Recently purchased Ebay week added to DC program for no additional charge

[Clemson Fan]

I didn’t want to advertise this until I was able to confirm that it went through, but Marriott just added a week that I recently purchased through Ebay to the DC program. The kicker is they didn’t charge me extra to add it on.

The story goes like this. I enrolled my previous weeks (all purchased resale) in the DC soon after it was announced and I paid the $1995 to enroll the weeks. Then, back in Sept/Oct there was a deal on Ebay I couldn’t pass up and it was for a week that I planned on using anyway. I actually didn’t care if I could use it in the DC program or not. After the week closed back in late Nov, I called Marriott to make sure it had been added to my overall ownership account and it had. I then asked the guy I was talking to whether it would be put in the DC program and he told me flat out it wasn’t eligible nor would it ever be eligible. I said OK because frankly I really didn’t care.

Well, I needed to call in a few weeks later for something simple and I asked the lady on the phone the same question about enrolling it in the DC program. She was super nice and did a test to see if she could enroll it and bingo – she was able to enroll it without any difficulty. I asked her if there was any charge and she said NO since I already paid my $1995. She just told me I would get a confirmation e-mail which I needed to respond to with my acceptance of the terms and conditions. I got that e-mail and responded to it. I just called Marriott again today for something else and I was able to confirm that indeed ALL my weeks are enrolled in the DC program.

I don’t really plan on using that week at all for the DC program, but Marriott should using that one rep as an example of how customer service should be provided. IMO, the DC program would be much more highly thought of and accepted if they allowed all weeks to be enrolled (without that June 20th, 2010 deadline) for a nominal fee or no fee.

 

[billymach4]

Well I tell you what......

Since you have made this information public I thank you.

However I would think that Marriotts DC backend system has some holes....

Gaping holes.

I would not be surprised if someone analyst now runs a query against their inventory system looking for weeks enrolled post 6/20.

Then your week might very well be red flagged. We all know the rules. All weeks post 6/20 are not eligible to be enrolled in the DC system. Cut and Dry. Easy rule to remember.

The fact that you squeaked in is great, and I applaud you for that. However don't be surprised if Marriott does an audit and them removes your week from the DC system.

Just my opinion...

 

[saturn28]

I didn’t want to advertise this until I was able to confirm that it went through, but Marriott just added a week that I recently purchased through Ebay to the DC program. The kicker is they didn’t charge me extra to add it on.

The story goes like this. I enrolled my previous weeks (all purchased resale) in the DC soon after it was announced and I paid the $1995 to enroll the weeks. Then, back in Sept/Oct there was a deal on Ebay I couldn’t pass up and it was for a week that I planned on using anyway. I actually didn’t care if I could use it in the DC program or not. After the week closed back in late Nov, I called Marriott to make sure it had been added to my overall ownership account and it had. I then asked the guy I was talking to whether it would be put in the DC program and he told me flat out it wasn’t eligible nor would it ever be eligible. I said OK because frankly I really didn’t care.

Well, I needed to call in a few weeks later for something simple and I asked the lady on the phone the same question about enrolling it in the DC program. She was super nice and did a test to see if she could enroll it and bingo – she was able to enroll it without any difficulty. I asked her if there was any charge and she said NO since I already paid my $1995. She just told me I would get a confirmation e-mail which I needed to respond to with my acceptance of the terms and conditions. I got that e-mail and responded to it. I just called Marriott again today for something else and I was able to confirm that indeed ALL my weeks are enrolled in the DC program.

I don’t really plan on using that week at all for the DC program, but Marriott should using that one rep as an example of how customer service should be provided. IMO, the DC program would be much more highly thought of and accepted if they allowed all weeks to be enrolled (without that June 20th, 2010 deadline) for a nominal fee or no fee.

Did you have to post this. Sometimes it is better not to post everything you know. Especially something like this. In your excitement to let everyone know, you may end up loosing the week you just enrolled.

