# Surprising II Trade Availability Into WKORV



## BradC (Jul 14, 2007)

I was just poking around on the II Exchange website and, using my Westin Kierland Platinum 1-bedroom Deluxe Unit, I was able to bring up a surprising amount of availability at WKORV.

...including 2-bedroom units!

...including Memorial Day week!

The list for WKORV was showing studios, 1 bedrooms and a few 2 bedroom units for dates in April and May 2008.  Usually when I search II, I rarely see anything available in Hawaii.  Obviously I could never get even the 1-bedroom unit at WKORV with my Kierland trade via SVN.

On a semi-related question, for those that have traded via the II website, how do you choose next year's unit to trade/deposit?  On the website, my only choice for trading was my Kierland unit for 2007, which I already used (at WKORV via SVN trade).  Is there any way now to select my 2008 unit?


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## barndweller (Jul 15, 2007)

If you have booked your 2008 week & have a confirmation number you can use that to book an exchange online I think. I own Sheraton managed resorts that are NOT in the network & can also see that Westin spacebank in Maui. You are seeing them because you have a 3 day Sheraton/Westin advantage. Other timeshares can't see them yet. If I wanted to trade for one of those April/May weeks all I do is hit the exchange button next to my 2008 week & pay my exchange fee. But I'm already booked up  for spring & can't go to Maui.


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## BradC (Jul 15, 2007)

So when you bring up your unit online to exchange, you're seeing 2008?  Mine shows my Kierland unit for 2007 only as available for exchange.


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## Fredm (Jul 15, 2007)

*Need a reservation*

BradC.

You must first have a reservation to deposit with Interval.
Simply make a 2008 reservation at Kierland. When confirmed, use it to execute a trade.

Fredm


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## Fredm (Jul 15, 2007)

*Why the Surprise?*

Starwood owners can get so wrapped up in viability of StarOptions, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that they are only good for trades to the inventory surrendered for StarOption trades from other Starwood resorts. 
Lets face it.  Starwood has some great properties, but they are limited in number and locations. The tens of thousands of owners who decide to go to the other 2200 resorts, do so by trading via I.I.  Those deposits are not available via SVN.

Yes, Starwood does bulk bank weeks. And, yes, they do so with low season weeks from any resort, to cover owner I I trade requests. But, most owners know that, and circumvent the system by reserving at their home resort and directly depositing the confirmed week with I.I., so their monster trade is not diluted by Starwood bulk bank practices. Heck, I.I. even gives the owner an AC for the deposit.
Also, do not overlook deposits make directly with SFX and other boutique exchange companies. 

Of course, this leads to the circular discussion about mandatory and voluntary resorts.  Princeville is a Voluntary resort. Resales are just appearing in the marketplace. These resale buyers will deposit their trades directly with I.I. So, no question that this inventory will be available via I.I. and other exchange companies only, unless Starwood truly makes SVN membership truly "voluntary" at the secondary buyers sole discretion.

All of which brings the discussion to the interesting possibility that Starwood may do just that. When faced with losing the control of inventory, plus losing the enrollment and ongoing SVN membership fees, is the plan to categorize all new resorts as "voluntary", another way of insuring that they capture enrollment fees on voluntary resales? If the resort were categorized as "mandatory", no enrollment fee is required. It is automatic, without enrollment.

Fredm


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## Ken555 (Jul 15, 2007)

BradC said:


> I was just poking around on the II Exchange website and, using my Westin Kierland Platinum 1-bedroom Deluxe Unit, I was able to bring up a surprising amount of availability at WKORV.




Wow! Thanks for posting this. I just confirmed a WKORV 1 bedroom for May 10th in exchange of my SUMMER (silver) 1-bed at WMH. This may be the best value trade I've done yet with my WMH!


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## divenski (Jul 15, 2007)

Fredm said:


> Starwood owners can get so wrapped up in viability of StarOptions, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that they are only good for trades to the inventory surrendered for StarOption trades from other Starwood resorts.
> ....
> Yes, Starwood does bulk bank weeks. And, yes, they do so with low season weeks from any resort, to cover owner I I trade requests. But, most owners know that, and circumvent the system by reserving at their home resort and directly depositing the confirmed week with I.I., so their monster trade is not diluted by Starwood bulk bank practices. Heck, I.I. even gives the owner an AC for the deposit.
> 
> Fredm



Are you sure about the above points as there have been many threads which discussed these issues and which came to opposite conclusions.

1. At 8 months, aren't all unreserved units open for SO trades? There was a long thread which discussed how unfair this is to resale buyers of Voluntary resorts.

2. Many complaints about how Westin units tend NOT to get ACs when deposited with II. Also, it's not clear that reserving a specific week gets around Starwood's ability to give II whatever week/resort they want.


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## Fredm (Jul 15, 2007)

divenski.

My conclusions regarding SVN membership and voluntary resorts are simply my opinion. It is based on my belief that Starwood will not forgo the potential revenue stream.  It flies in the face of today's reality, I know.

Regarding deposits to I.I., or other exchange services, Starwood has no say in the matter when the owner is a resale buyer of a voluntary resort today. Which is partially the rationale for my reasoning above.

When an SVN member deposits directly to an external exchange, circumventing SVN, they are technically  in violation of SVN member rules, which state in part that the member may not hold an independent membership in an external exchange for the purpose of exchanging their ownership interest. Nonetheless, it is done every day. 

The 8 month exchange window is for SVN members who wish to exchange internally using StarOptions.  They may only trade into inventory available via SVN. That is precisely my point. Inventory not surrendered to SVN is not available exclusively to other owners.

Consider the OP's statement. They found WKORV inventory available for Memorial Day 2008, in I.I. The owner who reserved that week could not have done so earlier than Memorial Day 2007. If surrendered to SVN, it would not be available to other SVN owners until September 2007 ( the 8 month window). If the owner did not directly deposit it to I.I. , how did it get there? Starwood did not deposit it. If they did, I think some SVN members would have a few words about that.
Irrespective of what else may have been said on this subject, I would tend to believe my eyes.

Besides, it is not as if this is a rare or unusual occurrence. Others will attest that they directly deposit their reserved weeks to external exchanges, including SFX.
Which brings me full circle back to my premise that secondary market buyers of Voluntary resorts will, sooner or later, be able to voluntarily join SVN (for an enrollment fee).If they cannot, Starwood risks losing control of the available inventory for internal exchanges. Not only do they forgo the revenue stream, it weakens the internal trade proposition that is so highly touted.

Just my opinion. 

Fredm.


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## mesamirage (Jul 15, 2007)

Does anyone have a currently deposited SDO week with II that can see if there is still avail for a May 24th or May 25th that SDO would pull for a trade.  I have Superbowl weeks booked with my 2 bdrm and 1 bdrm for my 2008 weeks... of course I can't verify that I can pull the WKORV thru II unless I cancel one of the SuperBowl reservations... as a matter of fact Starwood wouldn't even let me drop the smaller 1/2 of the lockoff at SDO without cancelling the whole reservation... now tell me that makes sense??

So I am willing to give up a small side or large side SDO SuperBowl reservation for a large 1 bedroom at WKORV but Starwood is unable to help me make the reservation... I really want a 2 bdrm thru II for my 2 bdrm SDO... but there is no guarantee if I cancel that I will be able to pull the week thru II.... very disappointing.


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## Courts (Jul 15, 2007)

> Originally Posted by *Fredm*
> Regarding deposits to I.I., or other exchange services, Starwood has no say in the matter when the owner is a resale buyer of a voluntary resort today. Which is partially the rationale for my reasoning above.


Before I became a member of SVN, I purchased a fixed week at Vistana Resort resale. When I called RCI to deposit my week, I was told I MUST contact Vistana Resort BEFORE I contact RCI. 

I'm not sure the in's and out's of this procedure, but sounds like the resort has some control over deposits.

.


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## Fredm (Jul 15, 2007)

Courts said:


> Before I became a member of SVN, I purchased a fixed week at Vistana Resort resale. When I called RCI to deposit my week, I was told I MUST contact Vistana Resort BEFORE I contact RCI.
> 
> I'm not sure the in's and out's of this procedure, but sounds like the resort has some control over deposits.
> 
> .



