Now the Points people are crying too

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

and as I posted OY; you can't get what isn't there.

Another RCI points complaint - TUG Bulletin Board

Things must be getting VERY thin if points can't see anything.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Could it be that maybe there getting less deposits now that people are starting to use the Alternates.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Could it be that maybe there getting less deposits now that people are starting to use the Alternates.

Frank the independents are very small fish in the very large pond. I've been watching this since RCI came on-line and the canned garbage that Madge feeds posters is just that GARBAGE!

Weeks trades in my and JLB's specialty areas has been next to nothing since 2005 looking for 2007 for high season.

There was always the points folks saying they could STILL see deposits. Things us weeks traders couldn't see. Frustrating for weeks traders but still a feeling that there were still good trades in high season for someone <other than renters> within RCI.

To see RCI Points players screaming poverty is very scarey indeed.

I looked for 2BDRM Hawaii this morning March thru August 2008 with a very very strong trader and not a SINGLE unit came up.

I don't think this is a case of Chicken Little screaming "The Sky is Falling" anymore. More likely the sound of Cendant imploding.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Lawren -

I suspect the mini-systems are having a big impact. All of the major developers are involved in mini-systems, and each transaction inside the mini is a trade extricated from the exchange system. I further suspect that when the minis do release inventory to an exchange company (to balance out member trades thatdo occur with the exchange company) the weeks the minis give the exchange companies include a higher proportion of marginal weeks. (I.e., the minis reserve a greater number of the best weeks for internal use).

[zdxlc9p6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zdxlc9p6]

Right now there are an increasing number of many minis; How does one decide?

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Lawren -

I suspect the mini-systems are having a big impact. All of the major developers are involved in mini-systems, and each transaction inside the mini is a trade extricated from the exchange system. I further suspect that when the minis do release inventory to an exchange company (to balance out member trades thatdo occur with the exchange company) the weeks the minis give the exchange companies include a higher proportion of marginal weeks. (I.e., the minis reserve a greater number of the best weeks for internal use).

Steve

Very feasible but not very likely. I am NOT buying into everyone that bought timeshare suddenly waking up in 2005 and saying "I'm going to GO to my timeshare this year". and that's what the drop off looked like! Honest. No Kidding and I would know.

I'm not talking about just holiday weeks and neither is Jim. We are talking an entire 3 MONTHS <actually 4 but who's counting...oh yeah. that would be ME!and Jim only searches a 5 week period historically>

We have purchased 2 timeshares that in-house trade and a 3rd that I bought as a tiger trader within RCI that has the possibility of a great in-house system or failing that happily would use ourselves. <Novel idea huh?>

Of course some folks might think I am holding a grudge for the search I had in for eons that didn't come thru in time for airfare but that I have been seeing all week but tha isn't true.

As to minis or even just plain old resort spacebanks; I have a deepening suspicion that RCI is playing with those too. Yes yes "paranoia the destroyer" to quote the Kinks. I THINK RCI is actually breaking up lock-offs...

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Right now there are an increasing number of many minis; How does one decide?

That would depend on your vacation needs. Where you would want to go and which mini-system best supports that area.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

The problem is that RCI Points cannot get a majority of a resorts weeks converted given their model for signing up customers. As a result, there are very few weeks in the point system for exchange.

Mini's can do better since they control 100% of the weeks in the system. So, availability is much more predictable in a mini-system vs. RCI Points.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

Years ago I saw this coming....points systems owners (and I suspect sales folks) would harangue me when I warned about the bogus and slippery slope of points conversions and points values. Of course, I was told that the "future" was coming and better to get on board now, rather than be left behind in the dust.

My arguments were usually to refer to the ever changing FF miles of any airlines reward program or credit card rewards....indicating that the company in control sets the value, and that value is at their will...

RCI has dipped far too deeply into the well, trying to sell a product that cannot sell.....conversion costs of $2500 plus for many folks, fees on top of fees for housekeeping etc....the so called "flexibility" is choked off by the costs....and one has to remember that the only viable reason to own a timeshare is the hedge against rising costs.....RCI is not helping that premise with these gimmicks.

The realities are that the old adages are true: Buy to use, buy where you want to go repeatedly, and buy resale.

I stated long ago, conversion of a weeks, especially a fixed week, at prices like $2500 plus are not a good idea.


