ARDA event....

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Just a few thoughts from the ARDA conference in Orlando...

I attended as a guest of Timeshares Only and spent quite a bit of time at their booth, which maintained a consistent stream of visitors so I feel confident I saw most of the people attending. Overall attendance was down as expected (one ARDA rep admitted attendance was down by more than 1,000).

Resale sites in attendance were Timeshares Only, MyResortNetwork, Sellmytimeshaenow, and Stroman (as Timesharelink). Redweek sponsored a few events, but didn't seem to have any other presence.

Timesharing Today had a booth manned by Shep, Ray, and Ed Hastry. I did see Brian Rogers from TUG, but just in passing- not as a vendor. Perspective magazine had a large presence.

Exchange companies were well represented. II and RCI had massive presentations, but others also had great visibility including SFX and Ice.

Much of the developer discussion revolved around the current economic challenges facing resorts and developer finance, as well as the possibility of increased state regulation.

Resale discussion was limited for the most part to the annual resale forum. I sat at a table with Jay & Judy Kozlowski (Remax brokerage) and Ray Jacobs (coowner and counsel for Timesharingtoday). Howard Nusbaum made an appearance- and then each table was given the task of providing suggestions for ARDA's role (if any) in the resale industry, proposed membership guidelines and penalties for resellers, and disclosure recommendations for members involved with resale.

Suggestions for ARDA's role ranged from "None" to "creating a special ARDA designation for resellers".... Proposed membership guidelines and penalties ranged from "None" to "Tar and Feather evildoers" (suggested by Seth Nock). Disclosure recommendations ranged from "None" to "Full disclosure and audit similar to a publicly traded company"..

At the end of a little discussion, an ARDA rep thanked everyone for attending and stated that the suggestions would receive consideration. It was nice to sit and laugh together, but I didn't get the impression we actually accomplished much.... But at least this year there wasn't any yelling!

All in all it was a pretty mild event with many of the same players in attendance as past years.

Perhaps others will have additional info...

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

given the task of ... proposed membership guidelines and penalties for resellers

No, are you sure? They are asking for penalty just because you are a reseller? And ask reseller for that?

Wonder Did they discuss about PCC? Since ARDA seems was planning to work with them to create some resale source.

Jya-Ning

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

They were asking for feedback about proposed guidelines for ARDA members that are resellers, and for possibly penalties to those members that violate those guidelines. No specific mention of any of the PCC's, but I did see both David MacMillan and Cindy Martin of Timeshare Relief walking around the exhibit hall. I didn't notice if they attended the resale meeting, however.

There seemed to be a large number of developers in attendance at that meeting. There was a Marriott rep at my table (I apologize for not remembering his name as he left a little early), and I also recognized both Angela Ward of Bluegreen and Jan Anderson of HGVC, as well as others. I'd guess that resale brokers were outnumbered by at least 4 to 1 at the event, which is pretty standard for an ARDA conference.

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

They were asking for feedback about proposed guidelines for ARDA members that are resellers, and for possibly penalties to those members that violate those guidelines. No specific mention of any of the PCC's, but I did see both David MacMillan and Cindy Martin of Timeshare Relief walking around the exhibit hall. I didn't notice if they attended the resale meeting, however.

There seemed to be a large number of developers in attendance at that meeting. There was a Marriott rep at my table (I apologize for not remembering his name as he left a little early), and I also recognized both Angela Ward of Bluegreen and Jan Anderson of HGVC, as well as others. I'd guess that resale brokers were outnumbered by at least 4 to 1 at the event, which is pretty standard for an ARDA conference.

Not sure how they can impose a penalty on resellers since they have no regulatory or business leverage over those companies. Maybe if they had a label designating them as ARDA approved resellers, that they could revoke that certification if resellers violated selling guidelines. But, why would anyone sign up for such a program unless ARDA promoted it. If ARDA promoted it, the Resort Developers would balk. Seems like a silly idea really.

The biggest thing the resort developers can do is jointly declare the current Resort Developer sales and marketing model as dead and move to a more education oriented model. Prices would drop, but it would do more to make the timeshare industry a legitimate one than anything else they could do.

All the unethical business models for resales would start to go away if the developers promoted resales and did what they could to ensure that resale prices and developer prices were within about 20-25% of each other.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Were any of the Exchange companies there?

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

I didn't notice any exchange reps at the resale meeting, but there were so many conference attendees from the various exchange systems I could have easily missed someone.

[Dave H Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dave H]

Not sure how they can impose a penalty on resellers since they have no regulatory or business leverage over those companies. Maybe if they had a label designating them as ARDA approved resellers, that they could revoke that certification if resellers violated selling guidelines. But, why would anyone sign up for such a program unless ARDA promoted it. If ARDA promoted it, the Resort Developers would balk. Seems like a silly idea really.

The biggest thing the resort developers can do is jointly declare the current Resort Developer sales and marketing model as dead and move to a more education oriented model. Prices would drop, but it would do more to make the timeshare industry a legitimate one than anything else they could do.

All the unethical business models for resales would start to go away if the developers promoted resales and did what they could to ensure that resale prices and developer prices were within about 20-25% of each other.

Jim:

I sat in on that forum. That was the general idea, to have an ARDA Approved Reseller designation. Basically the group wanted to see a code of ethics and if the reseller breached the code of ethics, they would be penalized in some form including losing the designation.

I hate to say it, but it would make the resellers more accountable for there information or lack of it. I felt it was more directed to the give me 3k and your deed and maybe you will be off the hook crowd.

That being said, it would also make the agents more accountable to their clients in the performance of their duties. Imagine, sales people on the reseller side actually talking to the clients and doing the proper education and setting the expectations so they are more informed.

Years ago, there used to be a commercial on TV in my hometown that said something like... An educated consumer is our best customer.... now there is a novel concept

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Article that may be subject to a little exageration!

ARDA to implement new guidelines for timeshare resales companies | Timeshares Daily

Funny! I didn't realize the resale seminar was one of the most important events of the entire convention! And I certainly didn't comprehend that such a defined plan of action had been set up!

Wow! I really must have sat at the wrong table (although I think we did laugh more than most, so I really don't have any regrets!)

You've really got to wonder where some of these PR sites get their motivation, and who actually paid for this article?

Perhaps ARDA had already made some decisions and penned this release? Interesting, although I think the idea that they can suddenly morph into some type of regulatory agency is at best delusional... I just don't get the impression that Mr. Nusbaum can slip into a phone booth and reappear a few seconds later as Super Resale Regulatorman!

It might be funny to see him in some spandex and a cape- but call me Mr. Skeptical, I just don't think it will work..