Your worst timeshare presentation experience?

[Phill12]

If we sign up for 90 minutes we'll stay 90 minutes unless they decide we don't have to. If it goes more than 90 minutes they are going to hear about it and we expect our no obligation gift(s) in full at the end. Anything less and there is only one side pulling dishonest tactics. They most likely live in dens and praise King David. Oh, please have free popcorn as I really enjoy that during the pitch.

What you are doing is fine because your being honest which takes you off the liars list. Your taking the freebies they offer to waste 90 minutes of your time and you listen and I have no problem with this. We won't waste our vacation time to get freebies but that is our choice as I stated in earlier post in taking responsibility for our own actions.

These forums are full of people everyday moaning about spending all this time to get the freebies when they had no intentions of buying and telling these sales people this. If time is so important to them at this point then just leave without the freebies.

Same thing when some people get great discount to go to Vegas or somewhere else and all they need to do is sit and listen then say no!

Many will spend short period of time then tell salesman their plans were to just get freebies and wonder why they get kicked out. Then there on these forums next day complaining how they were miss treated by these low lifes and later charged full hotel rate because they didn't follow the terms.


Being honest is a two way street, people are mad because these sales people lie to them and at same time its not lying to tell these people your really interested in buying when your only there for the freebies!

We have been to three and it wrecked part of our vacation time putting up with these sales people and what I new were lies but we sit through these and then took our $100.00 Harrah's gambling coupon and went back and lost it in less time than we spent listening to the bull! Never again but again this is our opinion and we take responsibility for it!

 

[rickandcindy23]

YOUR ABSOLUTLY CORRECT. THERE WAS ANOTHER COUPLE COMPLAINING A FEW WEEKS AGO WHICH JUST GOES TO SHOW. THIS IS ALL THEY GET TO DO ON VACATION, GO ON TOURS AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE REPS. THESE SALESPEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE A LIVING AND ARE GENERALLY COMISSION ONLY. TAKE THE TIME TO VACATION AWAY FROM BUSINESS, AND BUY RESALE SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE "SALESPEOPLE" EVER AGAIN. GOOD FOR YOU.

That would be ME! What is your motive, I wonder, for criticizing those of us who go on the tours they BEG us to attend, calling 3 times in one week, waking us up in the morning TWICE! I said, "We attended the presentation before, just a few years ago and didn't buy then and don't plan to buy." The assurance is always, "You are under no obligation to buy anything." Not that I would EVER feel obligated to spend $20K for a $100 gift card for Disney.

Your posts are accusing people of attending timeshare presentations with no intention of buying. Well, we never intended to buy a single timeshare, yet we purchased two from a developer and WILL purchase another very soon, before summer's end, but we know exactly what I want to buy and know what we are willing to pay. We will also purchase a Marriott within six months, but we haven't decided which one or if we will buy resale or from Marriott.

If 100% of people felt this way, the way you feel about it, NO tours would occur because no one would go on them. :annoyed: We have attended two sales presentations this year and have been on vacation 9 total weeks, so I guess that is not ALL we do on vacation.

I have said it before, but here it is again: Change the way timeshares are marketed and don't give free gifts. Put up a sign saying "prepay your vacation" and see who comes. For 1/2 price, the savings of marketing costs would be substantial, I would buy a Marriott. The system as it was set up 30 years ago was always flawed and still is flawed.

If you think my idea is ridiculous, look at what Disney is doing. Another success story is One Napili Way on Maui, with their sign on the road by the resort. Marriott could sell itself and doesn't need a lying salesman (ours did lie) to sell the product.

Phil, I don't see how John's tactic is different from anyone else's.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Or -- even better -- buy timeshares resale (saving thousands) and absorb maximum timeshare tour freebies.

The best of both worlds, eh ?

Shux, 1 time The Chief Of Staff & I even wangled compound freebies -- not that there's anything wrong with that.

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

Yay, Alan!

 

[Garnet]

The only tour where we got nothing was our 1st purchase....

We were on our honeymoon in Kauai...we had seen the resales promos. We went to at least one other "presentation" for the gifts. Near where we were staying (Cliffs in a privately owned unit) was the Alii Kai timeshare. We walked in...asked the guy (the developer-Ron Wright, I believe) what was the incentive...He said, as he was doing his daily work, "No incentive. Just great, well laid out units. Low MF, especially for Kauai. High trade power, (30 seconds more of (true) bhah, blah..)" VERY, VERY, reasonable price in comparison to other comparible units.... BUT, WHAT!!! NOTHING FOR TOURING??? NO tickets, NADA? AND..no salespersons???

