# II Guest Certificates on Ebay



## Saintsfanfl (Jan 22, 2013)

Ebay seller "chiwai4610" starts listing II certificates left and right. Within each ad it clearly states 





> After receiving payment, Guest confirmations  will be e-mailed as soon as we receive the *Guest Certificate from Interval International*.



Since they are not hiding it I send them a message out of courtesy:



> Dear chiwai4610, Since you list it plainly in your ads you must not know. Interval forbids selling exchanges or getaways. When they find out they will freeze your account and cancel all your confirmations. Your buyers will not be able to check in if this happens.- saintsfanfl





> Dear saintsfanfl,Thanks for your info but these's not what you think.GOD Bless- chiwai4610



Apparently I misunderstood the words "Guest Certificate from Interval International" and "these's" not what I think.

Priceless


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## chriskre (Jan 22, 2013)

Maybe he's a travel agent and getting this inventory from II.
I know RCI has some sort of thing like this for travel agents.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 22, 2013)

They have now removed "from Interval International" from the info in all the listings.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 22, 2013)

chriskre said:


> Maybe he's a travel agent and getting this inventory from II.
> I know RCI has some sort of thing like this for travel agents.



It's an idea but highly doubtful based on the quality of the inventory being listed. They also went and removed the reference to Interval. Also, I don't think Interval stoops as low as RCI when it comes to renting exchanges.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 22, 2013)

He's definitely not a travel agent.



> Dear saintsfanfl,
> 
> Thanks, life is tough... I just want to get some of my maintenance fee back. That mean no vacation for me!!!
> 
> ...



He has listed 12 of them although some are a relist. All of them are Marriott Timber Lodge and Marriott Newport Coast Villas.


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## gmarine (Jan 22, 2013)

If someone wanted to, they could win the auction and before payment ask to see something in writing that the seller has the unit reserved. Then when the seller mentions the Interval Guest Certificate the buyer can explain to the seller the risks and that they dont want to make the purchase. The seller will send the buyer an auction cancelation request and cancel the purchase. The buyer is then able to leave negative feedback saying the item was an Interval exchange and subject to cancelation.  That feedback really hurts the ability to rent exchanges.

Just sayin, its been done before.


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## Quadmaniac (Jan 23, 2013)

gmarine said:


> If someone wanted to, they could win the auction and before payment ask to see something in writing that the seller has the unit reserved. Then when the seller mentions the Interval Guest Certificate the buyer can explain to the seller the risks and that they dont want to make the purchase. The seller will send the buyer an auction cancelation request and cancel the purchase. The buyer is then able to leave negative feedback saying the item was an Interval exchange and subject to cancelation.  That feedback really hurts the ability to rent exchanges.
> 
> Just sayin, its been done before.



A bit extreme don't you think ?


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## Keep Traveling (Jan 23, 2013)

Not when they are renting 12 of them


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## gmarine (Jan 23, 2013)

Quadmaniac said:


> A bit extreme don't you think ?




For one unit or even two where the person is unaware of the rules, yes, extreme.  

 If a person politely informed the seller of 12 units that it really isnt permitted and you risk membership being canceled etc then the seller sent a rude or obscene reply, then its not extreme.


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## Quadmaniac (Jan 23, 2013)

gmarine said:


> For one unit or even two where the person is unaware of the rules, yes, extreme.
> 
> If a person politely informed the seller of 12 units that it really isnt permitted and you risk membership being canceled etc then the seller sent a rude or obscene reply, then its not extreme.



I was trying to point out two wrongs don't make a right. His actions, no matter how extreme they maybe be, it does not justify your proposal. It's a bit extreme to go to that extent to bid on his auction just to leave a bad feedback. You want to do this, or suggest that others do that, because he was rude and a jerk as a result. If you go through with this, what does that now say about you ? Did you not just stoop to his level ?

If you have that much time to monitor eBay timeshare rentals and expose them, then all the power to you, but wouldn't it be better spent on something more important like family, friends, vacationing and enjoying life ? Life is short, enjoy each moment. To each their own.....


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## gmarine (Jan 23, 2013)

Quadmaniac said:


> I was trying to point out two wrongs don't make a right. His actions, no matter how extreme they maybe be, it does not justify your proposal. It's a bit extreme to go to that extent to bid on his auction just to leave a bad feedback. You want to do this, or suggest that others do that, because he was rude and a jerk as a result. If you go through with this, what does that now say about you ? Did you not just stoop to his level ?
> 
> If you have that much time to monitor eBay timeshare rentals and expose them, then all the power to you, but wouldn't it be better spent on something more important like family, friends, vacationing and enjoying life ? Life is short, enjoy each moment. To each their own.....



