# What's up with SFX memberships?



## presley (Apr 21, 2015)

It looks like SFX is doing away with Platinum membership. I see Gold, which is still free, or Diamond, but not Platinum - which I have. Does anyone know what is going on over there? Since the website appears to be having a major overhaul, I am wondering if they didn't add it, yet or if they are just getting rid of that level.  http://www.sfxresorts.com/membership-programs/


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## falmouth3 (Apr 21, 2015)

You're right.  Platinum seems to be gone.  I'm also platinum and my membership runs until 2025.  I wonder if we'll be getting a refund or a bump to diamond.


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## falmouth3 (Apr 21, 2015)

I just called.  They are phasing out the platinum membership but will be honoring the benefits of platinum until the membership expires.  We'll see how that goes.


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## GrayFal (Apr 21, 2015)

falmouth3 said:


> I just called.  They are phasing out the platinum membership but will be honoring the benefits of platinum until the membership expires.  We'll see how that goes.



I have that one as well good thru 2020 I think.  
Ugh


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## presley (Apr 21, 2015)

falmouth3 said:


> I just called.  They are phasing out the platinum membership but will be honoring the benefits of platinum until the membership expires.  We'll see how that goes.



Bummer for me. Mine expires in December, but I have a deposit that goes through 2018. I guess I'll be bumped down to gold and won't be able to search online for an exchange. I also noticed the exchange fee for gold is now $209.


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## GrayFal (Apr 21, 2015)

presley said:


> Bummer for me. Mine expires in December, but I have a deposit that goes through 2018. I guess I'll be bumped down to gold and won't be able to search online for an exchange. I also noticed the exchange fee for gold is now $209.


I have two deposits expiring with them this coming summer…just don't know if it is worth it to give them ANOTHER deposit to extend those two….


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## buzglyd (Apr 21, 2015)

I just got this offer since mine is expiring.

I can offer you one of the following:
3 year Diamond $299
5 year Diamond $399
10 year Diamond $699

Not bad but I just don't have anything to deposit right now. 

I rented my local weeks. 

I call that the Benjamin Franklin exchange company.


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## SmithOp (Apr 21, 2015)

BFX, thats a nice exchange to be in!

I'm trying to use my last deposit before next Feb when my platinum expires, probably wont renew.


Sent from my iPad using the strange new version of Tapatalk


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## presley (Apr 21, 2015)

buzglyd said:


> I can offer you one of the following:
> 3 year Diamond $299
> 5 year Diamond $399
> 10 year Diamond $699



Those prices are very reasonable for what you get in return, but I wasn't planning on doing any deposits with them in the next couple years. So, I am not willing to pay to extend a membership at this time. 
$69/year for the 10 year membership is an awesome bargain, though!


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## coppersmom1 (May 1, 2015)

We already have two deposit in with SFX that will expire next August. They just called us with a match for one but are treating us like Gold members, which I don't appreciate- since I PAID for my membership. They are REALLY pushing the Diamond. My husband is calling them back today with an answer to the request they held for us (Kohala Suites) and telling them no. They had  tacked on an upgrade fee (used to be free when available) and I think it was the resort but it was a very expensive residence club fee, all on top of the exchange fee. Since my hubby snores :zzz: that 2nd bedroon sometimes comes in handy, but I don't need to stay there badly enough to pay $199 for the residence club fee. 

Our own unit is a 1 bdrm since it is always just the 2 of us, so it's not like we can't be just fine with a 1 bdrm. The 2 bdrm. just opens up some resorts that only have that choice.

I think SFX really owed it to their members to do a better job explaining what was going on and working through this transition.


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## presley (May 1, 2015)

coppersmom1 said:


> (Kohala Suites) and telling them no. They had  tacked on an upgrade fee (used to be free when available) and I think it was the resort but it was a very expensive residence club fee, all on top of the exchange fee. but I don't need to stay there badly enough to pay $199 for the residence club fee.



I have _never_ heard of a residence club fee for Kohala Suites. You are talking about HGVC on the big island, right? I even googled it to see what you this was and I couldn't find anything. Either it is a mistake or perhaps SFX is tacking on an extra fee.


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## rickandcindy23 (May 1, 2015)

So they really are not honoring a platinum membership anymore, even though they say they are?  Upgrades are not supposed to cost anything at all, and think all of Kohala Suites are 2 bedrooms.  

I have a platinum membership which expires in about 8 years.


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## John Cummings (May 1, 2015)

rickandcindy23 said:


> So they really are not honoring a platinum membership anymore, even though they say they are?  Upgrades are not supposed to cost anything at all, and think all of Kohala Suites are 2 bedrooms.
> 
> I have a platinum membership which expires in about 8 years.



