# RCI exchange fee $599



## tschwa2 (Jun 24, 2021)

Either it is a glitch or the new normal.  RCI is offering some of the week long (non timeshare) hotel stay for points (or trading power) plus a $599 exchange fee.  They are listed as exchange plus and the codes start with RG.  An example is RGH7  Pirate's Cove Resort & Marina (#RGH7)Stuart, FL   USA




In this particular case there is also a $16.95 resort fee per day and many have $15-20 parking fees as well.


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## tschwa2 (Jun 24, 2021)

From the 2021-2022 disclosure guide:
TRANSACTION FEES. RCI will collect the applicable
Transaction fee prior to confirming each Transaction
requested by a Member. Transaction fees are established
by RCI and may change from time to time in its sole
discretion without advance notice from RCI. For a listing
of current fees go to www.rci.com. Fees may vary for
Corporate Participants or other programs offered by or
through RCI. For a listing of current fees go to
www.rci.com. The ranges of fees per Transaction for
Members with Standard Memberships as of
November 1, 2020 are as follows:
Exchanges:

Standard Internet Exchange and Standard
Telephone Exchange (International and
Domestic) Booked Online or through a Call
Center (excluding Weeks Ancillary Travel
Products): $249.00 USD
*Alternative Inventory Exchange bookings
made through the Internet and Telephone
(International and Domestic) Booked Online
or through a Call Center (excluding Weeks
Ancillary Travel Products): $249-$599 USD*


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## escanoe (Jun 24, 2021)

Can't quite bring myself to click "Okay, Got it!"





RCI requiring you to click this makes me think the increased exchange fee is deliberate.


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## escanoe (Jun 24, 2021)

But the price of an "extra" without burning TPUs being as close to the one using TPUs as it is makes me think this may have been a mistake. But my prediction remains it was not a mistake.


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## jackio (Jun 24, 2021)

I have seen 2 types of exchanges - "exchange fee" and "exchange plus".  The Plus is a higher fee than the regular exchange, supposedly for a more desirable exchange.


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## mdurette (Jun 24, 2021)

Someone just posted this on another site.   My guess is this Exchange Plus is a for hotel offerings.    TPUs and higher exchange fee.    Like most of other RCI hotel (non timeshare) inventory probably not worth it.    It will be interesting if something pops up though...worth keeping an eye on.


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## tschwa2 (Jun 24, 2021)

mdurette said:


> Someone just posted this on another site.   My guess is this Exchange Plus is a for hotel offerings.    TPUs and higher exchange fee.    Like most of other RCI hotel (non timeshare) inventory probably not worth it.    It will be interesting if something pops up though...worth keeping an eye on.


right now it seems like the 3 and 5 night inventory at hotels still have a $249 exchange fee but the 7 night hotel inventory has that $599 exchange plus fee.


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## ba2471 (Jun 25, 2021)

Tried to book 3 nights at Wyndham Grand and being prompted for $239.  I was expecting $139 or less.  I'll call tomorrow but I do expect it is "Transitory Inflation".


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## ba2471 (Jun 25, 2021)

ba2471 said:


> Tried to book 3 nights at Wyndham Grand and being prompted for $239.  I was expecting $139 or less.  I'll call tomorrow but I do expect it is "Transitory Inflation".
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## garyk01 (Jun 26, 2021)

In the computer age, their is no extra cost by booking online . Someone paid full value to put the week into exchange, so the cost to "deposit" it by typing in the resort code and week available is only a couple minutes. A couple dollars at best, plus the computer server to run. All these increases are just profit as RCI and II are run by the same family.


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## dioxide45 (Jun 26, 2021)

garyk01 said:


> In the computer age, their is no extra cost by booking online . Someone paid full value to put the week into exchange, so the cost to "deposit" it by typing in the resort code and week available is only a couple minutes. A couple dollars at best, plus the computer server to run. All these increases are just profit as RCI and II are run by the same family.


I am sure that RCI doesn't want to end up like Colonial Pipeline or other companies with ransomware attacks. There certainly are costs associated with running, upgrading and constantly maintaining a computer network and website. Along with keeping criminals out.

