TS presentations-do you ever feel guilty?

[Medcinmn]

Does anybody ever feel guilty going to these "updates" or presentations strictly for the freebies, with no intention of purchasing except through resale?

While at Orange Lake, we sat through a presentation knowing we weren't going to buy. The salesman was extremely nice, really not much pressure but showed us a lot of figures (weeks, money, points) I'm sure in an attempt to confuse.

When he came down from $36k to $6k I almost bought, told him I needed to think about it, then found this website that evening. Needless to say we didn't buy.

I digress: He was simply trying to make a living and I almost felt like I was wasting his time, thereby keeping him from a "real" prospect and being able to provide for his family. Maybe I'm just too nice.

But, I still took the freebies! Anyone feel guilty?

 

[AwayWeGo]

Got Over That A Long Time Ago. (What's To Feel Guilty About, Anyway?)

When I'm staying at a timeshare, I'm a semi-captive audience for all the various ruses used to get me to sign up for a sales pitch -- concierge desk, discount ticket window, Owner Update, maintenance meeting, & I don't know what-all, including the gimmick of making me go talk to the timeshare tour sign-up person to get my parking permit for the week. Then I get more invitations by phone during the week. Sheesh.

Then when I'm out & about, the timeshare tour headhunters & body snatchers accost me at every opportunity. Sometimes, when what they're offering as freebies starts getting semi-interesting, I'll tell'm flat out that I'm willing to go & listen for 90-120 minutes just for the freebies but I'm such an el cheapo eBay bottom-feeder resale timeshare buyer that the actual timeshare sellers will be wasting their time and wasting their freebies on me.

The headhunters say, "Shux, I don't care. I just get paid for signing people up. Mox nix to me whether you buy or don't buy." (Or words to that effect. I might have been paraphrasing just a little -- not that there's anything wrong with that.)

So on that basis -- if the promised freebies are worth it -- I'll sign up for a timeshare tour. I'll show up. I'll pay attention. I'll say No Thanks. And (eventually) I'll head on over to the freebies window.

If some guilt-tripping timeshare seller asks why I'm there if I have no intention of buying, I'll reply honestly that I'm there because the timeshare company's marketing division invited me to show up for a no-obligation presentation & receive a valuable gift. If the timeshare seller is displaying too much attitude, I'll pointedly ask whether he or she has a problem with that. Case closed.

Feel guilty over absorbing timeshare tour freebies with no intention of buying ?

Perish the thought.

Instead, just think of all those regular walking-around doofuses out there who got high-pressured & arm-twisted & guilt-tripped into signing on to buy full-freight timeshares for big bux when they walked in with no intention of buying.

If anybody needs to feel guilty about anything, it's the timeshare sellers, not us.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[x3 skier]

My initial approach is to tell body snatchers I have no intention of buying but if I must endure the pitch, I will. Have not gone to a pitch in years and have no intention of doing so in the future.

Most times when the car dealers offer a premium, I tell them I will take a test drive or whatever but if they want to give me the golf balls or sun glasses or.... without it, its OK by me. Always works. The only time I did take the drive, I did wind up buying the car which I wanted to anyway.

Cheers

 

[vacationhopeful]

Would he have "felt" guilty by taking your $36,000 when his "bottomline" was $6,000?

Most of these experienced T/S sales persons are pulling in over $150,000+ a year - you aren't the only one to say "NO"?

But a more personal question is, are the "freebies" worth your vacation time? $75 in a gift card to XXXX Cafe for 3+ hours of your daytime time? I rather have a second cup of coffee on my balcony, read the newspaper and enjoy a very quiet morning than to listen to a lot of baloney where I brought my T/S for $1 (or $100) than the $20,000 "today's special, for you my delightful, cute, smart friend" ...

And most of these sales people know LESS than you about T/S, exchanging, etc. The only sure thing they know is their commission cut and on which day that commission check is cut to them.

 

[Hoc]

I never waste their time. I always tell them right up front that I won't be buying. If they choose to waste their time with me after that, it's their choice. Therefore, I never feel guilty.

 

[lll1929]

I never waste their time. I always tell them right up front that I won't be buying. If they choose to waste their time with me after that, it's their choice. Therefore, I never feel guilty.

I agree with Hoc. I tend to be truthful upfront. I have sat thru Westgate presentations which are very high pressure and I still make it out under 2 hrs. I find that they take longer when you have free meals included in the presentation.

 

[NJCOBRA10tha]

It's not a waste of their time because some who say they will never upgrade and just go for the SWAG do end up purchasing something. Don't feel bad for them it's probably the highest percentage of sales meaning that I don't know if 1 in 10 purchase something from an update or even 1 in 50 that's more effective than their advertising.

 

[richardm]

You gave him the chance to sell you.....

