrade for free by parking it someplace, then get to retrade 2 more times for free. It's better than the $66 insurance that II has, and much better than the $174 full retrade that you would have to do with a replacement week sans eplus.


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## LLW (Oct 23, 2014)

SunLover2 said:


> > It also has the accidental benefit of adding a year's life to the expiration date of the week, as the eplus life is one year beyond the check-in date of the first exchange.
> 
> 
> 
> That's a good reason to get e-plus. Didn't know that! But if I understand the other posts...if I give up my FSA in Sept for some reason and invoke the e-trade I can then only choose something within the 59 day window? Is that correct? I can't request something 4-5 or 6 months out?



The 59 day window is only if you retrade within 59 days of check-in. If you decide to retrade outside of 59 days, you can book something many months out, up to one year beyond the check-in of your FSA exchange. So don't wait until within 59 days of check-in. This is true with or without eplus.

But you CAN'T REQUEST - you can't put an ongoing search on a week that you have in a confirmed exchange. You will have to look on line yourself for instant exchanges.


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## Saintsfanfl (Oct 23, 2014)

LLW said:


> What about if you have to cancel altogether? With eplus, you can retrade for free by parking it someplace, then get to retrade 2 more times for free. It's better than the $66 insurance that II has, and much better than the $174 full retrade that you would have to do with a replacement week sans eplus.



/\
This x2

I recently E-Plus retraded for something 24 months out. That deposit is parked for a good while until I need it. I generally liked to make the initial exchange for something 24 months out so I have a 36 month E-Plus expiration and then make the first E-Plus retrade for the desired exchange. Lately I am backing off this strategy to save an Eplus exchange.


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## Saintsfanfl (Oct 23, 2014)

LLW said:


> The 59 day window is only if you retrade within 59 days of check-in. If you decide to retrade outside of 59 days, you can book something many months out, up to one year beyond the check-in of your FSA exchange. So don't wait until within 59 days of check-in. This is true with or without eplus.
> 
> But you CAN'T REQUEST - you can't put an ongoing search on a week that you have in a confirmed exchange. You will have to look on line yourself for instant exchanges.



But even within 60 days it's still way better than without E-Plus. It's not the same. Without E-Plus you are restricted to 59 days from the current day. With E-Plus you are restricted to 59 days from check-in, which amounts to an extra 60 days when you are right at 59 days from check-in. Then 59 days from each subsequent check-in on the retrades. You can hop forward up to an extra 6 months vs no E-Plus. This is much less restricted than a standard retrade all without having to pay the full exchange fee.

You can always place an OGS on a replacement week so that options remains either way.


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## LLW (Oct 23, 2014)

Saintsfanfl said:


> But even within 60 days it's still way better than without E-Plus. It's not the same. Without E-Plus you are restricted to 59 days from the current day. With E-Plus you are restricted to 59 days from check-in, which amounts to an extra 60 days when you are right at 59 days from check-in. Then 59 days from each subsequent check-in on the retrades. You can hop forward up to an extra 6 months vs no E-Plus. This is much less restricted than a standard retrade all without having to pay the full exchange fee.
> 
> You can always place an OGS on a replacement week so that options remains either way.



If I eplus retrade at 40 days from check-in, do I get 59 + 40 days? And 59 with each subsequent retrade?


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## Saintsfanfl (Oct 23, 2014)

LLW said:


> If I eplus retrade at 40 days from check-in, do I get 59 + 40 days? And 59 with each subsequent retrade?



YES! 

From the current day that is. So if you were 40 days from today to check-in you would get 99 days from today. Then you would get a max of 99+59+59=217 days from today after the last re-trade.

Sometimes 59 is actually 60, but it's not consistent. Today it might be 59, or 29, or 13, depending on your particular type of restriction. Tomorrow it might be 60, 30, and 14. I haven't figured it out but it might have to do with the days in the month and the cross over. Not sure what the programmer was thinking but they made it more difficult than it needed to be.


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## Politico (Oct 24, 2014)

Can you initiate a new ongoing search with a e-plus week?


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## mdurette (Oct 24, 2014)

LLW said:


> What about if you have to cancel altogether? With eplus, you can retrade for free by parking it someplace, then get to retrade 2 more times for free. It's better than the $66 insurance that II has, and much better than the $174 full retrade that you would have to do with a replacement week sans eplus.



I'm sure at some point in my life I will have to cancel a TS exchange, but in all the years we have been traveling I haven't done it once yet.    If it ever comes up that I have to cancel a trip, then I will bite the bullet and just retrade with the full fee.


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## LLW (Oct 25, 2014)

Politico said:


> Can you initiate a new ongoing search with a e-plus week?



No. But you can initiate one with a different new week. When it matches, within the 24 hour period, call to switch.

Or, keep looking on line, and when you see a week that you want, activate the eplus retrade.


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## LLW (Oct 25, 2014)

mdurette said:


> I'm sure at some point in my life I will have to cancel a TS exchange, but in all the years we have been traveling I haven't done it once yet.    If it ever comes up that I have to cancel a trip, then I will bite the bullet and just retrade with the full fee.



