Trading Power Question

[DianeV]

Finally paid for my MA 2009 week (or the one we could pay this past March). RCI is showing around 76,000 units whereas my MA from the previous year has 111,000. I just dont understand how all this works but shouldnt the new week still show more than this? I am actually still not happy with what the older week is pulling and this is worse.

 

[stevedmatt]

76,000 actually sounds high for depositing less than 30 days before check in. Do you mean your 2010 week?

Most SA TS have had a significant drop in power since the RCI upgrade earlier this year.

 

[DianeV]

It must be the 2010 week. Its the one we were allowed to pay for this past March 2009..

I knew the power had gone down and I feel the older one is pretty bad but this is so much worse..

 

[SilverSandsOwner]

My numbers were really bad. From 134,000 to 59,000. At this point I have stopped depositing with RCI and looking for an alternative. One option is sell my weeks, or rent my weeks.

If enough people revolt, it will hurt their bottom line.

 

[MuranoJo]

They may be glad to get rid of us and this is one way to do it. I have often read that there is high European demand for Europe, yet this doesn't come through in RCI, at least our version of RCI. I am sure Carolinian has touched on this in the past, but I don't have his messages at my fingertips.

 

[DianeV]

I agree. I dont think the demand for these resorts has gone down. For some reason RCI wants to devalue them but I guarantee you they are being snatched up when deposited.

 

[Carolinian]

The manner in which this is happening appears to be something arbitrary, with RCI putting its thumb on the scales, as opposed to a fluctuation in supply and demand, which would likely happen more gradually.

 

[SilverSandsOwner]

I have contacted South Africa RCI and they had told me most of the resorts in South Africa are not seen by RCI USA and mostly trade within SA RCI.

In my opinion, they are not rating fairly our 'red' weeks for our units even thou there is a demand for them.

I also read that some US timeshares were down graded too in their trading power. At $179 a trade, I can see RCI gross sales start to take a hit. I am one customer and my 3 weeks will cost them $179*3 plus the yearly membership (I had heard the $165 is going to $179).

 

[Carolinian]

Using a summer UK week that sees less than 2 years due to its start date, I find the following inventory in the RCI system at the present:

South Africa 400
UK 495
Caribbean (less DR & Margarita) 1117
Florida 9043
Italy 863
Hawaii 420

Compared to other areas, RCI is not exactly overwhelmed with inventory in South Africa. Their latest moves on trading power thus seemed bogus and based on something other than supply and demand.

If the comment above that suggests that RCI is holding back SA inventory for their local members, as they do in Europe, is true, then it is saying that in fact the SA market is stronger than the markets which they do not give access to all SA inventory, like the North American market. That would mean it makes even less sense to degrade SA trading power.

 

[DianeV]

I got a response similar to what has been said..RCI South Africa rates the resorts, your trading power is correct etc etc...I dont see how they can change the value of a week already deposited and then drop the next years week so drastically when deposited. The worse thing is the only thing we can do is not be a part of RCI. They dont care to fix this mess

 

[tedk]

Just deposited my 2011 Bantry Bay week and got 49,274 units available. Sent a email to RSI south Africa asking them to look if it had been graded right and then saw it was sitting available to exchange, so then rang up and got the week back. My 2010 was trading for 143,00 units, so what's going on. Whatever it is something doen't seem right.
Ted

 

[MuranoJo]

Just an idea--maybe not too many people are looking for '11 weeks yet, so it may be a bit early for your units and they may pick up speed later?

Most people I know are scrambling for '10 units. Good for you for depositing early as that 'typically' gives you better trading power.

Also, many are not depositing this early, so you won't see as much availability, but this is JMO.

 

[tedk]

Just to compare i put my 2011 UK weeks in the bank and they are getting 148,653 and 148,400, so i think that's a big difference. One thing for sure RCI won't be getting my South African weeks, but do i keep them?
Ted

 

[SilverSandsOwner]

Tedk,

I've have seen similiar drop in trading power.

The previous poster thinks the power has to due with deposits in the future. To prove your point, select a region in question with a common date (like June 2010) for both deposits and reply back with the numbers. When I did my test I was around 40% of what I use to pull.

This drop in trading power is a great opportunity for another trading company to come in and take the RCI business. So if you are out there, here is your chance in a lifetime. Another dissatisfied RCI customer.

 

[MuranoJo]

My response was purely conjecture. There are others who believe depositing too EARLY is a negative. I believe trade power is determined at the time of deposit, so if not many are looking for '11 weeks yet, that may be a reason.

I've also read that depositing 1 year ahead is probably best.

 

[DianeV]

I was just told by RCI that they constantly re-evaluate trading power even on banked weeks so nothing is a for sure anymore. They said that our South Africa weeks are all currently set where they should be and that maybe depositing early would help. Well...many of us DO deposit early with our South Africa weeks so they seem to be running out of valid excuses in my book

 

[dundey]

I've seen the same thing with my Glenmore Sands weeks. My 2010 week shows about 144,000 exchanges while my 2011 only 39,000.

This may be due to depositing it so early, but my 2010 Knysna week is at only 80,000 and the same week in 09 was at over 140,000 when I recently traded it.

something is up, but I get the usual canned response from RCI when I email.

I may try to see if I can get them back and go with DAE

 

[tedk]

I have taken back my recently banked week so can't do the test, as the only south african week i have is one that was banked last year.It's also one that they tried to re-value and had to put back to its previous value that does trade well.Have now decided to get rid of them all now as its not worth all the trouble of paying levies for something that is falling in value all the time.

 

[MuranoJo]

I'm depositing '10 late this year and here's what I just got for Sudwala:
2BD: July 09 checkin, 109,890
1BD: Oct 09 checkin, 99,630

Compared to last year, and I think I paid levies a few months earlier last year:
2BD: July 08 checkin, 135,975 showing today
1BD: Oct 08 checkin, 125,708 showing today

Probably not a 'true' test, but gives you an idea.

DS shows an average of 50k lower across the board for a couple of years.