 

[vacationhopeful]

Maybe we should all help by editting OUR posts - in case OP sees the error of their way.

 

[Clemson Fan]

Maybe we should all help by editting OUR posts - in case OP sees the error of their way.

C’mon folks. I really don’t prescribe to the black helicopter conspiracy theory stuff. I’ve gotten some PM’s asking me to remove my post so as not to make Marriott aware that this may be going on because it might end up ruining it for everybody. TUG is supposed to be an exchange of ideas and experiences and if we’re afraid of posting them then it really ruins TUG IMO. If Marriott does do an audit looking for all post June 20th weeks in the DC system to remove them, then so be it. They would’ve done it anyway and my post on TUG I don’t believe would’ve been the root cause of such an audit. If they do end up removing that week from my DC account, then so be it. I actually plan on using that week and will probably never exchange it in for DC points. I’ll let people on TUG know if they do remove it.

Who knows, Marriott may review their policy and realize that banning all post June 20th weeks was really a bad idea that in the end hurts everybody. They may need the potential inventory for the DC program and they may be planning on loosening things up already. I really don’t know either way?

 

[billymach4]

You are indeed a person that stands behind your principle feelings. Way to go. This is great information and might even tempt me into enrolling into the DC program!

Either way it does expose how sloppy their system has been tested. And I appreciate that you have chosen to keep the post as stated!



What I don't care for is the fact that some of the other folks here have been sheepishly PMing you to retract your post!

C’mon folks. I really don’t prescribe to the black helicopter conspiracy theory stuff. I’ve gotten some PM’s asking me to remove my post so as not to make Marriott aware that this may be going on because it might end up ruining it for everybody. TUG is supposed to be an exchange of ideas and experiences and if we’re afraid of posting them then it really ruins TUG IMO. If Marriott does do an audit looking for all post June 20th weeks in the DC system to remove them, then so be it. They would’ve done it anyway and my post on TUG I don’t believe would’ve been the root cause of such an audit. If they do end up removing that week from my DC account, then so be it. I actually plan on using that week and will probably never exchange it in for DC points. I’ll let people on TUG know if they do remove it.

Who knows, Marriott may review their policy and realize that banning all post June 20th weeks was really a bad idea that in the end hurts everybody. They may need the potential inventory for the DC program and they may be planning on loosening things up already. I really don’t know either way?

 

[SueDonJ]

OP, thanks for your post. Every little bit of info we manage to gather about how Marriott does things helps every TUG poster to understand their ownership better. I hope whatever Marriott does, you continue to post your experiences.

What I can't understand is the apparent double standard that some posters have about Marriott's actions. We badmouth Marriott at every single opportunity, ranting and raving and complaining about every little mistake they make and everything they do to protect their business when we don't benefit, but we're thrilled to death when their mistakes give us something extra that we know we shouldn't be getting? And now a new low on TUG, a call to not publicize Marriott's mistakes if they benefit us because that will alert Marriott to their mistakes.

Geeesh. Isn't the point of all the complaining that we don't want Marriott to make mistakes?

 

[dioxide45]

What happened was a VOA decided to give it a try and it worked. It doesn't mean it wasn't against what Marriott states in it's own enrollment materials. Just because it worked, doesn't mean it isn't something Marriott can't revoke later if they opt to enforce their own stated policy. Of course you paid $0 for it, so if it is gone, you won't be out any money.

By publishing this you may be the only one to be able to accomplish the feat. Marriott's back end system has some holes and doesn't verify purchase date when going through the enrollment process. Something I suggested and mentioned could be possible in an older thread last year. Guess what I said was right.

Marriott will not change their mind any time soon based on this information. This being public will undermine Marriott's DC point system when trying to sell points to current enrollees. If one can go out and buy some cheap resales, why would they pay $10 per point? Though for a developer purchaser I would think they would have to lay out an additional $1300-$1400 to enroll a resale week.