While at Orange Lake, we sat through a presentation knowing we weren't going to buy. The salesman was extremely nice, really not much pressure but showed us a lot of figures (weeks, money, points) I'm sure in an attempt to confuse. When he came down from $36k to $6k, I almost bought.

I may have missed something here, but you said you ALMOST bought... Don't feel guilty- you gave him the chance to sell you (and he almost did!).. EVERYONE who attends a presentation goes in with the mindset "WE ARE NOT GOING TO BUY!"- and the developers still manage to somehow stay in business..

These salespeople are often some of the best trained and best paid in the world (not always- but if you've been to a good presentation you'll understand where I'm coming from!) so it seems to me that you took a risk by just attending..

 

[UWSurfer]

Good sales people know that it's simply a numbers game. They get a sale every "x" number of qualified prospects they get in front of. The "X" depends on a number of things, but there is a number associated with "x".

While you may not be that number, sales people who are good realized a long time ago that they need to see you to get to the magic number.

 

[Blues]

My wife and I have sworn off the presentations too. Not worth the time and hassle.

My favorite timeshare presentation story, though, is the one we took by accident. We were already TUGgers and timeshare owners by then, so once in, we knew not to buy.

We were on a Carribbean cruise which stopped in St. Thomas. We knew that Bluebeard's castle was supposed to be on the island, but didn't know that the site had been developed with timeshares (with a small historical area attached).

So we were wandering the town, wondering where the castle was and how to get there. We stopped someone on the street to ask directions, and by chance picked one of the hawkers whose job it was to snare unsuspecting tourists.

"It's right up there, but it's a long walk. You'll need to take a taxi. But don't worry, I'll get you a taxi, free, and we'll even buy you lunch while you're there. And give you a free bottle of rum while you're there." Of course, warning bells are going off in my head, but somehow DW and I finally figured out it was a timeshare thing. But we still wanted to see the site.

So we take their free taxi, go past the ruins of a fortress to get to the TS sales desk, and go on the tour. We immediately told our humorous story and followed up with the fact that we had no intention to buy, but just wanted to see. Well, the salesman was an obnoxious (and large) gentleman with a heavy Bronx accent, who went ballistic about our wasting his time. Well, sorry guy, but your hawker snared us in. We got a very shortened tour, a half-hearted attempt at getting us to buy (with the usual line about the fact that this timeshare is never available resale); and then a free lunch and two bottles of rum. Wouldn't have been worth it, except that we really wanted to see the historical site.

We felt bad, though, when we shared the van back to town with a young woman who was very excited about the week she had just purchased. Which brings up (after a long involved lead-in) a point of etiquette. In such a situation, do you try to educate them and convince them to rescind? In our case, we judged that the lady was too "sold" on her purchase, and an attempt would just frustrate her and us. So we didn't make the effort. Also, it seemed that it would be rude while we were still in the van owned and operated by the developer. Still...what would you do?

 

[AwayWeGo]

90 - 120 Minutes Plus Chow Time.

I find that they take longer when you have free meals included in the presentation.

In our experience, the clock doesn't start running till after the free meal.

So it goes.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[nydvc]

When I'm staying at a timeshare, I'm a semi-captive audience for all the various ruses used to get me to sign up for a sales pitch -- concierge desk, discount ticket window, Owner Update, maintenance meeting, & I don't know what-all, including the gimmick of making me go talk to the timeshare tour sign-up person to get my parking permit for the week. Then I get more invitations by phone during the week. Sheesh.

Then when I'm out & about, the timeshare tour headhunters & body snatchers accost me at every opportunity. Sometimes, when what they're offering as freebies starts getting semi-interesting, I'll tell'm flat out that I'm willing to go & listen for 90-120 minutes just for the freebies but I'm such an el cheapo eBay bottom-feeder resale timeshare buyer that the actual timeshare sellers will be wasting their time and wasting their freebies on me.

The headhunters say, "Shux, I don't care. I just get paid for signing people up. Mox nix to me whether you buy or don't buy." (Or words to that effect. I might have been paraphrasing just a little -- not that there's anything wrong with that.)

So on that basis -- if the promised freebies are worth it -- I'll sign up for a timeshare tour. I'll show up. I'll pay attention. I'll say No Thanks. And (eventually) I'll head on over to the freebies window.

If some guilt-tripping timeshare seller asks why I'm there if I have no intention of buying, I'll reply honestly that I'm there because the timeshare company's marketing division invited me to show up for a no-obligation presentation & receive a valuable gift. If the timeshare seller is displaying too much attitude, I'll pointedly ask whether he or she has a problem with that. Case closed.

Feel guilty over absorbing timeshare tour freebies with no intention of buying ?

Perish the thought.

Instead, just think of all those regular walking-around doofuses out there who got high-pressured & arm-twisted & guilt-tripped into signing on to buy full-freight timeshares for big bux when they walked in with no intention of buying.