I do not know about RCI and the acquired Vistana resorts. When you contacted SDO were you told you could not deposit it, even though you were not an SVN member at the time?

If you were a Mission Hills resale buyer, you would have been able to directly deposit with I.I.  You must have an independent I.I. account,which you must because you would not have a subsidiary I.I. account through SVN.

Just curious, did Ken555 deposit and trade his MH silver for WKORV directly?


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## jerseygirl (Jul 15, 2007)

Fred --

With II, you are required to deposit all resorts (voluntary and mandatory) through Starwood.  They bulk bank (e.g., the large April/May posting for Maui on the Sightings board) and then assign owners previously deposited weeks when they call to deposit.  For example, I originally planned to use my PGA week last year.  When things didn't work out, I called to deposit it rather late in the year (fall, I think).  They assigned me a March 2006 week that had great trading power (Spring Training), which was completely luck of the draw.  This year, I had a good, but not great, summer one-BR week booked at Broadway Plantation.  When I couldn't use it, I called to deposit it and they assigned me a fall week with poor trading power (it can only see the Maui studios, not the "equivalent" one-BR red for one-BR red that a summer week would be able to see). 

They do this to save the best weeks for owners who wish to use the week (e.g., my cancellation of a summer week opened up a previously sold out week for an owner to use).  That's good for those who wish to use, but not for those who wish to trade.  I have mixed feelings about the practice, but tend to fall on the side of "all owners are equal" and have the same right to "book and deposit" as to "book and use."  I haven't decided yet if it ticks me off enough to file a formal complaint!

Bottom line:  Starwood owners are not in control of their deposits with II.  

- Jerseygirl


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## Fredm (Jul 15, 2007)

Jerseygirl,

Were you an SVN member of a Voluntary resort, or did you buy it resale?


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## jerseygirl (Jul 15, 2007)

Resale.

I think all are treated equally for deposit purposes, with one possible exception.  I have never seen a report of Starwood depositing an alternate resort for a resale/voluntary owner, but there have been many reports of this happening to SVN members.  Actually, there may have been one report once at the very end of a calendar year.  But, if I remember correctly, Starwood was doing the person a favor by assigning them "something" as there were no remaining available weeks for deposit at their owned resort.  That's the other benefit of Starwood's practice (in addition to saving the best weeks for owner usage) ... an owner can call on 12/31 and probably still get one of the unassigned bulk deposit weeks.  Hence, my indecision about whether to make an issue out of it.  I'm pretty sure my Broadway Plantation deeds/CCRs (created by Embassy before Starwood bought the resort) do not give Starwood the right to deposit anything other than Broadway Plantation.  I'm also pretty sure they contain the right to book and deposit a week (as opposed to being assigned one) as well.  Starwood plays fast and loose with the rules where resale owners, who never signed a SVN agreement, are concerned.  One of these days, someone is going to call them on it ...


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## Fredm (Jul 16, 2007)

Right. An SVN member is subject to SVN member rules. Although, there have been reports that directly depositing reservations with SFX are a common practice among those owners who choose to do so.  

 I return to the sightings of WKORV Memorial week availability. It is hard to believe this a result of Starwood bulk depositing these weeks before the 8 month window in the belief that WKORV owners themselves and SVN members would not create sufficient demand.  The only other explanation is that the owner did so directly.
Although I suppose it is possible that Starwood must contractually seed I.I.s system with some number of weeks, per resort.

However, resale buyers of voluntary resorts having to submit their reservation to Starwood for an I.I. deposit to their personal and independent I,.I. account flies in the face of all reports from those owners to me.

There must be some fast and loose administration of this process if your experience is otherwise.


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## jerseygirl (Jul 16, 2007)

I'm pretty sure that was a bulk banking -- it was way too "perfect" for it to be owner weeks (studio, one-br, 2-BR ... week after week).  Last year, Starwood did some pretty extensive advertising of "unprecedented availability" at Ka'anapali during the post spring break weeks.  They were offering them at significantly discounted rates to owners and loyalty club members.   

They did the same thing earlier this year with January weeks -- deposited them well before the 8-month mark.  They claim they use past history to forecast excess availablity. then deposit those weeks early and assign them to depositing owners who then get the benefit of an early deposit (along with the detremental pink week that comes along with not being allowed to choose your own week for deposit, but I doubt that's as big as a problem with Maui as it is with a truly seasonal resort like Broadway Plantation).  

I would love to get more details about your clients depositing their own floating weeks with II.  I've heard that's possilbe with your deeded week at Broadway Plantation ... if you push, pull out the rule book, etc.  Unfortunately, my deeded week on my one-BR unit is no better than the crummy fall week they assigned me, so I didn't have that argument to fall back on.  In the past, the phone reps could do the deposit while you were on the phone, giving you the opportunity to discuss the available weeks, pick a good one, etc.  This year, they tell me the "exchange" reps work in a separate department and you can't talk to them.  You have to make a request -- it took over a week for the crummy week to show up in Interval the last time I did it (vs. instantly in the past).  One more way for Starwood to screw owners ....


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## pointsjunkie (Jul 16, 2007)

i have never used II before and i am so confused, if I deposit week 35 1 br at SDO(floating) how do I know what i can trade for?


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## DavidnRobin (Jul 16, 2007)

I have to agree with Fred that it is likely that SVN will change it's policy regarding letting resale buyers of Voluntary resorts into SVN at some point.  Besides they already have a fee ($599) in place for doing so that could easily have V resale owners added at some point.

As to the comment that SVO owners get wrapped up in the viability of SOs - ???   We are quite happy with using our Home resorts or potentially exchanging via SVN - no getting wrapped up here - we went in knowing we would be very happy using the resorts in the SVO/SVN system for years and years to come - the system works great for us (and I am sure many-many others) and is the reason we bought into it.

As to the comment that WPORV resales units are entering the market (I am unclear why WPORV was used as an example here...) - in a search (RedWeek, eBay, TUG, Transaction Realty, Fred's site, vpresale, BidShares, Google, etc) - I found only 3 resales even listed - two had misinformation and two were $10K over the price SVO is selling (good luck with that).

As stated before - I think WPORV could buck the V trend due to limitation of 179 units in a pristine and unique location, but I have accounted for a $10K loss on our purchase as a reality check.  We are alreay looking forward to our 2009 visit.

I know little about II - and the more I read - the more confused I get.  We never planned to use II in going into our resales and SVO purchase, but since we are members - I guess it wouldn't hurt to try and understand the system.  I am not sure why anyone that owns the top-tier SVO resorts would use II (or SVN) - they would only be a trade down - but probably worthwhile for those un-anticipated life events.


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## Ken555 (Jul 16, 2007)

Fredm said:


> Just curious, did Ken555 deposit and trade his MH silver for WKORV directly?



I call Starwood to deposit my WMH into II (the year prior to use, since I'm not using it at WMH in the summer), and then redeemed it online at II's web site. I've done this twice (it's an EOY) and each time they've deposited WMH summer weeks. Since that's what I own, and about the lowest priority they could find, I expect that's what they'll always deposit for me. 

That said, and as I've posted in the past, I've made some great trades in II with it. So far this summer week has exchanged for:

Small 1 Bed -> Marriott Timber Lodge ski week 2 bed unit
Small 1 Bed -> Grand Timber Lodge  ski week 2 bed unit
Large 1 Bed -> Westin Ka'anapali 1 bed unit (10 months out!)

I'm sure I'll get a first floor parking lot view (if that!) when I visit WKORV next May with this exchange. However, I will call tomorrow or Wed to try to place a preference on the record. I exchanged 10 months out, though I know my priority will be after all SVN internal exchanges so I'm not expecting much. Even so, that's just an incredible trade...


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## saluki (Jul 16, 2007)

I also have no clue as how to use II. My thought is that I will either use my week in the SVO system or rent it but I would like to know more about II.

