WorldMark Relaunch? Did we really miss something?

[albertm84]

My wife and I are currently in San Diego and were told that this was no longer a "sales" location but if we wanted to attend the "workshop" for the new booking system. We paid the $20 reservation fee and we're assured this was NOT a sales presentation and they wanted to educate us on Panorama. Apparently we missed the emails and relaunch events from 2019 in Anaheim and the opportunity to upgrade. They then went into present a lock rate of 3.50 per point but if they could roll the offer back we can do so at 1.99 per point if we bought 40k+ points or 2.69 if we added 10k. The 1 hour education turned into 2 hour sales pitch that was tacky and felt totally scammed! We get to the "catch" and they said we can't use any of these new T & L benefits of Panorama if we don't upgrade our points. They also offered to refi our existing loan and merge with new points at a lower rate.My wife was so upset we just left and told them we were no longer available. Is this legit? Anybody else been through something similar? Or this just another slimy sales tactic? Just curious if we're really missing out on anything.

 

[geist1223]

Slimy sales tactics.

 

[pedro47]

My wife and I are currently in San Diego and were told that this was no longer a "sales" location but if we wanted to attend the "workshop" for the new booking system. We paid the $20 reservation fee and we're assured this was NOT a sales presentation and they wanted to educate us on Panorama. Apparently we missed the emails and relaunch events from 2019 in Anaheim and the opportunity to upgrade. They then went into present a lock rate of 3.50 per point but if they could roll the offer back we can do so at 1.99 per point if we bought 40k+ points or 2.69 if we added 10k. The 1 hour education turned into 2 hour sales pitch that was tacky and felt totally scammed! We get to the "catch" and they said we can't use any of these new T & L benefits of Panorama if we don't upgrade our points. They also offered to refi our existing loan and merge with new points at a lower rate.My wife was so upset we just left and told them we were no longer available. Is this legit? Anybody else been through something similar? Or this just another slimy sales tactic? Just curious if we're really missing out on anything.

Look for some major changes in 2022 from WorldMark and Wyndham.

 

[Eric B]

Look for some major changes in 2022 from WorldMark and Wyndham.

Why?

 

[TomCO]

Hello fellow WMers,

Somehow and for some reason I have found a way to embrace the much dreaded Wyndham "owners update." I know, probably not something of which to be proud. However, a developer purchase would severely increase my average cost per credit, so that's not going to happen. I figure the worst thing to happen is not get "invited" anymore. Oh the horror!

I currently employ a three step process to dealing with Wyndham sales.

1) Get "invited" to "owners update" after check-in. Never take first offer - In my opinion, 30,000 Wyndham Rewards points is an acceptable exchange for < one hour of my time (even on vacation).

2) Listen to "updater" talk about why I need Travelshare, more credits, blah blah blah. Simply explain I have more than enough credits for my family's needs. Also, I only use WM credits to stay in one of the 90+ resorts available to book and have no need for other options to spend credits. Any other accommodations can be acquired through WR points, or good ol cash.

3) Leave with gift after about 40± minutes and go back to whatever I was doing before that.

So simple and no reason to get stressed out. If none of this appeals to you, then just say you don't like getting marketed to while on vacation.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[bnoble]

they said we can't use any of these new T & L benefits of Panorama if we don't upgrade our points. [...] Just curious if we're really missing out on anything.

It is possible that two things are true: there are some "Travel & Leisure" features that won't be available at your current ownership level and (b) you aren't missing out on anything---at least not anything important.

Part of the timeshare sales process is designed to appeal to our FOMO--fear of missing out. It is human nature to want something we don't currently have--even when the thing itself isn't important, or the cost to get it is too high. The first thing---wanting---is subconscious. The other two things---importance, cost---require conscious thought. The sales process is designed in part to take advantage of that discrepancy.

 

[albertm84]

So there was no known event or emails that went out in 2019 or pre-Covid that anybody knows about?

 

[Ty1on]

So there was no known event or emails that went out in 2019 or pre-Covid that anybody knows about?

You were lied to, to get you to attend a sales presentation. Panorama is true, but if you save anything at all over shopping the market for a particular "thing", it ain't enough to justify buying another contract.

 

[Breezy52]

My wife and I are currently in San Diego and were told that this was no longer a "sales" location but if we wanted to attend the "workshop" for the new booking system. We paid the $20 reservation fee and we're assured this was NOT a sales presentation and they wanted to educate us on Panorama. Apparently we missed the emails and relaunch events from 2019 in Anaheim and the opportunity to upgrade. They then went into present a lock rate of 3.50 per point but if they could roll the offer back we can do so at 1.99 per point if we bought 40k+ points or 2.69 if we added 10k. The 1 hour education turned into 2 hour sales pitch that was tacky and felt totally scammed! We get to the "catch" and they said we can't use any of these new T & L benefits of Panorama if we don't upgrade our points. They also offered to refi our existing loan and merge with new points at a lower rate.My wife was so upset we just left and told them we were no longer available. Is this legit? Anybody else been through something similar? Or this just another slimy sales tactic? Just curious if we're really missing out on anything.

We bought more points at WM Mission Valley a few years back, and rescinded when 2 of the things they sucked us in on were simply not true, not in the contract provided and not verifiable. They were the biggest liars we have come across. What always surprises me is that you can tell them straight out, see the rescinds we have? Every one because of lies. We will rescind and yet they go forward with their BS.

 

[HudsHut]

So there was no known event or emails that went out in 2019 or pre-Covid that anybody knows about?

No. They are pretending you missed a huge announcement. You did not. Stay away from the update/workshop, etc. Just say no, firmly, and walk away. The sales pitch is designed to get you upset, so that you get angry or emotional, and then you are no longer thinking rationally. Seems strange, but it must work, because they keep doing it .

The ruse of "you must have missed our announcement/email" plants doubt in your mind, and lures you into thinking you have to listen to the presentation to "be informed". The updates/workshops have only one goal: to separate you from your money.