If anybody needs to feel guilty about anything, it's the timeshare sellers, not us.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

You know I do have a hard time with sales tactics. I think I will print this out and read it if I get to a sales presentation. I have never gone to one except disney which was certainly not sales pressure. I am afraid I will feel uncomfortable, I have heard stories. my friend has been to three, buys at each and then cancels. I think because he does not want to say no in person.

thanks for the post. It will help me down the road I think. I will be up front and let them know.

 

[Kona Lovers]

We were at a Wyndham resort into which we had traded, and the concierge was trying to get us to drive 30 miles to another resort where they were giving their presentations. I quickly asked if they were going to try to sell me some points based timeshare system, to which she seemed flustered. I said we were on vacation and didn't want to spend our time in that manner, to which she replied, well that's how I get paid, getting you through the door, whether you buy or not. We didn't fall for this attempt to herd us is, and instead enjoyed that much more of the vacation. We also didn't feel guilty that this was how she made her living, and we were somehow responsible for her not making enough to live on.

Marty

 

[AwayWeGo]

Not The Way To A Quick Exit.

my friend has been to three, buys at each and then cancels. I think because he does not want to say no in person.

Shux, once the customer gives in & says OK, the next step is not just exactly like checking out at Publix or Winn-Dixie. They take you to a little office & sit you down in front of a desk and begin paperwork-whipping you.

I'd rather listen to 1 more recitation of why I-I is the greatest thing since pop-top pepsi & why RCI sucks canal water than sit there signing a fistful of disclosure documents & deeds of bargain & sale & promissory notes & credit card slips & I don't know what-all.

Then there's that all important rescission deadline -- extremely important not to forget & accidentally let that slip past after getting back home.

On balance, it's better to Just Say No

Full Disclosure : We never got browbeaten to the point of saying OK, so I'm just supposing that's how it is -- the paperwork & all -- for those who break down & say Yes after getting the high-pressure treatment. The timeshare sellers did move us into 1 of those little office cubicles 1 time when they thought they had us ready to sign, out in Las Vegas. We still said No Thanks.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Kona Lovers]

Just Say No

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

Exactly!

Marty

 

[pjrose]

I think I would feel kinda-sorta guilty, but more angry at myself for wasting hours of my time in an unpleasant situation.

That's why we don't go to them. We do the Royal Resort "updates" every year or so and enjoy brunch, but that's not a biggie and there's no guilt.

Perhaps worth considering:

Does a high pressure sales pitch correlate with a high-cost reward? Does this correlate with an initially high dollar resort where the price keeps dropping? $36K down to $6K - what does that tell you about value and integrity, or the lack of both? Perhaps they need to offer a big reward because the experience is miserable and they have to get in lots of people because the deal or TS is not good?

Also, how much does the cost of the reward and the commission increase the cost of the timeshare?

 

[AwayWeGo]

$75 Won't Do It For Us.

$75 in a gift card to XXXX Cafe for 3+ hours of your daytime time?

They have to offer at least $100 or it's No Thanks.

Last time we were in Orlando FL, $100 per timeshare tour was the going rate -- $120 for WestGate.

Tip : If an Orlando timeshare tour headhunter wants to sign you up for the WestGate timeshare tour, insist on going in through the Blue Awning VIP side entrance for the gourmet chow, in addition to claiming the $120. The tour invitation has to specify the VIP tour entrance, or it's corn flakes & pop tarts all the way. The VIP breakfast is outstanding. The peon breakfast is so-so. We haven't gone there for lunch, so that's anybody's guess -- but I'm betting the VIP lunch is head & shoulders better than the peon lunch.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[caribbean]

The only tours I have taken were for resorts or systems in which I had some interest. Sometimes I am interested in seeing the actual resort for future in-trading or perhaps as a possible resale purchase (Manhattan Club & Residences at the Crane). On several occassions I went on a tour because I wanted to learn about their system to see if it might work for me. Did that for Shell, Fairfield Points, and RCI Points. In fact I asked so many questions at the Fairfield presentation that the guy must have really been blindsided when after 3+ hours I said we would think about it. The jerk selling RCI Points was so obnoxious that I ened up having fun screwing with his head. I had been interested in possibly purchasing resale and was considering going on a BlueGreen tour to learn more about them till they were recently bought by Diamond Resorts. No longer interested. I am not going to sit through all of the garbage just for the money, I have to want to learn something in addition to the freebies to be worth my time.

 

[jdb0822]

I have rented a few TS's and been offered to attend a "meeting" of some sort, I simply explain that I work 51 weeks a year, and that this is my one full week with my kids, and to me, $100 is not worth me taking time away from them. Never had an issue with that explanation (plus we unplug the phone for the entire trip).