 

[KathyPet]

Well isn't that interesting??? I have refused to join the DC program with my 2 Marriott purchased weeks only BECAUSE they would not allow my St. Kitts resale week to be enrolled even though the contract was signed and all money sent to escrow before the deadline. Maybe I should enroll my two weeks and then see if I can get my resale week in later. Marriott does now have the paperwork to transfer the ownership and it is currently in process.

 

[saturn28]

What happened was a VOA decided to give it a try and it worked. It doesn't mean it wasn't against what Marriott states in it's own enrollment materials. Just because it worked, doesn't mean it isn't something Marriott can't revoke later if they opt to enforce their own stated policy. Of course you paid $0 for it, so if it is gone, you won't be out any money.

By publishing this you may be the only one to be able to accomplish the feat. Marriott's back end system has some holes and doesn't verify purchase date when going through the enrollment process. Something I suggested and mentioned could be possible in an older thread last year. Guess what I said was right.

Marriott will not change their mind any time soon based on this information. This being public will undermine Marriott's DC point system when trying to sell points to current enrollees. If one can go out and buy some cheap resales, why would they pay $10 per point? Though for a developer purchaser I would think they would have to lay out an additional $1300-$1400 to enroll a resale week.

You can bet that whatever back door exist will be quickly closed. Once people start calling in complaining that people are enrolling weeks that don't qualify, they will lock it. If that is what the OP wants, why not just call the supervisor at Owner Services and tell them what you were able to do.

 

[SueDonJ]

You can bet that whatever back door exist will be quickly closed once people start calling in to Marriott and complaining that people are enrolling weeks that don't qualify.

Who would do that?

 

[dioxide45]

Who would do that?

People who want to enroll their post 6/30 resale purchase. They will call and say they want to enroll. When turned down, they will say they read it on here where others were able to do it.

 

[SueDonJ]

People who want to enroll their post 6/30 resale purchase. They will call and say they want to enroll. When turned down, they will say they read it on here where others were able to do it.

Those people would have a legitimate gripe and good reason to call, I think. The one thing we should all be able to demand from Marriott is consistency, and 90% of the problems we read about with Marriott are due to inconsistency.

Saturn, I think I misunderstood your post - I thought you were saying you would expect someone to read OP's post and "tattletale" to Marriott for no good reason. I'm sorry.

 

[CMF]

I like to play with slippage now and then; love finding secret keyholes that work to my advantage.

Charles

 

[dioxide45]

Those people would have a legitimate gripe and good reason to call, I think. The one thing we should all be able to demand from Marriott is consistency, and 90% of the problems we read about with Marriott are due to inconsistency.
.

I agree. They have a stated policy and they can enforce it. They should be consistent. It seems that the VOAs are fairly consistent in enforcing the rule.

I think this amounts to more of an oversight by Marriott and not something where they wanted us few Tuggers to know about and enroll post 6/20 resales en-mass. Their system was never setup to weed out these enrollments.

 

[davidn247]

The only issue here is that we give ammunition to lawyers to open a case.... and our MFs will go up! To the one that started this thing, please call back Marriott or your VOA and just let them know!

I do not want to defend them but Marriott is a big company and they are not perfect. I am sure that they put together this DC program in a rush to stay in business, unload $1.5 bio of inventory on hands and they have not realized all the implication of this change. These changes are massive to implement (procedures, systems and others). VOAs are surely making mistakes and confused with the different dates around (at least I am). Let's not put them in a weaker legal position here.

 

[windje2000]

The only issue here is that we give ammunition to lawyers to open a case.... and our MFs will go up! To the one that started this thing, please call back Marriott or your VOA and just let them know!

I do not want to defend them but Marriott is a big company and they are not perfect. I am sure that they put together this DC program in a rush to stay in business, unload $1.5 bio of inventory on hands and they have not realized all the implication of this change. These changes are massive to implement (procedures, systems and others). VOAs are surely making mistakes and confused with the different dates around (at least I am). Let's not put them in a weaker legal position here.

I fail to see how MFs will be affected by the administrative oversight of a Marriott VOA, or how anyone's legal position is materially affected.