Hmmm...... I told him that maybe we would end up buying one day after looking at some stuff-he said "Everyone ends up buying today or not at all..."

Well, 6 months or so later...still thinking about the thing, and MF costs, etc... we ended up buying at the same resort-resale-ALMOST THE SAME AS from the DEVELOPER! I think I saved a couple hundred bucks (maybe)-but it was a purchase that (even if no resales available) made sense for us. And...for whatever bizarre reason...I am happy that I purchased resale and didn't fall for the developer price! (For all my resorts-SO FAR!!! Although I think it makes sense-in rare instances...)

PS---Although I do feel the developer has a big role that Tuggers under appreciate...where would we all be without them?? This is one developer that was honest-although as I said, I'm happy I purchased resale-I would have been happy to buy from him as well.

 

[janapur]

What you are doing is fine because your being honest which takes you off the liars list. Your taking the freebies they offer to waste 90 minutes of your time and you listen and I have no problem with this. We won't waste our vacation time to get freebies but that is our choice as I stated in earlier post in taking responsibility for our own actions.

These forums are full of people everyday moaning about spending all this time to get the freebies when they had no intentions of buying and telling these sales people this. If time is so important to them at this point then just leave without the freebies.

Same thing when some people get great discount to go to Vegas or somewhere else and all they need to do is sit and listen then say no!

Many will spend short period of time then tell salesman their plans were to just get freebies and wonder why they get kicked out. Then there on these forums next day complaining how they were miss treated by these low lifes and later charged full hotel rate because they didn't follow the terms.


Being honest is a two way street, people are mad because these sales people lie to them and at same time its not lying to tell these people your really interested in buying when your only there for the freebies!

We have been to three and it wrecked part of our vacation time putting up with these sales people and what I new were lies but we sit through these and then took our $100.00 Harrah's gambling coupon and went back and lost it in less time than we spent listening to the bull! Never again but again this is our opinion and we take responsibility for it!

I'm not sure if I'm on your "liars list." I don't think so because I have never told any salesperson that I was "really interested in buying." I don't know anyone who has, even of those who end up buying.

However, you have demonstrated why people sure feel the need to lie in an effort to get out of a seemingly endless and high pressured presentation. They never start out this way. The tactics expressed in other posts including salespeople crying and placing guilt upon the guest are unacceptable. Unfortunately, it must work, as I can't think of why else they would continue this practice.

At many resorts, we are called every morning to attend a no obligation tour, breakfast, information meeting, whatever. I have learned to unplug our phone, but I shouldn't have to. Our invitation has never been prefaced with the condition that we need to be "interested in buying." Therefore, our attendance alone should qualify for whatever they are offering- according to them. When a guest tells them they are not interested in buying (over and over again to each on the hierarchy of salespeople) some try to disqualify the guest ("get kicked out" as you say) or lengthen the 90 minutes promised. Some people are just just trying to avoid the negative confrontation and have a harder time being firm. I still don't think "liar" is appropriate for these folks.

Do some of these complainers continue to attend sales presentations? Of course, but I think you will find that those here on TUG know the game and don't let in ruin their vacation. Or else they just stop attending.

We are always up front with how many ts we own and how much we paid. It seems to shorten the presentation. I am always open to more, so I still say if the price and resort is right, I have no problem buying from the developer. Do I get to be excluded from the "liars list?"

Jana

 

[roadi]

Worst ILG

Attended a meeting with ILG who are pure scammers !
We tried to sell a timeshare at 9,500 they want a loan taken out over 4 years for £19,500.
I saw alot of people older than us partin with their deeds and money !
I read they are part of a scam involving many other companies !

Be Ware !

If it sounds too good to be true walk away !

We were lucky we only lost £950 to We sell your time share !

It could have been alot worse !

 

[Polly Metallic]

Our worst tour was definitely at a resort in Puerto Vallarta about ten years ago. I think it was the Krystal. Lovely place, by the way, but I think the tour ended up to be at least four hours. We were killing time until our flight home, but we really should have been more forceful and cut the nightmare short! What made this the worst? In the end the salesperson actually gave up on us and said that he didn't even like timeshares, anyway. He just sells them, LOL. He said people can usually get better deals from package trips that include hotel and airfare.

 

[icutravel2]

As a multiple week owner for over 20 years I agree with softballdad. It is simple economics. The payment expected for receipt of a "gift" is "time". If your desire is simply a look at the property ask for a courtesy tour with no gift. If you want a gift expect to spend 3 hours or so. Choosing to subsidize the cost of your vacation with a gift is entirely your choice.

