Speculation About Marriott's New Timeshare Structure [merged]

[saturn28]

Marriott got the 10,000 points flexichange part of the program from RCI points. Only with RCI you only have to open up a points account to get it. You just have to purchase a cheap RCI points week on Ebay and then open a RCI points account and you are in business. Once you have an RCI points account, you can covert any of your weeks resort into points for $69. I have a Marriott Cypress Harbour week that I convert to RCI points sometimes.

Overall, I don't see anything in this new Marriott points program that would get me to buy in. I like the way the weeks program works. Why they would want to come up with something like this when the majority of owners are happy with the present system is crazy.

Does anyone remember when coke decided to change the taste of coke back in the late 70's. Then when that flooped they quickly changed back and called it Coke Classic. That is what is going to happen to this new Marriott program.

 

[dioxide45]

Overall, I don't see anything in this new Marriott points program that would get me to buy in. I like the way the weeks program works. Why they would want to come up with something like this when the majority of owners are happy with the present system is crazy.

How can you make that statement? We don't even know what any new program would represent. Now I think the statement could be made if they use the Asia program in North America, so if that is what you were meaning to say, I agree.

If (yes I will continue to say IF just for Fletch, he seems to like it) Marriott comes out with a new program, I think it warrants a thorough analysis before we would ever make the jump. That is if resale owners like us will even be allowed to make the conversion to points.

 

[m61376]

m61376,

1-3% was not in print. Rather, just handwriting, so I'm not so sure it is a fact. The MFs are set at 2.7% of your total points. Have a great weekend.

Thanks.
btw- the sarcasm was directed at Marriott; I hope you didn't misinterpret it. It is just that it is easy for them to set the MF's artificially low to sell the product. It is unrealistic for them to claim they will rise 1-3% a year when, except for last year, none of the resorts have averaged anywhere near that.

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks.
btw- the sarcasm was directed at Marriott; I hope you didn't misinterpret it. It is just that it is easy for them to set the MF's artificially low to sell the product. It is unrealistic for them to claim they will rise 1-3% a year when, except for last year, none of the resorts have averaged anywhere near that.

I agree, Marriott could subsidize those fees to make them artificially low to get more people to buy in. They could take a lump sum up front and wright it off to apply to a new point system. It would be interesting to check out their financial releases at the end of the year to see if they include anything in there for this.

 

[puckmanfl]

Hi...

This points thing even be deleterious for the "home resort users".

Hypothetically, one may own a Plat ski week (Park City for example). In the current system, one can book 12/13 months in advance. You can also delay until 60 days out to claim a unit. You may not get the week you want but you are guaranteed some week in your season.

Assuming, there is now some variant of "Disneyland a.k.a. DVC" An owner can still reserve 12/13 months out, but there will be some magic date (7 mos. in DVC) where everything is "fair game" and open season. I can guarantee that every plat. ski week will be snapped up at that time. The side effect is the home resort user will now be forced to make a decision by 7 months out. Ability to change reservation at home resort ($29 MVCI fee) will also be compromised as at 7 mos. all inventory will be snagged...

Perry is correct. This whole thing is about "pimpin' the dream". Please follow my math. There are about 11,500 total MVCI units spread amongst 54 resorts. This leaves approx 600, 000 unit weeks available. The number most commonly stated by sales reps is 440,000 owners. I believe this is weeks/owned. I believe there about 250,000 owners that own these 440,000 weeks (about 1.75 weeks/owner). Thus there are 160,000 of weeks/point inventory unsold.

I am venturing a hypothesis that states that these are the "off season" weeks. My last 10 sales tours have all focused on the value of "gold/silver" lockoffs as traders, point generators etc. I have been told just about all Plat ski weeks in Park City are sold, only a few plat Arubas and FC's remain. I was also told that they were down to just one plat plus Pres week at Aruba. Although the points to be sold are finite (must correspond to unsold week inventory) they are sold as ways of obtaining plat. units. This only works if the owners of these units can be convinced to relinquish them. I have not seen any convincing evidence that would lead me or any other sane soul to do so...

Is there any owner of a primo week in MVCI land that can give me the "flipside" of this argument. I would like to look at this from a balanced view, but I just can't find any benefit except for increased flexibility and more days at off season resorts !!!

Please help, as we will all have to make a decision soon!!!

