# [9/2009] RCI Affiliated Weeks Owners - Something Coming We Will Like!



## Goofyhobbie (Sep 16, 2009)

Earlier today, I heard from a very reliable source that Weeks owners will like some changes at RCI that will be implemented in the very near future for the benefit of Weeks depositers.

The source could not provide details or indicate how we Weeks owners will benefit; but the news came unsolicited and was very upbeat.

The door to the "Rumor Mill" is open for business. Many will venture guesses as to what's up; but we will not know officially until it happens. 

Let's think positive as a group and maybe we will in fact realize some positive results.

I look forward to the first post that independently confirms this very good information.


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## Kozman (Sep 16, 2009)

RCI will be returned to pre Cendant/Wyndham status with no rentals to the public or inventory raiding from our points friends!  Now that would be good news.


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 16, 2009)

*Raiding The Points Inventory Isn't Necessarily All That Bad & Maybe Not Even A Raid.*




Kozman said:


> RCI will be returned to pre Cendant/Wyndham status with no rentals to the public or inventory raiding from our points friends!  Now that would be good news.


My points timeshare is so dinky (15*,*000 points a year) that all it's good for as a practical matter is snagging last minute _Instant Exchange_ reservations -- you know, a full week reservation for minimal point in whatever's still left on the weeks side within 45 days of check-in, meaning mostly offseason weeks or the dogs & cats of the timeshare world at other seasons.  Some raid. 

I actually get a usable total of timeshare points by doing _Points For Deposit_ with 1 of my straight-weeks (i.e., non-points) timeshares -- depositing an RCI Weeks timeshare into RCI Points (for $27), & getting that weeks-timeshare's points-equivalent value added to my points balance in RCI Points.   

That means when I use those points to snag a weeklong reservation into somebody else's RCI Weeks timeshare, it's not so much _Raiding The Weeks Inventory_ via points as it is a regular week-for-week timeshare exchange that takes an odd detour into & then back out of RCI Points.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Goofyhobbie (Sep 16, 2009)

Prior to June 30, 2009 I did not really take note of the alleged trading power of my traders. But, I was aware that one of the primary factors involved in establishing trade power was EARLIEST POSSIBLE DEPOSIT. Below you can see that BLUE weeks ended up with higher apparent trade power than RED weeks because of when the deposits were made. As of June 30, I started to keep an on-going watch. I noted in a spreadsheet what the UNITS trading power showed at various times so that I could compare over time. (I actually have received good results so far over all.)

Below is a record of when I deposited and what I deposited. With the history beginning June 30, 2009:


-------------------------------------Deposited -\\- 6/30/09 -\\- 9/16/09 -\\-  Notes                                               
BI, Duck, NC VIP A, W-47 '08 (3-BR)  ---4/24/07 ----*103,182 *---------------           Note: # 1 
BI, Duck, NC VIP B, W-47 '08 (1-BR)  ----4/24/07 ---    * 81,140            * ----------------    Note: # 2 

Sand Castle Cove, NC W-29 '08 (2-BR)--10/25/07----  *88,418*---   *71,854*----  Note: # 3

Note # 1 Confirmed 2-BR The Resort On Cocoa Beach 12/13/09
Note # 2 Confirmed 2-BR The Resort On Cocoa Beach 12/06/09
Note # 3 Started Search:  9/16/09 for Coca Beach 3/21/09


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## Goofyhobbie (Sep 16, 2009)

> *Alan said:* My points timeshare is so dinky (15,000 points a year) that all it's good for as a practical matter is snagging last minute Instant Exchange reservations -- you know, a full week reservation for minimal point in whatever's still left on the weeks side within 45 days of check-in, meaning mostly offseason weeks or the dogs & cats of the timeshare world at other seasons. Some raid.
> 
> I actually get a usable total of timeshare points by doing Points For Deposit with 1 of my straight-weeks (i.e., non-points) timeshares -- depositing an RCI Weeks timeshare into RCI Points (for $27), & getting that weeks-timeshare's points-equivalent value added to my points balance in RCI Points.
> 
> That means when I use those points to snag a weeklong reservation into somebody else's RCI Weeks timeshare, it's not so much Raiding The Weeks Inventory via points as it is a regular week-for-week timeshare exchange that takes an odd detour into & then back out of RCI Points.