When I go to their site to look at potential trades for my Kierland unit, I don't really see anything enticing. Do you have to actually deposit your week to get trades such as Ken's? Also, what is the story on the 3-day Starwood preference period that I frequently see mentioned?


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## Fredm (Jul 16, 2007)

Ken555 said:


> I call Starwood to deposit my WMH into II (the year prior to use, since I'm not using it at WMH in the summer), and then redeemed it online at II's web site. I've done this twice (it's an EOY) and each time they've deposited WMH summer weeks. Since that's what I own, and about the lowest priority they could find, I expect that's what they'll always deposit for me.
> 
> That said, and as I've posted in the past, I've made some great trades in II with it. So far this summer week has exchanged for:
> 
> ...



Ken555,

Great trades!

So, your Mission Hills Silver is being deposited into I.I. (via the resort), and you are pulling great trades. It appears that all trades you mentioned are "better" weeks than that which you deposited;  5* ski weeks and WKORV. 
When one considers that a MH Silver annual resale can be purchased for ~ 6k, it seems to add up to a great trade value. 

This was essentially my point in mentioning that owners can get hung up on StarOptions. The best trade values can be the voluntary resorts, while the getting is good. They will become very much more so if my prediction about SVN membership comes to pass. 
Consider that as an SVN member, a MH Silver is worth 56,300 StarOptions.
You pulled Marriott Timber Lodge ski week 2 bed unit, and  Grand Timber Lodge  ski week 2 bed unit for your small side, valued at 25800 Options.
You pulled a 1 br  at WKORV for your 1 br large side, valued at 30,500 Options.

You could never get that kind of value (nor as soon) trading via SVN .

I am not saying that there is not a place for StarOptions. Just that too much can be made of their value as a component of ownership. Either the premium on mandatory resorts is too high, or more likely, the discount of voluntary resorts is overdone. Such are the ebb and flow of markets. There has been so much made of the absence of StarOptions with Voluntary resort resales, the inherent value of the interval as a trading commodity in the marketplace is easy to overlook. In so doing, the prices have become screaming bargains.

None of this is a rationale for buying at a resort one would not prefer to occupy. Simply making a comparison of the trade values.  But, if looking to buy a trader, there is little question that with Voluntary resorts being hammered into the cellar, it can be a mistake to dismiss them from consideration.

Again, great trades, Ken! 

Fredm


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## Denise L (Jul 16, 2007)

saluki said:


> I also have no clue as how to use II. My thought is that I will either use my week in the SVO system or rent it but I would like to know more about II.
> 
> When I go to their site to look at potential trades for my Kierland unit, I don't really see anything enticing. Do you have to actually deposit your week to get trades such as Ken's? Also, what is the story on the 3-day Starwood preference period that I frequently see mentioned?



I'm in the same boat. I have no clue how to use II   . I've gone onto the site a few times and still don't get it. All I can see right now is my 2007 week available for exchanging, but how do I look with my 2008 week if I'm not sure I want to deposit it? I think there is a Request First option, but with no week showing up to use, how can I browse?

Is there a tutorial or something? II 101?


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## Fredm (Jul 16, 2007)

*I.i. 101*



Denise L said:


> I'm in the same boat. I have no clue how to use II   . I've gone onto the site a few times and still don't get it. All I can see right now is my 2007 week available for exchanging, but how do I look with my 2008 week if I'm not sure I want to deposit it? I think there is a Request First option, but with no week showing up to use, how can I browse?
> 
> Is there a tutorial or something? II 101?



I will be happy to give it a try. I have one written that will have to be modified a bit for the Starwood system, but it should serve as a decent primer.

Once I have it edited, I will post it somewhere on TUG.

Fredm


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## tomandrobin (Jul 16, 2007)

Fredm said:


> I will be happy to give it a try. I have one written that will have to be modified a bit for the Starwood system, but it should serve as a decent primer.
> 
> Once I have it edited, I will post it somewhere on TUG.
> 
> Fredm



post here first please


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## Westin5Star (Jul 16, 2007)

Fredm said:


> I will be happy to give it a try. I have one written that will have to be modified a bit for the Starwood system, but it should serve as a decent primer.
> 
> Once I have it edited, I will post it somewhere on TUG.
> 
> Fredm



WOW- Thanks Fred.  I am really looking forward to using this when you finish it.  

Also, thanks again for the great OFD WKORV purchase that I made through you!


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## pointsjunkie (Jul 16, 2007)

i would love to take II 101,  know so much yet know so little.they still ave all my info wrong. they have my 2 br svv as a 2 br l/o.and they said not to worry about it.


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## Fredm (Jul 16, 2007)

Westin5Star said:


> WOW- Thanks Fred.  I am really looking forward to using this when you finish it.
> 
> Also, thanks again for the great OFD WKORV purchase that I made through you!



Westin5Star. 
As a client, you can call me any time to discuss your use options.


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## Denise L (Jul 16, 2007)

Fredm said:


> I will be happy to give it a try. I have one written that will have to be modified a bit for the Starwood system, but it should serve as a decent primer.



Thanks, Fred. It would be good to learn II. You never know when I might have to deposit something. Plus, I think it would be fun to look around. I'd love to see the Starwood spacebanks to see what's out there.  I'm still not sure why my 2007 weeks show up to exchange and not my 2008 weeks. You think everyone would be looking for 2008 weeks by now...


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## Fredm (Jul 17, 2007)

*I.i.101*

Here is the first draft of an I.I. primer for Starwood owners.
Please consider it a working draft. Your constructively critical comments are welcome. Also, do not overlook the advice and material available elsewhere on TUG. Hope this is at least a start for some of you.

Starwood  implementation of Interval International exchange:

Preface:
The Starwood system is different from others as it relates to an owners ability to directly control the week deposited.  This is significant. You should be aware of the issues involved.
If an SVN Member you are subject to the SVN Member Rules, and Starwood's administration of SVN inventory. A SVN member deposit can be from any resort in the system, not necessarily the owners home resort. It can also be a deposit of any season. 
If not an SVN member, Starwood does not have the latitude to deposit any weeks from any network resort. They must deposit a week from your home resort, in the season owned. 
It is, therefore, hypothetically possible for a Platinum Season owner at Westin Kierland, for example,  to have a Silver season at another resort deposited to represent their trade request. Meanwhile, a Platinum Season resale owner at Westin Mission Hills, will have a Mission Hills Platinum Season week deposited to represent their trade request.

I.I.'s model for comparable exchange is based on several factors. The precise formulas are closely guarded trade secrets. Something like the formula for Coca Cola:

- Unit size (measured by private sleeping capacity) A 2 bedroom villa sleeps 6 privately, although it will accommodate a total of 8). 
- Quality of the resort deposited.
- Demand for the week deposited. Typically, Platinum (prime season) draws more demand than Silver (low season). However, this is not always so. Actual week numbers matters . There are weeks in Platinum season that are in higher demand than others. Conversely, certain Gold or Silver weeks may (rarely)  have a higher demand than the lowest demand Platinum weeks. 

I.I. publishes a helpful tool to assist members in determining general demand. It is geography, not resort, based.
Called the Travel Demand Index (TDI), it provides a historical demand for every week of the year, for each geographic region of the world. It is , therefore, possible to broadly assess the demand component of your trade request both in terms of the demand for your deposit, and the demand for the dates you are requesting in your exchange request. The TDI is located at the beginning of the geographic region in the I.I. Resort Directory
TDI is a scale from 50 to 150. 100 represents Market Average, Above 100 is greater demand. Below 100 is greater availability. Note that below 100 is not lesser demand, but greater availability. The demand component of exchange is not determined by pure demand, it is measured against supply. High demand , low supply, is what creates a blockbuster exchange chip. High demand with an excess of supply results in weak demand as it relates to the demand value of your deposit. Got it? The TDI is best used as a tool to assess the time periods that a request is most likely to be confirmed.

- Deposit lead time. More on this later. Suffice to say that a reservation deposited 10 months in advance of the reservation is worth more to I.I. than the same reservation deposited 5 months in advance.

