is there a II "101" someplace

[lawgs Member Find all posts View Profile Close lawgs]

new to II

is there an II "101" some place that explains how they work...

eg flexchange, AC, "filters", how to see the coveted DVC exchange


thanks in advance

lawgs

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

That would help me too!
Just got my first II affiliated TS, and I want to play...
Marge

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

It's easily summarized

It's really very simple with II.

If you deposit a 2 or 3 bedroom in a prime time expect to be offered 1 BR or Studios in off season.

If you insist on request first be prepared for 100 calls a month offering smaller units, wrong dates and areas - seldom what you requested.

If you are part of a preferred group in II (Marriott, DVC, Sunterra, etc) you can pretty much get what you want fairly easily.

Regardless of membership type expect plenty of web site downtime, English as a third language from the representatives you actually reach on the phone and never ending phone requests to take far less than you requested.

Being an individual, paying member of II isn't a good choice in our experience.

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

It's really very simple with II.

If you deposit a 2 or 3 bedroom in a prime time expect to be offered 1 BR or Studios in off season.

If you insist on request first be prepared for 100 calls a month offering smaller units, wrong dates and areas - seldom what you requested.....

Well, I have an individual account, and I just traded a one-bedroom in May at a resort that cost me less than $1000 for a two-bedroom in August (July was also available) at Marriott's Fairway at Seaview (near Atlantic City, NJ.) So, I'm happy. I do agree with John that II's website is buggy (which might actually work in members' favor sometimes, but I'm not sure) and that II has a very annoying tendency to call repeatedly, trying to talk members into something less desirable than their ongoing requests. II is still my favorite exchange company by far, though.

I'm not sure if there is an II 101 anywhere. Here are some quick points:

II cares a lot about resort quality and unit size, much more than RCI does. II has quality filters both up (you can't trade for a resort that is much nicer than what you deposit) and down (you can't trade for a resort that is much less nice than what you deposit.) I would guess that the downwards filter is stricter (that is, it's easier to trade up in quality than to trade down in quality ), but I'm not sure. Trading up in size can happen with II, but is much more limited than in RCI.

II's online search facility, although buggy, allows members to seach II's entire inventory at one time, all two year's worth of dates and all areas.

II allows online searching with undeposited weeks. It allows members to do an ongoing request without depositing.

"Flexchange" is simply II's term for last-minute exchanges (59 days out or less.) During the Flexchange period, trading restrictions are greatly relaxed and weaker weeks can "see" all sorts of things that they normally wouldn't have the trade power to see. Some trading restrictions still apply though, at least on quality. If you deposit a unit late (less than 60 days before check-in), you will ONLY be allowed to trade during Flexchange. There is often some nice inventory available during Flexchange, especially right around 59 days out, and right before check-in.

An "AC" is an Accomodation Certificate -- a bonus week given for depositing a week that II really wants. Unlike RCI Bonus Weeks, II's Accomodation Certificates are actually useful. They see anything your underlying week would see during Flexchange; they also see anything your underlying week would see in certain areas and times, futher than 59 days out, where II has good inventory. These times and places where ACs can be used more than 59 days in advance are called the "AC grid" because of the chart of these times & places that II provides. I have received 3 ACs (not counting some I got just a couple of days ago), and have used every one to trade into the DVC.

ACs have higher fees than regular exchanges. A regular domestic exchange in II costs $139. AC fees vary depending on the AC, but are typically from $199 to $299 depending on unit size received.

As for seeing DVCs, you need to have a fairly high quality resort in order to see them. DVCs typically stay online for just a few hours or less, so an ongoing exchange or checking frequently in the wee hours is necessary to nab one.

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

PS -- Getting an AC is automatic if II is offering one for your resort & week. You have to use "deposit first" though; you don't get one if you use "request first". If you qualify for an AC, it will say so in your account, on the "View your units" page.

ACs are only good for one year from the day they are issued.

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

Thank you, thank you.
That was just the stuff I was looking for!
Helped me a lot.
Marge

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

If you do searches in this forum on a particular subject a wealth of information comes up most times!

I have found tons of info doing this . . .

