Perplexed by severe drop in trading power of SA GC peak weeks

[glenn1000]

Madge,

We purchased 2-bedroom Gold Crown peak South Africa weeks at Castleburn a few years ago. Aware that RCI might some day adjust SA trading power, we chose to pay more for prime time at a prime resort. Our Castleburn weeks traded as well as or better than other SA weeks in the past.

Our recently deposited 2007 Castleburn weeks have awful trade power. I thought that when RCI "fixed" the SA system by calculating appropriate value we would benefit from additional trading power. That has been the case for many people with "better" South Africa week but is not our experience.

Is there a reason why our weeks are valued so poorly? Is it a glitch in the system, is this specific to our resort or is there another explanation?

We have enjoyed many excellent exchanges with RCI and appreciate your participation on the BBS. Thank you for your time.

 

[Aldo]

We have experienced exactly the same thing with our SA weeks. Valued as essentially worthless by RCI...and I return the evaluation...RCI is essentially worthless.

Anyway, you aren't looking at a "glitch" or anything specific to your resort.

I have to wonder if these RCI people are out of their minds. They make money on exchanges, right? They used to make $600 a year or so from us by exchanging our peak and red SA weeks. Now they won't let us exchange them for anything decent or anywhere worth going...so they are out $600 a year from us, and presumably from others. What's that all about?

 

[DianeH]

Here's another angle to this situation: we have had an ongoing search since last February for 2 weeks in Mazatlan for next February. We are using our Dikhololo weeks.

In April we got an exchange into the El Cid. We still have the ongoing search for a companion week. We haven't limited our search to just the El Cid, but have included the other properties that also have a Monday checkin.

What worries me now is the effect BS is having on my ongoing search. Has RCI adjusted my Dik week's worth to now disallow a trade into this resort or the others I have added to the mix?

Thats a scary thought since the airfares have been purchased. Mexico has been a fairly easy trade in the past when given lots of time.

I hope Madge appears soon and addresses our concerns.

Diane

 

[Aldo]

I own a "peak week" which now has practically no trading value with RCI. An ongoing search for weeks returns no results, nor does a call to the VC.

I cannot understand their angle on this.

They supposedly make money by facitating timeshare exchanges.

Now, they will not let me exchange my peak week into standards resorts in the off-season, resorts which I know, from having been there at the time, are mostly empty, and I have verified with other deposits that there is availability.

I don't get this policy of RCI. As it stands, I cannot exchange my week, so RCI doesn't make any money off the exchange fee, and the TS room I have requested to trade into sits empty, so the affiliated resort makes nothing off my presence there, spending money at their place, etc.

It doesn't seem like anybody wins. Everybody loses. RCI doesn't make any money off the exchange, my resort loses eventually because if I cannot trade it, there's no sense in paying the levys, the resorts I would like to trade into lose out because I'm not there spending money, the owners at the resort I'd like to trade into lose out because their room sits empty, decreasing THEIR trading value....Everybody loses.

It doesn't make any sense...it just seems stupid.

 

[Carolinian]

I own a "peak week" which now has practically no trading value with RCI. An ongoing search for weeks returns no results, nor does a call to the VC.

I cannot understand their angle on this.

They supposedly make money by facitating timeshare exchanges.

Now, they will not let me exchange my peak week into standards resorts in the off-season, resorts which I know, from having been there at the time, are mostly empty, and I have verified with other deposits that there is availability.

I don't get this policy of RCI. As it stands, I cannot exchange my week, so RCI doesn't make any money off the exchange fee, and the TS room I have requested to trade into sits empty, so the affiliated resort makes nothing off my presence there, spending money at their place, etc.

It doesn't seem like anybody wins. Everybody loses. RCI doesn't make any money off the exchange, my resort loses eventually because if I cannot trade it, there's no sense in paying the levys, the resorts I would like to trade into lose out because I'm not there spending money, the owners at the resort I'd like to trade into lose out because their room sits empty, decreasing THEIR trading value....Everybody loses.

It doesn't make any sense...it just seems stupid.

. . . All of which makes you wonder if there is some sort of hidden agenda.

 

[Aldo]

Carolinian-

Yes. Either it's just stupid or there is indeed some sort of hidden agenda at work here....although what RCI might hope to gain by damaging owners, affiliated resorts, and themselves escapes me as of yet. The only thing which comes to mind is some of pressure to insist that everybody convert to points.

Everybody wins when exchanges are made...everybody loses when exchanges are restricted.

 

[Loes]

post deleted

 

[Loes]

post deleted, didn't realize it was in the ask RCI forum

 

[Loes]

post deleted

 

[Carolinian]

Carolinian-

Yes. Either it's just stupid or there is indeed some sort of hidden agenda at work here....although what RCI might hope to gain by damaging owners, affiliated resorts, and themselves escapes me as of yet. The only thing which comes to mind is some of pressure to insist that everybody convert to points.

Everybody wins when exchanges are made...everybody loses when exchanges are restricted.

I guess the thing to do is ask them if all of this is somehow related to RCI's parent, Cendant, now being in the development business and buying up timeshare chains.

 

[shar]

Madge

It seems to me that my SA Dikhololo TS weeks that were deposited before what everyone is calling "Black Sunday" have decreased in what they are able to pull up in the past. Was all the trade power readjusted for prior weeks on deposit or just weeks deposited since " the day"?