- Wild Card: Included in the evaluation of  deposit quality is a pre-filter which sits in front of the above criteria. It is established by I.I. members who have exchanged into the resort you are depositing. I.I. performs surveys of these exchangers (not owners) to determine a satisfaction/quality rating for the resort. Trades available to owners are based on this filter. The owners of the resort suffer in the exchange universe if exchangers do not rate the resort experience highly.

Unfortunately, as already mentioned,  specific week selection is not under an owners control within the Starwood system., when depositing to I.I.  This has another implication. Normally, an I.I. member may request an exchange via one of two methods; Deposit First, or, Request First. However, as the Starwood owner does not know specifically what week will be assigned in advance of a deposit, request first is not an available option. You have nothing specific to offer I. I.

This leaves Deposit First as the only method of requesting a trade.
I have nonetheless included a description of the Request First method. It may come in handy for use with another timeshare (Marriott , for example).
*
 DEPOSIT FIRST*: is by far the most common method of executing an exchange  because it is the least confining and requires no firm decisions or commitment at the time of deposit. All that is required of you is to decide that you do not want to occupy the week at your home resort. You may not yet be clear about what you do want. Simply take the use-week and ‘put it in the Bank’. You may then later request an exchange anywhere in the I.I. system.         
Once the use week at your resort is deposited, you may as well forget about it. All you care about is the date you must travel by for the deposit to remain available for your use. The time frame is two years after the reserved week you deposited. Example: The reserved  week deposited is November 24, 2007.  You deposited it December, 2006.  You must conclude your travel for that deposited week by the end of November in 2009.  I.I. will maintain timetable records and report them to you periodically. No need to create a bookkeeping system for this. Keep it simple and easy. Decide where you wish to exchange, and when.  Get it confirmed, and have fun.
Deposits to the bank are irrevocable.  Once you have made the deposit of a reserved week, you may not change your mind and cancel the deposit. If that were allowed, the entire structure of the exchange network would collapse.. So, in the bank it stays until you decide where you want  to travel, perhaps accruing the time with a future years use for extended travel.
Reciprocity is not required for your exchange request to be filled and confirmed. No one has to request the reservation you deposited for the system to work. The requirement for your exchange request is the deposit, period. That is the currency that buys your request. The rest is I. I ’s problem. 
Borrowing.  In addition to banking the current year for  use in the future, you may borrow next year’s use for a vacation this year. You can borrow only from the following year. Homeowner Association dues must be paid in full at the time the borrow is requested. 

*REQUEST FIRST * : You are promising to relinquish the use of your reservation to Interval International if, and only if, they can confirm a reservation to what you want, where and when  you want it. 
Note: this option should be used when you are willing to occupy your reserved week at your home resort if I.I. cannot fulfill your exchange request. Why?  You are not making a deposit in this instance. So, there is no irrevocable commitment on your part.. Therefore, the reservation you have made for the year is really yours for occupancy. Further, I.I. is not required to accept what you are offering  for an exchange. Each of the parties has an opportunity to evaluate what the other is offering, and decide if it is desirable to them. You initiate the dialog because you are the one with the exchange request. 

*Terms of Deposit*

If you deposit your week at least 60 days before its reservation date, your deposit is valid for an “unrestricted” exchange request for two years from that reservation date. Do keep in mind that the earlier a deposit is made, the more valuable it is to the exchange . Although a 60+ day deposit is “unrestricted” for purposes of your requested exchange, its exchange value decreases as the reservation date becomes closer.  A deposit 12 months in advance of the reservation date is valued more highly than the same reservation deposited 5 months in advance.
If you deposit your week 14 to 59 days before your reservation date, your deposit is considered a Late Deposit, or Flex Deposit. The deposit is still usable for two years, as above, BUT, you are restricted to making reservation requests to those resorts. You must wait until 59 or less days to your desired occupancy to make a reservation request. You are bound by the same limitation you gave the exchange by depositing your week so late in the cycle.
If you deposit your week 7 to 13 days before the reservation date, your deposit is considered a Late/Late Deposit. (Indeed!!). It is also usable for two years, but the above restriction shortens to a 30 day reservation request window. You are getting more leeway than you gave the exchange. 
Placing a Pending Request 
  OK. You now know the rules for exchange time frames. To review:
Make an Exchange Request as soon as you know what you wish to do with the use-week. 
By definition it will be an Deposit First request.  
 Any exchange request that is not confirmed at the time the request is made is called  “*Pending Request”. *

Here are the rules and considerations for your Pending Request:
The more alternatives you provide, the higher the likelihood  your request will be promptly confirmed. Combinations of resort and / or time frames. You may use up to 64 combinations per request. You should supply at least 3 alternatives. Any combination of resorts and dates. This deserves further discussion. Although it is possible that your desired exchange will be available when the exchange is requested, it is not likely. You are expecting too much to think so. Likewise, a review of availability at any moment in time is not likely to produce a desired availability. Think about it. Availability occurs only when an owner at another resort desires to themselves exchange , and places their reservation on deposit. Statistically, this occurs most often within the 8 to 5 month window. It is not at all unusual for a request to be confirmed 60 or more days after the trade is requested.
Logistical issue you must be aware of: Your requests are not prioritized. You will be confirmed into the resort / time frame the system locates first. Therefore,  it is our opinion that you will be  better served by making requests one at a time, in the order of your preference, to avoid the possibility of not receiving a confirmation for your first preference, even if it is at that moment available. 
When specifying a resort, use the Resort Code in the Resort Directory. It is the three letters in bold type next to resort picture in the Directory. It can also be found in the index.
Exchange fees will be billed at the time you place your request,  per week. 
Only a full week can be deposited with Interval International. You can lock your unit off and deposit either, or both, suites. The request system is based on “comparable value”. Do not expect size upgrades unless you are within the 60 day reservation window.  This is the “Flex Change” period. Any deposit will draw anything available irrespective of the unit size you deposit. A Guest Suite will pull a 2 bedroom if it’s available. Pending Requests cannot be made in this window. Simply call and ask for availability. If you like it, take it. 
It has been our experience that availability is not identically  reflected on the I.I. website and by phone. Telephone requests do seem to have access to inventory that is not reflected on the website. Of course, you are speaking with a Starwood representative, not I.I. How they represent your requests is one of those "black box" issues a Starwood owner must resign themselves to.

*
Starwood 72 hour Exclusive:* For the first three days of a Starwood owners deposit, its availability is masked from the rest of the Interval International membership. Only a Starwood owner has visibility to another owners deposit. It may be selected without contention from the rest of the timeshare world. If unclaimed within 72 hours, it is made available. to the I.I. general membership. If a Pending Request is active for one of these deposits, it will be filled without it ever seeing daylight. 

*Trade Testing*
Many Starwood owners are reluctant to surrender their home resort week without knowing in advance the outcome of their desired trade. Understandable. Starwood has made this difficult for you because of their policy concerning bulk depositing. Hence no Request First.
However,  there is some probability to the exercise. Keep in mind that one of the reasons to deposit with the exchange is that the only thing you are certain of is that you do not wish to visit your home resort in a given year. A decision does not have to be made about what you do wish to do. 
Having said this, trade testing can be performed to determine what is available, and when. It is hypothetical as you do not actually have the specific reservation to test with. Also, keep in mind that trade testing will only reflect that inventory that is available at the moment tested. As previously stated, the likelihood of your desired trade being available at a moment in time is low. In this respect, trade testing is a interesting game, but not to be relied upon as a mirror of what you can expect to occur. Placing a Pending Request puts you in position to have your order filled, if and when it does become available.   

Finally, Its a big world. I.I. has over 2,200 resorts in almost every corner of the world. They are a great resource for Starwood owners. Starwood has some great properties, highly prized by owners of other resorts/systems. In most cases, your trade requests will bear good fruit. However, the key to success is FLEXIBILITY. If you are not receptive to accepting different locations, or different dates, than your single highest preference, you will often be disappointed. It is a matter of odds. The more  answers you will find acceptable, the more likely you will be successful. 
As highly regarded as most Starwood resorts are, when exposed to the wide universe of other timeshare owners competing for the same resource, you should not be surprised to discover that there are many resorts/weeks that compare on a superior footing. Prime ski weeks at world class destinations are particularly prized.  Not only are they in very high demand, they are relatively few in number. Four Seasons, Hyatt, Marriott, and other quality tier  companies have resorts at locations that draw exceptional demand when compared to availability. FLEXIBILITY is the key to successful trading on a routine basis.

