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Poll: What is maximum price would you be willing to pay ($) for StarPoints (cents/SP)?

What price would you be willing to pay ($) for StarPoints (cents/SP)?

  • 1.0 <1.3 c/SP

    Votes: 9 11.7%
  • 1.3 <1.6 c/SP

    Votes: 11 14.3%
  • 1.6 <1.9 c/SP

    Votes: 25 32.5%
  • 1.9 <2.2 c/SP

    Votes: 13 16.9%
  • 2.5 <2.8 c/SP

    Votes: 4 5.2%
  • 2.8+ c/SP

    Votes: 1 1.3%
  • Not interested

    Votes: 14 18.2%

  • Total voters
    77

DavidnRobin

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How about a poll? (don't think we have done once since BBS changeover)

What is maximum price would you be willing to pay ($) for StarPoints (cents/SP)?

Straight-foward - if SPG were to offer (as they do) to buy SPs.

This is intended as a consensus view - no wrong/right answers.
 
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DavidnRobin

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Bump.
Just 30 votes? Does VSE TUG forum really have that low of viewership?

Based on a small statistic - looks like TPG has SPs at a much higher cost (2.7c/SP) than people who cared to opine in this poll.
 

DeniseM

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Hi Dave - The thread got 213 views, but if you only own resales, and don't have a Starwood AMEX, you might not be interested in Starpoints.
 
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DavidnRobin

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Hi Dave - The thread got 213 views, but if you only own resales, and don't have a Starwood AMEX, you might not be interested in Starpoints.

Are 'Views' - unique views? That would make the WSJ thread views enormous.

There is a No Interest choice, but I understand - this is for SP value. I would think that based on how many people deal with SPs here - even lurkers - more than 30 votes. Perhaps, goes to show how few VSE owners even view VSE TUG - sadly, because a lot of great info here. Also, if traffic has been reduced.

Surprised, that only 25 votes since it takes about the same amount to view as to vote (anonymously).

I was just curious about consensus view as compared to reported values.
I am getting better usage for UR points (difference between Spend and Buy) - perhaps for ex-US SP travel value, but suspect typical usage is more like ours. Perhaps not.

Anyway, n=25 is too low for consensus amoung VSE Tuggers SP value (Buy).
So... Fail. Other than supporting my view on SP Buy.

On a side-note: 40,000th in line for on-line Hamilton tickets (SF public sale today) - 100 minutes and now at 33,000. Luckily I had the foresight to join SHNSF last March.
4 hours after opening - 11,000th in line :D
 
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DeniseM

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I tested it and 229 appears to be unique views, since I couldn't change the number by looking at it multiple times.
 

PamMo

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Dave, I think most people in this forum have Starwood/Vistana timeshares, and are more interested in StarOptions vs StarPoints. But, you're obviously a numbers guy and love this stuff. Six distinct values for StarPoints between $.01 and $.028+ :eek: takes some heavy calculation when you just toss the question out there. For me, what I'd be willing to pay per SP depends on whether or not I have a need/use for them. Right now, I'm flush with points all over the place, so I have no interest in purchasing more. My answer could be very different in a few months.
 

VacationForever

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I just used up about a million MRPs to book 3 Marriott travel packages in the past 3 months, with more than half converted from SPs. I am in need of points as point inventory is running low. As such, I am willing to pay more for SPs.
 

DavidnRobin

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Dave, I think most people in this forum have Starwood/Vistana timeshares, and are more interested in StarOptions vs StarPoints. But, you're obviously a numbers guy and love this stuff. Six distinct values for StarPoints between $.01 and $.028+ :eek: takes some heavy calculation when you just toss the question out there. For me, what I'd be willing to pay per SP depends on whether or not I have a need/use for them. Right now, I'm flush with points all over the place, so I have no interest in purchasing more. My answer could be very different in a few months.