Alan, I understand your reasoning for saying that as a RCI Points owner/user you are not a "Raider."   RCI has, nevertheless, set-up a "Raider" program that allows folks like you and anyone else who has converted from Weeks to points the opportunity to use "Points for Deposit" and/or actual RCI Points owned to access the RCI POINTS side of the RCI Bank and the WEEKS side of the RCI Bank.

It is that fact and the tendency for the Industry to move in that direction that IMHO has made a significant dent in the WEEKS inventory that will continue to diminish over time.  

A POINTS owner can access POINTS from the "POINTS Vault" and RCI can daily increase the "Volume of Points in the "POINTS Vault" by raiding the "WEEKS Vault."  Such raiding of Weeks deposits keeps the ever increasing demand of Points owners satisfied.  But, the WEEKS Owners do NOT get a reciprocal opportunity to go after anything in the "POINTS Vault."

While the POINTS owners apparently have access to either Vault within the RCI Bank, Weeks owners have access only to a diminishing amount of available WEEKS in the "WEEKS Vault." 

Those of us who, for what ever reason, chose to not convert to RCI Points are left with a constantly diminishing pile of deposited Weeks. 

Indeed, the Points Converter paid dearly for the right. But, those of us who paid the Developer price back in the eighties and early nineties with the expectation of on-going Exchanges through RCI should not be forced to again pay heavily to maintain equality.


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## akp (Sep 16, 2009)

*I'm confused...*

As a relatively new (<6 months) RCI Points owner, I've read several times these references to "raiding" the weeks inventory but I don't understand the system well enough to know what is meant by this.

Here is what I *think* is happening but I don't see how it can be interpreted as raiding.  What am I missing?

I don't own at a points resort.  I lease a small (13000 pts) account.  To get more points, I deposit my weeks (in my case, Bluegreen's Wilderness Club at Big Cedar) via Points for Deposit.  Because Big Cedar is not a Points resort, those weeks I deposit go into the RCI Points / RCI Weeks inventory option (as opposed to the RCI Points Standard Reservation which is where I can find and book the RCI Points reservations)

The RCI Points owner who books my Big Cedar deposits isn't "raiding" because I deposited those into the RCI Points inventory, but they have to go under "weeks" rather than "points" because it isn't a points resort.

Similarly, when I book some other available to RCI Points owners via the Weeks Reservation tab (Grand Mayan, for example), I am assuming that week got into the inventory because some points owner put it there, not because RCI is giving Points owners some special access.  You gotta put something in to take something out, so it all evens out.  The points value that I got for depositing my Big Cedar weeks is the exact same points value it would cost another member to book it, so it seems to me it all evens out (except for weeks that go unused...)

Am I understanding the process, or missing something major?  Where is the raiding coming in?  

Anita


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## timeos2 (Sep 16, 2009)

*Two things would do it. No rentals & open values*



akp said:


> The RCI Points owner who books my Big Cedar deposits isn't "raiding" because I deposited those into the RCI Points inventory, but they have to go under "weeks" rather than "points" because it isn't a points resort.
> 
> Similarly, when I book some other available to RCI Points owners via the Weeks Reservation tab (Grand Mayan, for example), I am assuming that week got into the inventory because some points owner put it there, not because RCI is giving Points owners some special access.  You gotta put something in to take something out, so it all evens out.  The points value that I got for depositing my Big Cedar weeks is the exact same points value it would cost another member to book it, so it seems to me it all evens out (except for weeks that go unused...)
> 
> ...



Thats exactly right. PFD - and the points system in general - is a way to get MORE deposits and many are in fact weeks but with a points value assigned. The so called "raiding" is a myth.  

The weeks system has been hurt by rental activity Boo! there is no reason for that. The fact that there aren't many true equal exchanges between weeks makes it easy to so called justify the "need" to rent inventory to make things balance but its a ruse. A much better solution is a cash for upgrade (and DOWNGRADE) for weeks owners or a complete conversion of all inventory to points so the adjustments required can be done internally  rather than being sent outside to non-owners for cheap rentals. 

Weeks is a dead end, unsustainable system that is long overdue for a complete overhaul. There is a reason so many owners prefer points over week for week TRADES (not necessarily ownership) as it is so much easier to get what you want at a fair compensation on both sides. Once exposed to points few would ever go back to week for week place and hope trades. 