 

[sandesurf]

Worse was Dolphin's Cove in Anaheim. Mostly because the girl just would not quit. I learned my lesson there. I tell them up front that they have the 90 min. and then we leave.
Had to excersise that while on a Starwood tour in Waikiki. The guy was 15 min. late, which I let him know that was on "his" time. Then he tried to make us watch the "sentimental vacation" video, in the dark, by ourselves, with 15 min. to go. I was steaming mad and walked back out into the sales room where salesman was taking a cigararette break! I told him if he wanted to tell us the bottom line that he'd better start talking because now he had 10 min. Luckily, my husband went along with me but I'm not sure I can get him to go to another tour. I embarrassed him. LOL Yet I get some sort of pleasure out of these encounters! :whoopie:

 

[PerryM]

I paid for ALL my "free" gifts...7 times over

The real kick in the head with all the freebies that we've gotten over the years is that I’ve paid for everyone of them!

I’ve bought 8 timeshares from developers over the years and each of those purchases contains 7 gift payments at an average of $350 or $2,450 was added to EACH timeshare I bought. We all know this – 50% of the developer’s sales price is marketing (freebies) and sales expense.

So I’ve not really gotten a single penny from any developer – I figure that I’m at breakeven; I’ve gotten what I paid for over 8 years of timeshare sales tours and purchases from the developer.

Now those folks who don’t play this game are out $2,450 for that new timeshare they paid. That’s how much all those freebies cost and the new owner pays for them. Even the “free” gift they just got they just paid for 7 times over.

Now here’s a great question – how come folks who buy get the same gift as the 6 folks who were given gifts before him that did NOT buy (7 sales tours needed to get 1 sale)? How come the new owner doesn’t get 2 free gifts?

Ooooooo, that would shake up the timeshare industry.

So before you folks start complaining about freebies consider that we owners paid for every one of them - 7 times over!

Instead; a pat on my back and a "Job well done" is what you guys should be showering on me - I paid for all your freebies! Thank you very much.

P.S.
8 developer purchases at 7 * $350 per "free gift" = $19,600 I paid towards "free gifts". They weren't free for me. This is not a small amount of money.

Thus I'm qualified to "forgive" all the other freeloaders out there - you have my blessing; go in peace.

P.P.S.
However if you have a guilty conscience there's always PayPal....... I just want you to feel better about yourself. Money can help.

 

[Chocklatgurl]

Perry:




LOL!!!

 

[Chocklatgurl]

I think calling someone a LIAR is really uncalled for and insulting. To "lie" is to intentionally state something that is known to be untrue for the purpose of deceiving someone else. I don't think I or anyone else here for that matter deserves that label. I wouldn't call anyone, including the salespeople "bottom-feeders" because I know they are out there trying to make a living just like the rest of us. I don't think it's their fault either, since I've heard that many of them are put under immense pressure to make the sale.

There is NO OBLIGATION to buy nor is there any obligation to think about buying. If I accept the invitation to the tour, then my obligation is to sit there for whatever time that I have signed my life away for (90 to 120 minutes) and then politely inform the sales rep of my decision. If it's no, and my time is up, then they should let me go. If they don't want people to take the gifts, then don't offer them! Furthermore, don't call my house and ask me to attend a sales presentation when your salesperson is mentally unprepared to hear the truth! I was more than happy to go to the DVC presentation without them offering me anything (well, actually, the ice cream was pretty good ) I ended up buying my first timeshare there because out of all the others, DVC was the only one that respected my right to not make a hasty, guilt-ridden decision.

If you choose not to take advantage of these incentives in exchange for your time then that's your decision. My question was about what everyone's worst experience was, not what anyone thought of people who go to these presentations. Next time, choose a less insulting term for people who know a good deal when they see one.

 

[Sponge]

Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Cabo !!! Checked in and met our Rep. William. Went to the breakfast room and loaded our plates. He inquired about our ownerships over breakfast. Excused himself and came back to tell us the lowest they had to offer was an every other year studio at $5,900.00 Asked if we were intrested and we told him no. Left us to finish breakfast and told us to go to gifting when we were finished. Total time at resort around 30 minutes and $350.00 US. Scott

 

[DeniseM]

Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Cabo !!! Checked in and met our Rep. William. Went to the breakfast room and loaded our plates. He inquired about our ownerships over breakfast. Excused himself and came back to tell us the lowest they had to offer was an every other year studio at $5,900.00 Asked if we were intrested and we told him no. Left us to finish breakfast and told us to go to gifting when we were finished. Total time at resort around 30 minutes and $350.00 US. Scott

This is your WORST ever TS presentation?