 

[dioxide45]

Perry is correct. This whole thing is about "pimpin' the dream". Please follow my math. There are about 11,500 total MVCI units spread amongst 54 resorts. This leaves approx 600, 000 unit weeks available. The number most commonly stated by sales reps is 440,000 owners. I believe this is weeks/owned. I believe there about 250,000 owners that own these 440,000 weeks (about 1.75 weeks/owner). Thus there are 160,000 of weeks/point inventory unsold.

I think actually there are 440,000 owners of those 600,000 unit weeks.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I always watch this thread with interest. I hope II is smart and throws in the incentive of a bonus week for every Marriott deposit, no matter the time of year. This would put a monkey wrench into Marriott's new exchange program, and it would be interesting to watch this thread then. If you can get two weeks for a little more than your one week, why wouldn't you stick with II?

Then again, if Platinum owners can get more than one week in the new system, maybe that would be enough incentive for owners to use Marriott's exchange program, leaving II with only the off-season weeks.

I think Marriott just hates that II makes so much from Marriott owners, and they know they could have had that profit, too, had they done something like HGVC from the beginning (HGVC doesn't distinguish its resale owners, keeping its resale value high).

Their new internal exchange program could really be a bust, if II is determined to keep owners.

I have kept myself from bidding on Desert Springs or the other desert properties, simply because of these rumors. Marriott is hurting its own resale market. Maybe they have been admiring Starwood's ability to do that. :rofl:

 

[rickandcindy23]

Only with RCI you only have to open up a points account to get it. You just have to purchase a cheap RCI points week on Ebay and then open a RCI points account and you are in business. Once you have an RCI points account, you can covert any of your weeks resort into points for $69. I have a Marriott Cypress Harbour week that I convert to RCI points sometimes.

Gee, I only pay $26 to PFD my weeks into RCI Points.

What is the value of converting a CH week to points? That would make for expensive points. I can use my Twin Rivers 3 bedrooms to get 53,500 points for $510 (never have done that because I use the units in weeks). Do you do a lot of < 9K point exchanges?

Sorry to be off-topic. What is the 10,000 pts thing you are talking about?

 

[puckmanfl]

rick and cindy...

just love the picture... Thank heavens for (men and women that serve) like your son in law...

If the 600,000 weeks were owned by 440,000 owners the whole system would be almost sold out !!!!

I believe the 11,500 total units is pretty accurate. I believe I got this info off a TUG thread...

puckman....

 

[dioxide45]

rick and cindy...

just love the picture... Thank heavens for (men and women that serve) like your son in law...

If the 600,000 weeks were owned by 440,000 owners the whole system would be almost sold out !!!!

I believe the 11,500 total units is pretty accurate. I believe I got this info off a TUG thread...

puckman....

Mr Marriott himself mentioned the the ~400,000 owner number in his own blog. So I would think that indeed would be the number of owners. Perhaps he was referring to the number of owner owned weeks, but that is not what was stated.

 

[timeos2]

Hope it gets announced & the speculation can end

One more concern- what happens to individual resort independence and HOA's when MF's are spread across the board. And, what happens to MF's, since in reality different season owners will be paying different MF's? How high is high? And will the Grande Vista owner be happy absorbing the cost of renovations such as the recent issues at the Ocean Club (which is the by-product of MF's being spread across the board)?

It is all too apparent throughout this thread, using this specific quote only as an example, that most of the participants have no idea how a well run points system works and how they do/don't impact the resorts/weeks owners.

VERY short & incomplete summary:

• Independent resorts remain independent
• Points are just another option for exchange like RCI/II etc
• Costs for the points system are paid for by its members/uers
• Inventory for Points members is kept separate from "traditional weeks" inventory
• Annual fees are paid by all owners and are the same regardless of your points/weeks choice (usually)

It goes on and on but far too many are attributing negative changes to an offer of a points system on top of what has been offered in the past. It is just another option and does NOT shake or alter the foundations of what you bought. It may, depending on how Marriott chooses to handle it, impact NEW sales going forward and how NEW inventory gets assigned but that is all future stuff, not forced changes to what has already been built & sold.

I really hope they roll this thing out as rumored if only to stop the flow of twisted & often off the wall speculation that has flourished (aided in no small way by the cunning/ineptitude of the sales staff). It is very interesting to me that a company formerly so revered in a sleazy business has now caused itself to have not one but two of the most read TUG threads of all times - both negative overall in nature. Sad commentary on how desperate even the best timeshare companies easily become when times get a little (OK, maybe a lot) tougher.