Thanks for input - This poll was an offshoot of the TPG placing a 2.7c/SP value (3x MR points) - which I think is way overpriced to buy, and wanted to get other's opinions. This poll was intended for current Buy price (which would be 'not interested' for you) without regard to number owned. I agree that SP Buy depends on needs and how many one already has. You wouldn't buy at 1c/SP if SPG offered? (which they wouldn't). I would - and convert to miles. I am passing on 35% discount (2.275c/SP) being offered to Robin.
 

dioxide45

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I tested it and 229 appears to be unique views, since I couldn't change the number by looking at it multiple times.
This is different than vBulletin. In the previous version of the forum, it was any and all views.
 

canesfan

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I finally voted. To be honest I really don't know what would price point would drive me to purchase. Below 2c but it would be an unique situation that would ever bring me to purchase vs just earn.
 

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I just bought a large bucket of points for 1.9 cents apiece, but declined to purchase additional points for 2.1 cents apiece. My vote in this poll and in other threads has assigned a "floor value" of 2 cents per point. In other words, given my usage patterns, I feel comfortable that I will be able to redeem them on a regular basis for greater than 2 cents. Things may change in 2018 with the emergence of a combined SPG/MR rewards program, however.
 

PamMo

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Well,
...You wouldn't buy at 1c/SP if SPG offered? (which they wouldn't). I would - and convert to miles. I am passing on 35% discount (2.275c/SP) being offered to Robin.

OK, I'd JUMP at $.01!! (I did vote for 1.6<1.9c/SP as my limit, though.)
 

DavidnRobin

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It is challenging to create a poll on this topic that has multiple caveats, and why I tried to keep it as simple as possible without considerations to these caveats. Really asking what one thinks that their price is for buying SPs (from SPG) based on their needs/views, and not that of others.
Thus, looking at a concensus view - which looks like somewhere just a bit lower than 2c/SP (albeit with low statistic).

Anyway - thanks to those that took time to think about this and voted.
Voting is still open for those that just saw this and want to input.
 

duke

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You may get quite a valid survey with the question of "how much would you SELL your StarPoints for?".
 

DavidnRobin

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You may get quite a valid survey with the question of "how much would you SELL your StarPoints for?".

Except that is truly variable and dependent on how much one paid for them - and that only SPG offers to sell SPs (3.5c/SP w/o discount).
Do you think that TPG placed a 2.7c/SP value as a Buy or Sell number? I think Buy...

Perhaps the question would be - what is your target usage value? (but that also depends on need...)

As a Sell price - all sorts of fuzzy math possible and followed by associated boasting (like when we stayed at Westin Paris that had a back-of-door price of $1200/nite for 5 nite stay that only cost 60K SPs in 2009 {brag} - not that I would ever spend that much cash/nite). VSE Sales depends on this use of fuzzy math - 1st class ticket for two to Rome and 5 nite stay at highest-end hotel (valued at $28,000) - they used these values on me as justification to buy more WPORV.
 

vacationtime1

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Perhaps the question would be - what is your target usage value? (but that also depends on need...)

That is my buy price -- less discounts for Vistana's unilateral right to devalue the currency, my personal circumstances including how many StarPoints I currently have and expect to use before they devalue them again, a time/money differential, and my desire to get a good deal.

Vistana's fuzzy math is totally irrelevant to me. I would never pay $10K for a first class ticket to Rome or $1,600/night for a hotel room so I would never buy StarPoints based on Vistana's proposed usage; I would buy only for my anticipated usage.

Which is how I calculated my $0.02 worth of value.
 

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Where do you buy star points? Is the price negotiable? What is the best way to use them?
 

dioxide45

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Where do you buy star points? Is the price negotiable? What is the best way to use them?
You can buy them directly through SPG. The price is not negotiable, but they do sometimes run promotions where you can buy them at a discounted rate. I think also those that in the past bought developer Starwood weeks got certificates that allowed them to buy discounted StarPoints. Not sure if they still offer that under Vistana, but I doubt it would make sense to buy direct for that privilege.
 

DavidnRobin

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Right now they are discounting StarPoints - check out SPG.com -there is/was a promotion going on.