His auction could potentially ruin a families vacation if the exchange is canceled by RCI or II. Imagine the poor family that happens to.    If someone wants to try to keep that from happening then I see nothing wrong with it.  If you feel there is something wrong with someone trying to stop that from happening then I'm going to politely disagree and not argue with you about it.


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## Beefnot (Jan 23, 2013)

gmarine said:


> His auction could potentially ruin a families vacation if the exchange is canceled by RCI or II. Imagine the poor family that happens to.    If someone wants to try to keep that from happening then I see nothing wrong with it.  If you feel there is something wrong with someone trying to stop that from happening then I'm going to politely disagree and not argue with you about it.



Also his renting out of an exchange may shaft a paying II member out of obtaining an trade that they may have otherwise been able to get.


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## Quadmaniac (Jan 23, 2013)

gmarine said:


> His auction could potentially ruin a families vacation if the exchange is canceled by RCI or II. Imagine the poor family that happens to.    If someone wants to try to keep that from happening then I see nothing wrong with it.  If you feel there is something wrong with someone trying to stop that from happening then I'm going to politely disagree and not argue with you about it.



I do not disagree that it can ruin a family's vacation. It is your method that I disagree with. Certainly report it to Interval and let them handle it. It is their rule and up to them to enforce it. You can do your duty by notifying II of this infraction. When you go out of your way to place a fake bid just to place bad feedback is just a bit overboard in my opinion. You can accomplish the same goal but taking the high road. That's just what I was suggesting.

No one is debating whether what he is doing is wrong, absolutely 100% and I don't appreciate it either, but I am not going to stalk a seller to police him as I was unhappy with his rude response to me. Just a difference of how two people respond to the same event.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 24, 2013)

He did give me blessings from God in his responses.


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## Sandi_Roger (Jan 24, 2013)

I don't understand why it is assumed that exchanges are being sold. Why can't they be owned weeks?

I'm currently at an RCI resort in a unit with a guest certificate that I bought on ebay. A broker sold it for someone that used Wyndham points to obtain the unit.

I wonder if there could have been a problem?

Roger


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## Beefnot (Jan 24, 2013)

Sandi_Roger said:


> I don't understand why it is assumed that exchanges are being sold. Why can't they be owned weeks?
> 
> I'm currently at an RCI resort in a unit with a guest certificate that I bought on ebay. A broker sold it for someone that used Wyndham points to obtain the unit.
> 
> ...



Reread the first post.  It will come to you.



> After receiving payment, Guest confirmations will be e-mailed as soon as we receive the *Guest Certificate from Interval International.*


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## SueDonJ (Jan 24, 2013)

Sandi_Roger said:


> I don't understand why it is assumed that exchanges are being sold. Why can't they be owned weeks?
> 
> I'm currently at an RCI resort in a unit with a guest certificate that I bought on ebay. A broker sold it for someone that used Wyndham points to obtain the unit.
> 
> ...



Marriott doesn't require an Owner to purchase Guest Certificates when they rent their weeks out.  The Owner simply calls and adds the renter's name to the reservation.  Plus, like Saintsfan says, the auction clearly stated that the GC's would be issued by II - they'd be for II exchanges or Getaways, and II rules don't allow those to be rented.

I couldn't care less if the eBay seller lost his II account for this.  But the people who rent from him are a different story - can't imagine the disappointment if they're not allowed to check in.


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## klpca (Jan 24, 2013)

I wanted to see the listings but it appears that they have all been removed. You can still see one of the completed listings for Newport Coast, although it is for less than 7 days.

I wonder what the seller will do with those twelve exchanges that they were trying to rent? I'm glad they were taken down. I have run into a few people who rent out their exchanges. I don't think they are aware of the rules but you just hate to hear about people exchanging their non-Hawaii weeks into Marriott or Starwood properties in Hawaii, then renting that week on eBay or redweek, especially considering the exchange demand for those properties.


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## PamMo (Jan 24, 2013)

It's common for people NOT to read the fine print in a contract. Exchange companies clearly state that exchanges can't be rented, but people do it all the time. I just noticed a new ad today on eBay for a spring break rental at Marriott's Maui Ocean Club ( www.ebay.com/itm/MARRIOTT-MAUI-OCEA...00884295044?pt=Timeshares&hash=item2ec5a31584 ) which _clearly _states it is an Interval exchange and a guest certificate will be issued. :annoyed:

Their ad:

_SPRING BREAK IN MAUI....MARCH 22 THROUGH MARCH 29, 2013

You are getting the deal of a lifetime. You will get to use a premium 1 bedroom 2 bath deluxe room for 1 week on Lahaina Beach in Maui this year for Spring Break....weather is nice and beach is soft. 

It would cost you over $3500 to stay here from March 22 to March 29.....You are getting a great deal 

I exchanged for this week and now I cant make the trip. You are paying for the use of the unit.

This is not a purchase of the unit, it is to use the week for the time stated above. 

