# Bait and Switch, or what???



## EMTAdam

Is there a known "Bait and Switch" issue on this forum?  I have gotten several offers for rentals for units in the 300-600$ range, and I have responded back within MINUTES, usually less then 5 minutes of getting the notification, only to be told, almost verbatim "Im sorry that one is no longer available, but I can get you xxxxx for $1200".  

If it only happened once, then I wouldnt think anything of it. But it has literally happened 4 times within a week.  I find it hard to believe that all 4 times, the units that were emailed to me, were rented and gone less then 5 minutes later.

I guess its possible, but what do I know?!?  

Is that typical of time share rentals, or is this just bad business?


----------



## Tank

That sounds highly unlikely within 5 minutes of giving you a offer 4 times in a week !

*Mine is still available, I PM'ed you,  for this short notice on this holiday but was never $100 a night and I never got a response.*

Just wanted to clarify this 

Dave


----------



## am1

Are the second offers reasonable for the resort and week or is the seller way off the mark?


----------



## skylerlee

*Bait and Switch*

I saw your post immediately posting a unit for rent here on the LMBB. 

I offer units for rent on this forum from time to time and I can honestly say that I have NEVER done a 'bait and switch' post. I don't think most owners/member would abuse the system and/or be dishonest. 

Here are several thoughts for you consideration. 

First, this forum is very active, and very exceptional deals often go quickly. If the owner has more reservations (which many of us do) it's reasonable for an owner to offer you something else if what they posted has rented and they have other reservations. However,  a post should never be posted as a purposeful 'bait and switch' type of ad just to drive business to an owner. That, in my opinion, is abuse of this site. A unit that is posted SHOULD be available at the stated rate.

Second:  4 in a week, if indeed, these are truly within 5 minutes of the posting, seems very unusual. First, we would need to know the lag time between when the 'for rent' post is made and when you receive a notice of availability. If the lag time is hours, not minutes, it's very possible that the unit has been rented. But, if the moderators/owners can figure out if all 4 of your inquiries were to the same individual/owner, in my opinion, those ads would seem highly suspect and I think the owners/moderators should look into that poster/member.  (I don't know if they can do this, but I think they can.)

Third:  Many of we owners DO have many, many reservations that we cannot offer here due to the $100/day restrictive cap, I don't personally agree with the $100/night cap and have requested that it be increased to no avail. I could offer many more listing for 2 and 3BR units at great prices if the cap went to $150 /night, which in today's world is still a terrific deal for a lot of resorts.The $100/cap has been in place a very long time and owner fees and costs have risen over the past 15 years. But........ it is what it is and when I post here, I adhere to it. I also believe that the vast majority of  TUG members are also fully and completely honest and comply with the rules.

I've been a TUG member for.......well.......maybe 12-15 years. Don't remember the exact 'join date'. I think overall, you'll find the site very helpful and the folks very, very pleasant and honest.

Hope this helps. 

R


----------



## Kapolei

EMTAdam said:


> .....  *I have gotten several offers* for rentals for units in the 300-600$ range, and I have responded back within MINUTES, ....



I am confused.  Do you mean you responded to posts?

When I check this thread, I don't see inventory moving that fast.


----------



## DeniseM

I move this thread from "Rental offered," to "Rentals Wanted," because the OP has a Want Ad posted in Rentals Wanted, and he is discussing the _private_ offers he is getting via email and/or pm to his Want Ad.  

In other words, people are contacting him privately and offering him rentals for more than $100 per night.

Most likely, the people contacting you are checking the resort's inventory to see what _can be reserved_, and then letting you know that it is available.  That doesn't meant that they already have reserved it.  It is entirely possible that within just a few minutes, it is no longer available in the resort's inventory.

It's also possible that it may be bait and switch.


----------



## EMTAdam

DeniseM said:


> I move this thread from "Rental offered," to "Rentals Wanted," because the OP has a Want Ad posted in Rentals Wanted, and he is discussing the _private_ offers he is getting via email and/or pm to his Want Ad.
> 
> In other words, people are contacting him privately and offering him rentals for more than $100 per night.
> 
> Most likely, the people contacting you are checking the resort's inventory to see what _can be reserved_, and then letting you know that it is available.  That doesn't meant that they already have reserved it.  It is entirely possible that within just a few minutes, it is no longer available in the resort's inventory.
> 
> It's also possible that it may be bait and switch.




This is correct. Its people responding to my rental wanted post. They send me a PM,I get an email alert on my cell,  within minutes I respond, and am almost immediately told that the rental/offer they sent me is gone, and in the same response they tell me that another one is available at a cost that is MUCH higher then the original.

I have been sent "offers" for a room @ $400 for a week, told its gone, but they have another @ $1,200 for a week.... This same situation has played out 4 different times.

I completely understand that good deals go fast, but if there is virtually no chance at making a deal to get one <since they are supposedly gone within minutes> whats the point? If they are in that high of demand, why waste the time sending someone a PM saying its available?


----------



## vacationhopeful

Prime summer HOLIDAY WEEK ... 2bdr?