I am also not sure what you mean by RCI and II being run by the same family? Isn't RCI owned by Travel & Leisure Co (former Wyndham Destinations) and II is owned by Marriott Vacations Worldwide.


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## bnoble (Jun 26, 2021)

Even if it did cost next to nothing to provide, so what? A company is not obligated to lower its price when it reduces costs. If RCI isn't delivering value to you, use a competitor. If enough people do that, they'd either need to lower their price or accept lower market share.


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## ba2471 (Jun 26, 2021)

I don't know who I am agreeing or disagreeing with regarding my comments that follows.    I went ahead and booked 3 days this morning.  As noted earlier, it was $239 (although the fact sheet on Wyndham said it should be 249) while I was expecting it to be $139.  The fact sheet indicates it was updated in March 2021.  That is a 72% rise in the cost of reserving (i.e. Transitory Inflation).  It is interesting to note that reservations through the call service apparently did not increase in price.  This indicates to me that the majority of the population is now computer savvy and booking online (i.e. putting a squeeze on RCI).  In addition the challenges of the pandemic economy and travel being shut down a year putting additional squeeze on the RCI.  Having said that, the intent of a free market and natural direction if it is allowed to flourish is for prices to lower over time, or prices remaining the same but additional value added to the same product primarily through competition from different businesses for your $.  Having got that off my chest, all enhanced due to my frustration with a 72% increase in the exchange fee for a 3 day visit, I am cognizant that I could not get a better value if I were to book the vacation through another venue or service.  Yes, I could get a lower overall price on staying in LV, but in no way would the value be the same as the prime location I am at and the amenities present at the place I booked.  My overall ask, as most of timeshare companies (I am a member) and the exchange companies are frustrating to me, if anyone catches wind of a "startup company" whose intent is to compete with RCI and II please post here I would like to know more on how to "invest".

thanks
ba


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## tschwa2 (Jun 26, 2021)

ba2471 said:


> I don't know who I am agreeing or disagreeing with regarding my comments that follows.    I went ahead and booked 3 days this morning.  As noted earlier, it was $239 (although the fact sheet on Wyndham said it should be 249) while I was expecting it to be $139.  The fact sheet indicates it was updated in March 2021.  That is a 72% rise in the cost of reserving (i.e. Transitory Inflation).  It is interesting to note that reservations through the call service apparently did not increase in price.  This indicates to me that the majority of the population is now computer savvy and booking online (i.e. putting a squeeze on RCI).  In addition the challenges of the pandemic economy and travel being shut down a year putting additional squeeze on the RCI.  Having said that, the intent of a free market and natural direction if it is allowed to flourish is for prices to lower over time, or prices remaining the same but additional value added to the same product primarily through competition from different businesses for your $.  Having got that off my chest, all enhanced due to my frustration with a 72% increase in the exchange fee for a 3 day visit, I am cognizant that I could not get a better value if I were to book the vacation through another venue or service.  Yes, I could get a lower overall price on staying in LV, but in no way would the value be the same as the prime location I am at and the amenities present at the place I booked.  My overall ask, as most of timeshare companies (I am a member) and the exchange companies are frustrating to me, if anyone catches wind of a "startup company" whose intent is to compete with RCI and II please post here I would like to know more on how to "invest".
> 
> thanks
> ba


For you I am not sure what you are looking at.  Are you booking through rci?  What is the resort code?  If the name of the resort indicates that it is a 3 night at X resort that means that it is "weeks" inventory.  Weeks inventory has the $249 exchange fee (maybe you have some kind of discount) regardless of the number of days.  If it is nightly stay inventory then it may have auto selected points protection.


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## escanoe (Jun 27, 2021)

bnoble said:


> Even if it did cost next to nothing to provide, so what? A company is not obligated to lower its price when it reduces costs. If RCI isn't delivering value to you, use a competitor. If enough people do that, they'd either need to lower their price or accept lower market share.