I got offered 30% off, and Robin got offered 35% - not taking it.
If I got 50% off (17.5c/SP) I would reconsider.
YMMV w/ or w/o fuzzy math regardless of methodogies or justifications of SP buy/spend.
How's that poll doing?
 

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Poll from 1 year ago.
Anyone want to add/change their vote?

WSJ Owners have offer to buy at 1.65c/SP.
The Point Guy put a value of 2.7c/SP.
 

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For what it's worth, I'm a statistician who works in survey research and design. Pricing related research is very difficult to conduct and get meaningful data for b/c respondents have a self-interest in lowering what they say they will spend on something.
 

bobpark56

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Until the end of this month, I can buy up to 110,000 starpoints for 1.65 cents per point. I could then use those starpoints for airline tickets. Unfortunately, going that route would cost me more than paying cash for the airline tickets. Using the points for stays in hotels like Westin Palacio (Madrid) or Westin Valencia makes much more sense. Not sure I could say the same for stays in the US. I guess that says that 1.65 cents per point tests my upper limit.
 

VacationForever

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For me, buying directly from SPG, anything around 2.2 cents and under is good. I convert my timeshare at as high as 3.2 to 4 cents per point but then I have too many timeshares and not enough time to use, so converting is still a good alternative. I probably get back 3.3 to 4 cents per point in value when I convert to Marriott travel packages.
 

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For what it's worth, I'm a statistician who works in survey research and design. Pricing related research is very difficult to conduct and get meaningful data for b/c respondents have a self-interest in lowering what they say they will spend on something.

I don't disagree, but as per thread - this came from TPG putting a 0.9 c/MP value that at a 3:1 conversion equals 2.7c/SP. (So I was indirectly calling BS on the TPG value... too high).

SPs are sold by SPG for 3.5c/SP at retail, and sometimes at 30% discount (or 35%/50% lottery). Also, at a discount in buying Explorer packages, or as incentives (as bulk) for purchasing a VOI/Points from VSE. In all of these cases - 1.65c/SP offered to WSJ Owners is less than these values - even for bulk package incentives and EP. The only cheaper is using of the AMEX SPG card.

This poll was merely for a consensus on what an individual considers their value (to purchase). I agree it would tend to the low side, but what is truly problematic is that the statistic is too low. Regardless, the 1.65c/SP offer happened to be in the range that had most votes based on the poll that was from 1 year ago (before this offer/discussion). It met my personal price point that I set years ago and I bought them because we had gotten low since we gave up the AMEX SPG (for Chase Sapphire) after Costco split.

The value of a SP to an individual is based on both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors - and importantly related on how many SPs that are already owned, and their potential for use (getting maximum value). The use (sell) value is the harder one to quantify. The purchase is straight forward, the use (sell) value is the one with the fuzzy math involved - and certainly hordes of stories (boasts) of maximum value usage (usually ex-US - Europe/Asia).
 

DavidnRobin

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Until the end of this month, I can buy up to 110,000 starpoints for 1.65 cents per point. I could then use those starpoints for airline tickets. Unfortunately, going that route would cost me more than paying cash for the airline tickets. Using the points for stays in hotels like Westin Palacio (Madrid) or Westin Valencia makes much more sense. Not sure I could say the same for stays in the US. I guess that says that 1.65 cents per point tests my upper limit.

I converted SP to AA miles with 20% bonus. For 80K SPs I got 100K AA miles and then flew SJC to EWR 1st class (RT/NS) for 50K each. If using 1% as standard CC amount (such as AMEX) - those flights were fuzzily $400 each (bargain). Then used SPs to stay at a Cat 6 in NYC (LPM) at 16K per nite ($160/nt no tax) that has an SPG discount rate of $450/nt (after tax). Not a great return on a SP value, but I would not pay $450 night so the SPs afforded us the ability to stay at a nice hotel in NYC.

We used up our SPs - so I bought more - for US usage - no ex-US plans. I may not have if we hadn't run low. We gave up AMEX SPG card so no way to accumulate - and conversion is often a poor deal (esp. WSJ-VGV).
 
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