A peak at 'that man behind the curtain'

[gravityrules]

So much of what I've read about exchanging over the years reminds me of the line from the Wizard of Oz, 'pay no attention to that man behind the curtain'.

I just had an exchange confirmed with an amusing lineage. This exchange was made through VRI's internal exchange system VRI*ety. The VRI*ety system/website is actually run by Trading Places International. The look of the website is also identical to TPI's website, although the inventory is not the same (VRI*ety has inventory that you do not see in TPI). To make this more interesting, both VRI and TPI are now owned by Interval International. My exchange shows the Owner ID of the exchange unit as 'Interval International'.

So I have all 3 organizations (VRI*ety, TPI, and II) shown on my exchange confirmation.

I have been aware for some time that exchange companies trade among themselves, directly with the resorts and/or resort management companies, etc. It appears that an 'exchange company' could operate with little real inventory and instead rely on 'matching up' inventory from their 'sources' with their requests.

Perhaps there is a parallel with the on-line sellers like Amazon, where many items listed are actually sourced from someone other than Amazon. But Amazon does disclose that up front; our exchange companies do not operate with that same degree of disclosure.

 

[Carolinian]

II's purchase of TPI and VRI certainly opens up more opportunity to swap exchange inventory. As long as that is done on a fair and equal basis that is a good thing for all concerned, much better than renting prime exchange inventory to the general public, for instance.

There is also an organization called C.A.R.E. or Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers which includes most of the independent exchange companies, some major timeshare management companies, some developers, and some HOA's. They also swap inventory among themselves, which allows independents to source inventory that they do not have in their own exchange bank.

 

[gravityrules]

Cooperation among independent exchange companies

II's purchase of TPI and VRI certainly opens up more opportunity to swap exchange inventory. As long as that is done on a fair and equal basis that is a good thing for all concerned, much better than renting prime exchange inventory to the general public, for instance.

There is also an organization called C.A.R.E. or Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers which includes most of the independent exchange companies, some major timeshare management companies, some developers, and some HOA's. They also swap inventory among themselves, which allows independents to source inventory that they do not have in their own exchange bank.

I agree, as far as I know the independents are not playing the prime inventory rental game. I didn't know about CARE but it makes sense that there is such an organization.

With the timesharing industry being marketing driven, do you see the independents gaining any ground at RCI or II's expense? It seems most TS owners are not aware of the independents or believe they are not allowed to use them and I think that is exactly how the developers want things to remain.

 

[DaveNV]

I had a similar thing happen to me a few months ago: I own at MROP, which is managed by VRI. My MROP reservation was deposited to VRI, where I talked to the TPI folks to reserve a unit at the Grand Mayan Riviera Maya. When my confirmation documents arrived in the mail, it says the week I reserved is provided by SFX. I'm told this sort of thing happens quite a bit.

Dave

 

[theo]

I need a program to track the players here...

...both VRI and TPI are now owned by Interval International.

I am aware that Interval Leisure Group (the parent company of Interval International --- not II itself) acquired VRI a few weeks ago. I am also aware that the "VRI*ety" exchange platform is actually run by TPI.

I did not know that TPI was owned by II. If true, is this a recent development or "old news"?

 

[Carolinian]

I agree, as far as I know the independents are not playing the prime inventory rental game. I didn't know about CARE but it makes sense that there is such an organization.

With the timesharing industry being marketing driven, do you see the independents gaining any ground at RCI or II's expense? It seems most TS owners are not aware of the independents or believe they are not allowed to use them and I think that is exactly how the developers want things to remain.

I see it more in Europe than in the US, although in the last few years most of my timesharing has been in Europe. I have often found DAE materials in unit notebooks at resorts, DAE magazines in the units, and DAE brochures out in the offices. At one resort in England which is dual affiliated with RCI and II and had an onsite resale office, that office had only II posters on the wall and the person manning it volunteered that if I wanted to exchange, it was best to use II or DAE.

I have also been going to the resort welcome sessions a lot more, and find owners frequently bring up problems with RCI, to which another owner mentions DAE as an alternative before I have a chance to bring it up myself.

On a European timeshare board where I have served as a moderator, we have an active poster who was formerly one of the leaders of MORPS (Members of RCI Points), and he has now dropped RCI and uses DAE exclusively. Having someone who was once so fond of RCI Points to be a leader in one of its online fan clubs switch to week-based exchanging at DAE is really making a statement.

 

[gravityrules]

I did not know that TPI was owned by II. If true, is this a recent development or "old news"?

TPI was purchased by II's parent company in Nov. 2010.

http://www.tradingplaces.com/page?id=55

 

[theo]

Thank you

TPI was purchased by II's parent company in Nov. 2010.

http://www.tradingplaces.com/page?id=55

Thank you for that info and press release link. Even trying to pay attention and having an underlying interest in the topic and the overall game, it's still sometimes hard to tell the players without a scorecard...

Much appreciated.