Maybe the trade values - in other words POINTS assigned - of weeks will finally be revealed, the secret valuations will end and the whole system become more open and accountable. THAT is the only weeks improvement that would really make things better. 

Not likely and the slow death of week for week trades will continue to torture owners as it has at Wyndham for the next decade or more. We deserve much better.


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## geekette (Sep 16, 2009)

Goof,

I'm not going to get excited about the possibility of RCI doing something beneficial for Weeks because I think it will be so tiny as to be inconsequential, if anything actually does happen.

I hope I'm wrong.  But RCI does not have a history of benefitting Weeks owners.  I cannot fathom them suddenly giving a damn.


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## bccash63 (Sep 16, 2009)

Goofyhobbie said:


> Prior to June 30, 2009 I did not really take note of the alleged trading power of my traders. But, I was aware that one of the primary factors involved in establishing trade power was EARLIEST POSSIBLE DEPOSIT. Below you can see that BLUE weeks ended up with higher apparent trade power than RED weeks because of when the deposits were made. As of June 30, I started to keep an on-going watch. I noted in a spreadsheet what the UNITS trading power showed at various times so that I could compare over time. (I actually have received good results so far over all.)
> 
> Below is a record of when I deposited and what I deposited. With the history beginning June 30, 2009:
> 
> ...



I can't believe that your week 29 at Sand Castle Cove doesn't see more--I would check with RCI and see if this is a mistake Dawn


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## Goofyhobbie (Sep 16, 2009)

*Owners of Points are NOT Raiders of Weeks Inventory.*



> *Timeos2 said:* Thats exactly right. PFD - and the points system in general - is a way to get MORE deposits and many are in fact weeks but with a points value assigned. The so called "raiding" is a myth.



O. K., saying that our friends who have access to the "Points Vault" are "Raiders" of the "Weeks Vault" is not fair to them.  

They did not buy into the Points concept with the intention of grabbing inventory from the "Weeks Vault."  They converted or bought into RCI Points for the flexibility of traveling one night, two nights, three nights -- You get the idea!

But, RCI, as a corporation, promotes the on-going growth of "Points" and it's profits. Think about it!  They can make more money off of weekend, one nighters, and whatever rather than settling for $164 from two "Weeks" owners who want to exchange a week.

Weeks ownership as a timeshare ownership concept is going the way of the VCR. The concept is an antique. People want flexibility and they should have flexibility. 

I do not criticize RCI and the industry in general for promoting points and making a profit.  But, I think it is unfair that those of us who want to remain Weeks owners can NOT have equal access to RCI inventory albeit one week at a time for our deposited week.

Here is how it works. If, I deposit a Red Week 29 at Sandcastle Cove, New Bern, NC, RCI's computer will immediately assign 40,000 or whatever points denomination to the deposit. 

True it may immediately go to another weeks member that has a search in effect for that particular week or it may be picked up by a Weeks member who just happens to search Weeks inventory and catches it as available. 

But, it definitley is also made available to POINTS owners as needed to supply the demand that may exist for one night or a few nights in New Bern, NC. 

My Gripe is related to the fact that I cannot get access to ANY inventory in the POINTS Vault. I have no gripe with my friends who own RCI POINTS and use them judiciously.


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## timeos2 (Sep 17, 2009)

*PFD makes the system fly*



Goofyhobbie said:


> My Gripe is related to the fact that I cannot get access to ANY inventory in the POINTS Vault. I have no gripe with my friends who own RCI POINTS and use them judiciously.



I think thats where the basic misconception occurs. You do get access to Points deposits IF they are weeks (usually under PFD). But if the deposit occurs under the true points process then there is likely no week for a trade as they, unlike a week, can be used in split days. The demand for that is most likely higher than the supply as it is the very flexibilities that many points buyers are after. Once one day is gone the week ceases to exist and the weeks process doesn't allow for partial exchanges so the pool is closed. 

Again I feel the amount of PFD weeks attracted - which cannot be used as daily as they are not a pure points resort - far outweighs the amount of weeks taken by points members. We don't know for sure but common sense that would tend to be the case. If there weren't PFD those weeks would never get into the RCI systems.


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## akp (Sep 17, 2009)

*Dave, here is my question:*

You said, 

-"Here is how it works. If, I deposit a Red Week 29 at Sandcastle Cove, New -Bern, NC, RCI's computer will immediately assign 40,000 or whatever --- points denomination to the deposit. 

