# Resale (2nd Class) Shell Owners and Elite Status



## kpeiper (Sep 13, 2012)

I am a SVC Owner who purchased on the resale market.  I use the program, like the program and understood that there were a few benefits offered to me as a resale owner.  As we attend owner updates and get continual reminders that we are not Elite qualified, I started thinking about the fairness of the policy.  I understand that Elite is a tool for SVC to sell developer points.  With that, it should be a developer funded program.  There are a number of benefits that have a cost impact at the resort level... room upgrades, additional housekeeping, etc.  At the home club level, all MFs are spread equally based on points owned.  Why should my MFs pay for a program at the association level that benefit the developer's sales of developer points.  The association should bill SVC (the developer) for any and all additional costs for the program -- or Shell, should make the program available all MF paying members.  I should not have to carry any costs for a program that I am not allowed to join.  The association, as an Independence organization, should not subsidize a Shell marketing program unless all members may join.  I have had long discussions with SVC President Sue Kelley who agrees that there are costs to the association, and agrees that Elite was designed to sell more developer points and not to recognize owners of 2nd Class Owners (she denies 2 classes of course).  I did file a BBB claim.  The response is that "The Company has a responsibility and an obligation to make decisions that respect the purchase choice made by our group of Elite owners notwithstanding a disagreement in that decision making process by *one individual owner*.  If I am going to be a 2nd Class owner, I don't want to pay MF for the benefits of the first class owners - regardless of how nominal.  If you feel the same way, please contact Shell (Sue Kelley -  skelley@shellvacations.com) of file a BBB complaint.  They need to hear that resale owners are members and should get benefits that we pay to support.  The offer that they made to me for resolution -- sell my resale points with a reputable broker and buy discounted point from the developer...  Wow, as if I haven't heard that before at a sales presentation.  They need to embrace all owners...  I know I'd buy even more points if I were Elite qualified.  Feel free to contact me if any questions.   Thanks...  Let Shell know how you feel.


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## kpeiper (Sep 13, 2012)

My BBB Complaint:

Consumer's Original Complaint :
Shell Vacations sells memberships to a points based timeshare program.  Members buying directly from Shell qualify for program benefits (Elite & Lifestyles) that are not available to members who purchase points on the resale market.  These programs are offered as developer marketing tools.  My complaint is that maintenence fees at the home club association level are directly tied to the cost of operations.  Some of the benefits offered as part of the Elite program do have a direct cost to the resort at the association level and inpact maintenence fees of all owners - even those who cannot participate.  Owners ineligible to participate should not be responsible to help pay for these costs.  The association should not subsidize and expenses of the Elite program (a developer marketing tool) OR all owners should be eligible to join at minimum membership levels. ALL members should not be required to pay for a developer marketing tool if it is not truly a part of the membership for all owners.  The association and Shell, the developer are separate entities.  

Consumer's Desired Resolution:
Either Shell Vacations LLC should (one of these):1. Pay associations for 100% cost (actual or billable) of any benefits associated with the Elite program.  2. Allow all members of a minimum point level access to the program.3. Calculate maintenence fees for no Elite Qualified points at a lower rate for programs that are not available to those owners.


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## Maple_Leaf (Sep 13, 2012)

*Dog bites man*



2nd Class Shell SVC Owner said:


> The offer that they made to me for resolution -- sell my resale points with a reputable broker and buy discounted point from the developer.



As much as I sympathize with your position, Shell is a developer-controlled resort system.  Shell's interests and yours do not align on this particular point and Shell wins.  Just another reason to own at owner-controlled resorts.


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## JohnPaul (Sep 13, 2012)

*You Are Still Ahead*

I own 15500 points in Shell West which is enough to be Elite.  However, only7000 were bought from the developer so I'm not Elite.  

There are a number of things about their Elite program that I find appealing like no housekeeping or transaction fees.  Everytime I think about those I remind myself that I can pay a zillion fees and still come out far ahead of buying from the Developer to be Elite.


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## Passepartout (Sep 13, 2012)

So what do they say to hook you? Buy from us here and now and be 'Elite', but by the way, you won't be able to re-sell it or pass the perks along to anyone else. The real goodies are for the original owners. Other than the lack of a recruitment scheme, it almost sounds Ponzi-ish.

I'd say to remind me not to get involved with Shell, but somehow I think I'll remember.

Best wishes. 

Jim


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## simpsontruckdriver (Sep 13, 2012)

Wyndham does the same. A person can have 300k points, which (until next month) are considered VIP, but if any part of that is resale, no VIP. Filing with the BBB won't do anything. Wyndham is considered an "F", and most of those complaints are related to sales issues (aka didn't read their contracts). So, there's really nothing you can do, other than giving your membership away.

