What would get you to write a review of your last Timeshare vacation?

[TUGBrian]

This has always been a question I ask myself when I see that more than 50% of TUG members have never actually submitted a review of their stay.

Now I realize that many of the popular resorts have tons of reviews and a good % of folks simply dont feel their review would add anything of value that hasnt already been mentioned by another TUG member.

But surely there are folks out there who have traveled to resorts that have review awards available or havent been reviewed in many months, what prevents you from submitting that review?

Is it just a lack of time to write up a decent review?
is the review submission process too cumbersome?


what say you the community? both those that write tons of reviews and those that have never written any. What do you feel would encourage or otherwise convince TUG members to submit their first review?

 

[pedro47]

Suggestion Only...How about a free TUG’S t-shirt for the best review of the month and the second one for a review from a resort that have not had a review in the past year or two years.
Suggestion Only.

 

[AnnieBets]

I’m not seeing how to write a review as a guest. When I try to log in to where I think I’m supposed to start, I get a failed log in message.

 

[mjm1]

I like to share insights of resorts, so I submit reviews most of the time. There have been times when I have been too busy and I just forget.

I don't recall if there is currently an incentive, but you could consider providing an extension of one's TUG membership by one or two months for each qualified review. You could provide the required parameters to qualify for the extension to ensure members are providing reasonable reviews.

TUG is a great resource and resort reviews are part of that. Thanks for asking for feedback.

Best regards.

Mike

 

[DavidnRobin]

I have multiple reviews/reports on my resort stays - but I post them in the VSE forum as they are more conducive to my writing style and photo uploads.


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[DeniseM]

I’m not seeing how to write a review as a guest. When I try to log in to where I think I’m supposed to start, I get a failed log in message.

They Ratings and Reviews forum is a member's only feature - but it only costs $15 to become a member.

 

[b2bailey]

How about an option to either use the format you provide -- or the ability to post "freeform" so the remarks could be cut and pasted. I guess that means I feel it is a bit cumbersome to use TUG format.

 

[TUGBrian]

I’m not seeing how to write a review as a guest. When I try to log in to where I think I’m supposed to start, I get a failed log in message.

one cant currently submit a review without being a TUG member, but we have considered allowing non member reviews (and for those to be public) in the review system.

this is more of a technological hurdle than anything as it requires us to make a good number of changes to allow random folks/guests to submit reviews and have those differentiated from member/owner reviews.

 

[TUGBrian]

I like to share insights of resorts, so I submit reviews most of the time. There have been times when I have been too busy and I just forget.

I don't recall if there is currently an incentive, but you could consider providing an extension of one's TUG membership by one or two months for each qualified review. You could provide the required parameters to qualify for the extension to ensure members are providing reasonable reviews.

TUG is a great resource and resort reviews are part of that. Thanks for asking for feedback.

Best regards.

Mike

we do currently offer this yes. review credits are available for most all reviews, we even include that as a reminder in all membership renewal emails as well!

 

[TUGBrian]

I have multiple reviews/reports on my resort stays - but I post them in the VSE forum as they are more conducive to my writing style and photo uploads.


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absolutely nothing wrong with writing reviews on the forums.

would you copy paste the review content on the resort review pages as well? you are also welcome to include a link to the original forum post if you so desire within the body of the review!

 

[TUGBrian]

How about an option to either use the format you provide -- or the ability to post "freeform" so the remarks could be cut and pasted. I guess that means I feel it is a bit cumbersome to use TUG format.

not sure what you mean here, but I would like to know more to address any issues that revolve around anyone feeling its difficult to submit a review!

is it the drop down boxes at the top for all the resort features? do you just want a single box to type in the details? perhaps after submitting the bulk of the review a page would pop up with those drop down options to fill out or not?

 

[b2bailey]

Been awhile since I have posted a review, but my recollection is that it was 'tedious'.

also would like to vote NO regarding non-member access to reviews.

 

[TUGBrian]

no problem, if you want to go in and try to submit one without actually submitting it and let me know if it still feels cumbersome, id love to get feedback!

we wouldnt provide member review access to non members...but simply considered providing a way for non members to post public reviews (like making a post on facebook etc)...but those posts/reviews WOULD be open to the public.

with member only reviews of course remaining visible only to those who are logged in as members.

or that was the idea anyway.

 

[DeniseM]

also would like to vote NO regarding non-member access to reviews.

I think this is an important safe guard against spammers.

 

[b2bailey]

I will go ahead and write a "real" review soon. Think the price of $15 is minimal gateway to read or write a review.

 

[pedro47]

I would vote no also. You must be a member of the website to posts Resorts Reviews. Difference reason to avoid inflating a resort score (either higher or lower).