 

[Steamboat Bill]

Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Cabo !!! Checked in and met our Rep. William. Went to the breakfast room and loaded our plates. He inquired about our ownerships over breakfast. Excused himself and came back to tell us the lowest they had to offer was an every other year studio at $5,900.00 Asked if we were intrested and we told him no. Left us to finish breakfast and told us to go to gifting when we were finished. Total time at resort around 30 minutes and $350.00 US. Scott

It would be nice if they were all that easy. Did they pay you in cash?

 

[Sponge]

Absoutley and in american currancy!!! The whole expierance was way too BOARING.

 

[JMAESD84]

The real kick in the head with all the freebies that we've gotten over the years is that I’ve paid for everyone of them!

Now here’s a great question – how come folks who buy get the same gift as the 6 folks who were given gifts before him that did NOT buy (7 sales tours needed to get 1 sale)? How come the new owner doesn’t get 2 free gifts?

Ooooooo, that would shake up the timeshare industry.

So before you folks start complaining about freebies consider that we owners paid for every one of them - 7 times over!

Instead; a pat on my back and a "Job well done" is what you guys should be showering on me - I paid for all your freebies! Thank you very much.

I think your SECOND bonus gift for the times you purchased was the OUTSTANDING DEVELOPER DEAL you've received.

You've made eight developer purchases and still feel good about it?

It's almost like you live in a whole different dimension than most of us.

Thank You So Much

 

[Courts]

This is my first and worst.

My first experience was quite eye-opening. Fortunately for me the salesperson was very inept.
He started out saying the Maryland Attorney General found they were doing nothing wrong. Some sales pitch. This made me very suspicious of course. Wondered how many complaints there were.

After touring a beautiful condo with marble fire place in the bedroom, we sat down to talk "price".

This was about 1978 and the starting price was $22,000.00. I paid that much for my house just 6 years before.

I had no idea what a timeshare was and he did nothing to educate me. After about 45 minutes of saying NO, he suddenly offered a price of $10,000.00. I asked where that property was located and he said it was the same condo.

You can imagine what was going through my mind being completely uninformed as to what a TS encompassed. First $22,000.00 then all of a sudden $10,000.00? What kind of sales pitch was this? Same condo for less than half just by saying NO?

He almost had me, except I kept thinking his first sentence about the Attorney General, is all I needed to know. It was some years later that I became aware he probably offered the first week in February for $10,000.00 (in Ocean City Md., obviously a heavy snow week. I've never been to the beach in heavy snow).

I stuck to my guns, and the answer NO - NO. He wound up the sales pitch by insulting me, saying I just WASTED HIS TIME so I could get the freebie. Some freebie, a motor bike that I would have to pay $300.00 shipping fee.

Thank goodness for this experience. It has served me well.

 

[capjak]

P.P.S.
However if you have a guilty conscience there's always PayPal....... I just want you to feel better about yourself. Money can help.

How about I send you a voucher for a 3 day/2 night cruise and a voucher for a stay in a hotel in Orlando...all you have to do is go to a 90 minute...never mind....

 

[rickandcindy23]

As a multiple week owner for over 20 years I agree with softballdad. It is simple economics. The payment expected for receipt of a "gift" is "time". If your desire is simply a look at the property ask for a courtesy tour with no gift. If you want a gift expect to spend 3 hours or so. Choosing to subsidize the cost of your vacation with a gift is entirely your choice.

90 minutes is what they promise, and I expect them to stick with that promise, otherwise it is just another lie.

Perhaps timeshare salesmen are not making much profits lately and are getting bitter about the free gifts? Like I said before, the system for selling timeshare is flawed and always has been. If the product is quality enough to sell itself, then don't offer free gifts. If the people who take freebies say "NO, NO, NO," then don't waste your time selling them something they have been clear they don't want.

I am under no obligation to listen to a salesperson drone on and on with nothing new to say. Reiterating the same thing, over and over again, is just not going to change my mind.

We were going to buy Orlando, then the internet came along and our options for exchanging opened up to us. Wonderful thing, the internet. So glad Al Gore invented it. :hysterical:

 

[wilma]

We were going to buy Orlando, then the internet came along and our options for exchanging opened up to us. Wonderful thing, the internet. So glad Al Gore invented it. :hysterical:

Another lie/urban still being perpetuated:
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp

 

[janapur]

If you choose not to take advantage of these incentives in exchange for your time then that's your decision. My question was about what everyone's worst experience was, not what anyone thought of people who go to these presentations. Next time, choose a less insulting term for people who know a good deal when they see one.