-True it may immediately go to another weeks member that has a search in -effect for that particular week or it may be picked up by a Weeks member -who just happens to search Weeks inventory and catches it as available. 

-But, it definitley is also made available to POINTS owners as needed to --supply the demand that may exist for one night or a few nights in New Bern, -NC."

And here is my question:
Is it a fact that your RCI weeks deposit is made available to points?  Do we know this happens, or do we suspect it happens, or do we mistrust RCI and simply think it is something unfair that those weasels would be likely to do?  

Or put another way, I had assumed that the inventory in Weeks came only from Points for Deposit deposits from Points members.  Am I wrong in that assumption?  And if so, how do we know that?  (Tone is hard to achieve in email/forums so I want to say that I hope this comes across accurately curious and trying to understand the process, rather than challenging or defensive.) 

One thing is incorrect about your description of the process above:  Points members cannot break your weeks deposit into one or two night stays at your New Bern resort.  Points members can do less-than-a-week stays at some (not all) Points resorts, but reservations at weeks resorts can only be made by the week.  

Thanks,

Anita


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 17, 2009)

*Into The Weeks System Now & Into The Points System Later.*




timeos2 said:


> If there weren't PFD those weeks would never get into the RCI systems.


Typically I do a straight-weeks deposit at the earliest opportunity, then I call up RCI and do _Points For Deposit_ with the already banked week at about 120 days before check-in. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Jennie (Sep 17, 2009)

geekette said:


> I hope I'm wrong.  But RCI does not have a history of benefitting Weeks owners.  I cannot fathom them suddenly giving a damn.



Maybe the pending class action lawsuit will force them to do something beneficial. Over a million members will be receiving a postcard and Email notice telling them that RCI is accused of skimming the best weeks from the spacebank and renting them to the general public. There are so many RCI Weeks members who still have no idea that this is happening. Once people learn about it, their reaction may be anger, rage, and a feeling that they have been victimized and scammed. Nobody wants to do business with a company like that. 

A greater effort is being made by resorts to inform their owners of other options e.g. .using the smaller exchange companies.


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## geekette (Sep 17, 2009)

Jennie, I so much appreciate all your work on our behalf!  

And maybe RCI will be forced to do something Weeks members like, but I don't think they would suddenly become generous of their own volition.


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## Goofyhobbie (Sep 17, 2009)

*You are absolutely correct.*



> *geekette said:* And maybe RCI will be forced to do something Weeks members like, but I don't think they would suddenly become generous of their own volition.



IF, and that unfortunately is a big IF, RCI does in fact do something to reverse one or more of their policies that affect Weeks inventory, it will not be because they voluntarily came to the conclusion that the concessions should be gratitiously awarded to the WEEKS Members.

It will be because a very few Timeshare Owners made a point of objecting to the proposed settlement and drew a judge who wants fairness to prevail. 

As someone recently reminded me, generally speaking the preponderance of a "class" in a suit of this type simply act as individuals and either do nothing, or return the notice of a settlement with a simple acquience.   After all, what else is "Joe Blow" going to do?  There is normally no upside to openly objecting. 

If it is necessary and we need to lead a revolt by objecting to the settlement we will have our "Lead Soon."

It is my hope that compromise will prevail and we will in fact receive some adequate if not full concessions. 

When the outcome is known and allowed to be released it is my hope that we as a group can arrive at a consensus and get behind the "Objectors" to support their lead.

If they recommend an objection strategy we should endorse it and help make it happen. But, if they recommend acceptance of whatever concessions are gained we should get behind that.  These folks ("The Objectors" have been in the Lions Den and fought the Lion for all of us, they deserve our respect and our support whatever they decide.

What is apparently going on in this case is UNUSUAL.  The judge listened and pronounced notification as insufficient.

RCI, is now forced to RE-OPEN Pandora's Box which will be a Public Relations nightmare.  Because of the new notifications by E-Mail and Post Card thousands of RCI members who have "NO CLUE" will set-up and take notice. 

The "Backlash" will or should be strong, especially if each of us go out of our way to stir up the "Hornet's Nest."


