I.I. not accepting upscale requests

[bobpark56]

I placed a deposit-first request with I.I. this morning, having deposited a June Myrtle Beach unit. Because this is a prime time, prime location studio at a decent resort, I had been hoping to obtain a 1BR unit somewhere in exchange. The problem is that I.I. won't let us request upscale. Their web page forces us to say we will accept a studio unit. Telephone reps at I.I. also say that is what we must do.

The moral here seems to be...if you want to exchange a studio unit for a 1BR unit, submit your requests only for resorts that have no studio units.

That complicates things when you have multiple requests, as it leaves no way to separate resorts where you would accept a studio from resorts where you would not!

I suspect the same logic (or lack thereof) holds if you deposit a 1BR unit and wish to request a 2BR unit. Isn't bureaucracy wonderful?

 

[DeniseM]

This has always been the rule at II - this is not new.

You can only trade up with an Instant Online exchange, OR if the resort you want to exchange into ONLY has larger units - and then it's difficult. A "decent resort" in Myrtle Beach is unlikely to be a strong enough trader to trade up to a larger unit - especially a studio.

If they let everyone with a studio trade up, it would severely limit inventory for people who actually deposit a 1 or 2 bdm. and want to trade straight across.

 

[tschwa2]

II is fairly strict in their treatment of studios. I have a ski studio that is dual affiliated. In RCI I get 27-38 tpu's depending on the week I deposit (NYE and President's are highest) but I can get decent units of any size through out the year. The same unit in II can only do an ongoing search for a studio and even in terms of availability for instant exchange upgrades are limited. For example, during off season in Williamsburg it can pull any size but from May15-Sept 15 it will pull any studio but will only pull about half the available 1 bedrooms and no 2 bedrooms. During flex change the restrictions are relaxed but not not completely gone.

My Marriott one bedroom will see most 2 bedrooms in and off season everywhere but only 3 bedrooms in the off season. The Marriott studio saw a few one bedroom non marriotts but saw mostly studios.

 

[dougp26364]

To "up-trade", you have to do your own searching online. We've been very successful at this over the years but, we've also always looked for shoulder season weeks vs higher demand times.

We've been members with I.I. and they've always gone by max private sleeping capacity when making exchange requests. Quality of resort and season didn't matter when placing a request. We've never been able to make a request of a larger unit only UNLESS the resort we requested didn't offer anything smaller ie: they only have 1 or 2 bedroom units.

 

[bobpark56]

This has always been the rule at II - this is not new.

You can only trade up with an Instant Online exchange, OR if the resort you want to exchange into ONLY has larger units - and then it's difficult.

Are you saying that if I deposit-first a studio and then request at a resort that has both studios and larger units, that I will never get a larger unit...even if a larger unit is all that is available at the moment that unit shows up in inventory?

 

[lll1929]

I think they are saying you cannot request a larger unit than the one being deposited, unless that resort ONLY offers the larger unit.

If you deposit a studio, you can only request studios unless its a resort the only offers 1 or 2bdrm. In that case, you can request the 1bdrm.

II can assign a larger unit to your request.

 

[IngridN]

Are you saying that if I deposit-first a studio and then request at a resort that has both studios and larger units, that I will never get a larger unit...even if a larger unit is all that is available at the moment that unit shows up in inventory?

Not necessarily. I have been assigned a 1 bedroom at a resort with studios for my studio deposit. The majority of the time, I am matched with a studio and upgrade during flex.

Ingrid

 

[dougp26364]

Are you saying that if I deposit-first a studio and then request at a resort that has both studios and larger units, that I will never get a larger unit...even if a larger unit is all that is available at the moment that unit shows up in inventory?

That's about right for most cases. In order to up-trade (go up in size), it's best to do your own search online. Essentially, anything you see online hasn't found a match and is available. That's how we've done every up-trade we've made.

I.I. will match you with like for like if at all possible. That typically means studio for studio. You can request a trade down in size from a 1 bedroom to a studio but, you can't make an ongoing request to trade into a unit with a greater sleeping capacity than the one you have on deposit.

 

[dougp26364]

I think they are saying you cannot request a larger unit than the one being deposited, unless that resort ONLY offers the larger unit.

If you deposit a studio, you can only request studios unless its a resort the only offers 1 or 2bdrm. In that case, you can request the 1bdrm.

II can assign a larger unit to your request.

While it's true they can, if there's a studio available they'll assign the studio. I.I. bases requests on private sleeping capacity (at least as I understand it). If there's almost anything else with the same sleeping capacity requesting the same resort week, they'll get it before a studio deposit. You're the last in line and, the risk is, if another studio unit comes up, you'll get a match into the studio.

 

[hjtug]

While it's true they can, if there's a studio available they'll assign the studio. I.I. bases requests on private sleeping capacity (at least as I understand it). If there's almost anything else with the same sleeping capacity requesting the same resort week, they'll get it before a studio deposit. You're the last in line and, the risk is, if another studio unit comes up, you'll get a match into the studio.

