HGVC Is Selling Elite to Resale Market

[bobemac]

Yesterday we received a call from a very persuasive woman calling
from HGVC "Corporate" in Orlando.
We have two HGVC properties which total 12000 points annually.
The HGVC sales rep told us that we would receive full retail credit, the
amount paid by the original buyer, for our TS to make a trade.
She then stated that their property manager would sell us a TS at
discounted prices, so that we could attain Elite status with HGVC.
I told the Rep that I had been Diamond with Hilton for ten years,
but since I've retired I don't need Diamond status anymore.
I basically stated that I did not see a real benefit in HGVC Elite.
The HGVC Rep kept mentioning special inventory access through the Elite program.
I told her we have gotten all the TS resorts we need in RCI, including
two consecutive years at WDW Wilderness Villas.
This was an interesting call. I was under the impression that you had
to buy most points directly from HGVC.
Also, I do not see any real benefits from HGVC Elite.
It's certainly not like my American Air Lines Executive Platinum elite.
Any answers here?

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

Yesterday we received a call from a very persuasive woman calling
from HGVC "Corporate" in Orlando.
We have two HGVC properties which total 12000 points annually.
The HGVC sales rep told us that we would receive full retail credit, the
amount paid by the original buyer, for our TS to make a trade.
She then stated that their property manager would sell us a TS at
discounted prices, so that we could attain Elite status with HGVC.
I told the Rep that I had been Diamond with Hilton for ten years,
but since I've retired I don't need Diamond status anymore.
I basically stated that I did not see a real benefit in HGVC Elite.
The HGVC Rep kept mentioning special inventory access through the Elite program.
I told her we have gotten all the TS resorts we need in RCI, including
two consecutive years at WDW Wilderness Villas.
This was an interesting call. I was under the impression that you had
to buy most points directly from HGVC.
Also, I do not see any real benefits from HGVC Elite.
It's certainly not like my American Air Lines Executive Platinum elite.
Any answers here?

Yes, you will get full credit for the two units, she will sell you new points making sure to extract atleast $20K (or more) of new money from you to get you to the elite status. Not worth it.

 

[ricoba]

Since this is the Hilton resale department,(where even their resale prices are higher than the rest of the resellers) they will be able to give you the credit for elite status, whereas another less expensive reseller (eg Seth or Judy) cannot do this. At least that would be my guess.

We bought or week through Hilton resales and still paid more than the real market value vs what I could have gotten off ebay etc.

 

[PigsDad]

This is nothing new. We were offered our original retail sales price as credit towards a new purchase a couple of years ago. Even with the credit, the "new" purchase was way more that just going out and purchasing resale.

So no, they are not really qualifying resale purchases towards elite, they are just giving you a credit towards buying enough "new" points to achieve elite status.

Kurt

 

[Sandy VDH]

At some time in the past they did offer resales from Hilton directly with Elite priviledges. I know because I got one.

I purchased from Joanne and received a Seaworld resale purchase for 12K to combine with my existing Bay Club to receiving Elite status. I did have it written in my contract, so it was delivered. And recently when they were revoking status, mine was revoke, but reinstated, once they looked at my resale contract.

Now this purchase was some 6 years ago and 11K was the going rate at that time. So I figured I paid about 1K premium for Elite. At least that is how I was looking at it. Prices for resales are less than that now. Given the discount for open season and the free 7 booking in club season it would take about 20-30 transactions to break even. I think I have recovered by 1K. But to pay for Elite on the open market it would take a while to recover that cost.

I suspect that the prices offered by Hilton via resales might be higher than that. If your past purchases are resale you will get credit for what the original owner purchased them for. Retail prices have also gone up. These programs at least in the past, you had to pay the difference between what was originally paid and what the going price is now. So generally upgrading via Hilton was not cost effective.

Since I just purchased a resale unit with Elite as a condition of sale. I was not upgrading my other purchases at the time. Just adding a resale and Elite as a single transaction.

 

[misternick]

Just received the same call....

Corporate HGVC from Orlando spoke to my wife who took notes and said we'd call back. I wasn't exactly sure what the heck they were talking about until I found this thread (once again - Many Thanks to all the Tuggers!!!).

Now like Sandy we purchased from a then certified Hilton Resale dept (Joanne P) and had an addendum added to each of our two contracts stating the purchase qualifies for Elite status. So when I call 'corporate' back tomorrow I'll be armed with the information I need to prevent them from revoking my Elite status. It may not amount to much, but I paid for it and I have a legal right to it....