I know costs of entry is high, but I would like to see II and RCI get some more competition by a company that could make a big early investment in an (almost) all digital platform. It seems to me there are major inefficiencies in both II and RCI, which seem to have a web interface laid over an old system designed to be used by people calling into call centers. This would be hard to do considering the deals both II and RCI have with resorts. My hope is HGVC/Diamond will want to build out the infant exchange Diamond now has versus being dependent on either II (Mariott) or RCI (Wyndham destinations).


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## tschwa2 (Jul 18, 2021)

tschwa2 said:


> right now it seems like the 3 and 5 night inventory at hotels still have a $249 exchange fee but the 7 night hotel inventory has that $599 exchange plus fee.



RCI has now added a bunch of the 3 and 5 night inventory to exchange plus for the non member deposited hotels and resorts.
7 nights have the $599 exchange plus
3 and 5 night have a $599-$399 exchange plus fee depending on the location

Currently RCI has 144 resorts listed with exchange plus in the US.  Most of the 3-5 night stays were still $249 this time last month.


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## escanoe (Jul 18, 2021)

Probably not for me (especially at the higher exchange fee). That said, I have been tempted by the two hotels at Baltimore's inner harbor they have been offering three-night stays at .... and would probably have booked a stay if my summer was not already so busy and I did not really want to pack my 4-person family into a hotel room. They are both still at $249 in exchange fees.

While I am not a huge fan of jacking the exchange fee up to $599 (in the cases you have mentioned), the good news is anyone booking these hotel stays through RCI is burning up points in a way that keeps more traditional inventory free for the rest of us.

To me, it is kind of odd that the availability is what it is below for one of these hotels, but you can only book 3 nights at a time with a full exchange fee for each three-night stay.


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## tschwa2 (Jul 18, 2021)

escanoe said:


> Probably not for me (especially at the higher exchange fee). That said, I have been tempted by the two hotels at Baltimore's inner harbor they have been offering three-night stays at .... and would probably have booked a stay if my summer was not already so busy and I did not really want to pack my 4-person family into a hotel room. They are both still at $249 in exchange fees.
> 
> While I am not a huge fan of jacking the exchange fee up to $599 (in the cases you have mentioned), the good news is anyone booking these hotel stays through RCI is burning up points in a way that keeps more traditional inventory free for the rest of us.
> 
> ...


Any time someone takes this type of inventory, rci not only keeps the $249-$599 exchange fee, they also get to go into traditionally inventory and cherry pick and equivalent amount of inventory to add to their extra vacation only inventory.  Presumably they can take their pick before it enters general availability.  So if the exchange was 15 points for this non timeshare type inventory they could wait until 2 are booked and then pull out a 30 point Hilton Head or Virginia Beach deposit.  I don't think it is odd.  Wouldn't rci prefer $498 for 6 nights over $249 and a higher trading power?  It is easier to just take cash than to have to monetize trading power.


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## escanoe (Jul 19, 2021)

tschwa2 said:


> I don't think it is odd.  Wouldn't rci prefer $498 for 6 nights over $249 and a higher trading power?  It is easier to just take cash than to have to monetize trading power.



Maybe odd was not the right word. But it is awkwardly inconvenient. Someone might want 4 days or 5 days or 7 days instead of it always having to be a multiple of 3 (3 or 6 days). I get not wanting to monetize points, but why are they so clunky they can’t monetize fees in a way that has a little more flexibility?

Now that I have read your reply my confidence has diminished that this actually takes pressure off inventory. Do you see weeks you want to exchange into sometimes that are only available to purchase as an “extra”? It does seem to me RCI is doing something to keep availability of inventory to exchange into better than what II is doing. I thought this might be part of that effort.

Maybe they are doing what you say but time shifting (delaying) when they pull things out to help ease the crunch?


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## Ty1on (Jul 19, 2021)

garyk01 said:


> All these increases are just profit as RCI and II are run by the same family.



Source?


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## krj9999 (Jul 27, 2021)

I also look at it from the perspective if I have a low TPU deposit (or deposit credit) that is nearing expiration - it may give an avenue to use up without having to pay to extend or combine.