There is no need to be concerned. My SFX Platinum membership is up for renewal in July so I contacted them about the membership change and here is their reply.

"If you are an existing Platinum member, as a thank you for your business, in the coming weeks we will be upgrading you at no charge to our new Diamond level. When you are ready to renew, the new Diamond Membership is equal in pricing to the earlier Platinum Membership."

As you can see you will actually be better off then before as the new Diamond level offers more perks.


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## tschwa2 (May 1, 2015)

John Cummings said:


> There is no need to be concerned. My SFX Platinum membership is up for renewal in July so I contacted them about the membership change and here is their reply.
> 
> "If you are an existing Platinum member, as a thank you for your business, in the coming weeks we will be upgrading you at no charge to our new Diamond level. When you are ready to renew, the new Diamond Membership is equal in pricing to the earlier Platinum Membership."
> 
> As you can see you will actually be better off then before as the new Diamond level offers more perks.



But that is not what Coopersmom1 says is what is currently happening.  As a current platinum member she was only offered an upgraded size if she would pay the upgrade fee.


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## John Cummings (May 1, 2015)

tschwa2 said:


> But that is not what Coopersmom1 says is what is currently happening.  As a current platinum member she was only offered an upgraded size if she would pay the upgrade fee.



She is talking about an individual exchange and is making an assumption. She needs to work that out with SFX.

I am talking about the change for Platinum members. Right now membership hasn't changed yet.


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## tschwa2 (May 1, 2015)

She isn't making an assumption.  She was told there would be an upgrade fee.  Perhaps SFX hasn't properly trained their agents about the transition and a call back might straighten it out.  Hopefully that is the case.


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## John Cummings (May 1, 2015)

tschwa2 said:


> She isn't making an assumption.  She was told there would be an upgrade fee.  Perhaps SFX hasn't properly trained their agents about the transition and a call back might straighten it out.  Hopefully that is the case.



If one has what they think is a problem then by all means they should call them and find out exactly what is going on.


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## SmithOp (May 2, 2015)

Why is it taking so long, they already updated the web site. I see no reason to delay, poor management in this change, I won't be renewing my platinum membership.


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## JuliGee (May 2, 2015)

*What's all the fuss about?*

Gosh, I really don't understand what all fuss is about, people guessing and making assumptions. Our Platinum membership expired 2 days ago. So, instead trying to figure out what is correct or incorrect information here, I called them up to get some facts.

So here it is from the manager I spoke with. The new diamond membership will be replacing the platinum membership. The new diamond membership has more benefits than platinum, and will be the same price as the old platinum membership. It's a simple bottom line, more benefits for the same price.

The manager told me they are sending a detailed announcement to all their members in about a week from now. She also told me that all existing platinum members will be upgraded at no charge to the new diamond membership, and the current expiration date of platinum, will be the same on the diamond. So those with an existing platinum are going to get the additional benefits of the new diamond.

Our platinum membership expired two days ago. We renewed it with a 5 year diamond, and the price was the same as the old platinum. Just like with the old platinum, if we didn't want to renew it, then we would drop down to gold, which for us would be kinda stupid, because we travel 3-4 times a year, and the money we save on transactions, is far greater than the cost of the membership.

Juli


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## John Cummings (May 2, 2015)

JuliGee said:


> Gosh, I really don't understand what all fuss is about, people guessing and making assumptions. Our Platinum membership expired 2 days ago. So, instead trying to figure out what is correct or incorrect information here, I called them up to get some facts.
> 
> So here it is from the manager I spoke with. The new diamond membership will be replacing the platinum membership. The new diamond membership has more benefits than platinum, and will be the same price as the old platinum membership. It's a simple bottom line, more benefits for the same price.
> 
> ...



Thank you. That is exactly what I said in my post.


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## DeniseM (May 2, 2015)

coppersmom1 said:


> We already have two deposit in with SFX that will expire next August. They just called us with a match for one but are treating us like Gold members, which I don't appreciate- since I PAID for my membership. They are REALLY pushing the Diamond. My husband is calling them back today...



coppersmom1 - Please let us know what happened when your husband called them back to talk to them a 2nd time.  Sounds like they may be having a bumpy transition from one program to another.


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## SmithOp (May 2, 2015)

Well Juli, we already knew these details, have known for at least a week when the announcement was put on the web site and the log in page was changed.  SFX has known for a few weeks before that obviously. 