[turbolift Member Find all posts View Profile Close turbolift]

After you log into II, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Legal Information. Next click on Terms and Condtions and you'll get the 2007 Buyers Guide. It's in PDF format. Scroll down and you'll find just about all the information you asked for. This information is also in the front of the II books.

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

When it comes to II rating the "quality" of a resort, are all "premier" resorts weighted equally? I just bought a resort rated "premier", but it's not a Marriott, DVC, Sheraton, etc.

I'm just wondering what my trading power will be like.

Thank you!

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

are all "premier" resorts weighted equally?

The answer is NO. The rating of a resort will affect what you can trade for as well as the season you can trade in. But each resort may trade different depending on many factors including the super secret II factors that we are not privy to. The desirability of the reservation you are giving in trade will greatly affect your success. If you plan to exchange your newly puchased unit, my best advice is to reserve it for the absolute most desired dates to enhance the trade power. I have been pleasantly surprised at what I can sometimes exchange with some of my more humble resorts. It is really a matter of having the location & dates that others are trying to get. And that can change day to day. Some seem to remain high on the list all the time such as Hawaii & Caribbean and major holidays. With rising travel costs we may see places closer to home rise to the top of the "desired" list.

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

It's really very simple with II.

If you deposit a 2 or 3 bedroom in a prime time expect to be offered 1 BR or Studios in off season.

Not my experience with II.

If you insist on request first be prepared for 100 calls a month offering smaller units, wrong dates and areas - seldom what you requested.

I have not experienced this with II

If you are part of a preferred group in II (Marriott, DVC, Sunterra, etc) you can pretty much get what you want fairly easily.

Regardless of membership type expect plenty of web site downtime, English as a third language from the representatives you actually reach on the phone and never ending phone requests to take far less than you requested.

Never been my experience with II

Being an individual, paying member of II isn't a good choice in our experience.

Please don't be discouraged by what timeos2 says about II. I can't speak for his experience, but he is constantly bashing II. I think that you will find most others do not share his opinion.

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

There are a number of factors that come into play to determine trading power in II. Not all of them are know, but some are as follows....

First off, II works on a like = like system. So, if you deposit a "Premium" resort, II will not match you up with a resort of much lesser value, and visa versa.

Some factors that come into play.....

The quality of the resort that you deposited.

The week, and season of the unit that you deposited....Premium "Red" weeks are the best. However, not all "Red" weeks are created equal. Holidays, etc., will trade better than other Red weeks. There is a lot of pink weeks , included in the red week season.

The size of unit that you deposited. Obviously, a 2bdrm has more trading power than a studio, etc.

When you deposit your week will make a difference. The earlier you deposit, the better your results.


The brand of your week will make a difference....Some resorts such as Marriott, Starwood, etc., have a preference period. That period can be anywhere from 3-24 days. During that period, only same brand resorts will be exchanged.

Like every other exchange company, supply and demand will determine the trading power of your week. You can go on line, and search through II, to see what your week is capable of pulling.

Have fun, and good luck!

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

Please don't be discouraged by what timeos2 says about II. I can't speak for his experience, but he is constantly bashing II. I think that you will find most others do not share his opinion.

Well said and politely, too. I also completely disagree with timeos2's frequent negative remarks aimed at II.

As an aside, I will add that I have both an individual account and a corporate account with Diamond. I see practically no difference between the two when I search online availability. My top premier resort sees the smallest list of availability due to the restriction on downward trades imposed by II. Sometimes that is a bummer for me since I really prefer the smaller less resort-y type places. I'd much rather have top of the line barbeques and plenty of comfy pool lounges (that are not all occuppied by flip-flops placed by the chair hoggers at 6am) than decorator pictures on the walls and swim-up bars. Not that there's anything wrong with those things. Sometimes premier is a matter of personal taste.

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

Thanks guys, this is all really useful stuff. I'm thinking about joining II so the more I can find out about how they compare to other exchange companies, the better.

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

It is possible that John's problems with his standalone II account had more to do with the units he was trading with than II itself.

I've been extremely pleased with my standalone II account, despite owning a no-name resort.