As for the drying up of exchange availability, I experienced that around the same time, if not before Lawren and JLB mention....but Madge's presence, so revered OY made it impossible to illuminate it clearly by forum discussions.

RCI has been up to no good for some time....and if deposits are going elsewhere, or are just being siphoned off....perhaps more and more TS owners are catching on and just saying: "sorry, no deposit for you.....I refuse to serve at the pleasure of RCI!"

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Lawren -

I suspect the mini-systems are having a big impact. All of the major developers are involved in mini-systems, and each transaction inside the mini is a trade extricated from the exchange system. I further suspect that when the minis do release inventory to an exchange company (to balance out member trades thatdo occur with the exchange company) the weeks the minis give the exchange companies include a higher proportion of marginal weeks. (I.e., the minis reserve a greater number of the best weeks for internal use).

The mini-systems are a small part of the overall picture, and so are the ''major developers''.

Where the inventory is going is clearly the ever expanding RCI rental empire, and that is why we need to cheer on the class action lawsuit. Being involved in rentals to non-members from its exchange deposits is a huge conflict of interest for an exchange company.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Right now there are an increasing number of many minis; How does one decide?

Unless you have a rather narrow range of where you want to go, the minis will not be of much use if you plan to trade only within the mini's own system.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Right now there are an increasing number of many minis; How does one decide?

That is depended on how many timeshare you own already.

The strength of mini is it gives you chance to have several "home resort" which you can visit most frequently. And owning to use by owner is less risky than owning to exchange or owning to rent or owning to use the travel package. So if you have none or very few timeshares, the easiest criteria is to find a mini that has more resorts that each has enough inventories you like to visit with no or less trouble/cost. The 2nd criteria is the MF. it should be well within your travel budget.

When you have a lot of TS. You will know much better why you want to own on certain resort. Most of the time, the reason you own is it give you better chance to achive what you want with lowest risk. Each system will have its restriction (how easy to use, to cancel, to rent, to move from one year to another), its fee structure, together with its location will determine if you want to buy them.
And you may have more travel experience and settle down on your travel plan. At that time, you may decide not to use mini at all (e.g., you will only visist certain resorts and you only want units with special views).

Unless you have a rather narrow range of where you want to go, the minis will not be of much use if you plan to trade only within the mini's own system.

Most mini can easily fill your travel need for say 5 to 10 years, even if you decide to travel at different resorts every year. I agree if you are very experience travel, you may find you don't need it at all, but same can be say to TS.

Jya-Ning

[djyamyam Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close djyamyam]

Need to be diligent

I've been a Points owner for almost 2 years now. I can't comment about before that time, but I'd say that like Weeks owners, you need to be diligent about finding what you want. Finding the Points week that you want is not like "shooting fish in a barrel" as the salesfolks at the various resorts make it out to be.

I think that Lawren is partly right in that , some inventory just isn't there, regardless of whether it is Weeks or Points. Having said that, I believe inventory is there. You just need to find it. You think of all the Weeks that go unsed because owners don't book them at their home resort. They used to be available for last minute exchange. You don't see that same proliferation on the Points side because not everyone has paid the huge costs to convert their week. If it cost less, then I would suggest that a lot more would be in the Points inventory where you don't need to book far out in advance. However, if RCI is siphoning away inventory on the Weeks side, they'd do it on the Points side as well and Points folks would be in the same boat.

As an aside, I posted a bunch of Points inventory this morning that I saw at the 9 -10 month mark. I don't look often but I definitely saw some good stuff. Weeks owners have learned to be diligent and search early. Points owners are sold on "hey, there's always something available in Points and you can wait until the last minute" so not as many (non-Tuggers or TS4Ms) search early. So there'll be good stuff. I'm not crying about Points, although it's not a simple as it's made out to be. But that's how TSing is evolving. Be informed!

[shopgirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shopgirl]

The system is also glitchy, as I said OY. The one thing I noticed when I was searching is that the system does not effectively search for 30 days out, so you cannot count on searching the 1st of each month to get availability. I searched 4/1 when I got my week for 4/22 at Shearwater, but it did not come up during my first search. For kicks, I put in the date of check-in as 4/22 and I got the week. That means their search engine is not pulling as it is supposed to.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Unless you have a rather narrow range of where you want to go, the minis will not be of much use if you plan to trade only within the mini's own system.

Only a person who has never used a mini would say this. The minis give an experienced owner access to anything available in the timesharing world.
You can buy into a mini and NEVER use any of their resorts.