We cancel a lot. I think we have been spoiled by Worldmark, where you can cancel from 30 to 2 days from check-in (depending on when the original reservation is booked) without penalty.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 26, 2014)

mdurette said:


> I'm sure at some point in my life I will have to cancel a TS exchange, but in all the years we have been traveling I haven't done it once yet.    If it ever comes up that I have to cancel a trip, then I will bite the bullet and just retrade with the full fee.



The thing is though that perhaps you haven't cancelled because of the full retrade fee. We were in the same situation until several years ago when we enrolled in Marriott's Destinations Program. The program allows unlimited free retrades. Now, we retrade often. Either finding a different location or upgrading in unit size. We can secure the minimum size unit that will work for us a year out and can secure airfare. Then we continue to watch for potential upgrades. We can then upgrade for no additional fee. The flexibility it adds is great!


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## b2bailey (Oct 26, 2014)

I need to clarify one part of E-trade. I am considering 'cancelling' a unit which is confirmed WITH E-trade. Am I correct that this procedure will REQUIRE me to book a new unit 'somewhere' within the window of trade and use one of my 'trades' for something I'm not intending to use? Since I don't have any firm travel plans on the horizon.


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## mauitraveler (Oct 26, 2014)

b2bailey said:


> I need to clarify one part of E-trade. I am considering 'cancelling' a unit which is confirmed WITH E-trade. Am I correct that this procedure will REQUIRE me to book a new unit 'somewhere' within the window of trade and use one of my 'trades' for something I'm not intending to use? Since I don't have any firm travel plans on the horizon.



Yes, if you decide to cancel your reservation, you'll want to book another as far out into the future as possible, and possibly at a destination that you or a family member or friend) may want to travel to.  Then, in the meantime, you can search at your leisure for a destination and date that works for you.  Just be sure that you make your first trade outside of the 90 day cancellation window for the best use of your e-trades.  

For example, I had to postpone a trip to Oahu for my nephew from this year until next summer.  Since I was outside the 90 day window of the scheduled check-in date (August of 2014), I was able to use my first trade to book a reservation for the end of May of 2015.  Then, I was able to use my second trade when I saw the availability of a unit on Oahu for July of 2015.  He's very happy, now that he can look for a good airfare!  Good luck with your trades!


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## b2bailey (Oct 26, 2014)

I didn't understand the part about the 90 day window -- and for my first E-trade did not do that. Now I am stuck with the short term exchange window. I'll know better next time.


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## b2bailey (Oct 26, 2014)

I inadvertently created one of the situations where it turns out the E-trade will not be a good thing for me.

Initial trade was my 2015 Timber Lodge for a 2014 1 BR at Kauai Beach Club starting 11/22/2014. 

First e-trade was GREAT -- moved it to a 2 BR at Maui Ocean Club for 11/09/2014 start date.
====
If that were the end of the story, it would have been a success. However, kids who were going to join me in Maui for 11/9 can't make it.

My two choices -- go to Maui alone and use 2 BR for one person. Or, I thought I had it made to be able to use my E-trade option.

Because I didn't pay attention to the dates -- today I am only able to book a reservation as far out as 01/07/2015. I can't really travel during that timeframe -- so I foresee the last E-trade happening and I will only be able to book out another 59 days. So at this time my 2015 week has been reduced to a timeframe of 01/07 plus 59 days and that is if I wait until the very last day to cancel and rebook.

For my own purposes -- I SHOULD wait until the last moment to cancel the Maui Ocean Club reservation -- which would extend my available timeframe --- but it seems a waste to not let that week be available to someone else. 

I suppose if a Marriott Points owner tells me there is tons of availability of 2 BR at MOC for the week of 11/09/2014 I would feel better about holding it until the last moment.

As they say...ignorance of the law is no excuse...I'm just putting my experience out there to tell people you have to pay attention to your dates when using E-trade.


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## tschwa2 (Oct 26, 2014)

You don't have to wait for etrade.  If you cancel today you can only book until 1/7.  That date isn't going to change if you get closer. It is 59 days from the current check in date. So today you could book for 1/7 and then as soon as you are confirmed you can book another 59 days out (59 days from the then current check in date).  Waiting doesn't change the window for eplus.

If you cancel and get a cancellation week you would have one year from the date you cancel to use it but since you are in the 59 day or less window your cancellation week would also be a flexchange week only allowing you to book 59 days or less from the current date and you would have to pay another exchange fee and you lose the discounted Marriott to Marriott exchange fee and would have to pay the regular II exchange fee even if you exchange to a Marriott.


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## b2bailey (Oct 27, 2014)

At last I understand -- thank you tschwa2. Moral of this story is to be careful with dates.


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## Saintsfanfl (Oct 27, 2014)

I think if you E-plus retrade forward to where you are no longer within 60 days, and then cancel, you might not be flex restricted on the replacement week. 

B2bailey, if you haven't cancelled yet send me a pm. I have another strategy that might work for you.


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