 

[EducatedConsumer]

I always watch this thread with interest. I hope II is smart and throws in the incentive of a bonus week for every Marriott deposit, no matter the time of year. This would put a monkey wrench into Marriott's new exchange program, and it would be interesting to watch this thread then. If you can get two weeks for a little more than your one week, why wouldn't you stick with II?

Then again, if Platinum owners can get more than one week in the new system, maybe that would be enough incentive for owners to use Marriott's exchange program, leaving II with only the off-season weeks.

I think Marriott just hates that II makes so much from Marriott owners, and they know they could have had that profit, too, had they done something like HGVC from the beginning (HGVC doesn't distinguish its resale owners, keeping its resale value high).

Their new internal exchange program could really be a bust, if II is determined to keep owners.

I have kept myself from bidding on Desert Springs or the other desert properties, simply because of these rumors. Marriott is hurting its own resale market. Maybe they have been admiring Starwood's ability to do that. :rofl:

What prevents you from thinking that Marriott is substantially rewarded on each II membership renewal from a Marriott owner or on each exchange fee? and as a result deriving a handsome revenue source.

Do you think Marriott is really concerned about the resale market? My sense is that they care primarily about developer sales, and to a far lesser extent, resales. If the resale inventory were owned by Marriott, I bet they'd care, but if Marriott's profit on resales is limited to a 40% commission, which includes their costs for doing business, my suspicion is that their far greater interest is in developer sales.

Not to suggest that Marriott is anything but a great company. You can bet Marriott is doing their stockholders a favor, by staying focused on developer sales. I bet Marriott stockholders are grateful for that.

 

[SueDonJ]

... I really hope they roll this thing out as rumored if only to stop the flow of twisted & often off the wall speculation that has flourished (aided in no small way by the cunning/ineptitude of the sales staff). It is very interesting to me that a company formerly so revered in a sleazy business has now caused itself to have not one but two of the most read TUG threads of all times - both negative overall in nature. Sad commentary on how desperate even the best timeshare companies easily become when times get a little (OK, maybe a lot) tougher.

I completely agree as far as this thread and others related to a points system - Marriott hasn't handled this very well at all and should have done something to prevent its sales staff from "sharing" at least the wrong information that's floating around. At this point I'm on information overload and just want them to give us details so that we can debate real stuff instead of fantasy on TUG.

But if the second thread you're referencing is that Aruba Ocean Club one, I respectfully disagree with you there. It might look bad for Marriott at first glance, but I've been participating in it throughout and don't believe that it has negative connotations at all for Marriott. With the points system discussions they're definitely leaving owners high and dry with no information, or misinformation from various Marriott employees; the same isn't true at all of the Aruba Ocean Club situation or thread.

 

[puckmanfl]

Hi...

Please don't misunderstand. I am a very happy MVCI owner. Educated Consumer thought I was an employee on a different thread. I am just looking for someone out there in TUG land to show me how a conversion to points will be beneficial!!!

I am hopeful that MVCI is using this new program to become the best and brightest and to build the best "mousetrap". I just need someone to show me the way...

Please keep in mind that thousands of owners and then resale purchasers had the opportunity to purchase "well run " point systems and have not done so! I do not believethat we are all mindless sheep led to purchase by the evil developer. It looks like most of the MVCI owners have had great success with their product and would like to keep it that way!!!

 

[SueDonJ]

... Do you think Marriott is really concerned about the resale market? My sense is that they care primarily about developer sales, and to a far lesser extent, resales. If the resale inventory were owned by Marriott, I bet they'd care, but if Marriott's profit on resales is limited to a 40% commission, which includes their costs for doing business, my suspicion is that their far greater interest is in developer sales. ...

I agree their primary focus is developer sales and to a lesser extent, resales-by-Marriott. But like many others I think that the external resale market has hurt developer sales, in that potential owners are able to so easily access through the internet all the resale info that was perhaps not so widely available even seven or eight years ago. I'm not sure if the current impact is enough to entice Marriott to roll out this new points system now, meaning that the external resale market isn't the catalyst for this new thing, but I definitely think that Marriott is considering the ever-expanding future external resale market as competition to their developer-direct offerings.

 

[EducatedConsumer]

Hi...

Please don't misunderstand. I am a very happy MVCI owner. Educated Consumer thought I was an employee on a different thread. I am just looking for someone out there in TUG land to show me how a conversion to points will be beneficial!!!