TS


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 13, 2012)

Yes, Jim, that is true.  I have always said developers single-handedly devalue their own products by making it fairly worthless in resale.  How do people sit through that sales pitch and then buy.  It's idiotic. 

Ironically, I just got my regular phone call from Shell to get me into a sales presentation for a measly $179 for a 4-night stay.  Yeah, right.  Stop calling me NMO Vacations. I am not going on a Shell sales tour.  

I must admit we have been treated well by Shell, at least so far.  So I am not going to sit here and say I am treated poorly, because I am not.


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## simpsontruckdriver (Sep 14, 2012)

/Wyndham buys SHELL Vacations for $102,000,000 in cash

TS


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 14, 2012)

Wyndham would love a monopoly on all timeshare.  Their $99 guest fee is ridiculous.  I am sick about this move.  No wonder Shell is trying to sell their product now.  I hope the deal falls through.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 14, 2012)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Wyndham would love a monopoly on all timeshare.  Their $99 guest fee is ridiculous.  I am sick about this move.  No wonder Shell is trying to sell their product now.  I hope the deal falls through.


Not likely to fall through.  This appears to be an announcement of a completed sale.

With luck, the ineptly operated Raintree will be next and will be acquired by someone other than RCI (preferably DRI).


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 14, 2012)

I hope DRI does buy Raintree for your sake, Steve, because Wyndham buying it won't fix it.  Wyndham is going to change Shell, if it can, and Shell has its own policies and rules.  To have Wyndham force its policies on Shell owners, well, the resale is now zero or less than that, so it couldn't be much worse.  But to me, it is worse.  I loved being able to book Peacock Suites cheaply, and we bought Shell resale specifically for that purpose, and for Napa/ San Francisco.  

If Wyndham owners can take that inventory (I am a Wyndham owner), what will be left for me with my Shell points.  I am just sick.  RCI is Wyndham, so it's basically the same poison, just a different way to ingest it.


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## team2win (Sep 14, 2012)

+1 I'm so disgusted also, black friday...



rickandcindy23 said:


> I hope DRI does buy Raintree for your sake, Steve, because Wyndham buying it won't fix it.  Wyndham is going to change Shell, if it can, and Shell has its own policies and rules.  To have Wyndham force its policies on Shell owners, well, the resale is now zero or less than that, so it couldn't be much worse.  But to me, it is worse.  I loved being able to book Peacock Suites cheaply, and we bought Shell resale specifically for that purpose, and for Napa/ San Francisco.
> 
> If Wyndham owners can take that inventory (I am a Wyndham owner), what will be left for me with my Shell points.  I am just sick.  RCI is Wyndham, so it's basically the same poison, just a different way to ingest it.


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## team2win (Sep 14, 2012)

I just had to send in my displeasure note to customercare@shellvacationsllc.com, not that it will do anything, but man, I can't say how much I'm disappointed that we will be under Wyndham policies in the future...


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## Bill4728 (Sep 14, 2012)

I wonder exactly what Wyn can do to the shell resorts?

We own 3 weeks at a shell resort in Whistler BC but are not a shell Vacations  owner. When shell took over the resort (about 7 years ago)  they were not able to make any changes to my ownership agreement with the resort. So other than the Shell name on the resort nothing changed.

They can easily change the policies of how shell vacations works BUT can they change the policy of shell managed resorts in which the owner isn't a "shell" owner.


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## Maple_Leaf (Sep 14, 2012)

*Don't bet on it*



Bill4728 said:


> I wonder exactly what Wyn can do to the shell resorts?
> 
> We own 3 weeks at a shell resort in Whistler BC but are not a shell Vacations  owner. When shell took over the resort (about 7 years ago)  they were not able to make any changes to my ownership agreement with the resort. So other than the Shell name on the resort nothing changed.
> 
> They can easily change the policies of how shell vacations works BUT can they change the policy of shell managed resorts in which the owner isn't a "shell" owner.



If Shell is managing your resort, Wyndham will be managing it going forward.


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 14, 2012)

Wyndham does what it wants.  When you buy Platinum and convert weeks you had that are deeded, they don't keep their promises.  We did this for a price, not FREE, and they promised unlimited guest certificates forever.  I expected them to keep that promise.  I have it in their literature that I kept, so I have it in writing.  

Matters not to Wyndham.  

Now they are charging $99-129 for every guest certificate after using your now allotted number.  

As I said earlier in this thread, I haven't been treated poorly by Shell.   The benefits developer owners get are not worthy of paying what those people paid.   But honestly, Wyndham could really treat us poorly as resale buyers of Shell.  I don't see this ending well for Shell owners.


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