• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Exchanging II - Trading Power

AleG

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2020
Messages
15
Reaction score
1
Points
63
Hi! I hope you are all doing well.
First, I am new on TUG and learning a lot.
I have a question regarding exchanges done through II. I like to deposit my unit first (so I can have 2 years from my check in date to use it and be able to continuously search for options and new resorts) and then search on the available inventory. Sometimes I have luck on what I am trying to find regarding the unit but most of the times the dates are terrible. So, I am wondering, is there such thing as Trading Power when you deposit your unit first? Let’s say, I have a premier resort so exchangers with elite resorts will get better options on the available inventory? If someone can please explain a bit what the best ways are to exchange, I will really appreciate it! And, if depositing an elite resort will get me more options on the available inventory, I will also appreciate if you mention which resorts have that “high trading power”.
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2019
Messages
799
Reaction score
475
Points
73
Location
St. Louis
Resorts Owned
Welk Resorts
From my experience you are correct. The higher rated the resort, the better trading power. Marriott's do very well as does Welk and Hyatt.
But the main thing is depositing the highest demand week from your resort as possible. Which resort do you own at and its location, if it's not flexible points makes a difference.
For example: If I deposit a week in a 2BR in Branson in February, it's not gonna get me a week at a Marriott in Hawaii during the summer. But if I deposit a week at Welk's Northstar Lodge in Tahoe on Christmas week, I could get pretty much anything I want, or at least have an extremely good/the best possible chance at it.
 

GetawaysRus

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
1,587
Reaction score
1,085
Points
523
Location
Southern California
Resorts Owned
Marriott Desert Springs Villas 2
Marriott Grand Chateau
On the subject of trading power for a newbie:

I trade through Interval International. Trading power seems to be a mix of several things, but I don't know the "formula." I find Interval to be something of a mysterious black box.

The desirability of your resort is important.

Another important factor is the Travel Demand Index (TDI) for the week you are depositing. That's basically the desirability of your week. You will find the TDI for your resort on the resort's information page on the Interval resort directory (it's based on region). It's a scale centered around 100. Higher TDI gives you better trading power. So if I am reserving a week to deposit and trade, I want a week with a high TDI.

Another factor is what type of unit you deposit. That is, 2BR > 1BR > Studio. But this doesn't mean that a studio might not be able to get a good trade.

How far in advance you deposit makes a difference. Close in deposits are likely worth less.

In terms of searching for a trade, I do best if I search (or place an ongoing search) well in advance so long as I can make advance plans.

Hope that I'm not being too basic for you.
 

HudsHut

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,978
Reaction score
1,229
Points
548
Welcome, AleG:
Yes, trading power is always a factor. Much depends on your resort/week combination.

When you set up an ongoing search, you must watch your email or your II account every day. You only have 24 hours grace period to cancel if the match won't work out for any reason. If you log in to your II account and don't see your deposit under Exchange > My Units, then it has matched and you look in My History > Exchanges. Once in a while there is a glitch and the email of your confirmation does not show up right away. That is why you must log in.

Some people like to reserve well in advance; others enjoy making their reservations closer to travel time. The period within 59 days of check-in is called flexchange. Some trade power restrictions are reduced during this time; Interval provide this incentive to its Members to make a trade before the week becomes useless.
 

AleG

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2020
Messages
15
Reaction score
1
Points
63
Hi! Thank you all for your help!

I own a 2br lock-off at The Royal Sands (RSD) week 49 which it has a TDI of 115. I normally exchange studio and 1 br and deposit both units as soon as I received them (2 years in advance). But what I normally do is: deposit the units and then search daily the available inventory manually, it has kind of work in the past. My issue is that I if I search with the studio or 1 br unit I get the exact same inventory available; I do pay a room size upgrade (always $59dlls more in the studio).

So, I still don’t understand how the trading power works.

If the units are already deposited how will they manage to show more/better inventory for those who deposit “better” units and less/worst inventory for those who deposit “bad” units.

And if that is the case, what resorts would you all recommend buying (obviously resale as I have learned from TUG) that will give me high trading power (more inventory). The resorts I like to exchange for are: Grand Luxxe NV, Grand Solmar Lands End and Rancho San Lucas, Vista Encantada, Grand Lodge on Peak 7, Grand Colorado on Peak 8 (ski season) and Four Seasons Aviara. I know the best way is to buy from them and avoid the exchange process, but I do enjoy the process and like to get good deals for my money. I am considering buying FSA but don’t know if it’s a good deal as I may not use it much and just end up exchanging in most occasions and the MF is kind of high.
 

amycurl

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2011
Messages
3,071
Reaction score
3,117
Points
449
Location
Greensboro, NC
The best stuff goes to ongoing searches, first--that's why you're not seeing much of the good stuff just sitting there in open inventory. If you know what you want, and more or less when you want it, the key to II is to set up an ongoing search--an OGS--against your deposit. The full two-bedroom will pull more than the studio and one-bedroom alone. I have a strong trader in II, but it works best when I put in an OGS, because others that have put in a search for that exact same thing will get that thing before I see it in open inventory, even if my trader is "strong" enough to see, everything else being equal.