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## wrxdoug (Aug 9, 2021)

tschwa2 said:


> right now it seems like the 3 and 5 night inventory at hotels still have a $249 exchange fee but the 7 night hotel inventory has that $599 exchange plus fee.


No there are some Nov., Dec., bookings in Naples Florida for 3 or 5 night stays for $599


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## tschwa2 (Aug 9, 2021)

wrxdoug said:


> No there are some Nov., Dec., bookings in Naples Florida for 3 or 5 night stays for $599


It keeps going up.  A few 3 and 5 are still $249 but most are now $399-$599 often within $200 or less than just booking as a rental or nightly through the hotels themselves.


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## escanoe (Aug 22, 2021)

I have some very mixed emotions about this. I can pay a $399 exchange fee AND 12 TPUs for an inner Harbor Hotel room in Baltimore OR book it on hotels.com for $417 total. What smart person would book this as an exchange? The reason I have mixed emotions, is it appears these offering may be taking some pressure off RCI inventory being available as people foolishly spend points/TPUs this way.

It is also strange to me that these exchange plus options show up on my RCI Weeks account but not my RCI Points account.

_#NewShapeOfTravel_


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## KCO (Aug 23, 2021)

ba2471 said:


> I don't know who I am agreeing or disagreeing with regarding my comments that follows.    I went ahead and booked 3 days this morning.  As noted earlier, it was $239 (although the fact sheet on Wyndham said it should be 249) while I was expecting it to be $139.  The fact sheet indicates it was updated in March 2021.  That is a 72% rise in the cost of reserving (i.e. Transitory Inflation).  It is interesting to note that reservations through the call service apparently did not increase in price.  This indicates to me that the majority of the population is now computer savvy and booking online (i.e. putting a squeeze on RCI).  In addition the challenges of the pandemic economy and travel being shut down a year putting additional squeeze on the RCI.  Having said that, the intent of a free market and natural direction if it is allowed to flourish is for prices to lower over time, or prices remaining the same but additional value added to the same product primarily through competition from different businesses for your $.  Having got that off my chest, all enhanced due to my frustration with a 72% increase in the exchange fee for a 3 day visit, I am cognizant that I could not get a better value if I were to book the vacation through another venue or service.  Yes, I could get a lower overall price on staying in LV, but in no way would the value be the same as the prime location I am at and the amenities present at the place I booked.  My overall ask, as most of timeshare companies (I am a member) and the exchange companies are frustrating to me, if anyone catches wind of a "startup company" whose intent is to compete with RCI and II please post here I would like to know more on how to "invest".
> 
> thanks
> ba





Hi ba2471- I see you’re experiencing some frustration with conducting an exchange through your current timeshare companies. I’d love to hear your input on what an ideal exchange service would look like to you, as i’m looking to improve upon this product for the very start-up you mention. Please let me know if this interests you and i’ll reach out to set up a time to discuss!
 Best,
    Jude A.


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## escanoe (Aug 23, 2021)

KCO said:


> Hi ba2471- I see you’re experiencing some frustration with conducting an exchange through your current timeshare companies. I’d love to hear your input on what an ideal exchange service would look like to you, as i’m looking to improve upon this product for the very start-up you mention. Please let me know if this interests you and i’ll reach out to set up a time to discuss!
> Best,
> Jude A.



Bravo to you. I would love to talk to you sometime. I shared my views on how a competitive, modern, fully digital, exchange company should work in this thread. Even mentioned your startup when discussing how I would like to see things evolve.









						How can you determine TPU...
					

...before making a deposit with RCI?




					tugbbs.com


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## KCO (Aug 24, 2021)

Escanoe- 
I would love to chat and hear your views! We always value owner feedback on timeshares and are open to discussing ideas freely- Here's my email: jude@go-koala.com. Feel free to send me an email, or i can reach out to you if perferred. Looking foward to meeting with you! 
Best, 
     Jude


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## MakingMuffins (Aug 26, 2021)

I have noticed some really wacky listings on RCI lately. Two days ago they had San Francisco Canterbury up with many dates for $800+ per night. What are they thinking? I figured it must be a typo. Today they have 47 units available at the HGV Marbrisa Carlsbad, CA. available Jan thru May 2022 for 42 points each whether it's a studio, one or two bedroom.  I would think that there should be a point difference required between room sizes but apparently not.


