Something new? Exchange plus cash?

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

Cash to the owners? Yeah, right.

So if I deposit a crappy week, I can still get that great exchange if I just "slide" RCI a little extra cash on the side? Now the great exchange is no longer in the system but my crappy week is?

Boy, I feel bad for that poor sucker who deposited a great week foolishly thinking they would be able to obtain equal value.

Thats exactly whats happing all too often now when the dog week owner grabs a good week and there is no compensation. Of course this plan (if thats what it is) only benefits RCI as I assume the cash isn't being passed through to the owner of the better week.

The system needs a balance, that is clear. Knowing RCI this isn't the answer needed but will be a way for them to make more money. Period.

Why anyone would choose to put a high value week into RCI or II now is beyond me. Put in your dogs and hope to make them into at least a slightly better trade. Placing a quality week blindly into either group is just kissing it goodbye.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

I think all of this really highlights the benefits of the good mini-systems that are equitable, easy to understand and easy to use. With the good internal exchange possbilities of a good mini-system you can avoid the external exchange companies all together.

Unfortunately, when we first got into timesharing we had little understanding of how things worked and definately no forsight into how things could evolve. Basically, we made mistakes.

The one thing we did right, initially at least, was to buy where we wanted to vacation at that time. But then again, things change as time goes by and not understanding how things really work or how they could change hurt us in the long run.

Now, we have 3 of our resorts in mini-systems and 2 in sort of a mini-system with owner preference (Marriott). The ownerships that are not in mini-systems are resorts that we are presently using for personal usage. If that ever changes, those resort weeks could become worthless to us. Since two of those are in Branson, Branson is within driving distance and I've been vacationing in that area for decades now it's likely we'll continue so long as we continue to live within driving distance. As for the Marriott weeks it appears that Marriott is working to develope it's own internal mini-system that may make those weeks part of a system that excludes the external exchange companies.

If I were to do it all over again, I would choose a mini-system that fit my specific needs. at least my needs at the time and what I anticipated my needs might need in the future. Since things are always changing, it would be a good idea to be involved with a system that is somewhat flexible.

It really seems that it's important to not have to rely on the major exchange companies with all their hocus pocus secrete exchange forumula's. The ever changing playing field has everyone not knowing which way to step and that's because of a relience on the exchange company to get the vacations you where told you'd be getting when you sat in the first timeshare sales presentation and what the exchange company's led you to believe they could provide. As always, self relience rather than relying on someone else has become the way to go.

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

Thats exactly whats happing all too often now when the dog week owner grabs a good week and there is no compensation. Of course this plan (if thats what it is) only benefits RCI as I assume the cash isn't being passed through to the owner of the better week.

The system needs a balance, that is clear. Knowing RCI this isn't the answer needed but will be a way for them to make more money. Period.

Why anyone would choose to put a high value week into RCI or II now is beyond me. Put in your dogs and hope to make them into at least a slightly better trade. Placing a quality week blindly into either group is just kissing it goodbye.

Would this be the end of trading up? You will only get like for like and if you want more, you pay extra. Do you believe that this is done so people will convert from weeks to points more eagerly?

I am afraid that the money will go to RCI since they can do with the deposited week whatever they like so collecting money too to eliminate trading up is another score for them. This will really hurt the small independent resort, I believe.

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

You are all so negative.......think positive. The exchange plus cash option must mean if we trade down in size or location then RCI will send us the cash difference for making a crappy exchange.

I love the way you think!
Connie

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

Here is a screen-shot

Just in case anyone is wondering, this is how the icons look. I haven't been presented with an option to pay cash yet...

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

You are all so negative.......think positive. The exchange plus cash option must mean if we trade down in size or location then RCI will send us the cash difference for making a crappy exchange.

I love the way you think!
Connie

Me too. I was waiting for someone to say this!!

If this were the case, I'd be taking my tiger trader and getting cash back. Sounds like a CC company! Of course, I'm not a member in RCI right now, so it's all a pipe dream for me.

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

Exchange into Extra Vacations?