I did, about 10 years ago, go to Orlando for a week when I was literally flat broke. We drove there and we stayed in a very cheap hotel ($200 for the week I recall). We hit the beach, hit the hotel pool, but of course the kids had their sights on Disney. Even though I was broke, taking a week away with the kids is always a good thing, even on a shoestring budget.

Long story short, we were approached by a timeshare headhunter and we signed up for 4, yes, 4 presentations. We did 4 in one day. (even a westgate tour). Each tour took about 2 hours tops. I guess we were sporting that "broke" look, lol. We got 2-disney tickets for each tour. That got us into Disney for 2 days. Not too shabby.

Would I ever do it again? heeellll no.

I am also thinking of using this line this year when I get asked to attend an owner update...

"I'm on vacation this week, tell you what, when you go on vacation, goto Rhode Island, I'll sit with you through an owner update then. Oh, you don't do owner updates while you are vacation?, what a coincidence, neither do I".

 

[Talent312]

Like Patty, if I go, its 'cuz I had a genuine interest in their program or property. However, instead of showing any respect for that, they screw it up by running the usual hard-sell script. So I figure their little freebie is a fair price for them to pay for wasting my time with their nonsense. That they choose to do so is not my fault.

--------------
At a moment like this, I can't help but wonder,
What would Jimmy Buffet do?
-- Alan Jackson, "Its Five O'Clock Somewhere"

 

[inthebiz]

There is nothing to feel bad about. I am one of the sales reps you all run in to. I am also a Timeshare owner. As a sales rep, I never expect any one meeting with me actually wants to be there.I actually say it first and let them know that I know they have no desire to purchase. Their gifts are not held hostage. I do find that many of the re sale tours are very well educated. I also have a lot that vent their frustrations concerning their ownership. I just listen. If I have a solution, I present the most affordable option. You have to feel the need. I don't force it down your throat.

After my presentations, I often have people thanking me for the time and caring. Not every tour buys. Thinking about it just means your confused. Its not rocket science. Price is what you pay, value is what you get in return. You must understand, many of our owners see a much higher value in their ownership than we are charging. Ownership does more than just save you money.Believe it or not, many of my owners rank saving money as one of the last reasons they decided to buy!

There are a lot of people in this industry that contribute to negative perceptions. I enjoy the industry. I may not always agree with the marketing methods and the quality of the people employed in it.Be patient with your next sales guy. He or she is just doing their job. If they didn't, you probably wouldn't of had the opportunity you are enjoying right now with your re sale.

 

[AwayWeGo]

I Resemble That Remark.

Believe it or not, many of my owners rank saving money as one of the last reasons they decided to buy!

I believe it.

Moreover, that applies to me just as much as it does to anybody who paid full freight for a timeshare.

I may not be saving money, but I am getting vacation accommodations that are more spacious & luxurious than what I'd otherwise be getting for about the same outlay, or a little more.

Basically, via resale timeshares, I get luxury accommodations for approximately Motel 6 & Super 8 rates.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[zazz]

Does anybody ever feel guilty going to these "updates" or presentations strictly for the freebies, with no intention of purchasing except through resale?

No and neither should you.

The sales folks chose their lot in life. There are other jobs out there, but the promise of six-figure incomes sucked them in. I know sales sucks just from the five minutes that I worked in it. Every single 'no' hurt. Maybe if I had stuck with it, I would have become desensitized. Who knows. But if this is your chosen career, you better find a way to deal with it. Timeshare salespeople are well aware that they leads are shanghaied off the street or dragged into some survey or update in exchange for a gift. They aren't pre-selected based on any expressed need for the product, just that they wanted something for free. In fact, in this business, that is probably the only absolute.

I used to watch that show 'King of Cars' and there is always a salesman who is one blown sale away from losing his job. Would I feel lousy if my tour was the last straw for a particular salesman? Probably. Maybe that person is genuinely decent and is just trying to earn a living. But I don't know whether that is my salesman's situation or if he just spent the last year earning a couple hundred thousand dollars by rooking unsuspecting couples into buying something that they might not be able to afford using lies and other forms of manipulation.

The bottom line is that the person at the other end of the table made a bargain. The deal is free stuff for three hours of your time. You lived up to your end of the bargain. Get your free stuff and enjoy your vacation.

 

[Karen G]

I don't feel a bit guilty when I go to the presentations at the resort where we bought from the developer because I know I've paid for that breakfast and $200 food voucher many times over! We love going back every year, and I'm happy to get a little back on that high price we paid when we bought 10 yrs. ago.

 

[Robert A Booey]

Do any of you lift weights and take whey protein? For those who don't know, it can cause some remarkable flatulence.

I just had a brilliant idea. Take lots some whey before a TS sales presentation, and let 'er rip when in close proximity to an obnoxious sales droid. You'll get your space real quick!