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## escanoe (Sep 22, 2021)

Email from today. What, they're not promoting the increased exchange fee?

Everyone better hurry up, "the options won't last long."




#newshapeoftravel


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## escanoe (Dec 12, 2021)

On the crazy RCI website, it is kind of nuts that if you select "exchange vacation only" for a search ... the results include all the "exchange plus" listings (the ones that are an exchange + a fee of up to $599).

Search NYC and Washington, DC .... and you have all of these to weed through.

However, if you do select the "exchange plus only" the results will filter out all the normal exchanges. To me this is just more evidence that those designing the website do not use it AND those managing the ones designing the website do not use it.

I have yet to do an exchange plus. In some cases they are cheaper than booking the hotel. But I guess RCI is finding plenty of takers to keep bringing more of these in. And it does appear to have relieved some pressure on other inventory.





When was the last time anyone saw 2,363 available exchange units in NYC?


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## escanoe (Dec 17, 2021)

My impression of "exchange plus" before doing the math was that it might be a "just okay" deal if you had a lot of points to burn and viewed it as a slightly more affordable alternative to getting a hotel room. I have now dug a little deeper into a transaction.

I strongly recommend if someone is thinking about booking one of these, also look up what it would cost you as an "Extra" vacation .... especially if you have RCI platinum.

For the NYC Times Square DoubleTree #RM77 (if you have a platinum RCI account), you can literally pay $62.12 more (net) to save 50,000 RCI points.

From RCI's perspective they are in absolute terms making more cash from the $599 exchange fee than they would get an Extra vacation ($629 - $63 plat discount = $566). The reason the Extra vacation costs the consumer more cash is the $94.13 tax (taxes are not paid on this as an exchange.

Below are my checkout screens to prove I am not making this up.







Same thing as "Exchange Plus"





*Question:* Should I leave this intel at the bottom of this thread or should I start a new one wanning people to look an see what an Extra Vacation costs before doing an exchange plus. RCI has literally created these to give folks an option to "burn a bunch of points." 

I have not investigated like 20 different transactions to see how they would go. This is the first one I picked to investigate.


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## tn_to_fl_surf (Dec 20, 2021)

escanoe said:


> I know costs of entry is high, but I would like to see II and RCI get some more competition by a company that could make a big early investment in an (almost) all digital platform. It seems to me there are major inefficiencies in both II and RCI, which seem to have a web interface laid over an old system designed to be used by people calling into call centers. This would be hard to do considering the deals both II and RCI have with resorts. My hope is HGVC/Diamond will want to build out the infant exchange Diamond now has versus being dependent on either II (Mariott) or RCI (Wyndham destinations).



Hi, I'm new to this website, but my family has owned a timeshare and exchanged with RCI for a long time. I recently had similar thoughts...it costs me about $400 to exchange one week a year with RCI... how are they adding $400 in value? I develop software and websites for a living so I was tempted by the thought of trying to do better than RCI. Those thoughts led me to this website, and I saw there are some nice looking alternatives to RCI, but they each have some pros/cons. This is my understanding after a couple of days of research:

*Interval International*
Not too much cheaper than RCI; pretty similar

*VRBO* 
Can be used to rent out my timeshare week. VRBO charges 8% fees on listings.

*Tugbbs  *
I'm new here, but this looks like a great alternative to the other exchanges. I'll need to do more research to understand how to do transactions safely.

*Redweek*
Pay a flat $30 fee to list my week. I'm hesitant to go this route since I have to pay money before knowing if my listing will get booked. It seems like I also need to be careful not to get scammed. They do offer a $45 "verified and protected" option.