The Marriott Maui Ocean Club is one of the premier vacation locations on Maui !!! 

I will issue a Guest Certificate from Interval International to the winning bidder. You must be 21 to use the Guest Certificate.

No other fees...just win the bid and show up for a week of Spring Break fun this year._


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## SueDonJ (Jan 24, 2013)

Quadmaniac said:


> I do not disagree that it can ruin a family's vacation. It is your method that I disagree with. Certainly report it to Interval and let them handle it. It is their rule and up to them to enforce it. You can do your duty by notifying II of this infraction. When you go out of your way to place a fake bid just to place bad feedback is just a bit overboard in my opinion. You can accomplish the same goal but taking the high road. That's just what I was suggesting.
> 
> No one is debating whether what he is doing is wrong, absolutely 100% and I don't appreciate it either, but I am not going to stalk a seller to police him as I was unhappy with his rude response to me. Just a difference of how two people respond to the same event.



Is there a way to report to eBay that what the seller is doing is wrong?

I know very little about eBay but if it's not possible to leave a comment on the auctions so that bidders can be aware, is there some other way to file a report with eBay?  It's odd to me that the only two choices are filing a report with II or "stalking the seller" on eBay.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 24, 2013)

klpca said:


> I wanted to see the listings but it appears that they have all been removed. You can still see one of the completed listings for Newport Coast, although it is for less than 7 days.
> 
> I wonder what the seller will do with those twelve exchanges that they were trying to rent? I'm glad they were taken down. I have run into a few people who rent out their exchanges. I don't think they are aware of the rules but you just hate to hear about people exchanging their non-Hawaii weeks into Marriott or Starwood properties in Hawaii, then renting that week on eBay or redweek, especially considering the exchange demand for those properties.



There are still 5 up. And they are all short stay exhanges.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marriott-Timeshare-Rent-Timber-Lodge-S-Lake-Tahoe-Summer-Break-2013-6-16-19-/140907903224?pt=US_Lodging&hash=item20cec3f8f8

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marriott-Timeshare-Rent-Timber-Lodge-S-Lake-Tahoe-Spring-Break-2013-3-31-4-3-/140907902729?pt=US_Lodging&hash=item20cec3f709

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marriott-Timeshare-Rent-Timber-Lodge-S-Lake-Tahoe-Spring-Break-2013-April-7-10-/140907902251?pt=US_Lodging&hash=item20cec3f52b

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marriott-Timeshare-Rent-Newport-Coast-Villas-2-Bd-2-Bath-April-7-10-2013-/140907901972?pt=US_Lodging&hash=item20cec3f414

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marriott-Timeshare-Rent-Newport-Coast-Villas-2-Bd-2-Bath-Feb-17-20-2013-/140907901544?pt=US_Lodging&hash=item20cec3f268


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 24, 2013)

SueDonJ said:


> Is there a way to report to eBay that what the seller is doing is wrong?
> 
> I know very little about eBay but if it's not possible to leave a comment on the auctions so that bidders can be aware, is there some other way to file a report with eBay?  It's odd to me that the only two choices are filing a report with II or "stalking the seller" on eBay.



Ebay doesn't care because it does not violate their policy. Ebay is not going to police the policy of all the company's products being sold.

They pop up on ebay literally every day but most sellers do not blatantly put it in their ad that it is an II Guest Certificate. II catches the mass sellers eventually. Sometimes much sooner if they are not careful.


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## SueDonJ (Jan 24, 2013)

Saintsfanfl said:


> There are still 5 up. And they are all short stay exhanges. ...



Nice little racket going on there.


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## tschwa2 (Jan 24, 2013)

Saintsfanfl said:


> There are still 5 up. And they are all short stay exhanges.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marriott-Timeshare-Rent-Timber-Lodge-S-Lake-Tahoe-Summer-Break-2013-6-16-19-/140907903224?pt=US_Lodging&hash=item20cec3f8f8
> 
> ...



Maybe they are just dc points reservations and the poster doesn't know how guest certs work /don't work.  If it is for a full week rental they would not be able to get a guest cert for part of the week and Interval does not have these kind of stays available as a short stay.


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## klpca (Jan 24, 2013)

Saintsfanfl said:


> There are still 5 up. And they are all short stay exhanges.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marriott-Timeshare-Rent-Timber-Lodge-S-Lake-Tahoe-Summer-Break-2013-6-16-19-/140907903224?pt=US_Lodging&hash=item20cec3f8f8
> 
> ...



So odd. I can see your links just fine but when I searched through my account and found the seller it showed nothing for sale glad that you posted the links.


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## SueDonJ (Jan 24, 2013)

tschwa2 said:


> Maybe they are just dc points reservations and the poster doesn't know how guest certs work /don't work.  If it is for a full week rental they would not be able to get a guest cert for part of the week and Interval does not have these kind of stays available as a short stay.