Exactly. This should have been a very funny thread. Instead the insults have opened a debate. So to get back on topic . . . my first ts purchase was an EOY 1br at The Palms (now Mystic Dunes) in Orlando. My folks are convinced that they size you up before assigning your salesperson. I was 22 and single. The extremely handsome young salesman promised me that if I was not happy with my purchase a year later he would personally buy it from me for what I paid- $9000. The demand for Orlando was greater than any other destination, I would never be able to trade into such a nice resort, I could rent my week for a profit, the value will double in five years, yadda, yadda, yadda. What made this my worst presentation? Upon telling my folks about my new purchase, my mom escorted me back to personally witness me signing the rescission. Not sure if it was me or the salesman she didn't trust. I felt about 12 years old and this handsome young salesman said he should have known I wasn't adult enough to make my own decision. While I am now thankful for this humbling experience, at the time my dignity would have been worth that $9000.

I will be 40 this year and still feel the need to assure my folks how much I've paid for the many ts I now own. They were slow to believe that the ebay deals were legit.

 

[AwayWeGo]

R. O. F. L. M. S. O.

This should have been a very funny thread.

Shux, it's got me laughing my sox off.

I will be 40

My memory isn't all that bad for an old guy, but I cannot remember any time when I ever thought 40 was old. I can vaguely remembering a time when I thought 50 was old -- but today the very idea makes me smile.

Now I'm pushing 66 & I acknowledge that's old. That red & white & blue Medicare card I carry around cuts right through any denial. So it goes.

My father passed away in his 87th year. When he was 82 or so, he said to me, "I know I'm an old guy. I look in the mirror & see an old guy with white hair & an old guy's face, & I realize that I'm old. Even so," he said, "the experience of walking around & living life day to day & hour to hour is the same as when I was a young man."

I found that highly encouraging at the time, & I still do -- words to live by, eh ?

Meanwhile time marches on. My sons are age 40 & age 37, respectively. I have grandnieces ages 12 & 9. My grandson is 5.

Of all the things I am grateful for every day -- my life & my wife, my health, my family, all the things that I have (timeshares included), & being able to pay my bills (timeshare fees included) -- I have to say that the gift of time ranks right up there.

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

 

[icydog]

Now I'm pushing 66 & I acknowledge that's old. That red & white & blue Medicare card I carry around cuts right through any denial. So it goes.

My father passed away in his 87th year. When he was 82 or so, he said to me, "I know I'm an old guy. I look in the mirror & see an old guy with white hair & an old guy's face, & I realize that I'm old. Even so," he said, "the experience of walking around & living life day to day & hour to hour is the same as when I was a young man."

I found that highly encouraging at the time, & I still do -- words to live by, eh ?

Of all the things I am grateful for every day -- my life & my wife, my health, my family, all the things that I have (timeshares included), & being able to pay my bills (timeshare fees included) -- I have to say that the gift of time ranks right up there.

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

When I was young I couldn't afford a timeshare- or any share for that matter. I was raising two kids on my own with no help, and money was very tight until I started earning good money in my late 30's and early 40's. Now my new husband, we're married 19 yrs so he's not really new, and I travel the world using timeshares. We bought our first one in 1992 from DVC when he was 61 and I was 46. Now he's 77 and I'm 62 and we realize how lucky we are to have gone on so many vacations together.
He is slowing down, and at some point soon I may have to sell them all, but for now, I am grateful I had this run of good luck--- and I will cherish it. Perhaps I will look back fondly on 2008-- when I get really old, like, say, 66..

 

[easyrider]

To all those folks who pity the salesreps making $350k per year, think of it this way:

I have a proven track record of 1 developer sale in 10 sales tours. What red blooded timeshare rep would not like a crack at getting our business? Why do folks here assume that sales reps don’t dream of outwitting me and making a sale out of our tour?

Give the reps more credit and allow them a chance to make the normal 1 in 7 sale with you. In return you get treated like a rock star – free drinks, food, we love the VIP treatment of golf cart rides to tour the place, and then we get a goodie bag, just like Hollywood folks, with our $200 gift. None of that is possible if we avoid the rep.

Nope, I’d bet that any salesrep worth their salt wants a shot at our 1 in 10 track record. I think its every TUG member's duty to allow those loveable reps a chance at our business and they can’t do that if you never go.

In Cabo last month we went on three TS presentations for $300.00 + to attend each presentation. There was no bad presentation. All the reps were told in the warm up of the presentation about our 5 weeks we already own. All the reps understood we were knowledgeable about TS but all of them wanted to proceed with a presentation anyway. When I asked why the reason given was that it is a numbers game for them. Not one of the presentations went over 120 min including breakfast.

I agree with Perry on this one. Your doing the developer a service by attending a presentation. If your really smart the presenter is probably learning better how to present to your type.