I have tried to cover the basics here. Undoubtedly, I have overlooked something of relevance. Hopefully, I have not erred in what has been covered. That is also possible. This is a working draft for Starwood owners. I will update and correct as needed. Please provide your constructively critical comments.


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## saluki (Jul 17, 2007)

Fred-

This is an awesome resource! Thanks very much for taking the time to put this together.

Can you please elaborate on the "trade testing" approach that you mention?


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## Henry M. (Jul 17, 2007)

I'd like to add that Starwood can give you a week in the past. In 2005 I waited until the end of the year and found in late December that I wouldn't be able to use the studio portion of my WKORV unit. I called Starwood something like December 29, 2005 or so. At the time the best they had was an April, 2005  SDO week to give me credit for. I had until April 2007 to use it, about 16 months away from the date I called. It was certainly better than just losing the week altogether.

Around September 2006 I was looking for an exchange through the II web site using my deposited unit. I wanted to go overseas for Spring Break in March 2007. The system offered me a 2BR Sunterra unit in the Bavarian Alps, near Munich and I took it. The resort was not nearly as nice as WKORV, but the fact that I got a 2BR unit during their ski season made this a decent trade and I was happy with the outcome. We had a great time there and the weather turned out wonderful (this was not a certainty in that time of the year).

Also, at least sometime in 2004/2005 I was able to place a request first exchange request. Has that changed now because you say those are not allowed? WKORV weeks are all considered Platinum/Red so perhaps that made it possible. I ended up cancelling the request after a couple of months because I didn't get the units I wanted, but I was definitely allowed to use request first.

I was told by an II rep that some of the units they advertise rarely become available. For example, there are plenty of units in Orlando, but the higher end Disney units, like Wilderness Lodge, rarely if ever show up on II. Same for something like the Four Seasons Aviara. I don't know how true this is. During my Request First exchange I asked the rep to check for availability anywhere in Southern Cal between February and May of the next year (this was around September) and there was not a single unit available anywhere. Perhaps that was not a good indicator of availaility, but it made me think II was worthless as an alternative to SVN. Later I did find a good exchange (described above) and found that there is value after all. You just can't expect 100% to get a comparable property when you have something high end to deposit.


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## LisaRex (Jul 17, 2007)

Excellent resource, Fred.  Thanks for posting it. Can we request it be made a sticky?


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## Fredm (Jul 17, 2007)

I had to edit this down to 15,000 words, from the submitted ~17,000. It was at the expense of a little bit here and there. 
Trade testing issue will follow.

Fred


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## Fredm (Jul 17, 2007)

emuyshondt said:


> I'd like to add that Starwood can give you a week in the past. In 2005 I waited until the end of the year and found in late December that I wouldn't be able to use the studio portion of my WKORV unit. I called Starwood something like December 29, 2005 or so. At the time the best they had was an April, 2005  SDO week to give me credit for. I had until April 2007 to use it, about 16 months away from the date I called. It was certainly better than just losing the week altogether.
> 
> Around September 2006 I was looking for an exchange through the II web site using my deposited unit. I wanted to go overseas for Spring Break in March 2007. The system offered me a 2BR Sunterra unit in the Bavarian Alps, near Munich and I took it. The resort was not nearly as nice as WKORV, but the fact that I got a 2BR unit during their ski season made this a decent trade and I was happy with the outcome. We had a great time there and the weather turned out wonderful (this was not a certainty in that time of the year).
> 
> ...



Getting a week assigned with a past date is common. Starwood bulk banks weeks . The week you were assigned was already 'deposited" hence the 2 year clock started the date of that reservation.
Once a week is deposited , request first is not an option.
If not already deposited, and you do not know what week is being assigned, there is not REAL basis for a Request First dialog. 
RF only works when you literally control the dates being discussed, and can deliver the specific week to I.I. You can talk about the reserved week you have confirmed, but, Starwood will not necessarily relinquish  it for your exchange. If they  do, then RF is possible. You cant count on it. More importantly, I.I. knows they can't count on it, so I don't know how it can happen.


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## Fredm (Jul 17, 2007)

LisaRex said:


> Excellent resource, Fred.  Thanks for posting it. Can we request it be made a sticky?



I don't see why not. But, its not my store.


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## Henry M. (Jul 17, 2007)

Fredm said:


> RF only works when you literally control the dates being discussed, and can deliver the specific week to I.I. You can talk about the reserved week you have confirmed, but, Starwood will not necessarily relinquish  it for your exchange. If they  do, then RF is possible. You cant count on it. More importantly, I.I. knows they can't count on it, so I don't know how it can happen.



I understand what you are saying but somehow they allowed RF at least a couple of years ago. It was over the phone and I don't recall having to reserve a week before doing a RF. It was some time ago so I may not recall correctly.


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## jerseygirl (Jul 17, 2007)

Great job Fred !!!!

I too have been told that you can do a request first, you just have to set it up through the Starwood reps at II.  I think it's impossible to do online.  I  think you use your booked week ... even though Starwood will not be happy about relinquishing the unit if your request comes through (all the more reason to do it that way ).


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## jerseygirl (Jul 17, 2007)

Correction -- WOW -- I just tried it online and it worked.  I did a "request first" using a next year's reservation (I prepaid the maintenance fee).  I'll post here if II notifies me that Starwood refuses to confirm the reservation (I'm pretty sure II goes through the confirmation process for a "request first," right?)

I'm happy to give up interest on $159 for the cause!


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## Denise L (Jul 17, 2007)

*Fred, thanks for the tutorial!*

Hi Fred,

Thanks for writing up the II 101 information.

I called up II today for the first time  , to try and understand using my 2008 weeks, but they were unhelpful, or maybe they didn't understand my questions, or both. I have a feeling I need to learn II now  . Is there a degree in timesharing that I can earn when I figure it out :whoopie: ?!

I've reserved my 2007 weeks for my use. That is all that shows up in II. If I want to search using a 2008 week, II tells me that it will automatically take a week that I have available. So even though it shows up with 2007, Starwood will know that I used my weeks, and automatically it will use my 2008 week. But if I haven't had one of my 2007 stays yet, will the system decide to "take it" instead of a 2008 week?

But how does trading power work if the system thinks I am using a 2007 week, or does it care? Wouldn't a 2008 week have more power than a 2007 week? The agent said that it doesn't matter because I haven't deposited a week yet. How does trading power work on a search or request first, then?

And regarding the Westin Ka'anapali space bank, will any Starwood resort/unit/week see those (including random searches like mine) , or only users with actual deposits?  So would both mandatory and non-mandatory resorts, like Sheraton Desert Oasis, Vistana Resort, or Vistana Villages be able to see the two bedroom deposits?


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## jerseygirl (Jul 17, 2007)

Denise L said:


> And regarding the Westin Ka'anapali space bank, will any Starwood resort/unit/week see those (including random searches like mine) , or only users with actual deposits?  So would both mandatory and non-mandatory resorts, like Sheraton Desert Oasis, Vistana Resort, or Vistana Villages be able to see the two bedroom deposits?



I have a combination of resorts and unit sizes in my II account.  A bright red 2-BR week was able to see the 2-BR units in last weekend's posting.  A pink 2-BR week could see the 1-BR and studio units.  Same concept applies for 1-BR units -- a bright red one-BR could see the one-BRs, a pink one-BR could see the studios only.  II applies its own trading power rules, which are not necessarily the same as those represented by StarOptions (i.e. Starwood overvalues some weeks and undervalues others -- Interval "corrects" this to its own version of trading power as defined by its experience with supply and demand).  This is how all of II trading works, in my experience.  There's also the quality factor (e.g., a run-down beach resort will never see an Aviara week, no matter how "red") ... but that doesn't really come into play with inter-Starwood resorts -- the "quality" rating would be close enough for all of them to not run into this problem.