Next a guest would ask to have the privilege to view TUG’s timeshare Resort Reviews because they have posted a resort review.

A guest can go to TripAdvisor and post their reviews for free.
Let them post their resort review on that website. No Harm, No Foul.

You must have rules and you must support your written rules. IMHO.

 

[Passepartout]

I'm also a 'no' on guests writing reviews, and the notation that writing them extends that $15 membership period.

The reason I haven't submitted any recently is that our timeshare stays have become fewer, and we just go back to the same locations and resorts. Aging does than to ya.

Jim

 

[Panina]

To increase participation

1)What if you email registered guests and offer a free membership if they do a review.

2)A visual counter usual is a encouraging factor like the trophies. Whereas the reviews you did are listed, you have to manually count to know your total. Knowing your are closer to the next Tug review crew level or that extended membership and/or ads are there might nudge a few. Can offer trophies too since they have great value. Show number of reviews next to Tug Review Crew title is a visual that would be seen often.

3)Create special for members, such as

A) do a review by (date) receive double credit

B) do (number) review in (year) receive free t shirt (or something else)

C) every month or quarter give some type of reward for best review with pictures and feature it in a post

D) hold a raffle each month for all submitted reviews

 

[TUGBrian]

To increase participation

1)What if you email registered guests and offer a free membership if they do a review.

we do offer this =) sadly we've only gotten maybe a dozen folks take us up on the offer! most were actually expired members who wanted to come back so we simply applied that review credit to extend their expired membership!

2)A visual counter usual is a encouraging factor like the trophies. Whereas the reviews you did are listed, you have to manually count to know your total. Knowing your are closer to the next Tug review crew level or that extended membership and/or ads are there might nudge a few. Can offer trophies too since they have great value. Show number of reviews next to Tug Review Crew title is a visual that would be seen often.

unfortunately there is no actual live "link" between the review section and the forums. we could implement that counter on the member only page however! (and there is an existing feature on the member only page that lets you view all of your submitted reviews, but it does not show your review crew level...thats merely something I implemented here on the forum to recognize those that submit reviews!

3)Create special for members, such as

A) do a review by (date) receive double credit

B) do (number) review in (year) receive free t shirt (or something else)

C) every month or quarter give some type of reward for best review with pictures and feature it in a post

D) hold a raffle each month for all submitted reviews

these are all good ideas!

 

[DaveNV]

If non-members can write reviews, (and presumably read what they wrote), what is the reason to be a member? I vote No on non-member reviews. Fifteen bucks isn't too much to pay to be a member.

As to writing those reviews: I've written a review for every timeshare I've ever stayed in. I don't find it tedious, although I do find the pre-filled options limiting. I try to provide the best options from the choices I'm given, and then I'll elaborate in the text for anything I want to say that wasn't previously asked.

I usually write the review offline, then log in to Tug, check the appropriate boxes, then cut and paste the text. It's fairly easy, if you pay attention to the choices.

Dave

 

[pedro47]

You are right Passepartout, we find ourselves going back to Our home resort more and more each year. I do not like to drive more than five (5) hours any more and the cost of flying have more than double. Flying is becoming hard on my rear end and the leg room on plane is less than I am able to tolerate. Plus, the airlines industry are not serving meals any more on short flights.

Finally, our home resort by Marriott is always rated four stars or better by TripAdvisor, AAA and the majority of all hotel websites.

Plus, TUG’S have always rated our home resort 8.5 or higher since it was built over twenty (20) years ago in Williamsburg,VA.

I agree on this point we need more current reviews on timeshare resorts from the Mid Atlantic, up North, the Mid West, Coastal California, North Carolina, the Caribbean, Canada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, etc.,

 

[TUGBrian]

I believe we implemented the drop down boxes a few years back based on owner feedback...if they need to be updated or more options provided as drop down selections, that should not be difficult!

 

[DavidnRobin]

absolutely nothing wrong with writing reviews on the forums.

would you copy paste the review content on the resort review pages as well? you are also welcome to include a link to the original forum post if you so desire within the body of the review!

I am not a TUG member...


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[PrairieGirl]

When I first joined TUG (many years ago) I faithfully wrote my reviews. I found the easiest way was to first compose them in Word so that I could can save them if partly finished and I needed to move on to something else or if I just wanted to read a review over and tweak it a few times. Then I copy and paste it into the submission box.

I have no idea why I don't write many any longer - not as much trading perhaps or just plain laziness. And in one case I found a true hidden gem that is very small with limited trading availability and I didn't (and still don't) want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg! Selfish of me perhaps, but so be it.

Just reading this thread has made me more determined to pull up my socks and write a review of my next exchange. After all, we need to do this for each other!

 

[Luanne]

I am not a TUG member...


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Your profile says you are a member.