*Go-koala*
8% fee like VRBO. My timeshare isn't affiliated with one of the supported companies though.


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## bnoble (Dec 20, 2021)

tn_to_fl_surf said:


> how are they adding $400 in value?


The value of the two "majors" is that they are large, and so have lots of possible destinations. Essentially, each benefits from the network effect. There are plenty of independent exchanges, and some of them can work well depending on what you own and what you want. But, because they are all smaller, there is less to choose from, and so they can't be all things to everyone.

If you want to continue to exchange without having to go through cash, those two are probably still the way to do it.

The other option, as you note, is rent your unit out and use the cash to rent where you want to go. In many cases, that will end up costing you less money, but it may also cost you more time/hassle.

TL;DR: there is no free lunch.


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## escanoe (Jan 3, 2022)

In addition to them benefiting from the "network effect" they also both benefit from having a duoply in the realm of major exchanges. The lack of competition in my view 1) makes them less vulnerable to price competition and 2) prevents them from having to make major IT upgrades because neither has to fear the other stepping up the digital technology much. (Both seem to me to have cheap software layered on top of the IT for a phone exchange system of yesteryear.) 




bnoble said:


> The value of the two "majors" is that they are large, and so have lots of possible destinations. Essentially, each benefits from the network effect. There are plenty of independent exchanges, and some of them can work well depending on what you own and what you want. But, because they are all smaller, there is less to choose from, and so they can't be all things to everyone.


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## scitter (Apr 30, 2022)

garyk01 said:


> In the computer age, their is no extra cost by booking online . Someone paid full value to put the week into exchange, so the cost to "deposit" it by typing in the resort code and week available is only a couple minutes. A couple dollars at best, plus the computer server to run. All these increases are just profit as RCI and II are run by the same family.


What a disappointment all these additional fees with plus. Just makes the exchanges less desireable . Proof Wyndham running anything just sticks it to the the owners of timeshares.


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## escanoe (Apr 30, 2022)

The duopoly of II and RCI hinders competition and increases exchange fees in my view.

The “Exchange Plus” RCI stuff shows there is a market for bloated exchanges. But they really don’t hurt a timeshare owner other than having to sort through them when searching for exchanges. They are additional options and do not replace previous exchange options. These are hotel rooms RCI has repackaged.

RCI and II are not owned by the same family. The Wyndham timeshare arm owns RCI. The Marriott timeshare arm owns II.

I don’t know if they make that much money or not, but they are bloated legacy systems not created for the digital age. They utilize an expensive to operate telephone marketing scheme. There is no reason there are not all-digital exchange options where exchanges could be done at $150 per exchange or less.

I hope a new large exchange company comes out of the Hilton Grand Vacations/DRI merger. They already have Destination Exchange (Dex), which there are some indications is being built out. 



scitter said:


> What a disappointment all these additional fees with plus. Just makes the exchanges less desireable . Proof Wyndham running anything just sticks it to the the owners of timeshares.


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## tschwa2 (Apr 30, 2022)

escanoe said:


> The duopoly of II and RCI hinders competition and increases exchange fees in my view.
> 
> The “Exchange Plus” RCI stuff shows there is a market for bloated exchanges. But they really don’t hurt a timeshare owner other than having to sort through them when searching for exchanges. They are additional options and do not replace previous exchange options. These are hotel rooms RCI has repackaged.


The only way it would hurt members if these exchanges mean that rci could take whatever trading power or points  used and then remove an equivalent deposit from the exchange pool and make it available as an extra vacation only.  Years ago when they first stated offering these hotel inventory, I was under the impression that was the case.  I don't remember if there was any documentation backing up that belief or it was just a theory based on a reasonable assumption that rci would do that, cherry picking the higher rental value properties when deposited to even out the transaction.


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## escanoe (Apr 30, 2022)

I am sure that this increases how much they can pocket out of Extra inventory.

I don’t look at the Extra inventory all that much, but I was under the impression about everything there could be had by exchange as well.

I would be curious if there is much good stuff there that could not be had by exchange.