I am hopeful that MVCI is using this new program to become the best and brightest and to build the best "mousetrap". I just need someone to show me the way...

Please keep in mind that thousands of owners and then resale purchasers had the opportunity to purchase "well run " point systems and have not done so! I do not believethat we are all mindless sheep led to purchase by the evil developer. It looks like most of the MVCI owners have had great success with their product and would like to keep it that way!!!

As an owner of three "points" timeshare products, I can tell you that the flexibility that owners of credible points products enjoy are to my way of thinking greater then what "week" owners enjoy, not to suggest that one system does not have disadvantages over another.

My opinion is that some people are agitated over the limited information that has been released by Marriott, to date, which I respect (of Marriott). I wonder if anyone remembers the year leading up to inception of jetBlue, and their campaign "there's something great coming." Apple has taken the same approach, as have many other companies. What I think has some wound up, is the likelihood that their off-peak weeks will be treated for what they are worth. I am reminded of all of the owners who purchased Swallowtail and Spicebush weeks years ago at very low prices, in anticipation of using them to acquire something much greater on exchange. It worked for them for several years, and then the relationship of those resorts with Marriott (fortunately) came to an end (and those owners lost theit internal exchange perk). I also believe that there are some owners who believe that a points product is non-deeded, there are lots of examples to the contrary (e.g. Disney Vacation Club).

 

[timeos2]

No arms will be twisted off

Please keep in mind that thousands of owners and then resale purchasers had the opportunity to purchase "well run " point systems and have not done so! I do not believethat we are all mindless sheep led to purchase by the evil developer. It looks like most of the MVCI owners have had great success with their product and would like to keep it that way!!!

And that is an important point. Nothing changes UNLESS you want it to! It makes zero difference to you as an existing owner what Marriott does (with the small exception of when you want to sell - resale pricing can and has taken a beating due to actions by developers not just Marriott) with new/improved trade options. IF you prefer the current system then by all means continue with it. No can / will stop you! The only change, and it is nothing you can do anything about, is how Marriott decides to treat the inventory THEY control. They are under no obligation to put it into the II system or RCI or any other if they don't wish to. Same for every one of your fellow owners. The only thing that will change is that one additional option will be offered to owners that choose to join and to Marriott as an organization.

If you feel that new option will degrade the system you now enjoy then that would seem to say you feel there is some unfair advantage being given that system OR will be given to the new system. In either case (or both) that is an operational issue and one you can rail about and refuse to support but has nothing to do with the value/viability of a potential points system as a new option for owners. They are OPTIONS. No one can be forced to do anything they don't willingly choose to do. As you say many good points based systems already exist yet even in the best of them not every owner has decided to join in. That is their right just as it will be every Marriott owners personal choice if they want to pay more to be part of the "next greatest thing" offered or sit back and enjoy what they already own.

 

[SueDonJ]

... Please keep in mind that thousands of owners and then resale purchasers had the opportunity to purchase "well run " point systems and have not done so! I do not believethat we are all mindless sheep led to purchase by the evil developer. It looks like most of the MVCI owners have had great success with their product and would like to keep it that way!!!

We love our Marriott weeks and have been very happy with our home resort stays as well as the exchanges we've made. But I also realize that a good points system could possibly give us more exchange value than what we've gotten up til now - all of our exchanges have been from 3BR units to 2BR units. That said, if the new points system isn't rolled out or doesn't work for us, we'll happily use our home resort weeks and start working the Marriott Rewards points for other vacations. (Or continue with II, assuming that this new system doesn't devalue exchange offerings there.)

As far as purchasing Marriott at the time instead of a good points system, I've been saying for years that if DVC's point system and Marriott's resort network were married, THAT would be the perfect system. We looked at both and Marriott edged out DVC, for us, because Don just isn't the Disney fanatic that I am. Plus, DVC's external exchange system is so much more limited in scope and owner control than Marriott's - DVC handles the processing and limits the resorts available to owners for external exchange; Marriott gives owners total control for external exchanges limited only to II's portfolio.

 

[m61376]

It goes on and on but far too many are attributing negative changes to an offer of a points system on top of what has been offered in the past. It is just another option and does NOT shake or alter the foundations of what you bought. It may, depending on how Marriott chooses to handle it, impact NEW sales going forward and how NEW inventory gets assigned but that is all future stuff, not forced changes to what has already been built & sold.

