Are Redweek fees changing?

[ranyMab]

Has anyone experienced recent increases or changes in fees when using Redweek for rentals or sales, and how is it impacting you?

 

[andre10056]

Has anyone experienced recent increases or changes in fees when using Redweek for rentals or sales, and how is it impacting you?

Interestingly, I checked Redweek yesterday to see if there may have been any impact on its number of listings after eliminating "do it yourself" listings a couple of months ago. And was amazed that it appears DIY listings are back. I didn't investigate it too closely as yet via calling Redweek, but that's how it looked to me.

 

[dioxide45]

Interestingly, I checked Redweek yesterday to see if there may have been any impact on its number of listings after eliminating "do it yourself" listings a couple of months ago. And was amazed that it appears DIY listings are back. I didn't investigate it too closely as yet via calling Redweek, but that's how it looked to me.

There is still DIY Verified and Protected. It would also take six months for all true DIY listings to disappear as a DIY listing is good for six months.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I see the DIY option back like it was before, at least I think so.

 

[BigDawgTUG]

I see the DIY option back like it was before, at least I think so.

I'm not seeing it on my end. I see only DIY Verified & Protected (with $99 fee when rented) and Full Service. I'm not seeing the "old" DIY option without verification and without the $99 success fee.

 

[jwalk03]

Still just the 2 options that both include the $99 success fee. No true DIY option.

 

[rickandcindy23]

@DeniseM is absolutely correct that Redweek is pretty indifferent to owners who list even verify/ protect.

For example, I have a week at Sheraton Broadway Resort Villas, a 2 bedroom Palmetto unit, but it's a lockoff. It is the full lockoff, and I sent the week to them to confirm the date, the type of unit it is, and they did acknowledge that it is a lockoff unit, but that is not a unit type I can choose when listing. It shows up as just a 2 bedroom.

They have 2 bedroom, 1 bedroom premium and 1 bedroom small. No choice for the two bedroom lockoff that is the two one bedrooms combined.

Any renter who rents that 2 bedroom lockoff unit is going to be surprised that it's a lockoff. If you have small kids, any age of kids, really, you don't want your kids in a separate unit, unless they are teens. Redweek doesn't care about adding a box for a 2 bedroom lockoff. They are not customer friendly AT ALL. It would behoove the company to take criticism from a person who is listing full service, rather than to say, "It doesn't matter that it's a lockoff unit or a regular 2 bedroom." Well, it sure DOES matter.

Also, people are ridiculous with their low listing prices on Redweek for Sheraton Broadway. Seriously cheap, below the cost of maintenance fees. I am not doing that, and I am not renting much this year, once again.

They also add fees to listings, as though every unit gets charged a housekeeping fee and parking fees. That's nonsense too.

 

[chapjim]

I had a minor victory with RedWeek. I forwarded the reservation confirmation as usual but RW came back with a request for a 3-way telecon with the resort without the resort knowing. (I think @rickandcindy23 mentioned that a while back.) I responded to RW that it was dishonest to do that. I called the resort, got the information RW wanted and sent RW an email with the info and the statement that if this was insufficient, I would cancel the listing and ask for a refund of my listing fee.

The listing went live!

 

[MOXJO7282]

I've been following the Redweek changes hoping that it would create such a back lash that maybe they would revert back and definitely had noticed antidotally that the new daily listings went down considerably. Now over the last few days I didn't receive any posting alerts so hoping business drops so much because of this money grab that they have a change of heart. Probably wishful thinking.

 

[andre10056]

I've been following the Redweek changes hoping that it would create such a back lash that maybe they would revert back and definitely had noticed antidotally that the new daily listings went down considerably. Now over the last few days I didn't receive any posting alerts so hoping business drops so much because of this money grab that they have a change of heart. Probably wishful thinking.

I think Redweek is making too much money by having all money go through them that it won't be changing unless the listing volume plummets to the lowest of low levels. A true DIY of the past got them the listing fee....period! Now, in addition to the listing fee, they get a ballpark 9.5% commission that they collect from the guest and they also collect taxes from the guest.

I don't know if they were getting confronted by tax authorities for previously not collecting taxes on their DIY listings. If so, for that reason alone they'd likely never go back to true, formerly available DIY.

Plus they get $99 from the host (the renter outer) for a successful rental.

All of the above for just one listing may be worth perhaps 5 to 7 DIY listings that were available some amount of months ago.

 

[chapjim]

I think RedWeek is exercising its monopoly power.

There is no serious competition. If there were, RW would not be able to jack prices like it has done.

Koala is a wannabe and mostly shows how difficult it is to enter the market. I don't think AirBnB is in the same market. TUG is but doesn't have the reach that RW has.

 

[MOXJO7282]

Is any one still receiving the Redweek daily new post alerts? I haven't received any since 5/7.

 

[billymach4]

Well despite these changes (Not happy either) Redweek is in fact the big name in town.
Will continue to try Koala. Going to try Vacation Candy. Going to try on FB Marketplace. On the various FB groups.
UGH I may have to try Craigslist and or EBAY. Depends on my level of tolerance and patience.

My point is this. Redweek has been good by me despite being the verified man in the middle.

This change levels the playing field. We all want to get paid as soon as the renter sends the payment to RW. But RW will make us wait.
To date I have not been shortchanged by RW. I don't have to haggle and deal with Q&A either. It rents, I verify, wait then get the payment.