While it gives them more inventory they can pocket, the flip side is the points spent by chumps (customers that go for exchange +) are points we are no longer competing with.

It should all be a wash as long as they are not gaming the system in their pocketing good inventory we cannot compete for.

But as can be seen in my post on the King’s Creek thread, RCI definitely knows how to play arbitrage in their favor. 



tschwa2 said:


> The only way it would hurt members if these exchanges mean that rci could take whatever trading power or points  used and then remove an equivalent deposit from the exchange pool and make it available as an extra vacation only.  Years ago when they first stated offering these hotel inventory, I was under the impression that was the case.  I don't remember if there was any documentation backing up that belief or it was just a theory based on a reasonable assumption that rci would do that, cherry picking the higher rental value properties when deposited to even out the transaction.


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## bnoble (Apr 30, 2022)

escanoe said:


> I don’t look at the Extra inventory all that much, but I was under the impression about everything there could be had by exchange as well.


Not always---some of the EV inventory is a marketing channel for the underlying resort. Disney's RDXX codes were used for this during the recession.


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## escanoe (Apr 30, 2022)

It is kind of crazy how RCI and II operate as large exchanges with so little oversight or transparency. (RCI provides more transparency on trading power, while there is a lot we don’t see.) There really should be some audits and transparency where those using the exchange know how the sausage factory works.

There is nothing like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that has any oversight over how timeshare exchanges work.

When I have more time on my hands I may reach out to RCI and II just to ask how much they are willing to disclose.


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 30, 2022)

escanoe said:


> ........and transparency where those using the exchange know how the sausage factory works.
> There is nothing like the Securities and Exchange Commission that has
> 
> any oversight over how timeshare exchanges work.



And if you think this is an accident - ask a TS salesperson to explain all the great exchanges you can get for peak holidays.......


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## TravelTime (Apr 30, 2022)

garyk01 said:


> In the computer age, their is no extra cost by booking online . Someone paid full value to put the week into exchange, so the cost to "deposit" it by typing in the resort code and week available is only a couple minutes. A couple dollars at best, plus the computer server to run. All these increases are just profit as RCI and II are run by the same family.



Why is this bad?


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## tschwa2 (Apr 30, 2022)

escanoe said:


> It is kind of crazy how RCI and II operate as large exchanges with so little oversight or transparency. (RCI provides more transparency on trading power, while there is a lot we don’t see.) There really should be some audits and transparency where those using the exchange know how the sausage factory works.
> 
> There is nothing like the Securities and Exchange Commission that has any oversight over how timeshare exchanges work.
> 
> When I have more time on my hands I may reach out to RCI and II just to ask how much they are willing to disclose.


A lot of the transparency that rci does give is a result of the 2009 class action lawsuit; which ushered in the trading power disclosure.  The settlement had specific requirements but only had to last for 5 years after which rci could basically do whatever it wanted to with deposits and that during the 5 years they would police themselves to make sure they were following all their agreed upon concessions.  RCI said that although the settlement only required these changes for 5 years they would likely keep them in place after because they were redoing their whole system to comply and that it would likely be more expensive to go back to their old system.  I doubt you will get much useful additional information from them.


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## escanoe (Apr 30, 2022)

I am not exactly clamoring for a federal agency like the SEC to regulate timeshare exchanges.

But if ARDA-ROC wanted to do something to protect timeshare owners and actually make timeshare owners happy to give them a little money each year when paying maintenance fees ….. doing something like negotiating with the exchanges and having them agree to follow some rules and transparency …. that would be a start.

[No need to pick on me, I know this is a pipe dream.]



tschwa2 said:


> A lot of the transparency that rci does give is a result of the 2009 class action lawsuit; which ushered in the trading power disclosure.  The settlement had specific requirements but only had to last for 5 years after which rci could basically do whatever it wanted to with deposits and that during the 5 years they would police themselves to make sure they were following all their agreed upon concessions.  RCI said that although the settlement only required these changes for 5 years they would likely keep them in place after because they were redoing their whole system to comply and that it would likely be more expensive to go back to their old system.  I doubt you will get much useful additional information from them.