Shar

 

[DianeH]

Where's Madge?

I just got home and checked for her reply. Is she away?

Diane

 

[JLB]

Idle Chatter:

I believe she has been in South Africa, there being so many available units there.

 

[DianeH]

, that was funny!

Diane

 

[glenn1000]

I am really hoping to see an answer from Madge. I am not asking about my personal account and was not being critical of RCI as we have enjoyed many great trades and have had excellent experiences.

We anticipated adjustment in RCI trade power for SA resorts when we purchased and bought 2-bedroom peak GC weeks. It cost us quite a bit more (and still does in MF). Others with GC SA resorts seem to have been rewarded by maintaining good trading power. Just wondering what is "different" about our experience and if it is a work in progress, a fluke or just a lower demand resort than we believed.

 

[Jay_G]

I had booked two weeks in the Manhattan with mine a few months ago. Then I had to cancel, now the only things I see when I search are weeks that are also availble a bonus weeks for $199-$349. I was wondering if the fact I canceled a booked trip would cause the fall in Value?

 

[Madge]

I respond to the oldest posts first -- this thread has been bumped to the end of the line with each added comment. There are 15 posts and this is my first response. Please feel free to add questions, but I would appreciate it if comments would be held until I can respond at least once.

 

[Madge]

Glenn1000,

Trading Power for South Africa weeks is now calculated in exactly the same way as all other deposited weeks in our system. If you'd like to get an opinion about your specific deposit from the Communications Team, please send an e-mail to feedback@rci.com and enter TUG in the subject line.

Previously, we had to approximate Trading Power for South Africa weeks, relying on information provided by RCI staff in South Africa. We are now able to take into account all of the Trading Power components and weights used for other weeks.

 

[Aldo]

Glenn1000,

Trading Power for South Africa weeks is now calculated in exactly the same way as all other deposited weeks in our system. If you'd like to get an opinion about your specific deposit from the Communications Team, please send an e-mail to feedback@rci.com and enter TUG in the subject line.

Previously, we had to approximate Trading Power for South Africa weeks, relying on information provided by RCI staff in South Africa. We are now able to take into account all of the Trading Power components and weights used for other weeks.

So lets make sure we get this straight, Madge. Longtime readers of this forum and several trade tests indicated, prior to BS, that even BLUE Standard Studios in South Africa were trading as well as, or in some cases, even better than, Red weeks in CG or RID properties in SA.

My own personal experience was that all red SA weeks traded pretty much the same...anyway, the various trade tests on RCI weeks tell the story themselves.

Now, according to you, these pre BS values were based on estimates provided by RCI SA...so, are you saying that RCI SA gave you estimates that all Red weeks in the nation traded pretty much the same, and that certain Blue weeks had even better trading value?

 

[glenn1000]

Thank you Madge. I will e-mail RCI as you suggested about our specific weeks.

Still, out of general curiosity about the RCI valuation system, other SA Gold Crown red-peak weeks appeared to receive appropriate boosts in trading power after the change to take actual demand into account. Here are some quotes from the South Africa board:

"My post-BS 2007 traded drastically different than my pre-BS 2006 week. Both were deposited more than a year out. I am very happy with the tremendous increase in trading power. I own a 2 Bedroom week 27 (peak school holiday week) luxury unit."

"There was a mini trade test from June of this year to investigate the effect of Black Sunday. Showing improved trade power post BS were Strand, Seapointer, Kruger Park Lodge and Wilderness Dunes."

I have not heard of any other SA Gold Crown 2-bedroom peak weeks that lost trading power. It seems like Castleburn should have equal demand as the other resorts mentioned above. Generally speaking, is Castleburn in less demand than the others mentioned?

I have no axe to grind as we have been very happy with our RCI trades. This particular discrepancy regarding this resort just seems odd.

Thanks again for your contribution to the BBS.

 

[JustPlainBill]

The trading power of my S.A. weeks--at resorts that are reputed to be world-class--has been absolutely squashed. Why doesn't RCI just tell us the trading power of all resorts? What's the big secret?

 

[Madge]

so, are you saying that RCI SA gave you estimates that all Red weeks in the nation traded pretty much the same, and that certain Blue weeks had even better trading value?

Aldo,

We received information that I'm sure was true to the best of our knowledge at the time. However, South Africa was using a completely separate system, making that transition difficult. Regardless of prior experience, Trading Power for South Africa weeks is now calculated accurately, according to the same formula that is applied to all other deposits in our system.

 

[Madge]

Has RCI adjusted my Dik week's worth to now disallow a trade into this resort or the others I have added to the mix?

DianeH,

Unless specifically requested, RCI is not withdrawing previously deposited weeks and re-depositing them to effect the new Trading Power process. Your deposit will have the same priority now as it did when it was first deposited. That will only change if you confirm and then cancel an exchange. Trading Power would then automatically be recalculated.

 

[Madge]

This particular discrepancy regarding this resort just seems odd.

glenn1000,

If you'd like someone to review your account specifically, please send an e-mail to feedback@rci.com with TUG in the subject line. The Trading Power components used for South Africa weeks are now the same as those used for all other deposits in our system. Trading Power may look more as you would expect as more exchange requests, confirmations, and comment cards come in.

However, it is not possible to tweak, bump, or otherwise alter the Trading Power of deposited weeks. (Note that Trading Power is recalculated when you cancel an exchange against your week.)