Has anyone also ever considered that since they did away with the DIY this also eliminates another loophole in the DIY vulnerability model.
I know it is against II and RCI rules to rent out an exchange. However we all know that Bad Actors have in the past taken advantage of this by getting a guest certificate listing on DIY. Redweek has no clue since it's DIY and they don't get to verify.

I am sure that II and Marriott as well as RCI have pressured Redweek to close this loophole. What do y'all think?

 

[sponger76]

Has anyone also ever considered that since they did away with the DIY this also eliminates another loophole in the DIY vulnerability model.
I know it is against II and RCI rules to rent out an exchange. However we all know that Bad Actors have in the past taken advantage of this by getting a guest certificate listing on DIY. Redweek has no clue since it's DIY and they don't get to verify.

I am sure that II and Marriott as well as RCI have pressured Redweek to close this loophole. What do y'all think?

It's probably not the timeshare or exchange companies pressuring Redweek; Redweek doesn't get money from them so there's no direct leverage. More likely,some stays were canceled by II/RCI after they discovered rentals of exchanges/getaways. The renters who were denied check-in then likely complain to Redweek. Since vacationers being stranded at the check-in counter with no accommodations can create a bad look that keeps potential customers away, that is likely incentive for them to do something.

 

[billymach4]

It's probably not the timeshare or exchange companies pressuring Redweek; Redweek doesn't get money from them so there's no direct leverage. More likely,some stays were canceled by II/RCI after they discovered rentals of exchanges/getaways. The renters who were denied check-in then likely complain to Redweek. Since vacationers being stranded at the check-in counter with no accommodations can create a bad look that keeps potential customers away, that is likely incentive for them to do something.

While you have a plausible thought. We also need to take into consideration that Marriott has an owning interest in II. Redweek top 25 contains a majority of Marriott properties.

Marriott could wield a heavy hand in persuading Redweek to clean up their act.
We will never know the true reason. I am sure these executives get together at some annual shindig with ARDA or the likes thereof.
It could be that Redweek is simply seeking out more revenue as most suspect.

 

[sponger76]

While you have a plausible thought. We also need to take into consideration that Marriott has an owning interest in II. Redweek top 25 contains a majority of Marriott properties.

Marriott could wield a heavy hand in persuading Redweek to clean up their act.
We will never know the true reason. I am sure these executives get together at some annual shindig with ARDA or the likes thereof.
It could be that Redweek is simply seeking out more revenue as most suspect.

It doesn't matter that Marriott owns II. You are missing the point yet again that neither entity has any partnership or working relationship with Redweek, give them zero money,and therefore have no direct leverage.All direct influence is from Redweek's actual customers - the owners/renters and buyers/sellers who pay membership, listing and/or rental fees to Redweek. Timeshare resorts and II/RCI only have indirect leverage by being able to cancel reservations that violate their rental policies. They have no sanction mechanism against Redweek itself, only against the owners/renters. They have even less (namely zero) leverage over listing of timeshare weeks for sale, as there are no policies that prohibit sale and they cannot block sales just because they were accomplished on that platform.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I am pretty happy that people cannot list dates in 1 and 2 bedroom Disney resorts they received via exchange. On the other hand, they can still rent anything they want by doing a float week ad. They can still rent exchanges that way.

 

[billymach4]

I am pretty happy that people cannot list dates in 1 and 2 bedroom Disney resorts they received via exchange. On the other hand, they can still rent anything they want by doing a float week ad. They can still rent exchanges that way.

Not familiar with the Float week ad and how Redweek verifies? Sounds like you are saying despite fully verified Redweek still has a loophole for people to rent exchanges?

 

[rickandcindy23]

You can still choose the cheaper option and put in a range of dates. It's not their recommended method, but they still have it. You communicate directly with your renter.

 

[BostonKingB]

I was able to get around it by making my listing for the entire year, posting it for $49.99, then editing the listing down to just 7 nights and not paying the extra $10 for verification.

Revolt against revolting redweek revisions!

 

[MOXJO7282]

I was able to get around it by making my listing for the entire year, posting it for $49.99, then editing the listing down to just 7 nights and not paying the extra $10 for verification.

Revolt against revolting redweek revisions!

But how does it show in the weeks listed? If still as the wide date range I think that would bring much less eyes than a 7 night date range.

 

[rickandcindy23]

But how does it show in the weeks listed? If still as the wide date range I think that would bring much less eyes than a 7 night date range.

Those listings show at the bottom of the pile.

Considering a DIY float ad listing for a few resorts to see how it goes. RW refuses to list some resorts because of system rules, like Wyndham resorts they consider to be non-rentable due to Wyndham's stinkin' rules. If I own Shell and no rules on renting, why can I not rent with verify/ protect a unit in summer at Peacock Suites or Little Sweden? They are on the Wyndham blackout list for guests. We own Shell, not Wyndham, so that doesn't fly.

But RW is very unbending, very customer unfriendly, very indifferent to owners' questions about how our weeks are listed. Case in point: I listed a 2 bedroom lockoff at Sheraton Broadway Resort. It shows as a regular two bedroom. How would you like to get a 2 bedroom lockoff, if you have little kids? Our son has 3 kids. What would he think of a lockoff unit with that separate lockoff door? He wouldn't like that. The kids would be too far from their parents.

When I told RW it's a lockoff, they said they saw that it's a lockoff. This is a verify/ protect listing. The people who did rent it have kids. Hopefully the kids are over 12.