# New pricing or sales tactics / pushing mainly RCI



## truthseeker1 (Jun 11, 2019)

Just went to a WM presentation at a resort in California.

*Credit cost*
The sales pitch was 3.50 a credit lock in for 1 year as everything is changing in June 20th 2020, with prices set to skyrocket according to them -$5+ figures being dangled around.

Walked away with some flyer guaranteeing a 1 Year lock-in at 3.50 per credit just for attending.

Mostly owners at presentation.

*Program Changes heavily pushing RCI*

They said the program has completely changed (within last year) now instead of using WM points you instead book everything through RCI at 4K points cost per week.

They said WM properties have no RCI fees but you still use the RCI system to do the reservation it due to grandfather rules of WM points being more costly using the old WM system.

*Competition*
They claimed that competition was driving the change (mainly Airbnb was dangled around) and that to stay competitive they’re pushing this new RCI program.

They seemed to be WM points that you would use to book on RCI instead as it’s cheaper there (4K per week versus the 10-15k you see on typical properties in WM, even brought out a 2018-2019 WM book to show the “old” cost)

*24 month advance booking available now*
They claimed that you could do 24 month advance booking with RCI (seemingly even with WM properties with no extra fees) but could only do 13-month advance booking on the old program.

Dangled hundreds of properties available other than WM, although mentioned the per diem RCI fees (or fixed fee they presented as cost per diem).

Showed some paper report that looked like an annual report that claimed 97% rate of booking when using the new system up to 45days in advance.

Said they were responding to customer demeaned and market changes.

Now they’re a public company (not sure what that had to do with it), competition, etc.

Then they have to do all this through RCI because of WM contracts being so fixed and they have no other way to do it then to go outside the old system.

*Resale points don’t qualify*
Asked about resale purchase and they said that resale is on the old system but these points were on the new system.

They claimed the resale points wouldn’t work on the new 4K per week RCI based system.

They seemed to indicate existing developer purchased points would be grandfathered in but not resale.

*Points for cash*
Initial speaker was pushing this “points for cash” program where people are now using points to book airfare, car rentals, movie tickets, and other things like shopping discounts at other locations (sounded like your typical Ccard reward points program like Wells Fargo Rewards, Chase, Citibank thank you, in a way now that I think about it). Said you could even pay maintenance fees with points through some MOP program.

*MOP*
I asked later about the MOP program and they said maintenance fees convert between 2-12 points per dollar (no firm figure).

*Pricing*
Eventually got to pricing of $2.59 per credit with (one time) bonus weeks, due to the terms we were walking in with - said it was a really good deal but that they wouldn’t even hold it for 24hrs. All I could hold onto was the $3.50 thingy, although I still have some figures on hand from our discussions.

*Stinky deal?*
Is this all just fancy dressing on the same old pig of a deal or is this really some new thing?

This seems like a zero sum game at some point it would seem someone here would loose - either those not in the know about the new system, or those that bought in resale, etc.

Otherwise it seems like it might be a complete bait and switch just like they did when they said today was a 1 hour session just to get your feedback - mandatory $20 deposit (which they waived when I balked), and $100 fine if I didn’t attend. Instead of feedback it was a 3 hour low to medium pressure sales pitch and discussion, no feedback gathered at all.

A bit in the dark,
Truth seeker


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## ecwinch (Jun 11, 2019)

SOS.Only thing new is some of the lies. Just more partial truths wrapped in unrealistic expectations on availability and ease of use.

_Booking for 4k in RCI means last minute bookings_ - inside 45 days. During peak season this will be scraps, and in off/shoulder season it is picked over surplus weeks.

Any RCI exchange for credits involves a RCI exchange fee that ranges from $59 to $239 based on number of days. Plus HK token and credits. Even exchanges into WM resorts.

RCI Exchanges are always subject to availability - meaning something has to be deposited into RCI for you to book. And only a fraction of the units at any resort are deposited into RCI, and a much smaller fraction are deposited from peak season. Some resorts are like unicorns in RCI - ie. larger units from Disney Vacation Club.

_24 month booking_ is only into RCI, only for that small fraction of inventory deposited into RCI by WM. Rarely the most desirable resorts.

All WM credits (even the old ones) can book 100% of the WM inventory at 13 months. "New" points have no advantage in booking.

*These the outright lies:*

They said WM properties have no RCI fees but *you still use the RCI system* to do the reservation.

claimed *97% rate of booking when using the new system up to 45days in advance

resale points wouldn’t work on the new 4K per week RCI based system

2.59 per credit with (one time) .... said it was a really good deal but that they wouldn’t even hold it for 24hrs*


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## rhonda (Jun 11, 2019)

@truthseeker1 , Thank you for the careful reporting from your experience!!  I enjoyed reading along.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jun 11, 2019)

Nothing new, as far as I can tell.  Looks like RCI last-minute stuff is the new sales' pitch.  We have always had that ability, and it was worth almost nothing to me, last few times I have been to RCI.com through WM.  

The fees are so great on WM.  I wish the competition wasn't so nuts for Dolphin's Cove.  It's such a great value, and I appreciate the location to Disney.  Now I just rent my Shell points because I love Dolphin's Cove.  Wyndham Anaheim is too expensive.  Have you seen how many credits it is for a 3 bedroom for 7 nights.


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