# Dikhololo loss of trade power



## annetteterry (Mar 14, 2006)

I just received my two 2007 weeks in my RCI account.   I still had a 2006 week left so I did a little trade test.

I searched for pre-spring break March of 2007 Hilton Head and found 3 resorts with my old week and NO resorts with my two new weeks.

I searched this October for Florida and found 148 resorts with my old week and 88 resorts with each of my new weeks.

I called RCI for an explanation.  First they told me that it was because I had just deposited them (what does that have to do with anything?)  I said I deposited early for maximum trade value.    Then they put me on hold and told me my new weeks didn't have as much trading power as my old weeks (that's what I called to tell them).  I asked them why they didn't have as much trade power and they put me on hold again and said there wasn't as much demand.

I sent an email to Dikhololo letting them know this.

My guess is that this really has little to do with how well my weeks trade but more to do with RCI's system.   Not long ago I asked about how my resort was rated and a Vacation Guide told me they didn't have any ratings for this resort yet...then how do they know how well it trades?

If this continues I will want to sell my SA week.   If all SA resorts are experiencing something similar I would think many would want to sell.   I wonder what affect this would have on the SA resorts?   Would they be upset if RCI members started selling?  If so, would we as owners have any pull by banding together and notifying the SA resorts in writing about what we have experienced with RCI and letting them know that we are considering selling?


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## Dottie (Mar 14, 2006)

Very frustrating news.  Which weeks were you assigned by Dik?

Dottie


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## Carolinian (Mar 14, 2006)

It may well be that the weeks you were assigned in 2006 were ''redder'' weeks and your 2007 weeks were more pink.  All red does not trade the same in SA anymore.  It is like everywhere else.  There is bright red and then there is pink.  We need to learn specifically which red weeks to ask for at a floating week resort like Dik.


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## Diane (Mar 14, 2006)

Annette,

Sorry to hear about the loss of trading power you see, but not all SA resorts are going through the same thing.  Some have increased slightly in trading power, some significantly; others have lost, either a little or a lot of trading power.  So, I don't know that you will see a mass move to sell SA weeks.  

There has been talk about a trade test comparing weeks deposited before May 22, 2005 and those deposited after.  I am not exactly sure of that date, but it is the infamous "Black Sunday" on which RCI supposedly integrated the computer software or records of South African resorts with those elsewhere in the world.  The bottom line is that it is going to take a little more discrimination or discernment to know exactly which SA week to hold and which to sell.  In your specific case, it may simply be a matter, as Carolinion points out, of just how red  your week is plus whether it deposited at least a year prior to its use date.  One of the problems with floating weeks is the lack of control over this factor.  Maybe next year you could ask for a week to be deposited with at least a year remaining before its use date.

A trade test would help with some of these concerns, but I don't know where that stands right now.

Diane


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## annetteterry (Mar 14, 2006)

Last year I was assigned 9/15/2006
This year I was assigned 3/16/2007

In each case I paid my levies March 1st for the following year.

I checked the chart online and it says that the weeks are red.  According to the school calendars available here it looks like there is a holiday mid-week that week.

RCI's vague answers and the comment I got in an earlier call about there being no feedback available about our resort makes it seem as though this may be less-than-scientific.  However, it may be I am just a victim of getting a floating week that isn't as good as my last one.


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## ham4mel (Mar 15, 2006)

*fixed weeks are better!*

Its best to buy fixed weeks; I own two peak weeks (week 13 ) that trade like gangbusters!


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## wdaveo (Mar 15, 2006)

Where can we see what weeks are RED weeks vs Pink weeks  (or just RED weeks in general)

Thanks,
Dawn


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## Carolinian (Mar 15, 2006)

wdaveo said:
			
		

> Where can we see what weeks are RED weeks vs Pink weeks  (or just RED weeks in general)
> 
> Thanks,
> Dawn



THere are no charts for that, only experience.  For the OBX weeks 24-32 are the reddest, while spring pinks like 15-17 are the pinkest.  For SA, part of the problem is not having enough experience, as Americans, to know which are the best red weeks, and which are just so-so.  Maybe with enough trade tests, we can figure that out.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 15, 2006)

Also be aware that RCI trade power algorithms are dynamic and changing.  They respond to demand for weeks from year to year, and RCI can also update and revise the algorithms at any time.

Trade power for a week is fixed at the time of deposit.  So even if you were depositing the same week of the year for different years, the two weeks could have greatly different trading power if: 

the demand in the system for the week you are depositing changes significantly from year to year.

the trade power algorithms used for your resort have changed between deposits.
I doubt very much that RCI VC are briefed and updated on these matters.  It all happens behind the scenes for them as much as for us.


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## annetteterry (Mar 15, 2006)

Can the trade power of my week change after it is deposited?  

The Vacation Guide eluded to the fact that my trading power was low because I had just deposited it (making me think that it could change somewhere along the line).  I thought you got assigned a "trade power" when you deposited it and it was stagnent from then on.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 15, 2006)

annetteterry said:
			
		

> Can the trade power of my week change after it is deposited?
> 
> The Vacation Guide eluded to the fact that my trading power was low because I had just deposited it (making me think that it could change somewhere along the line).  I thought you got assigned a "trade power" when you deposited it and it was stagnent from then on.


When a week is first deposited it has low trade power until RCI verifies the deposit with the resort.  After the reort informs RCI that the deposit is valid (i.e., you are the owner and the week is available for you to deposit), full trade power is granted to your week.  At that point, the trade power of your week is established and is supposed to remain unchanged unless you make an exchange using the week, then cancel the exchange.


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## gravedee (Mar 28, 2006)

*Gangbusters?*



			
				ham4mel said:
			
		

> Its best to buy fixed weeks; I own two peak weeks (week 13 ) that trade like gangbusters!



I PM'd you -- I have the same week and perhaps we can do a trade comparison.  "Gangbusters" seems a little generous to me.


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## DianeH (Mar 29, 2006)

The explanation I got today from a guide regarding my two DS weeks: 'it could be that your resort had a convention booked for 2006 which makes the week a higher demand.  In 2007 they have nothing special going on.'

Now hows that for an answer?


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## annetteterry (Mar 29, 2006)

Interesting...you never know what you are going to hear when you call RCI

After initiating this thread I sent off several emails to Jennifer at Dikhololo who actually deposits the weeks to RCI.  I asked if she could explain why my trading power was lower and I provided examples of the searches I had done with 2006 vs. 2007 weeks.  

Judy, who did reply to my initial email, said that I needed to direct this type of question to Jennifer, but after 3 emails I still have seen no reply.  

If it is true, and there has been a decline in demand for this resort it would be nice if the resort could verify this.  I'm sure they wouldn't be excited about doing so, but as owners I think we have a right to know.   Otherwise I will simply assume this has something to do with RCI's mysterious trade power calculating "system".

In terms of an earlier post stating that once a weeks is deposited RCI needs to verify with the resort what the value of the week is before true trade power is established, wouldn't that have been done by now?   I am still seeing the same results - October 2006 Florida Hotel Unit or larger - 147 resorts available with my 06 weeks and 88 with my 07.   Last week of March 07 Hilton Head - 3 resorts with my 06 week, Zero with my 07.

If anyone gets any real answers on this I am still very interested.


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