Anyone with an "available" week can search -- it doesn't have to be deposited.

Hope that makes sense.


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## jerseygirl (Jul 17, 2007)

One other point -- most silver (and probably some gold) weeks probably would not have had the trading power to see the Maui weeks.  Just owning a Starwood unit doesn't give you the automatic right to see every Starwood deposit ... it all boils down to Starwood's version of "equivalent trading power."  There are some exceptions with silver (and gold) weeks -- Fred discussed this above.


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## tomandrobin (Jul 17, 2007)

Fred ......Thank You for posting such helpful information....again!


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## Fredm (Jul 18, 2007)

jerseygirl said:


> Correction -- WOW -- I just tried it online and it worked.  I did a "request first" using a next year's reservation (I prepaid the maintenance fee).  I'll post here if II notifies me that Starwood refuses to confirm the reservation (I'm pretty sure II goes through the confirmation process for a "request first," right?)
> 
> I'm happy to give up interest on $159 for the cause!



OK, I thought so. But, deferred to those who had first hand experiences to the contrary. I simply followed the logic of RF from that point on. This has an interesting implication. If I.I. permits RF using the following year reservation, then for that purpose they are literally taking the reserved home resort reservation week. This is exactly what SFX does. 

I will then include the expanded Request First explanation,  As my original I.I. 101 post was limited to 15,000 words. I will post it separately. If this turns into a sticky, we can cut and paste it in.

I.I. must confirm the authenticity of the RF deposit, yes. However, you must have the reservation before hand.

Fred


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## Fredm (Jul 18, 2007)

jerseygirl said:


> One other point -- most silver (and probably some gold) weeks probably would not have had the trading power to see the Maui weeks.  Just owning a Starwood unit doesn't give you the automatic right to see every Starwood deposit ... it all boils down to Starwood's version of "equivalent trading power."  There are some exceptions with silver (and gold) weeks -- Fred discussed this above.



Right you are. But, if similar to the Marriott implementation, owners will be pleasantly surprised.

Fred


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## Fredm (Jul 18, 2007)

Denise L said:


> Hi Fred,
> 
> Thanks for writing up the II 101 information.
> 
> ...


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## Fredm (Jul 18, 2007)

tomandrobin said:


> Fred ......Thank You for posting such helpful information....again!



You are welcome! Happy to do it.

Fred


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## saluki (Jul 18, 2007)

BradC said:


> So when you bring up your unit online to exchange, you're seeing 2008?  Mine shows my Kierland unit for 2007 only as available for exchange.



I am having the same issue as Brad. I have a 2007 & 2008 reservation at Kierland. The only thing showing up on the II site for me is the 2007 one.

How long does it typically take for a new SVO reservation to show up on II? I just made my 2008 res last weekend.


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## Fredm (Jul 18, 2007)

saluki said:


> I am having the same issue as Brad. I have a 2007 & 2008 reservation at Kierland. The only thing showing up on the II site for me is the 2007 one.
> 
> How long does it typically take for a new SVO reservation to show up on II? I just made my 2008 res last weekend.



If you wish to execute a trade, simply call and request one with your 2008 use.
It does not have to "show up" in I.I. So long as you have a confirmed reservation, and dues are paid, you can trade.

Based on the most recent posts, it also appears that if not an SVN member,
they will relinquish the actual reservation to the trade. If an SVN member, they will likely substitute unless you Request First. (at least that is how it seems to be shaking out).

Fred


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## saluki (Jul 18, 2007)

I've reread these posts & have learned quite a bit about the II system. But, my fundamental question is this: Is it possible to take full advantage of the system via the web without committing to depositing my SVO unit?


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## Fredm (Jul 18, 2007)

saluki said:


> I've reread these posts & have learned quite a bit about the II system. But, my fundamental question is this: Is it possible to take full advantage of the system via the web without committing to depositing my SVO unit?



You can try to Request First, thereby not surrendering your week unless your requested trade (or an offered week acceptable to you) is fulfilled. Jerseygirl reports that it worked for her. The outstanding question we are trying to clarify is if this works with an SVN member's week, or only non-member weeks.
Can't hurt to try, since you are not giving anything up in this scenario. You will have to pay your 08 fees, plus the trade fee, if accepted. 


Let us know. With this last piece of information, we should have the logistics clear.


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## Henry M. (Jul 18, 2007)

saluki said:


> I've reread these posts & have learned quite a bit about the II system. But, my fundamental question is this: Is it possible to take full advantage of the system via the web without committing to depositing my SVO unit?



You can check for availability online on a given day without committing your week. I have logged onto their web site and checked selecting one of my available weeks. At the end I just don't go through with the last steps of the exchange. 

I don't think you can put in a request for the system to keep automatically looking for an exchange without putting your own week in. If the request is filled they'll take your week and you can't go back. I don't see how I can place a Request First online, but I have done it over the phone (for a developer purchased SVN week). I had not selected a specific week, I just said I wanted to exchange my studio. This was a couple of years ago so I don't remeber all the exact details.

Right now, if I log into IntervalWorld.com I can use my 2007 weeks (that I already used, by the way) to look at current availability in other locations. I can select the studio, 1BR or complete 2BR unit that I own to look for exchange possibilities. My 2008 weeks don't show yet. If I found something I'd probably just call the SVN Interval number and set things up with a rep.


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## Fredm (Jul 19, 2007)

jerseygirl said:


> Correction -- WOW -- I just tried it online and it worked.  I did a "request first" using a next year's reservation (I prepaid the maintenance fee).  I'll post here if II notifies me that Starwood refuses to confirm the reservation (I'm pretty sure II goes through the confirmation process for a "request first," right?)
> 
> I'm happy to give up interest on $159 for the cause!



Jerseygirl:

Two items, please,for clarification.

1. Prior to RF online you called Starwood requesting an 08 reservation specifically for RF trade. Yes? Did you pick the week, or did they assign?

2. Were you then able to immediately submit the RF online, or was there a lag time involved?

Thanks,

Fred


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## jerseygirl (Jul 19, 2007)

Fredm said:


> Jerseygirl:
> 
> Two items, please,for clarification.
> 
> 1. Prior to RF online you called Starwood requesting an 08 reservation specifically for RF trade. Yes? Did you pick the week, or did they assign?



I called and made a reservation (presumably, for usage).  I then used that confirmed reservation to place a "request first" exchange.  Too early to know if Starwood will try to bump it -- I'll keep you posted.



> 2. Were you then able to immediately submit the RF online, or was there a lag time involved?



I've had the reservation for several weeks -- just decided to try the "request first" as a result of this thread.  I asked for great stuff ... so if something comes through, I'll gladly take it.  But, it truly was an experiment ... for the "cause."


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## saluki (Jul 19, 2007)

Way to give it up for the team, jerseygirl!


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## Fredm (Jul 19, 2007)

jerseygirl said:


> I called and made a reservation (presumably, for usage).  I then used that confirmed reservation to place a "request first" exchange.  Too early to know if Starwood will try to bump it -- I'll keep you posted.
> 
> Thanks! This is how it should work. As the week is not controlled by SVN, I don't believe they can bump it.  Interested to see how it pans out.
> 
> I've had the reservation for several weeks -- just decided to try the "request first" as a result of this thread.  I asked for great stuff ... so if something comes through, I'll gladly take it.  But, it truly was an experiment ... for the "cause."



Can't hurt, and you have nothing to lose. Just pull the request and occupy the originally intended reservation.

I.I. states that Deposit First pending requests have preference over Request First, all other things being equal. However, I am not sure I believe them. Deposit First gives them the week, the exchange fee is charged. The owner has nothing yet in return. But, Request First gives them nothing unless they fulfill the order. 
Of course, they must want what you offer. But, assuming so, I would rather trust the motive.

Fred


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## sharktzu (Jul 20, 2007)

One point that I'm unclear on. If you buy a week resale, do you then need to purchase an additional II membership in order to trade it, or can you use your II membership from a developer purchased week?


