Best Way to Say NO

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Thanks for the reply. I don't mind putting in the 90 minutes, but I've seen several people talking about how it is more like two to three hours. That I'd like to avoid. I'd also like to avoid the hard sell. I tend to get snippy when I get a hard sale sales person. I'm sure Marriott would like for me to continue staying at their hotels.

What's the gifting business? Free toaster or is it just them validating my contract?

Wouldn't you have asked that, or been told what the offer is, before booking your tour?

[beach_bumming Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close beach_bumming]

Wouldn't you have asked that, or been told what the offer is, before booking your tour?

This is my first timeshare preview experience. What I know is that for a cheap hotel, I do my 90 minute preview. The gift reference threw me off. Wasn't sure if that was a reference to the cheap hotel or an extra gift, like an Ipod or something that goes along with the tour. People often give swag in pre-sales. Just trying to clarify.

BB

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

This is my first timeshare preview experience. What I know is that for a cheap hotel, I do my 90 minute preview. The gift reference threw me off. Wasn't sure if that was a reference to the cheap hotel or an extra gift, like an Ipod or something that goes along with the tour. People often give swag in pre-sales. Just trying to clarify.

BB

If there was a gift involved, you would have been told about it when you booked your stay. Marriott "gifts" are usually in the form of Marriott dollars, Marriott points, or an activity/outing while you are on vacation. Sometimes they are offered in addition to the reduced rate for the "promo stay," but not often - if you care, you can call the number you used to book your stay and ask them. The "gifts" are more often used as incentives to get people staying elsewhere to tour while they are already on vacation - value is usually around $100 for Marriott, depending on location.

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

It sounds like the "gift" in this case is the discount off your room charge. If it was show tickets or restaurant gift cards or the like, as is often the incentive without a room stay, then you should know of it already.

To avoid unnecessarily extending the length of the sales pitch, don't show much interest and certainly don't ask questions. That's perceived as interest and it will generate long responses designed to "hook" you, regardless of your claims otherwise. This is the salesperson's job. The less you say, the more quickly they can get through their required schpiel.

Let them know early on that you never make sizable purchases on impulse or the same day and you are not willing to sign anything either. You don't even want a "sample trial offer." You are simply there to fulfill your obligation on the nice room deal. Then stick to those few short answers. HTH.

[1950bing Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 1950bing]

The best way to say no is to not go. However, you will miss out on all the free stuff. I go for the free gifts and in a small way I feel I'm getting back for the way that salesman lied to me back in the early eighties with his scam.
I have a long way yet to go, maybe someday I 'll get even !
Jul 03 I will have been timeshare free for 6 years.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Thanks for the reply. I don't mind putting in the 90 minutes, but I've seen several people talking about how it is more like two to three hours. That I'd like to avoid. I'd also like to avoid the hard sell. I tend to get snippy when I get a hard sale sales person. I'm sure Marriott would like for me to continue staying at their hotels.

What's the gifting business? Free toaster or is it just them validating my contract?

No, really, it will only be 90 minutes - as I said, this is a first class organization, not sleazeballs - so what they say they will do.
By "gifting" - I mean the points or Marriott gift certs they are giving you for attending.
In your case, I believe you said they gave you a discounted room rate.

And if this is causing you so much stress, cancel it and forget it. You can always rent someplace. If you pre-paid, then go with a good attitude, 'pay your dues' by sitting thru the presentation, be prepared with intelligent questions so u actually get something out of it and then you will be done!

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

No, really, it will only be 90 minutes - as I said, this is a first class organization, not sleazeballs - so what they say they will do.
By "gifting" - I mean the points or Marriott gift certs they are giving you for attending.
In your case, I believe you said they gave you a discounted room rate.

And if this is causing you so much stress, cancel it and forget it. You can always rent someplace. If you pre-paid, then go with a good attitude, 'pay your dues' by sitting thru the presentation, be prepared with intelligent questions so u actually get something out of it and then you will be done!