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## Goofyhobbie (Sep 18, 2009)

*Well What Do You Think About the Change That Has Taken Place?*

By now most of you have noticed explicit changes in the pulling power of your WEEKS deposits.  It started to go into effect September 17th.

Keep in mind that the change (in number of UNITS) available will come across as lower than Pre-May 30th numbers; but some will argue that that the diminished overall number is probably consistent with normal Inventory flux when comparing *Spring* versus *Fall*. 

Once the deposits really start coming in from owners (after 2010 Maintenance Fees are paid) we should look for an increase in available UNITS.

(If that does not materilize we may have something to get riled up about; but unless we continue to see a relatively FLAT or diminished inventory in real time, well into the first quarter of 2009, we probably should consider a watch and wait and see mode.)

Each of us will no doubt see different results; but I can tell you that the experience I have had since about 10 P. M. last night has definitely exceeded my expectation(s).  But, of course, prior to last night my expectations were not that high.  You see, I had never seen any DVC, HGV, and some of the other alleged great resorts when trying to do a search.  I envied you guys who previously had always seen and grabbed great trades; and I can tell you I look forward to one day snagging something that will work for my wife and me. By the way Manhattan Club even showed up a couple of times when I searched for it; but as usual an "error message" quickly followed when I tried to put whatever it was on hold!  

*For those who may be curious I have posted sightings and have identified which of my Units was involved in pulling the Inventory.  *


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## Goofyhobbie (Sep 19, 2009)

*Are WEEKS Deposits and PFD Deposits Separated?*



> *Anita said:* ...., I had assumed that the inventory in Weeks came only from Points for Deposit deposits from Points members. Am I wrong in that assumption? And if so, how do we know that?



Through the POINTS program RCI wants to provide you with access to most if not all of the Resorts that have chosen to be affiliated with RCI.

RCI probably keeps deposits from the "Points for Deposit" (PFD) progam together with WEEKS Member deposits, "Bulk" WEEK deposits from Developers, and HOAs WEEK deposits.

When a POINTS owner signs in as a Points owner, drills down to RCI POINTS ® VACATIONS and enters a Check-In-Date they have two ways to Search for Availability:

1) They can click on the *STANDARD Reservation *option and reserve a unit at any RCI Points affiliated resort, including the home resort if available, and choose any size unit and any length of stay.

2) They can click on *RCI Weeks Reservation * and reserve a unit at one of thousands of RCI Weeks affiliated resorts (If available.) The Reservation must be for seven nights.  

When a WEEKS owner signs in as a WEEKS owner, drills down to SEARCH FOR A VACATION and begins the search, the only inventory available is whatever is in the WEEKS inventory.  There is no access to a *POINTS STANDARD Reservation* option so that the WEEKS owner can reserve a unit at any RCI Points affiliated resort for a seven night length of stay.



> Anita said: One thing is incorrect about your description of the process above: Points members cannot break your weeks deposit into one or two night stays at your New Bern resort. Points members can do less-than-a-week stays at some (not all) Points resorts, but reservations at weeks resorts can only be made by the week.



Anita, if a break-up is done it is done by RCI and not the Points owner for the purpose of providing the POINTS owner with the segment of time desired. 

RCI assigns every week deposited a computerized point value which would easily allow RCI to internally convert the specified week and break it up. 

I suspect that when it chooses, RCI (not the POINTS owner) can take a WEEKS UNIT (at a Resort where WEEKS have been allowed to be converted)  and break an unconverted WEEK up to satisfy RCI's need for inventory if that WEEK is in it's control because a WEEKS owner deposited the WEEK for exchange. 

There are probably quite a few original WEEKS resorts which have many  Summer Prime WEEK owners who have not converted.  If RCI POINTS members are to get access to those Resorts in the Summer and demand is high enough why would RCI not break-up a Week in its control?

Both of the Resorts where I purchased Weeks in the Eighties have ways that a WEEKS member can "convert" their WEEK(S) to RCI POINTS. 

RCI may not consider either Resort as an Affiliated POINTS resort; but I see no reason why that would stop RCI from breaking up my deposited week if the resort accepts daily check-in at the Resort.


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## Carolinian (Sep 19, 2009)

Color me cautious.  I have seen similar leaks or announcements coming out of airlines of changes in ff programs, and for the most part once they officially come out they are in fact significantly more bad than good, but do mix some of both.