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## pointsjunkie (Jul 20, 2007)

they put my developer and resale weeks in one account. starwood hasn't but II has.


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## Fredm (Jul 23, 2007)

*Starwood I.I. Primer, part 1*

Here is a revised version of the Starwood I.I. prime in two parts. Too long for a single post. Comments are welcome. After this round, it will be posted on the TUG server so that it may be linked to from this board:
Fred.
___________________________________________________________________

Starwood implementation of Interval International  ( I. I. ) (Interval) exchange:

Preface:

The Starwood system is different from others as it relates to an owners relationship with Interval . This is significant. You should be aware of the issues involved.
If an SVN Member you are subject to the SVN Member Rules, and Starwood's administration of SVN inventory. A SVN member deposit can be from any resort in the system, not necessarily the owners home resort. It can also be a deposit of any season, irrespective of the season owned.
If not an SVN member, Starwood does not have the latitude to deposit any week from any network resort. They must deposit a week from your home resort, in the season owned.
It is, therefore, hypothetically possible for a Platinum Season owner at Westin Kierland, for example, to have a Silver season at another resort deposited to represent their trade request. Meanwhile, a Platinum Season resale owner at Westin Mission Hills, will have a Mission Hills Platinum Season week deposited to represent their trade request.

The reason for this difference lies in the SVN Member Rules which in part state that a member may not have an independent relationship with an external exchange organization for the purpose of transacting a trade of the owners use-week. Exchange requests are made directly to Starwood, who in turn assigns a deposited week to the owners exchange request as currency for the exchange request.

There is also the real world problem of separating the formal Starwood policy from what is actually enforced at a point in time. Strict consistency is not always adhered to. Consequently, I have tried to reflect what Starwood states as Policy. Individual experiences may be different.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

I.I.'s model for comparable exchange is based on several factors. The precise formulas are closely guarded trade secrets. Something like the formula for Coca Cola:

- Unit size (measured by private sleeping capacity) A 2 bedroom villa sleeps 6 privately, although it will    accommodate a total of 8. A Studio sleeps 2 privately, although can accommodate 4. A 1 bedroom sleeps a total of 4, privately.

- Quality of the resort deposited.


- Demand for the week deposited. Typically, Platinum (prime season) draws more demand than Silver (low season). However, this is not always so. Actual week numbers matters . There are weeks in Platinum season that are in higher demand than others.Sometimes referred to as bright Red or Pink. Conversely, certain Gold or Silver weeks may (rarely) have a higher demand than the lowest demand Platinum weeks.

I.I. publishes a helpful tool to assist members in determining general demand. It is geography, not resort, based.
Called the Travel Demand Index (TDI), it provides a historical demand for every week of the year, for each geographic region of the world. It is, therefore, possible to broadly assess the demand component of your trade request both in terms of the demand for your deposit, and the demand for the dates you are requesting in your exchange request. The TDI is located at the beginning of the geographic region in the I.I. Resort Directory
TDI is a scale from 50 to 150. 100 represents Market Average, Above 100 is greater demand. Below 100 is greater availability. Note that below 100 is not lesser demand, but greater availability. The demand component of exchange is not determined by pure demand, it is measured against supply. High demand , low supply, is what creates a blockbuster exchange chip. High demand with an excess of supply results in weak demand as it relates to the demand value of your deposit. Got it? The TDI is best used as a tool to assess the time periods that an exchange request is most likely to be confirmed.

- Deposit lead time. More on this later. Suffice to say that a reservation deposited 10 months in advance of the reservation date is worth more to I.I. than the same reservation deposited 5 months in advance.

- Wild Card (my term): Included in the evaluation of deposit quality is a pre-filter which sits in front of the above criteria. It is established by I.I. members who have exchanged into the resort you are depositing. I.I. performs surveys of these exchangers (not owners) to determine a satisfaction/quality rating for the resort. Trades available to owners are based on this filter. The owners of the resort suffer in the exchange universe if exchangers do not rate the resort experience highly.

Exchange Request Methods


DEPOSIT FIRST: is by far the most common method of executing an exchange because it is the least confining and requires no firm decisions or commitment at the time of deposit. All that is required of you is to decide that you do not want to occupy the week at your home resort. You may not yet be clear about what you do want. Simply take the use-week and "put it in the Bank". You may then later request an exchange anywhere in the I.I. system.
Once the use week at your resort is deposited, you may as well forget about it. All you care about is the date you must travel by for the deposit to remain available for your use. The time frame is two years after the reserved week you deposited. Example: The reserved week deposited is November 24, 2007. You deposited it December, 2006. You must conclude your travel for that deposited week by the end of November in 2009. I.I. will maintain timetable records and report them to you periodically. No need to create a bookkeeping system for this. Keep it simple and easy. Decide where you wish to exchange, and when. Get it confirmed, and have fun.
Deposits to the bank are irrevocable. Once you have made the deposit of a reserved week, you may not change your mind and cancel the deposit. If that were allowed, the entire structure of the exchange network would collapse.. So, in the bank it stays until you decide where you want to travel, perhaps accruing the time with a future years use for extended travel.
Reciprocity is not required for your exchange request to be filled and confirmed. No one has to request the reservation you deposited for the system to work. The requirement for your exchange request is the deposit, period. That is the currency that buys your request. The rest is I. I ’s problem.
Borrowing. In addition to banking the current year for use in the future, you may borrow next year’s use for a vacation this year. You can borrow only from the following year. Homeowner Association dues must be paid in full at the time the borrow is requested.

REQUEST FIRST : You are promising to relinquish the use of your reservation to Interval International if, and only if, they can confirm a reservation to what you want, where and when you want it.
Note: this option should be used when you are willing to occupy your reserved week at your home resort if I.I. cannot fulfill your exchange request. Why? You are not making a deposit in this instance. So, there is no irrevocable commitment on your part.. Therefore, the reservation you have made for the year is really yours for occupancy. Further, I.I. is not required to accept what you are offering for an exchange. Each of the parties has an opportunity to evaluate what the other is offering, and decide if it is desirable to them. You initiate the dialog because you are the one with the exchange request.

As mentioned, specific week selection is not under an SVN members control within the Starwood system, when depositing to I.I. This has another implication with Request First. As the SVN owner does not know specifically what week will be assigned in advance of a deposit, one must be proactive. It is necessary that the owner first confirm a specific reservation if Request First is desired. The owner must have a specific week to offer I. I. for their consideration. It should be a reserved week that the owner would otherwise occupy if the request is not fulfilled. If this is not likely to occur, Deposit First is the appropriate exchange election.

Interval states that, all other things being equal, the Deposit First method takes precedence over Request First in fulfilling exchange requests.


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## Fredm (Jul 23, 2007)

*Starwood I.I. Primer, part 2*

Terms of Deposit

If you deposit your week at least 60 days before its reservation date, your deposit is valid for an “unrestricted” exchange request for two years from that reservation date. Do keep in mind that the earlier a deposit is made, the more valuable it is to the exchange . Although a 60+ day deposit is “unrestricted” for purposes of your requested exchange, its exchange value decreases as the reservation date becomes closer. A deposit 12 months in advance of the reservation date is valued more highly than the same reservation deposited 5 months in advance.
If you deposit your week 14 to 59 days before your reservation date, your deposit is considered a Late Deposit, or Flex Deposit. The deposit is still usable for two years, as above, BUT, you are restricted to making reservation requests to those resorts. You must wait until 59 or less days to your desired occupancy to make a reservation request. You are bound by the same limitation you gave the exchange by depositing your week so late in the cycle.
If you deposit your week 7 to 13 days before the reservation date, your deposit is considered a Late/Late Deposit. (Indeed!!). It is also usable for two years, but the above restriction shortens to a 30 day reservation request window. You are getting more leeway than you gave the exchange.
Placing a Pending Request
OK. You now know the rules for exchange time frames.
Make an Exchange Request as soon as you know what you wish to do with the use-week.

Any exchange request that is not confirmed at the time the request is made is called “Pending Request”.