John-
I wasn't implying that any points system would alter the foundation of what is already owned UNLESS the owners decide to convert. However, for those that do decide to convert the assessment of MF's may change dramatically and, overall, having MF's paid purely per point without home resorts and a portion simply assigned to each resort proportionate to the point allotment/ownership, while other owners who retain weeks use are paying MF's as they are now, seems to blur the independence of each HOA, since at least some of its funding is coming from mixed interests.

 

[timeos2]

Not a points system issue

John-
I wasn't implying that any points system would alter the foundation of what is already owned UNLESS the owners decide to convert. However, for those that do decide to convert the assessment of MF's may change dramatically and, overall, having MF's paid purely per point without home resorts and a portion simply assigned to each resort proportionate to the point allotment/ownership, while other owners who retain weeks use are paying MF's as they are now, seems to blur the independence of each HOA, since at least some of its funding is coming from mixed interests.

Actually that also cannot happen. The basis of fees at any given, existing resort cannot be changed (at least not without the near 100% approval of the owners - impossible to get). Not having a "home resort" in a points system - if that did happen - does not in any way alter the requirement that the underlying week those points are based on - those cannot go away - have to pay the same fee as every other week. How Marriott as the operator of the new system chooses to collect the fees from the points members can be based on a sliding scale BUT that does not change what they owe to the resort at the basic, deeded week level.

You do have a worry that given enough time Marriott could amass control of enough weeks to out vote the individual owners. But most states do not allow Developers to re-gain control of HOA's once they have been turned over (but the remaining owners had better be ready & willing to fight) and, if they did achieve that level of control of individual weeks, it would be the existing owners deciding to give up those very rights that created the change in power. Again something you have zero control over as each owner can decide when/if to sell their rights to anyone at any time. Again not a points issue but an ownership/use rights question being drawn into the "evil points" nonsense.

 

[puckmanfl]

good afternoon

Jon has some great points...

On the fateful day I will ask THREE questions...

#1 How much will this cost me??? MF's, entry fee etc..

#2 How many points will my unit and OTHERS be worth?

#3 Can I make this work?

I will then sit down and ready every last scribble and word (fine print) of the offering and determine what is fixed and what can be changed at (developer's discretion).

Based on the above answers, I will then ask myself the biggest query of all" To convert or not to convert?, that is the question!!!!"

John is correct as we all must decide what works for us!!!

 

[m61376]

John-
My point was exactly what you were referring to. I am aware that "The basis of fees at any given, existing resort cannot be changed;" however, the fact that "How Marriott as the operator of the new system chooses to collect the fees from the points members can be based on a sliding scale BUT that does not change what they owe to the resort at the basic, deeded week level," can lead to the scenario that I was suggesting. Week owners can continue to pay their individual MF's as they have been doing right along, while the fees due to the resort from weeks converted to points will be paid out of the general Marriott MF pool.

While the resort ends up with the same amount of money, the funding can vary from one group of owners to another. Amongst the retained weeks owners, the MF are uniform regardless of season, while those that have converted to points will receive an allotment of points and their MF's will be based on that (if a plan akin to the Asia Pacific program is introduced).

And while I understand that Marriott cannot simply take back control of the HOA at its whim, IF enough owners turn in their weeks and give up their ownership rights back to a centralized Marriott system, the points system over time may land up owning most of a resort and any homeowner association would become merely a figurehead. Although this is not a "points issue" per se, it is a possible natural consequence of a shift to a trust based points system.

 

[timeos2]

One source payment can be a plus

While the resort ends up with the same amount of money, the funding can vary from one group of owners to another. Amongst the retained weeks owners, the MF are uniform regardless of season, while those that have converted to points will receive an allotment of points and their MF's will be based on that (if a plan akin to the Asia Pacific program is introduced).

And while I understand that Marriott cannot simply take back control of the HOA at its whim, IF enough owners turn in their weeks and give up their ownership rights back to a centralized Marriott system, the points system over time may land up owning most of a resort and any homeowner association would become merely a figurehead. Although this is not a "points issue" per se, it is a possible natural consequence of a shift to a trust based points system.