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## Cathyb (Sep 19, 2009)

Dave:  Well stated!


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## lawren2 (Sep 19, 2009)

Goofyhobbie said:


> By now most of you have noticed explicit changes in the pulling power of your WEEKS deposits.  It started to go into effect September 17th.
> 
> Keep in mind that the change (in number of UNITS) available will come across as lower than Pre-May 30th numbers; but some will argue that that the diminished overall number is probably consistent with normal Inventory flux when comparing *Spring* versus *Fall*.
> 
> ...




You are the only one saying they now have better trade power. I have seen no improvement in anything I have access to on a daily basis. 

I don't for a minute believe you are now seeing TMC and never had before. To me it would be a lot more credible if it were someone saying they used to see it, couldn't and now can again.

DVC is not a good measure as it has only been available for a very short period of time. It is not quantifiable.


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## akp (Sep 19, 2009)

*RCI Points: Points vs Weeks*

It seems to me that a Points member *should* have access to all the deposits by other points members, whether they are Points resorts or the PFD deposits of Weeks resorts made by other Points members.  You put in X number of points, you take out X number of points.  I don't get why a Weeks member would expect to have access to this?  I wouldn't expect to have access to weeks deposited into the Weeks system.

I know RCI has acted badly in the past so it isn't that I trust them eek: ), but do weeks members have experiences with deposits they've made into the weeks system disappearing and then showing up in the RCI Points / Weeks Reservations database?  THAT would be inappropriate IMO, as opposed to PFD deposits made by Points members being available only to Points members which strikes me as appropriate.

Anita

And regarding the use of partial weeks, the reservations system (currently) only allows partial week reservations of Points Resorts (and not even all of them.)  The Weeks inventory is a totally separate database and it is not possible to reserve it for less than a week.  It isn't a matter of RCI doing it vs owners doing it; under the current system, weeks resorts available to RCI  Points members


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## Jennie (Sep 19, 2009)

akp said:


> It seems to me that a Points member *should* have access to all the deposits by other points members, whether they are Points resorts or the PFD deposits of Weeks resorts made by other Points members.  You put in X number of points, you take out X number of points.  I don't get why a Weeks member would expect to have access to this?  I wouldn't expect to have access to weeks deposited into the Weeks systems



When a Points member accepts the points each year, they are giving up their right to use their "underlying" week (the week they own that has been converted into RCI Points). They have the absolute right to call RCI 12-13 months before the check-in date and tell RCI that they are going to use their week next year instead of accepting points for it. If they fail to call (or do it on-line), RCI automatically takes the week and places it into the Points inventory space-bank. (That is, of course, if they don't sneak it out the back door to one of their many rental programs). 

The Points member who ultimately reserves it, has also allowed his owned week to be deposited into the Points inventory.

When a Weeks member pfd's his/her week into the Points spacebank, they have effectively removed a fixed week from the Weeks inventory and that week is now totally out of the reach of all other Weeks members who might have wanted to exchange into it. Only Points members have access to it for an exchange. But the "underlying fixed week" the Points member gave up the use of that year, remains in the Points inventory and can only be reserved by a Points member.

I know this can be confusing to people who do not have an RCI Points account. But the "bottom line" is that a pfd week adds an additional week to the Points inventory while removing a week that would have otherwise have remained in the weeks spacebank. There is no "underlying week" moved over from the Points spacebank to compensate for the removal of the fixed week via pfd. Points members have the ability to confirm weeks coming from Points owners AND weeks owners, but the weeks owners cannot reserve a deposit made by another weeks owner once it has crossed over to Points inventory. 

I believe this may be one of the major complaints in yet another class action lawsuit winding its way through the courts. If RCI would just focus on providing fair exchange services for its members, it would be a happier more peaceful "timeshare world" for all of us.


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## akp (Sep 19, 2009)

*But when I deposit my week via PFD, I'm not removing anything from weeks inventory*

I feel like the dumb kid at school, like there is something here I'm just not getting.  I'm sorry, and thanks for your patience.  

This last post (from Jennie) said:

"When a Weeks member pfd's his/her week into the Points spacebank, they have effectively removed a fixed week from the Weeks inventory and that week is now totally out of the reach of all other Weeks members who might have wanted to exchange into it." 