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## tschwa2 (Apr 30, 2022)

escanoe said:


> I am not exactly clamoring for a federal agency like the SEC to regulate timeshare exchanges.
> 
> But if ARDA wanted to do something to protect timeshare owners and actually make timeshare owners happy to give them a little money each year when paying maintenance fees ….. doing something like negotiating with the exchanges and having them agree to follow some rules and transparency …. that would be a start.
> 
> [No need to pick on me, I know this is a pipe dream.]


ARDA stands for American Resort Development Association.  They are a lobby group to protect and further the interest of large timeshare developers.  ARDA-ROC is the sub group that looks after owners when owners and timeshare developers wants and needs coincide.  So for example when Maui wants to tax timeshares at 10 times the level they tax private residences and 4 times higher than hotels, owners and developers both agree.  So the voluntary money given to arda-roc will never be used to lobby for something that doesn't also benefit the developers.

Scam exit companies are another thing that owners and developers agree upon.


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## escanoe (Apr 30, 2022)

I have always opted out of giving, because I do not feel the need to find the developer’s lobbying.

But there are some more positive things they could do if they wanted. 



tschwa2 said:


> ARDA stands for American Resort Development Association.  They are a lobby group to protect and further the interest of large timeshare developers.  ARDA-ROC is the sub group that looks after owners when owners and timeshare developers wants and needs coincide.  So for example when Maui wants to tax timeshares at 10 times the level they tax private residences and 4 times higher than hotels, owners and developers both agree.  So the voluntary money given to arda-roc will never be used to lobby for something that doesn't also benefit the developers.


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## escanoe (Oct 17, 2022)

Exchange fee now up to $999. Points are going down (discounted). @tschwa2 started the thread with us amazed at $599.


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## Soccer Canada (Oct 17, 2022)

By my own calculations and maintenance fees this would cost me about $160 in Pts + $999 = $1159 or so.. 

A quick look on their website and Ill be right up front, I don't know the MD area from a Hole in the Moon, but the quick rack rate for those dates comes up as 




So I guess you still might be saving $150.00 or so if your maintenance fees are decent (I tend to think my Grandview points are). Its too bad for this type of thing the exchange fee didn't stay at $599.00, its possible it would be worth it. I can see what the average user would see though in terms of a "deal", some if not most I dont monetize there points like someone who might know what thier maintenance fees convert too.


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## escanoe (Oct 17, 2022)

Who is getting taken to the cleaners on this deal are local governments/municipalities with sales tax and or a hotel/lodging tax. RCI treats this think like a $1k “exchange fee” unlike an “extra” or “last call” or Hilton.com where you would be paying taxes.

One downside to doing this as “exchange plus” compared to Hilton.com with an hhonors account is that it is easy and affordable to cancel or reschedule with Hilton directly. 



Soccer Canada said:


> By my own calculations and maintenance fees this would cost me about $160 in Pts + $999 = $1159 or so..
> 
> A quick look on their website and Ill be right up front, I don't know the MD area from a Hole in the Moon, but the quick rack rate for those dates comes up as
> View attachment 66838
> ...


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## Soccer Canada (Oct 17, 2022)

Agreed... You probably could get another reasonably better rate as well with AAA etc which would narrow that field even further. I guess its the same reason many folks, including myself at times depending on what it is, will rent a timeshare versus paying a Hotel. The taxes add up quick and are definitely something to be considered (Think Air Travel to and From Canada, its almost twice as much to fly out as it is to Fly In).. Thats why Buffalo, NY is such a popular drive in/fly out proposition. 


escanoe said:


> Who is getting taken to the cleaners on this deal are local governments/municipalities with sales tax and or a hotel/lodging tax. RCI treats this think like a $1k “exchange fee” unlike an “extra” or “last call” or Hilton.com where you would be paying taxes.
> 
> One downside to doing this as “exchange plus” compared to Hilton.com with an hhonors account is that it is easy and affordable to cancel or reschedule with Hilton directly.


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