If I had rolled out changes sloppily like this in the IT business I retired from I would have been fired summarily based on customer complaints.  I was expected to roll out changes over the weekend, or even overnight so as not to impact normal business hours, after it was communicated to customers. In this extended interim period people are being hit with extra charges. Saying we will get an email within a week is unacceptable to me, it should have been sent a week before the change was made and our accounts upgraded when the changes went in to effect.

If you call them again ask about Diamond Rewards Premium/Elite, it seems to me there are still three levels of membership.

https://www.sfxdiamondrewards.com/ms_landing_page?v2_landing_page_type_id=135

"SFX Diamond Rewards Elite is an all new program designed exclusively for SFX Diamond Rewards Premium members. By enrolling, members can earn and redeem points not just for vacation savings, but also for FREE vacations and vacation cash. Plus, you can earn up to 5X more points. Experience the ultimate in flexibility with SFX Diamond Rewards Elite."


Sent from my iPad using the strange new version of Tapatalk


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## icydog (May 4, 2015)

I can't even look at the last minute resorts anymore.  It seems the pages are not iPad friendly. That's just crazy in the IOS markets.


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## SmithOp (May 4, 2015)

icydog said:


> I can't even look at the last minute resorts anymore.  It seems the pages are not iPad friendly. That's just crazy in the IOS markets.




Its called Resort Escapes now for me, I can get in but its painfully slow loading.  They have removed platinum, its Non-Member / Gold / Diamond pricing now.

If you were using a bookmark the page is gone so you have to update the link.


Sent from my iPad using the strange new version of Tapatalk


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## dominidude (May 7, 2015)

It seems that the new "Diamond" membership will be different than the old one.

See the image of the OLD membership chart below and compare it to the new one:

http://www.sfxresorts.com/membership-programs/

For one, it seems that the new "Diamond" membership at $120/yr will be even lower priced than the previous platinum membership at $199/yr.

Another difference seems to be fewer "benefits" available to the new diamond members. Although I wonder how many of those benefits listed were truly beneficial.


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## JuliGee (May 9, 2015)

dominidude said:


> It seems that the new "Diamond" membership will be different than the old one.
> 
> See the image of the OLD membership chart below and compare it to the new one:
> 
> ...



When I called them the other day, the way the agent explained it, the new diamond membership is replacing the platinum. Its got a lot more benefits than the previous platinum but its about the same price. It's an upgraded version of platinum, not a downgraded version of the old diamond membership. So if you are a platinum member (which we are), when we go to renew, we will be getting more benefits for the same price. She said it's got nothing to do with the previous diamond rewards membership, its simply a name change from platinum to diamond with more benefits.

Juli


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## John Cummings (May 9, 2015)

JuliGee said:


> When I called them the other day, the way the agent explained it, the new diamond membership is replacing the platinum. Its got a lot more benefits than the previous platinum but its about the same price. So if you are a platinum member (which we are), when we go to renew, we will be getting more benefits for the same price. She said it's got nothing to do with the previous diamond rewards membership, its simply a name change from platinum to diamond with more benefits.
> 
> Juli



That is an excellent explanation. That is what I understood it to be after talking to them.


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## dominidude (May 12, 2015)

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php/146373-Membership-renewal?highlight=diamond+elite

For those who are existing Diamond Rewards members, SFX will be renaming the membership to "Diamond Elite" in the very near future. All existing benefits will remain, and will add even more exciting benefits to this “Elite level” membership in the coming months. With prepaid cruises and vacation stays, and greater savings annually on all travel products, this membership level represents the best option for members who are "highly traveled". 

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications


SO, it seems that all SFX is doing is renaming Platinum membership to Diamond and the old Diamond membership to Diamond elite. Reminds of a joke where a college fraternity changed all their members' title to "vice-president" just so that they would all look better in their resumes :rofl:


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## rickandcindy23 (May 12, 2015)

Renaming it to make it sound better.  Really odd.  Platinum already described it better than it is.


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## presley (Jun 4, 2015)

I still haven't had an email from SFX about the membership change. Maybe I wouldn't get one until mine expires this December? At any rate, today I got an offer from sellingtimeshares in my email for a 5 year Diamond membership for $199. I filled out the thing to sign up for it and the next page said SFX will contact me for payment and processing. So, hopefully, that works out. It didn't say new members only. So, I am hoping that they will honor it for me. 

I wasn't going to renew since I have no deposits at this time, but it was such a good deal and I think I'd end up using it within the 5 years vs. paying the same amount for only one year for now which I wouldn't use (other than to use my exchange credit on file).


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