Your first paragraph makes a good point (sorry) but it should actually be to the individual weeks owners favor not detriment if handled properly. The fees due from the trust held weeks - each and every one of them - are due under the exact same terms and conditions as the individual weeks are. And the trust has to cover them ALL within the published due date subject to interest and penalties - doesn't matter if they have collected from the trust members or not (remember - the Trust members are no longer deeded owners at the resort. If they are delinquent it is to the Trust NOT the resort - the Trust must pay 100% of the weeks they own in full & on time or the Trust is in default & can be locked out of ALL weeks they own!). So that billing becomes nearly guaranteed for all those weeks and an easy collection from one single source. Not a negative for owners at all.

As for part two there is a very real possibility of the Trust gaining a majority control but far less likely for older resorts than newer ones. And again if the Developer is the operating entity then they are usually barred from voting themselves into power. The individual owners have to be very vigilant on that last part.

 

[Dean]

good morning!!!

Looking at this thru the "How it affects me glasses!!"

Currently I use 3 bedroom plat Grande Vista Weeks for mostly exchange purposes. These units have snagged:

Plat ski weeks
Hawaii in summer
HHI and Myrtle Beach in summer
NCV in summer...

I use my 2bedroom eoy Hawaii's for occasional occupancy , but mostly deposit and use the AC's to get second units on Flexchange in the places that my 3 bedroom GV units trade for. I then make grade trades with the deposited 2 bedroom units as well

With this plan I have had 2 units concurrently In Tahoe (ski week) Myrtle Beach, Waiohai and Park City WITHOUT even occupying my home week. The "snagged" second week on Flexchange has worked 5 years in a row (although last summer in Myrtle Beach the second unit came in on my day of travel)

I am pretty confident that in a points system my 3 bedroom GV will NOT have enough points to get the above units. If I convert to points I won't be able to get these (unless I buy more) and if I don't convert I will have to hope that other owners don't and continue to deposit in II. EITHER way my internal exchange options will be less than they are currently!!!

Except for some increased flexibility at OFF season gigs, I can't come up with any good reason why I should convert. Seems to me that I should just occupy or continue to trade with II for primo external resorts ,if possible. I could take the $$$ not spent on conversion and purchase a "deeded" resale at a place I really want to occupy (and become a fledged TUGGER) I could purchase a Maui week resale and drink Mai-Tai's with Perry...

please help me with if there are flaws in my logic

With any change or new system there will be plusses/minuses and winners & losers. Comparing to your previous exchanges, it would likely be a wash for most people. A 3 BR Plat GV unit would likely garner at least around enough points to get a 2 BR at the resorts you mentioned. You'd lose much of the ability to trade up though. So no more 3 weeks of trade (2 BR, studio, AC) out of one 3 BR unit. You'd lose some ability to get over on the system but pick up some additional options to reserve directly rather than playing the exchange waiting game. I think it's very likely that someone with a 3 BR at GV or a 2 BR at places like Williamsburg, Doral, Legends Edge, etc will be better off with most ways such a points system could be rolled out. The likely losers are going to be those that own Bronze because the conversion costs are likely to be too high, and those that own truly high demand seasonal resorts like HH summer at the top resorts. And even for those that chose not to convert, there will be effects and consequences. Far less inventory going to II, likely loss of the 24 day trading preference at some point, less units available for any given week to reserve, esp for Gold/Silver and resorts with an expanded Plat season.

I would concur that a well run, appropriately positioned points system could easily be better overall than the current system. But not better for everyone. The big issue really isn't how to design a good points system but how to get from where we are now to get one up and running, put another way, how to get owners to convert.

I would absolutely disagree with the concept that there is no potential effect to current owners who don't convert, there are several risks depending on HOW the system might be managed. I mentioned above about potential loss of the internal II trading preference and less inventory though it might come with even higher trade power. Also, it depends on how they decide which weeks go to each component. It's a big difference if they just take the % of owners who have converted in a given season vs the underlying weeks for a given deed. There are a number of issues that could work for and against a given owner who doesn't convert and the devil is in the details as they say.

 

[puckmanfl]

Hi...

inventory will be in three FLAVORS

weeks inventory (II)
points inventory (MVCI)
developer inventory (unsold + units returned for points)

If MVCI is on top of their game they will initially put these in the points game. When a new program is rolled out, you would want your first customers to scream from the rooftops "Hey look at this , it really works.. we did get Koolina or Crystal Shores!!!"

My crystal ball says internal exchanges will be difficult for ALL owners that do not convert!!! Non converters should be comfy with home unit usage and external trades...

The most concern thing is that we will all be making a blind decision without knowledge of what he other owners are doing!!!