But when I pfd my week into the Points inventory, I'm not removing anything from the weeks inventory.  It was never in the weeks inventory.   It is my week to use on my own, rent, or deposit with any exchange company.  Why would weeks members have any claim to it whatsoever?  It is true that it is out of reach of any weeks members who might have wanted to exchange into it, just like it is out of reach of any SFX members who may have wanted it.  

And like I said a few posts above, I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass, I'm just not understanding.  I know there is a lot of history (lots of it bad) with RCI that I'm not privy to because of my newness, and i don't know if I'm missing some fundamental jack-ass-ishness on RCI's part or what.  But I keep reading these claims that it is wrong that Points members have access to Weeks but not vice versa, and I'm still trying to figure out if it is the case that Points members have access to ALL weeks or only weeks that have been PFD'ed.  I can't see why or how we'd get access to ALL weeks, and I can't see why anyone would object to Points owners getting exclusive access to weeks that they've put into the points system for use by other points members.  

My thanks, Anita


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## robertr55 (Sep 20, 2009)

akp said:


> I feel like the dumb kid at school, like there is something here I'm just not getting.  I'm sorry, and thanks for your patience.
> 
> This last post (from Jennie) said:
> 
> ...



Hi Anita...I'm an 18-year weeks owner, and just a 1/2-yr points owner, so I'm probably just "shooting from the hip" here, but my understanding is that to get the points for your PFD week, you have to deposit it as a "week" first (and therefore it becomes part of the "weeks inventory"), and then ask RCI to convert it to points (and thus removing it from weeks inventory?).

Could this be what Jennie's referring to?


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## Jennie (Sep 20, 2009)

robertr55 said:


> ... my understanding is that to get the points for your PFD week, you have to deposit it as a "week" first (and therefore it becomes part of the "weeks inventory"), and then ask RCI to convert it to points (and thus removing it from weeks inventory?).
> 
> Could this be what Jennie's referring to?



Yes! Thank you. That's an important part of the situation that I neglected to mention. 

Look at it another way. For many years, the only way to get an exchange was to deposit a fixed or floating week into *the* one and only spacebank, and receive someone else's deposited week as an exchange. Suppose a large number of weeks members now buy something that qualifies them to have a Points account (in addition to retaining their traditional RCI weeks account). And suppose most of them then deposit their traditional week into the weeks' spacebank and quickly call RCI to pfd it to Points. What would be left in the traditional weeks spacebank to be reserved by traditional Weeks members?

The Points only, amd Points plus weeks owners have access to all of those pfd weeks coming over, and the Weeks only members would have a greatly diminished supply of weeks from which to choose.

If you are a Points only owner, the week underlying your Points membership is automatically deposited into the Points inventory each year (unless you choose to hold it back for your own use). By all means you should have access to all the other Points weeks being deposited under the same program rules. But what if RCI contrived a way to shift thousands of those Points-based weeks over to the traditional Weeks spacebank and you, as a Points owner, could not reserve any of those weeks after they left the Points spacebank. You'd be pretty angry about it. You'd be asking why those weeks owners, who don't even belong to the same program as you, should have exclusive access to the weeks.


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## Goofyhobbie (Sep 20, 2009)

*Thanks*

robertr55 and Jennie I have been off line for the past 24 hours due to a computer glitch and was not available to provide Anita with a follow-up. 

Thanks for sharing your insight.


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## Goofyhobbie (Sep 20, 2009)

*Credibility!*

*lawren2 said:* You are the only one saying they now have better trade power. I have seen no improvement in anything I have access to on a daily basis. 

I don't for a minute believe you are now seeing TMC and never had before. To me it would be a lot more credible if it were someone saying they used to see it, couldn't and now can again.

DVC is not a good measure as it has only been available for a very short period of time. It is not quantifiable.
__________________

lawren2,

Not everyone of the thousands of TUGGERS have reported as yet.

Hopefully others who experiment with their "actual" pulling power will in fact see apparent better trading power. In my case all I did was randomly pick deposits I had previously made and started experimenting with the RCI website. 

Once I had drilled down inside the "Search for A Vacation" area I typed in "Disney Vacation Club" and saw what I saw.  Then I did the same with  "Hilton Grand Vacations", "Samoset Resort" and other individual resort names such as "The Manhattan Club."  

It is possible that out of all of the RCI Weeks members, I was the only one who actually has seen higher trading power.  However, I doubt that I received special treatment and I doubt that what happened to me was a coincidence. 