Yes, based upon my experience this is accurate.

Recently I submitted an ongoing request with a studio deposit. I requested some resorts that have studios and larger units, hoping that something larger would come through. At one point (during flexchange window) I got a confirmation for a studio at a Marriott. I canceled that within the 24 hour window. Some days later I got another confirmation for a one bedroom at a nice resort but with only a limited kitchen. I canceled that as well. More recently, while doing an instant online search, I found a one bedroom at the Marriott and grabbed it.

So, you can hope to get an upgrade at resorts with studios in a ongoing search with a studio deposit, but it is difficult. If you submit such a search, and do not want a studio, you need to check your account frequently to make sure you don't get stuck with an exchange you don't want. As mentioned above, you can always use a studio deposit to search at resorts that don't have studios, without the risk. Again, it will be difficult to get what you want, except in flexchange, during off season, or at less desirable resorts.

In any case whenever you have an ongoing search in place it is a good idea to frequently do instant searches as well.

 

[DeniseM]

Are you saying that if I deposit-first a studio and then request at a resort that has both studios and larger units, that I will never get a larger unit...even if a larger unit is all that is available at the moment that unit shows up in inventory?

That's correct - if there is a studio available, the computer will automatically match you to the studio. I think you are assuming that it's II's policy to automatically try to give you a larger unit, and that's not true. The default is to assign an exchange for the same size unit that was deposited. So while it's possible to sometimes get a larger unit, it's not what usually happens - if you need a larger unit, you should deposit a larger unit.

 

[dougp26364]

- if you need a larger unit, you should deposit a larger unit.

Or, do your searches online and do them frequently. It can be done but it takes effort and often some degree of flexablity.

 

[ttlax]

I have a question about this...If I have a studio and place a request at places that only have 2 bedroom or larger it will allow the request. Most likely, the only time the studio would be able to match is during flexchange...will it confirm the request during flexchange before it is available online (in theory at least)?

 

[DeniseM]

I have a question about this...If I have a studio and place a request at places that only have 2 bedroom or larger it will allow the request. Most likely, the only time the studio would be able to match is during flexchange...will it confirm the request during flexchange before it is available online (in theory at least)?

If it's during flex-change - the unit should already be available online.

 

[ttlax]

If it's during flex-change - the unit should already be available online.

Ok, let me rephrase...if I place it now, outside of flexchange where there is probably little or no chance it will get confirmed, will the request keep going in flexchange and would it get confirmed before it went online? Or is online really the only way to grab exchanges like that.

 

[DeniseM]

Ok, let me rephrase...if I place it now, outside of flexchange where there is probably little or no chance it will get confirmed, will the request keep going in flexchange and would it get confirmed before it went online? Or is online really the only way to grab exchanges like that.

It is very difficult to reserve a 2 bdm. with a studio at a prime resort, because there is more demand than supply, and all the members with better deposits than yours, will get the exchange before you do. In other words - with a studio, nearly everyone has more trading power than you do, so you will only get the trade if there is a LOT of availability.

 

[dougp26364]

Ok, let me rephrase...if I place it now, outside of flexchange where there is probably little or no chance it will get confirmed, will the request keep going in flexchange and would it get confirmed before it went online? Or is online really the only way to grab exchanges like that.

If it gets matched, it should confirm. Will it get confirmed before it goes online? I'm not 100% certain about that but, in theory, if there's a request sitting there and it passes any exchange filters I.I. might have then yes, it would be confirmed before it goes online BUT, I'd still search daily (actually several times/day) just to be certain something didnt' slip through.

 

[VacationForever]

If it gets matched, it should confirm. Will it get confirmed before it goes online? I'm not 100% certain about that but, in theory, if there's a request sitting there and it passes any exchange filters I.I. might have then yes, it would be confirmed before it goes online BUT, I'd still search daily (actually several times/day) just to be certain something didnt' slip through.

Don't forget that trading power comes into play. It is not simply whether there is available but also based on what II deemed to have enough trading power to "trade up". If the unit does not have enough trading power then the available inventory will also not show up during on online search using that unit.

 

[ttlax]

Don't forget that trading power comes into play. It is not simply whether there is available but also based on what II deemed to have enough trading power to "trade up". If the unit does not have enough trading power then the available inventory will also not show up during on online search using that unit.

That all makes sense. I can see some really good stuff online sometimes so I was wondering if I had a request in for those places if it would match or if really the only way to grab those units is to see them online. I fully understand the trading power and all of that and that's why I was saying it would probably be in flexchange (because it doesn't have power for a "real" match) when it would match (if it would match at all). My assumption is that if it shows up online there isn't any request out there to match it or it wouldn't show up online. Sounds like in reality its SUPPOSED to match but there are some glitches and maybe it won't.