Will Marriott go back and audit the purchase date of more than 100,000 enrolled weeks? No way. They would probably have to do it manually, looking at dead trees in filing cabinets.

OP got lucky. Bully for him or her.

 

[dioxide45]

Will Marriott go back and audit the purchase date of more than 100,000 enrolled weeks? No way.

They possibly will if they can do it fairly easy by running a query against their system data. If they have no way of matching up enrollments to purchase dates systematically, they won't bother.

 

[Clemson Fan]

The only issue here is that we give ammunition to lawyers to open a case.... and our MFs will go up! To the one that started this thing, please call back Marriott or your VOA and just let them know!

Oh Oh!!!

I guess I'll need to go into hiding like that wikileaks guy.

 

[davidn247]

As you all know, MFs are paying marriott management fees. If cost of doing business goes up, Marriott will pass it along and your MFs will go up. This is as simple as that.

 

[windje2000]

As you all know, MFs are paying marriott management fees. If cost of doing business goes up, Marriott will pass it along and your MFs will go up. This is as simple as that.

Managing individual resort locations has nothing to do with the administration of the DC exchange program. That's what the DC enrollment fees and annual dues pay for.

 

[davidn247]

Windje: you are finance guy and you understand what I am trying to say. At the end of the day, there is "no free lunch".

 

[dioxide45]

Windje: you are finance guy and you understand what I am trying to say. At the end of the day, there is "no free lunch".

I agree with this. Any additional expenses paid by Marriott would be made up from other sources. The customer always pays for everything.

Though I don't think the disclosure of this information opens Marriott to any legal action. If they let some weeks slip through the cracks, it doesn't mean they have to let every owner enroll post 6/20 resales. The limitation of excluding post 6/20 resales is stated when enrolling online. Just because they may have "waived" that in certain situations doesn't give everyone the right to expect it.

 

[SueDonJ]

I agree with this. Any additional expenses paid by Marriott would be made up from other sources. The customer always pays for everything.

Though I don't think the disclosure of this information opens Marriott to any legal action. If they let some weeks slip through the cracks, it doesn't mean they have to let every owner enroll post 6/20 resales. The limitation of excluding post 6/20 resales is stated when enrolling online. Just because they may have "waived" that in certain situations doesn't give everyone the right to expect it.

I'm sure you're right, especially if all of the DC docs contain similar language to what you copied and posted in another thread yesterday:

G.
Waiver. No failure of Exchange Company to enforce any provision under these Exchange Procedures, exercise any power given under these Exchange Procedures, or to insist upon strict compliance with any obligation specified in these Exchange Procedures, and no custom or practice at variance with the terms of these Exchange Procedures, shall constitute a waiver of Exchange Company’s right to demand exact compliance with the terms and conditions of these Exchange Procedures.

But I'll tell you, if I had a post 6/20 resale and had been told repeatedly that it was ineligible for enrollment, I'd be on that phone and working my way up the ladder until somebody gives me a good reason why I can't have the same waiver that others are now reporting. Look at KathyPet here - if the stated rule should be waived for anybody it should be for her! The only thing that kept her week ineligible was the slow processing of paperwork that had been completed prior to 6/20! But no, she was rejected every time she asked and finally accepted what she'd been told by Marriott, that there could be no exceptions to the stated rule.

And again, I'm going back to consistency. IMO Marriott should be consistent with how they do things, but so should TUGgers. I don't understand badmouthing Marriott at every turn all the while you're exploiting what you absolutely KNOW are loopholes.

 

[windje2000]

Windje: you are finance guy and you understand what I am trying to say. At the end of the day, there is "no free lunch".

No free lunch - but what we have here is an identifiable expense with an associated revenue stream.

It would be absolutely wrong the have the maintenance fees cover any portion of DClub. Most owners are not members. Just as it would be wrong to have the maintenance fees subsidize any II expense.

If you don't cross the bridge, you won't pay the bridge toll.