*Yes, you could get lucky .. at maybe 3-10 days before checkin.*

But if you are buying airfare and renting a car, you are trying to do a balancing act for LOW airfare, family car rental, and cheap place to stay.

And at a VERY big DRIVE TO destination .. where others families just throws everyone into the car and drives down where YOU are flying.

PS I  DO NOT RENT UNITS in that area ... too much inventory for rent; PRIME vacation weeks get taken and the attractions are very crowded. Plus, I used to live in that area ... rather not be there during a SUMMER.


----------



## csxjohn

I would not consider this bait and switch.  For B&S I'd say you'd pay for one thing then get another.

You are not being swindled and you are under no obligation to take the offer you are given.

I see where it's frustrating and disappointing to think you're getting a unit at the price you want but if the only things you are being offered are higher priced, that may be all that's out there.

If it were me and I read your ad and wanted to rent you something for much more money I'd be upfront and tell you I can't get it for $700, would you pay $XXXXX?

Others work differently.

Hang in there, something may show up.


----------



## vacationhopeful

Plus, to me ... I offer a week at $700 on the LMR thread and have to response to PM inquiries offering $200 +/- for the seven nights ALONG with the "SOB STORY" ... need this vacation time for returning military family; departing military family; bread winner sick, dying, laid off; relative sick, dying, laid off; no vacation taken in 5 years; etc.

Particularly when it is a "troll" on TUG who is re-renting my week via Craigslist for triple or more over what they offered me.

Hey, if you are going to RE-RENT it ... tell me and pay me MY $700 and split the balance. 

And there is several regular trolls on TUG ... most are "Guests" and not paying TUG members.

So use the "search" function and look at posts on those PMs to you ... easy to figure out.


----------



## tschwa2

First off did it happen from several TUG users or was it the same one multiple times?  If it is from the same user then you might want to out the person and let them offer their side of the story.

Also did they email/PM telling you something like they had a studio for $400 for the dates you are looking for and then when you respond say the studio is gone but I have a 2 br for those dates at $1200 or are they saying they have the same unit type at the same resort and same dates but instead of the $400 they just messaged you for that the price was now $1200?  Even for unbooked vacation club inventory the same unit type/date/resort shouldn't vary that much.


----------



## DeniseM

If you only want to receive offers for $100 a night, edit your Ad to say:

*Please - only offers for $100 per night, and please post them in this thread.*

If you want to stop the private offers for more than $100 per night, click on the  User CP link (blue bar - top of page) and disable PM's and email (temporarily.)

However, please be aware that this may mean you get no offers at all.  Because not all resorts can be rented for $100 per night.

_***Remember:  this forum is not meant to be a lucrative commercial rental outlet.  It's primary purpose is to help owners  unload reservations at the last minute that they can't use.  _


----------



## tschwa2

My understanding is that he specifically was PM'd with offers in the 300-600 range and immediately replied back and was told they no longer had the 300-600 unit, and only had the $1200 unit available to rent. 

The problem wasn't that he was pm'd with offers over $700.  He was PM'd those offers but didn't respond back to those.


----------



## DeniseM

tschwa2 said:


> My understanding is that he specifically was PM'd with offers in the 300-600 range and immediately replied back and was told they no longer had the 300-600 unit, and only had the $1200 unit available to rent.
> 
> The problem wasn't that he was pm'd with offers over $700.  He was PM'd those offers but didn't respond back to those.



Yes - that is my understanding too.  But, if he deactivates his PM's and emails, people who want to respond will be forced to _respond in the thread_, and most likely will not respond with offers over $100 per night, since it violates the forum rules.


----------



## Tank

I would think that if it was within the $100 a night they would put it in your thread to expose it for others that might be interested


----------



## davidvel

csxjohn said:


> I would not consider this bait and switch.  For B&S I'd say you'd pay for one thing then get another.
> 
> You are not being swindled and you are under no obligation to take the offer you are given.
> 
> I see where it's frustrating and disappointing to think you're getting a unit at the price you want but if the only things you are being offered are higher priced, that may be all that's out there.
> 
> If it were me and I read your ad and wanted to rent you something for much more money I'd be upfront and tell you I can't get it for $700, would you pay $XXXXX?
> 
> Others work differently.
> 
> Hang in there, something may show up.


What OP describes is the classic definition of Bait and Switch:


> A selling method in which a customer is attracted by the advertisement of a low-priced product, which then is claimed to no longer exist (and it never did), and buyer presented with a more expensive product.


----------



## awa

I sent a PM on May 17th with a very low priced efficiency for that holiday week.  By the time I heard back from you on May 28th, it was gone.  So I don't know if you're counting me as one of the "bait and switch" people, but 11 days later is hardly close to 5 minutes.  I second the idea that you name the users you're accusing and let them tell their side.


----------



## EMTAdam

awa said:


> I sent a PM on May 17th with a very low priced efficiency for that holiday week.  By the time I heard back from you on May 28th, it was gone.  So* I don't know* if you're counting me as one of the "bait and switch" people,* but 11 days later is hardly close to 5 minutes.*  I second the idea that you name the users you're accusing and let them tell their side.




I do not recall naming you specifically, but thank you for your insight.


----------

