# SFX and Vida Weeks



## huenix (Aug 14, 2014)

We were credited with 5 "Vida" weeks from Mayan Palace into SFX. The credits show up as "Promotional Bonus Week ($0.00)" which from what I understand are basically free points to use as we see fit. The problem is... EVERY single thing I search for shows up as either high demand or premium or one of three or four more things and in order to even search, they want to charge me $169 if they find an exact match. 

The best part is that they all appear to expire the same time as my membership in 7/2015. 

I realized when they offered us this that it was probably as worthless as the Vida Rewards site itself, but this is just silly. Am I missing some way to see what might be avaiable to use with these weeks without prepaying $169.00?

What I am looking for is something in east coast ski country for non-platinum jan-feb-march. But not looking hard enough to potentially throw away almost two hundred dollars.


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## presley (Aug 14, 2014)

They do enforce the exact match fee.  You can be very specific in your request, though.  You can specify resorts by name or you can say something like, "anything in such and such an area, except Resort X and Resort Y."  That way you never get stuck paying an exchange fee for something that you don't want.


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## ailin (Aug 14, 2014)

Just wanted to add that they will still call you even if they don't have the exact resort(s) you asked for, but then you aren't obligated to take it.  So I always request one or two I know I would take with no hesitation and then put "will consider others, please call".


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## Sandy VDH (Aug 14, 2014)

huenix said:


> What I am looking for is something in east coast ski country for non-platinum jan-feb-march. But not looking hard enough to potentially throw away almost two hundred dollars.



Call SFX

Not all properties are put in online. AAMOF most inventory available online is excess inventory.  SFX does not operate the same way other exchange companies do, as they do not manage all their inventory via online.

What you sounded like you were doing is setting up an ongoing search request.  You can do that, but I would call first.  Only add a search if you know that the inventory is NOT available already.


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## huenix (Aug 15, 2014)

Sandy VDH said:


> Call SFX
> 
> Not all properties are put in online. AAMOF most inventory available online is excess inventory.  SFX does not operate the same way other exchange companies do, as they do not manage all their inventory via online.
> 
> What you sounded like you were doing is setting up an ongoing search request.  You can do that, but I would call first.  Only add a search if you know that the inventory is NOT available already.



So we have an online exchange company that doesn't post stuff online. Got it.  I'll call.


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## Sandy VDH (Aug 15, 2014)

SFX only recently made available stuff online.  I don't think they every claimed that all inventory was online, or that in fact they are an online trading company.  Online inventory is pretty recent for SFX.  They do not put all of the items online. 

If you are really interested in finding something call.  If you just want to search the excess inventory, my all mean just look online.


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## PigsDad (Aug 15, 2014)

huenix said:


> So we have an online exchange company that doesn't post stuff online. Got it.  I'll call.



SFX works differently.  They get weeks not only from members depositing them, but they also get weeks from other sources.  When you make an ongoing request, SFX will _actively search _out a week to match your request.  For example, I (as an SFX member) have been contacted by SFX asking if I wanted to deposit a specific HGVC week, presumably because they had an active request for that week. That differs from RCI / II where they just wait for a week to be deposited and match your request.

So the online inventory is just the member deposits that didn't match a member request.  It only represents a small portion of their potential inventory for exchanges.

Hope this helps.
Kurt


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## SmithOp (Aug 15, 2014)

huenix said:


> So we have an online exchange company that doesn't post stuff online. Got it.  I'll call.



You need to study the chart on the SFX Bonus Weeks page.  The sweet spot for using bonus weeks is 20 days and 90 days.  Don't judge by the Sell-Off list page.  I think they have a way of releasing weeks after a hold period for  deposits after checking search requests. I've seen Marriott, HGVC, Intrawest show up on instant exchange searches.

I run Instant Exchange searches and you see more than what is on the sell-off list.  There are some gems in there, but you have to be persistent searching, or set up a Search and have them do it for you, don't worry about the $169 you have to pay that either way if you match or you pick instant exchange. You are lucky its only $169, I pay that to exchange my deposit week, my bonus weeks run up to $599 for a 2br 90 days out.

If you are just looking to go to Mexico, don't bother setting up a search, there is always plenty of Mexico weeks on the sell off pages.


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## DeniseM (Aug 15, 2014)

huenix said:


> So we have an online exchange company that doesn't post stuff online. Got it.  I'll call.



No exchange companies post all their inventory online, including RCI and II.  Because of "on-going requests" the best stuff is reserved behind the scenes, before it ever hits the online inventory.


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## falmouth3 (Aug 15, 2014)

I called SFX when I needed a week in Las Vegas to celebrate my mother's 80th birthday.  They asked if I would consider Polo towers.  I said I would and they told me they would call me back within a couple of hours.  They did and we took my mother on her last trip to Las Vegas.  It was clear that they didn't have the week in their inventory but they made some calls to get me the week I needed.  I even got a handicapped bathroom in my unit, at my request.


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