DC Points reservations are direct through Marriott; they don't have anything to do with II and also don't require a Guest Certificate.

I thought II's Shortstay Exchanges can be any number of days from one to six?

It's possible the seller could be confused but I doubt it.  The ads specifically mentioned II and Guest Certs until somebody warned the seller that II doesn't allow rentals.


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## tschwa2 (Jan 24, 2013)

But anyone who has followed *short stays* know they don't have these kind of short stays.

Marriott Timeshare Rent Timber Lodge S, Lake Tahoe Summer Break 2013 6/16-19

You would need Marriott priority and there is no priority with short stays.  I don't think any of these weeks would make it past any kind of priority to be available as a short stay.   

Looking at Tahoe and Vegas in short stays with a good Marriott week I only see Vegas and Mesquite.  The only time frame available is 3 weeks in February and of that there is only a 1-one bedroom Marriott stay in Grand Chateau

In Hilton Head the only short stay availability is in the first week of February.

If they had anything other than really really really off season limited availability stuff on Short Stays, I think they would be more popular and get more press on TUG as a viable option.  As it is if you are lucky enough to find something, it still means you probably won't be lucky enough to find a second short stay you want.  When they first started the availability was limited but not so bad it was similar to XYZ's now XYZ's benefits have shrunk but so have Short Stays.


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## gmarine (Jan 24, 2013)

Sandi_Roger said:


> I don't understand why it is assumed that exchanges are being sold. Why can't they be owned weeks?
> 
> I'm currently at an RCI resort in a unit with a guest certificate that I bought on ebay. A broker sold it for someone that used Wyndham points to obtain the unit.
> 
> ...



If the Guest Certificate came from RCI, then yes, it is against RCI policy and the reservation could have potentially been canceled.


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## Sandi_Roger (Jan 25, 2013)

gmarine said:


> If the Guest Certificate came from RCI, then yes, it is against RCI policy and the reservation could have potentially been canceled.



The guest certificate was mailed to me by Wyndham with the owner's name on it and the number of points used.
Perhaps Wyndham Club points are not considered exchanges.
Next time I'll remember by brother in law's name in case there's a problem.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 25, 2013)

Sandi_Roger said:


> The guest certificate was mailed to me by Wyndham with the owner's name on it and the number of points used.
> Perhaps Wyndham Club points are not considered exchanges.
> Next time I'll remember by brother in law's name in case there's a problem.



Understood but this entire thread, "II Guest Certificates on ebay", was based on a seller stating specifically that the guest certificate they were selling was coming from Interval International.


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## memereDoris (Jan 26, 2013)

Sandi_Roger said:


> The guest certificate was mailed to me by Wyndham with the owner's name on it and the number of points used.
> Perhaps Wyndham Club points are not considered exchanges.
> Next time I'll remember by brother in law's name in case there's a problem.



With Wyndham you are allowed to rent out your reservation.  Wyndham requires a guest confirmation or the guest cannot check in.  These are not exchanges, you are making reservations with your points.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 26, 2013)

tschwa2 said:


> But anyone who has followed *short stays* know they don't have these kind of short stays.
> 
> Marriott Timeshare Rent Timber Lodge S, Lake Tahoe Summer Break 2013 6/16-19
> 
> ...



You are right but where else could these partial reservations cone from? It seems very odd. I agree the short stay exchange doesn't add up.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 31, 2013)

Seeing that "chiwai4610" just recently listed more partial week Interval inventory on ebay I asked him for clarification.



> Dear chiwai4610,
> 
> Is this really less than a week? I thought all timeshares were a week.
> 
> ...





> Dear saintsfanfl,
> 
> Yes, not a week. I can book by date. Nowadays Timeshare change their way to attract more people for short vacation.
> 
> ...



Can he really book by the date at these resorts through Interval. This can't be possible. He now has positive feedback on a $599 purchase of Newport Coast Villas for 2/18 - 2/21 although check-in has not occurred.


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## Beefnot (Jan 31, 2013)

Saintsfanfl said:


> Seeing that "chiwai4610" just recently listed more partial week Interval inventory on ebay I asked him for clarification.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Maybe the buyer got confirmation from the resort of the reservation and left positive feedback.

What if there are side deals going on between II, resorts, and travel brokers? Or maybe the seller is renting out parts of exchanges? I dunno.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 31, 2013)

Beefnot said:


> Maybe the buyer got confirmation from the resort of the reservation and left positive feedback.
> 
> What if there are side deals going on between II, resorts, and travel brokers? Or maybe the seller is renting out parts of exchanges? I dunno.



I contacted the positive feedback buyer and it appears these are points reservations and not II certificates. This seller is probably using a boiler plate template where at one time he sold II certificates. Since the lister looks like he is ESL, the language barrier may have prevented better clarification.


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