Does that make sense? The important of the OGS in II is the thing that seems to be missing in how you are approaching trading.
 

HudsHut

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,978
Reaction score
1,229
Points
548
You will not always see the same with the 1br and with the Studio. Many times you will see the same, but not always. If you are usually searching for Mexico, it is very easy to trade into most resorts in Mexico, even the Elite ones.

Once you deposit your unit, it is available to II's inventory. It will either get matched to another Member's ongoing search, or it will sit in open inventory until someone makes an online exchange for it.

If one searches with a TDI 150 week, one will see more results than if one is using a TDI 115 week. (You don't know what you can't see until you compare with a friend, or go tot he TUG Sightings board to see what is being posted.) During flexchange, the two weeks may see the same results.

What part of the country do you live in? If you reside in the Western side, WorldMark would be a good choice for trading. Also, the four Marriott resorts in Palm Desert.
 

mdurette

Sighting Expert & TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2008
Messages
7,693
Reaction score
5,289
Points
748
Location
New England
So, I still don’t understand how the trading power works.

Ha....and there are many of us here that have been around for years and still don't! Seriously though, II can be a mystery sometimes.

Your best thing to do:
1. Deposit highest demand weeks for your resort with II
2. Set up On Going Searches for what you want well ahead of time. The more options you give the better your chances for a match.

Yes, with constant searching you can find what you want. But these are typically just the left over units, the first ones go to people that have OGS set (usually)
 

NiteMaire

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
1,471
Reaction score
1,286
Points
374
Location
Living Aloha in Kaneohe, HI
Resorts Owned
Marriott G. Château
HVC Sedona Summit
VVR The Colonies
! And, if depositing an elite resort will get me more options on the available inventory, I will also appreciate if you mention which resorts have that “high trading power”.
Resort level (Elite, Premiere, etc.) matters, but it's not the only. and may not be the top. criterion used. Other criteria discussed at the bottom of my post.

High trading power is subjective and depends on what you desire. If you want to stay in a Marriott, it's probably best to purchase a Marriott. Hyatt is a very powerful trader, but as I understand it you can't trade into another Hyatt through II (although Hyatt has an internal system for trading). Stormy Point Village Resort in Branson is an elite resort, but neither Stormy Point nor Hyatt will see Marriott units deposited with preference. By the time preference ends (21 days or so), most, if not all, good units are gone. Sometimes Marriott will deposit units without preference, but they typically put the better seasons/units in preference. Yes, there are exceptions. I presume if you get one of the 150 TDI weeks, it could be a fantastic trader into resorts without preference, including MVCI and Vistana units. I used Marriott in my example, but there are other systems that give preference internally.

If I deposit a week in a 2BR in Branson in February, it's not gonna get me a week at a Marriott in Hawaii during the summer.
If you deposit an Elite 2BR resort, will you not be able to get a gold, silver, or basic 2BR, 1BR, or studio unit in Hawaii? I understand (and lean toward agreeing with) the logic, but do we know this to be true? My premiere/gold Colonies at Williamsburg unit has seen plenty of weeks in Hawaii, some of which were Summer. Then again, it's a 150 TDI week, so it presumably has more trading power than a low TDI unit in Branson.

It would be interesting to see what Stormy Point Village Resort is able to pull with a low TDI week.

I trade through Interval International. Trading power seems to be a mix of several things, but I don't know the "formula." I find Interval to be something of a mysterious black box.
It is a mysterious black box with an undisclosed formula/algorithm, but tuggers speculate think it's a combination of: resort level/quality; TDI (supply/demand) for location/area, specific resort, and deposited week; # bedrooms; kitchen type; resort ratings from traders; date of deposit; deposit first vs request first; and maybe a few others I've missed. Some will tell you that the # of bedrooms carries significant weight, maybe even the most weight...but none of us really know.

Edited for clarity.
 
Last edited:

AleG

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2020
Messages
15
Reaction score
1
Points
63
If one searches with a TDI 150 week, one will see more results than if one is using a TDI 115 week.
Your best thing to do:
It is a mysterious black box


Thank you all for your input! I am kind of understanding a bit more, but as @mdurette and @NiteMaire said it’s difficult to understand how II trading power works, hope I can get better with time.

@HudsHut you are right! I did several searches and did found out I was wrong, and I do get different inventory results on certain weeks using a studio, 1 br or 2br. I do like to travel more to the western side including Mexico western side, so I will be looking for a resale with high trading power (peak weeks for that resort) and low MF, not planning to use it EY instead exchange with it most of the time. If anyone has any good options, I will appreciate them. But from what I learned from @NiteMaire I will first have to choose which vacation club will be better for me, as the available inventory will depend on it.