The last time I attended a Marriott presentation this first class organization never gave me the Marriott Reward Points they promised!

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

The last time I attended a Marriott presentation this first class organization never gave me the Marriott Reward Points they promised!

They have also tried to screw me out of promised points, and I recall reading similar tales from others at the time. I would never take the points option again from them - fool me once.... ok ok, they got me twice. I did eventually get my points but it took so much time and effort it was infuriating. If the non-points incentives aren't worth my time, I don't bother. The sales staff has no incentive to follow up and get you your points if you don't buy, and they refuse to deposit the points while you are there.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

The last time I attended a Marriott presentation this first class organization never gave me the Marriott Reward Points they promised!

They have also tried to screw me out of promised points, and I recall reading similar tales from others at the time. I would never take the points option again from them - fool me once.... ok ok, they got me twice. I did eventually get my points but it took so much time and effort it was infuriating. If the non-points incentives aren't worth my time, I don't bother. The sales staff has no incentive to follow up and get you your points if you don't buy, and they refuse to deposit the points while you are there.

I have never gone for the points (as I prefer the cash to use at the restaurants) so can not say. Sorry you both had difficulty.
Hopefully OP will not be getting points.
In probably 12 Marriott tours I only had one negative experience and it actually was with a salesperson we had previuosly purchased our Aruba unit from - go figure!

To the OP, I have nothing else to say.
Everyone else seems to be warning you against going or to be upleasant to get done quicker....
All I can say is enjoy your trip.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I have never gone for the points (as I prefer the cash to use at the restaurants) so can not say. Sorry you both had difficulty.
Hopefully OP will not be getting points.
In probably 12 Marriott tours I only had one negative experience and it actually was with a salesperson we had previuosly purchased our Aruba unit from - go figure!

To the OP, I have nothing else to say.
Everyone else seems to be warning you against going or to be upleasant to get done quicker....
All I can say is enjoy your trip.

It depends who the sales person is as they take care of the points that will go in your account. On our last update on Maui, they handed us an envelope that we had earned the points already. Only once we had a problem too but it got corrected. You have to give them the date when you took the tour and where.

[beach_bumming Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close beach_bumming]

Thanks for the good info...

So, I want to thank everyone for being helpful. Sounds like I'm going to get 90 minutes, normal sales pitch and be done. Should be well worth the time to get the discount room.

I do have a side bar question though. It sounds like you guys go on a lot of these previews, even some of you who don't own a timeshare, looking at 1950bling. Are there usually good prizes and points involved? I guess I'm asking is it worth it? 90 minutes to save me over $500.00 is worth it to me. If I find that saying no is pretty easy, and I have a couple of hours to kill, might be a nice way to get some bonus stuff while on vacation.

BB

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

Are there usually good prizes and points involved? I guess I'm asking is it worth it?

Depends. On one occasion, I was surprised to find that my free lunch was a platter of very simple sandwiches. Some people have already told you they left with nothing despite being promised 'something of value'.


90 minutes to save me over $500.00 is worth it to me. If I find that saying no is pretty easy, and I have a couple of hours to kill, might be a nice way to get some bonus stuff while on vacation. BB

I find it easy to say no, but I don't find it easy to tolerate bullying, belittling or public humiliation.

Have a look at this thread..
http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...ife-tears.html

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Have a look at this thread..
http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...ife-tears.html

Not exactly a trueful tale....

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

So, I want to thank everyone for being helpful. Sounds like I'm going to get 90 minutes, normal sales pitch and be done. Should be well worth the time to get the discount room.

I do have a side bar question though. It sounds like you guys go on a lot of these previews, even some of you who don't own a timeshare, looking at 1950bling. Are there usually good prizes and points involved? I guess I'm asking is it worth it? 90 minutes to save me over $500.00 is worth it to me. If I find that saying no is pretty easy, and I have a couple of hours to kill, might be a nice way to get some bonus stuff while on vacation.

BB

You know if you go there wearing a Timeshareforums shirt or hat you can cut 60 min off the tour.