But I am very curious why 'corporate' doesn't appear to have access to my contract spelling out my right to Elite status and just exactly what the heck they are up to. Is this some twisted sales pitch / legal loophole plot to suck money out of unsuspecting owners to get them to spend more money for something they already have? I think the executives at Hilton should re-evaluate if this is the kind of PR they want added to their 'family' name......

JMHO....

Nick

 

[Talent312]

... Now like Sandy we purchased from a then certified Hilton Resale dept (Joanne P) and had an addendum added to each of our two contracts stating the purchase qualifies for Elite status....

Who "certified" this reseller? Was HGVC-corporate a party to your contract?

True, it used to be that if you bought a TS direct from HGVC, you could shoe-horn your other resale points into Elite status. Even if they were to allow you to do that at this point (I won't venture to say), many of us do not believe that it makes financial sense to buy a TS direct from HGVC to get Elite status.
--------------------------
What I would encourage you to do is ask how they justify raising club dues and transactional fees by absurd sums next year, when inflation is nil and more of their C/S work is being done by owners online.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I too purchased from Joanne Peters. She is, (or at least was at last check), employed directly by HILTON. She does resales in W. FL, based in Marco Island.

So I don't think anyone "certified" her. She was able to offer resales with Elite Status as part of the contract. At least in the past.

Misternick did you get your status back?

 

[ccwu]

At some time in the past they did offer resales from Hilton directly with Elite priviledges. I know because I got one.

I purchased from Joanne and received a Seaworld resale purchase for 12K to combine with my existing Bay Club to receiving Elite status. I did have it written in my contract, so it was delivered. And recently when they were revoking status, mine was revoke, but reinstated, once they looked at my resale contract.

Now this purchase was some 6 years ago and 11K was the going rate at that time. So I figured I paid about 1K premium for Elite. At least that is how I was looking at it. Prices for resales are less than that now. Given the discount for open season and the free 7 booking in club season it would take about 20-30 transactions to break even. I think I have recovered by 1K. But to pay for Elite on the open market it would take a while to recover that cost.

I suspect that the prices offered by Hilton via resales might be higher than that. If your past purchases are resale you will get credit for what the original owner purchased them for. Retail prices have also gone up. These programs at least in the past, you had to pay the difference between what was originally paid and what the going price is now. So generally upgrading via Hilton was not cost effective.

Since I just purchased a resale unit with Elite as a condition of sale. I was not upgrading my other purchases at the time. Just adding a resale and Elite as a single transaction.

I was told in the most recent (October 28) owner's update that in order for HGVC to buy back the first resale unit, you have to buy two units from developer, and if they are buying the 2nd at the same time, you need to buy another unit. That is saying, that you can sell three resale units back to HGVC while buying 4 units from the developer or sell one resale to developer and buy two units from developer. They do not do one to one anymore. This is their new policy since September 2009. Further, they do not buy back any affiliate resorts, such as Bay club since 2008. They only buy the resale of HGVC brand.

 

[ccwu]

I was told in the most recent (October 28) owner's update that in order for HGVC to buy back the first resale unit, you have to buy two units from developer, and if they are buying the 2nd at the same time, you need to buy another unit. That is saying, that you can sell three resale units back to HGVC while buying 4 units from the developer or sell one resale to developer and buy two units from developer. They do not do one to one anymore. This is their new policy since September 2009. Further, they do not buy back any affiliate resorts, such as Bay club since 2008. They only buy the resale of HGVC brand.

They told us if you are elite plus or elite premier, you can convert current year's left over point to Hilton HHoner point the same year before 12/31, including your resale points. We upgraded to elite plus by buying two units of Florida the new resorts (Parc Soleil) and sold them back the Waikoloa Beach resort resale. I also own Bay club that they do not want to buy back. We only bought 4,600 points to qualify for elite plus, and that cost me $27K. They said they could buy back my another resale of Flamingo for $37K for elite premier. We refused to pay 10K more.

 

[jsb15]

CCWU:

So am I understanding correctly that you gained 4600 points to gain elite plus status by paying $27K to Hilton? The same number of points you could have bought resale for $5K? I imagine the MF per point is lower in FL than in HI but I can't see how one could justify additional elite perks with these numbers.