As far of exchanging, I will change my method and I will begin using OGS. As I am new with OGS, I have a question regarding possible units I can get. For example, with 1br I see week 35 on certain resort but with the studio I don’t see it (on available inventory), if I place OGS for that week with the studio is it possible to get that week or it will be just a waist of time as it will never match it bc the trading power won’t even be able to get it?
 

DannyTS

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2018
Messages
5,753
Reaction score
3,076
Points
348
Hi! Thank you all for your help!

I own a 2br lock-off at The Royal Sands (RSD) week 49 which it has a TDI of 115. I normally exchange studio and 1 br and deposit both units as soon as I received them (2 years in advance). But what I normally do is: deposit the units and then search daily the available inventory manually, it has kind of work in the past. My issue is that I if I search with the studio or 1 br unit I get the exact same inventory available; I do pay a room size upgrade (always $59dlls more in the studio).

So, I still don’t understand how the trading power works.

If the units are already deposited how will they manage to show more/better inventory for those who deposit “better” units and less/worst inventory for those who deposit “bad” units.

And if that is the case, what resorts would you all recommend buying (obviously resale as I have learned from TUG) that will give me high trading power (more inventory). The resorts I like to exchange for are: Grand Luxxe NV, Grand Solmar Lands End and Rancho San Lucas, Vista Encantada, Grand Lodge on Peak 7, Grand Colorado on Peak 8 (ski season) and Four Seasons Aviara. I know the best way is to buy from them and avoid the exchange process, but I do enjoy the process and like to get good deals for my money. I am considering buying FSA but don’t know if it’s a good deal as I may not use it much and just end up exchanging in most occasions and the MF is kind of high.
The TDI chart may lead to the idea that it is specific to your resort but it is actually specific to the area. I do not own at the Royal Sands so I cannot search and compare with what I own but I noticed the resort is All inclusive mandatory in Interval (even if AI may not be mandatory for owners). Most people avoid such resorts because the cost is around +300 USD per day for a family of 4 and because many people who go to timeshares are used to preparing some of the meals in the unit. For that reason, I doubt that you are getting the full trading power with your unit but I may be wrong, as others suggested II is a black box.

Because Interval is owned by Marriott, it may slightly favor their own resorts (as well as Vistana) The resorts are already very good quality so they should all have good trading power but people have reported getting excellent trades even when they deposited low season. Not that I recommend buying low season, it is better to have something good in case you need it. So even if you do not need the Vistana or the Marriott priority, it does not hurt to buy one of them, I feel there is more protection in the long run concerning the trading power.

With that being said, I would first try to use what I have already, see if it works for you. Reshuffling the portfolio is not always easy, especially the selling part.
 

HudsHut

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,978
Reaction score
1,229
Points
548
<<For example, with 1br I see week 35 on certain resort but with the studio I don’t see it (on available inventory), if I place OGS for that week with the studio is it possible to get that week or it will be just a waist of time as it will never match it bc the trading power won’t even be able to get it? >>
Yes, it is possible, but not guaranteed. It is more possible when it is closer to check-in date.

I wanted to clarify this sentence:

<< If one searches with a TDI 150 week, one will see more results than if one is using a TDI 115 week. >>
This assumes there are more units in inventory (e.g. holiday weeks, larger units, or higher season). If all of the current inventory is off-season, both weeks may see exactly the same results.
 

sue1947

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2009
Messages
1,748
Reaction score
1,193
Points
523
Location
Seattle
Resorts Owned
Worldmark and VI
As far of exchanging, I will change my method and I will begin using OGS. As I am new with OGS, I have a question regarding possible units I can get. For example, with 1br I see week 35 on certain resort but with the studio I don’t see it (on available inventory), if I place OGS for that week with the studio is it possible to get that week or it will be just a waste of time as it will never match it bc the trading power won’t even be able to get it?

Sometimes an OGS seems to boost the trade power just enough. So it can't hurt to include it in the studio search. However, you have to be realistic. Don't expect this to work with a low quality studio vs a high quality/desirable 1 BR. However, with the same week and same resort the difference may be small enough to work. I've had a situation where I wasn't able to see a week in inventory with my deposit, but knew it was there by searching with a higher power week. I set up an OGS and it matched. Other times, it hasn't worked so it really has to be something where the trade power is pretty darn close.
 

liongate88

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2020
Messages
136
Reaction score
27
Points
88
Resorts Owned
DVC (AUL), WKV, SVV, HGVC (BLVD, GW, Elara), HRC , WM
Ha....and there are many of us here that have been around for years and still don't! Seriously though, II can be a mystery sometimes.

Your best thing to do:
1. Deposit highest demand weeks for your resort with II
2. Set up On Going Searches for what you want well ahead of time. The more options you give the better your chances for a match.

Yes, with constant searching you can find what you want. But these are typically just the left over units, the first ones go to people that have OGS set (usually)
Hi, If your resort Has a deeded week 41 would this be the week you deposit in IL? Or you can reserve say week 52 in a 1-52 week float and deposit it with IL, if available? As you mentioned above “Deposit highest demand weeks for your resort with II” Thanks!
 
Top