Here are the rules and considerations for your Pending Request:

The more alternatives you provide, the higher the likelihood your request will be promptly confirmed. Combinations of resort and / or time frames. You may use up to 64 combinations per request. You should supply at least 3 alternatives. Any combination of resorts and dates. This deserves further discussion. Although it is possible that your desired exchange will be available when the exchange is requested, it is not likely. You are expecting too much to think so. Likewise, a review of availability at any moment in time is not likely to produce a desired availability. Think about it. Availability occurs only when an owner at another resort desires to themselves exchange , and places their reservation on deposit. Statistically, this occurs most often within the 8 to 5 month window. It is not at all unusual for a request to be confirmed 60 or more days after the trade is requested.
Logistical issue you must be aware of: Your requests are not prioritized. You will be confirmed into the resort / time frame the system locates first. Therefore, it is our opinion that you will be better served by making requests one at a time, in the order of your preference, to avoid the possibility of not receiving a confirmation for your first preference, even if it is at that moment available.
When specifying a resort, use the Resort Code in the Resort Directory. It is the three letters in bold type next to resort picture in the Directory. It can also be found in the index.
Exchange fees will be billed at the time you place your request, per week.
Only a full week can be deposited with Interval International. You can lock your unit off and deposit either, or both, suites. The request system is based on “comparable value”. Do not expect size upgrades unless you are within the 60 day reservation window. This is the “Flex Change” period. Any deposit will draw anything available irrespective of the unit size you deposit. A Guest Suite will pull a 2 bedroom if it’s available. Pending Requests cannot be made in this window. Simply call and ask for availability. If you like it, take it.
It has been our experience that availability is not identically reflected on the I.I. website and by phone. Telephone requests do seem to have access to inventory that is not reflected on the website. Of course, SVN members are speaking with a Starwood representative, not I.I. How they represent your requests is one of those "black box" issues a Starwood owner must resign themselves to.

  Starwood 72 hour Exclusive:

 For the first three days of a Starwood owners deposit, its availability is masked from the rest of the Interval International membership. Only a Starwood owner has visibility to another owners deposit. It may be selected without contention from the rest of the timeshare world. If unclaimed within 72 hours, it is made available. to the I.I. general membership. If a Pending Request is active for one of these deposits, it will be filled without it ever seeing daylight. The deposited week must otherwise be of "comparable value" for this to occur. One cannot expect a Silver Season studio to pull a 2 bedroom Platinum Season.  

 Trade Testing:

Many Starwood owners are reluctant to surrender their home resort week without knowing in advance the outcome of their desired trade. Understandable. Starwood has made this difficult  because of their policy concerning bulk depositing.  This is best resolved by use of the Request First method.  
However, there is some probability to the exercise. Keep in mind that one of the reasons to deposit with the exchange is that the only thing you are certain of is that you do not wish to visit your home resort in a given year. A decision does not have to be made about what you do wish to do.
Having said this, trade testing can be performed to determine what is available, and when. It is hypothetical as you do are not actually executing a trade., and conditions will not be identical at the moment you do. Keep in mind that trade testing will only reflect that inventory that is available at the moment tested. As previously stated, the likelihood of your desired trade being available at a moment in time is low. In this respect, trade testing is a interesting game, but not to be relied upon as a mirror of what you can expect to occur. Placing a Pending Request puts you in position to have your order filled, if and when it does become available.
The best way to determine what will likely occur is to team with owners who have different reservations, of various sizes and resort locations. At the same time, each queries the available inventory for the week being used. By comparing the results of each query, it is somewhat possible to determine availability and what may be required to obtain it. As stated, this is more a game than a strategy.  Nothing assures that conditions will be similar enough at a point of actual execution to produce the tested result. It is a way to test relative exchange clout, in a general sense, for insight to the workings of the exchange system. That is all.

Finally, Its a big world. I.I. has over 2,200 resorts in almost every corner of the world. They are a great resource for Starwood owners. Starwood has some great properties, highly prized by owners of other resorts/systems. In most cases, your trade requests will bear good fruit. However, the key to success is FLEXIBILITY. If you are not receptive to accepting different locations, or different dates, than your single highest preference, you will often be disappointed. It is a matter of odds. The more answers you will find acceptable, the more likely you will be successful.
As highly regarded as most Starwood resorts are, when exposed to the wide universe of other timeshare owners competing for the same resource, you should not be surprised to discover that there are many resorts/weeks that compare on a superior footing. Prime ski weeks at world class destinations are particularly prized. Not only are they in very high demand, they are relatively few in number. Four Seasons, Hyatt, Marriott, and other quality tier companies have resorts at locations that draw exceptional demand when compared to availability. FLEXIBILITY is the key to successful trading on a routine basis.

I have tried to cover the basics here. Undoubtedly, I have overlooked something of relevance. Hopefully, I have not erred in what has been covered. That is also possible. This is a working draft for Starwood owners. I will update and correct as needed. Your experiences and insight are welcome. 

Do not overlook the other sources of exchange information available on TUG. The exchange machinery is still Interval International.

Fred Messreni


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## Fredm (Jul 23, 2007)

*Link to Starwood I.I. primer*

Here is the TUG server link to the I.I. primer for Starwood owners:

http://tug2.net/advice/starwoodexchangeprimer.htm

Fredm


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## grgs (Jul 24, 2007)

I know I used to be able to pull up TDIs online, but can't seem to find them on Interval's website now.  Are they no longer available online?

Thanks!

Glorian



Fredm said:


> I.I. publishes a helpful tool to assist members in determining general demand. It is geography, not resort, based.
> Called the Travel Demand Index (TDI), it provides a historical demand for every week of the year, for each geographic region of the world. It is, therefore, possible to broadly assess the demand component of your trade request both in terms of the demand for your deposit, and the demand for the dates you are requesting in your exchange request. The TDI is located at the beginning of the geographic region in the I.I. Resort Directory
> TDI is a scale from 50 to 150. 100 represents Market Average, Above 100 is greater demand. Below 100 is greater availability. Note that below 100 is not lesser demand, but greater availability. The demand component of exchange is not determined by pure demand, it is measured against supply. High demand , low supply, is what creates a blockbuster exchange chip. High demand with an excess of supply results in weak demand as it relates to the demand value of your deposit. Got it? The TDI is best used as a tool to assess the time periods that an exchange request is most likely to be confirmed.


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## Fredm (Jul 24, 2007)

Glorian,

I cant find it on the I.I. website either. I do not recall ever seeing it on the website, but never looked. I always use the printed Resort Directory for the TDI tables.

Fred


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## jerseygirl (Jul 31, 2007)

Update:  Request First not going through.  

Got a letter from Starwood saying I had to call to reconfirm my intentions.  I called them and they said I can't do a request first, the week I'm using (which is a confirmed reservation) is not eligible for deposit, blah blah blah.  

They offered to make an actual deposit, but I told them to keep the reservation for now (I will either use it, rent it, or deposit it with SFX as I have way too many deposits with II right now and don't need another one -- especially one that could turn out to be a crappy week).  

II hasn't officially cancelled the request yet, but I called and it looks like they're going to do so (it's in a holding pattern, awaiting confirmation -- which isn't going to come -- so it will be cancelled automatically within a few days).  

I find a new reason to hate Starwood every day!  Yesterday's was all the BS they're spewing about requals .... somehow I'll bet the rules get more lenient as the commission month draws to a close!  I think I'll try to run for the board at Harborside so I can work behind the scenes to get Starwood thrown out as the management company as soon as the resort is sold out!!!


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## Fredm (Jul 31, 2007)

jerseygirl said:


> Update:  Request First not going through.
> 
> Got a letter from Starwood saying I had to call to reconfirm my intentions.  I called them and they said I can't do a request first, the week I'm using (which is a confirmed reservation) is not eligible for deposit, blah blah blah.
> 
> ...



Well, back to my first draft of the I.I. Primer. It had the issue correctly defined. But, I still don't know how Starwood can do it. As best I can tell, their rights over the control of reserved inventory begin and end with SVN members.
How they can dictate deposits into a personal I.I. account, not subsidiary to their master account for SVN members is beyond me.


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