Would this be the end of trading up? You will only get like for like and if you want more, you pay extra. Do you believe that this is done so people will convert from weeks to points more eagerly?

I am afraid that the money will go to RCI since they can do with the deposited week whatever they like so collecting money too to eliminate trading up is another score for them. This will really hurt the small independent resort, I believe.

I think this might be a method to allow exchanges into Extra Vacations. One big time complaint is EV's not being available to exchange into. RCI wants a certain amount of cash to pay for the airfare, car rental, or cruise. Exchange weeks have a certain value. EV's have a certain value. Perhaps this will open up more inventory.

Short

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

What would really be suspicious is if TS resorts appear for exchange plus cash that have not been appearing with a top trader.

It could be that non-timeshare properties, stuff that has not been deposited by owners, may now be made available this way, with exchange plus cash regardless of trading power.

Let's just wait and see.

Heck Just look at the inventory on Ebay
There are tons of weeks that would be difficult trades.

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

Sounds like they are creating weeks into a point value - if they had done this in the past, as they should have done, then we would not have points. I was going to check it until I realized that I do not have any deposited weeks anymore as I have eliminated the bad traders/bad points conversion rate. Makes me think I was a bit premature.

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

This may be the first step. Getting everything set up and debugged before they roll out the cash option. Just have to wait and see.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

The daily searches I do should be an excellent way to see what, if anything, this new option means. I have many, many searches to establish a base line.

Searching for Jan 2009 I have a top trader and a medicore trader. The top trader has been seeing 50-54 resorts for Resorts on the Beach. The medicore trader has been seeing 18 or 19.

I would think that the effect of exchange plus cash would/will show up using these searches, since I know 30-plus more resorts are showing up with the top trader.

So far the numbers have not changed and none of them have had the Plus Cash option.

I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that the Plus Cash will make available non-timeshare inventory, stuff that has been obtained through the emphasis on acquiring vacation rental properties.

I am saying that because don't you think making Spacebank deposits available for Exchange Plus Cash would be a very risky move legally right now?

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

I just did a bunch of searches and I don't see the icon for the Exchange + option, I only see the Exchange Units Available icon each time.
Will keep looking tho and see if it shows up.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I first noticed it yesterday. First I noticed the new exchange icon. I saw it immediately when that page opened. Although it is small, after 10,000 or so searches, I am used to seeing what I am used to seeing.

I saw the exchange + cash icon when I opened some resorts or went my seraches, whatever.

Some of the resorts had the + cash icon, but when I opened them none of them really did.

My daily searches are FL/SW and FL/Resorts on the Beach for 5 weeks starting 27-dec-2007 and 27-dec-2008.
- - - - - -
Today the + Cash icon does not appear anywhere.

I just did a bunch of searches and I don't see the icon for the Exchange + option, I only see the Exchange Units Available icon each time.
Will keep looking tho and see if it shows up.

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

I don't doubt at all that many of you are seeing this new option icon but when I do my searches I don't see it. Maybe there is some criteria thatmakes it appear that I am not meeting either with my searches or with my deposit. I have to call RCI today or more likely tomorrow on another matter (I have a non searchable deposit that is ready to expire and I need to see if I can getsomething in October for it). Anyway when I call I'll ask to see if the VC I get knows or will say anything about the new icon. It'll be interesting to see what they say anyway. Will let you know.

I first noticed it yesterday. First I noticed the new exchange icon. I saw it immediately when that page opened. Although it is small, after 10,000 or so searches, I am used to seeing what I am used to seeing.

I saw the exchange + cash icon when I opened some resorts or went my seraches, whatever.

None of them had the = cash option.

My daily searches are FL/SW and FL/Resorts on the Beach for 5 weeks starting 27-dec-2007 and 27-dec-2008.

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

I talked to RCI this morning on another matter but asked the question "What is this new Exchange + cash icon" and the VC I was talking to said she didn't know but whould switch me over to the internet support folks and the answer I got from them is that this is going to be for certain areas where they have availability in Wyndham hotels you will be able to book that with an exchange plus some anount of cash additional.