Unfortunately you are not a "TUG MEMBER" and you cannot see the sightings that I posted on the night of the 17th and the morning of the 18th. But, maybe you know a Tugger who is a member that can verify the postings. 

None of those "sightings" reports involved The Manhattan Club because I never got far enough in the process to see available units.

If you are questioning my credibility, I can assure you that what I observed did in fact happen as I said it did.

Prior to the 17th of Sepetmber, 2009 I have never been able to *see*, hold or confirm, TMC.  But, on or about September 18, 2009 I was able to *"see" *TMC.

Like anyone would be, I was curious and simply typed in "The Manhattan Club" and hit ENTER. The screen that announces number of sightings came up with:

Search Results

1 Resorts 

1 Resorts matched "The Manhattan Club"  

Then when I hit the *Show Results* button I was unable to get further access because of an "error message." 

While the fact that I could see 1 Resorts matched "The Manhattan Club"  was in fact Incredible getting the "error message" did not surprise me.

My "Standard Resort" Sandcastle Cove Week 29  is not a "Tiger." (It is, however, an extremely nice Unit that I am proud to say is mine.

No way did I expect to  to see "The Manhattan Club" pop up, *but it did.*  If it ever happens again I can only assume it would again be followed by an "error message" of some type.


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## bnoble (Sep 21, 2009)

> No way did I expect to to see "The Manhattan Club" pop up, but it did.


I'm not sure I'd call that "popping up".  If your trade power has changed "for real", then you should still be able to see it.  There are still units there.  Otherwise, I'd be inclined to write that particular sighting off as a website glitch.

I don't know what happened to the people who reported increases on the 18th.  I know what didn't happen, though.  Pre-5/30 deposits were not all returned to their old pulling levels.  I know this for a fact because I have such a deposit that used to be a tiger, was declawed on 5/30, and hasn't changed one whit since the 17th.


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## pbenham (Sep 21, 2009)

*No change seen here...*

For two months I've been logging results every couple of weeks for some arbitrary searches (Mar2010, Aug2010 & Mar2011) using two Smuggs weeks.  Today I pulled about 1% more than I pulled on Sept 8th, but that is still about 1% less than what I could pull on Aug 10th and Aug 24th.  

I wouldn't call this up or down – it seems to be within the expected inventory fluctuation.


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## lgreenspan (Sep 28, 2009)

Any updates on what maybe happening?





Goofyhobbie said:


> Earlier today, I heard from a very reliable source that Weeks owners will like some changes at RCI that will be implemented in the very near future for the benefit of Weeks depositers.
> 
> The source could not provide details or indicate how we Weeks owners will benefit; but the news came unsolicited and was very upbeat.
> 
> ...


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## bekachan (Feb 4, 2010)

AwayWeGo said:


> My points timeshare is so dinky (15*,*000 points a year) that all it's good for as a practical matter is snagging last minute _Instant Exchange_ reservations -- you know, a full week reservation for minimal point in whatever's still left on the weeks side within 45 days of check-in, meaning mostly offseason weeks or the dogs & cats of the timeshare world at other seasons.  Some raid.
> 
> I actually get a usable total of timeshare points by doing _Points For Deposit_ with 1 of my straight-weeks (i.e., non-points) timeshares -- depositing an RCI Weeks timeshare into RCI Points (for $27), & getting that weeks-timeshare's points-equivalent value added to my points balance in RCI Points.
> 
> ...



So is this correct...If I have a "fixed" week timeshare which also offers points, I can convert to the points value for $27?

What if it's a floating week and what if the timeshare doesn't offer points?


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## london (Feb 4, 2010)

*How Long To Wait*



Goofyhobbie said:


> Earlier today, I heard from a very reliable source that Weeks owners will like some changes at RCI that will be implemented in the very near future for the benefit of Weeks depositers.
> 
> The source could not provide details or indicate how we Weeks owners will benefit; but the news came unsolicited and was very upbeat.
> 
> ...



Did the source give any indication as to how long it would be before RCI outlines what benefits the weeks owners will get to enhance their membership?


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## DeniseM (Feb 4, 2010)

Please note that this thread is 6 mos. old.


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## eal (Feb 4, 2010)

Well  the good news wasn't a reduction in exchange fees...


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