2012 /2013 Promotion is extended

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

Hi Mark.

Thanks for your reply. I guess when I see a sell off week with lifestyle week pricing of 199.00 and the Gold Member price at 599.00...I don't see the immediate value of the sell off list anymore. I assume I could call and ask for the sell off week at bonus week pricing of 399.00 or 499.00...but still....why wouldn't I want to purchase said week at 199.00 instead of 399.00, 499.00, 599.00? It's all good. Perhaps once you phase out the lifestyle weeks...then the sell off prices will reflect similar to lifestyle week pricing when they are 30, 60, 90 days before check in?

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

I do prefer the Lifestyle weeks vs. the bonus weeks. It looks like the bonus weeks are starting at $499.00. That is a generous offer, but I had some Lifestyle weeks for about half of that.

Hi Presley - Thank you for your feedback. Those weeks at half of that price are still there and available to you. It's called the Sell-off list. In LifeStyle weeks all it simply is, it's our Bonus Week offer packaged with the Sell off list. Two separate components bundled into one.

Depending on customer feedback, we may re-introduce the LifeStyle week package.

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Hi Mark.

Thanks for your reply. I guess when I see a sell off week with lifestyle week pricing of 199.00 and the Gold Member price at 599.00...I don't see the immediate value of the sell off list anymore. I assume I could call and ask for the sell off week at bonus week pricing of 399.00 or 499.00...but still....why wouldn't I want to purchase said week at 199.00 instead of 399.00, 499.00, 599.00? It's all good. Perhaps once you phase out the lifestyle weeks...then the sell off prices will reflect similar to lifestyle week pricing when they are 30, 60, 90 days before check in?

Hi Stress - Let me ask you... would you rather see the LifeStyle Weeks program back as the promotion than the current Bonus Week offer? Do you see that working better for you?

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

[hurnik Member Find all posts View Profile Close hurnik]

Hi Mark,

I guess for me it kinda depended upon how many weeks, etc.
For example, I had one promo where I got 2 bonus weeks, one at $399 and one at $499 (1 bedroom). With the lifestyle, it SEEMS that if I wanted to book 6-12 months out, a 1 bedroom would run $599 (which is a bit more expensive than the bonus weeks), BUT with the lifestyle weeks promo I think I got maybe 3 or 5 lifestyle weeks? (I can't see how many I did get, but I did email SFX asking to see how to check how many are on my account).

So I guess if you think of lifestyle weeks as "bonus" weeks, then you'd get potentially (3) (let's say at a minimum) 1 bedrooms for $599 (6-12 months out that is). And I think you can use some vacation cash towards lifestyle weeks? Although if you can't use vacation cash towards lifestyle weeks, then I'd say stick with the bonus weeks instead.

(note, I've yet to use my lifestyle weeks yet, although we'll see what happens as time gets closer to my departure)

--Kevin

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Hi Mark,

I guess for me it kinda depended upon how many weeks, etc.
For example, I had one promo where I got 2 bonus weeks, one at $399 and one at $499 (1 bedroom). With the lifestyle, it SEEMS that if I wanted to book 6-12 months out, a 1 bedroom would run $599 (which is a bit more expensive than the bonus weeks), BUT with the lifestyle weeks promo I think I got maybe 3 or 5 lifestyle weeks? (I can't see how many I did get, but I did email SFX asking to see how to check how many are on my account).

So I guess if you think of lifestyle weeks as "bonus" weeks, then you'd get potentially (3) (let's say at a minimum) 1 bedrooms for $599 (6-12 months out that is). And I think you can use some vacation cash towards lifestyle weeks? Although if you can't use vacation cash towards lifestyle weeks, then I'd say stick with the bonus weeks instead.

(note, I've yet to use my lifestyle weeks yet, although we'll see what happens as time gets closer to my departure)

--Kevin

Hi Kevin - thank you for your post and feedback. Keeping this in perspective, to get a one bedroom suite sleep 4, a year in advance for only $599 (only $85 per night), when just above average hotels are around $200 per night for a room, ($1,400 per week) ... and the major exchange companies have the equivalent weeks up for rentals at $800-$1,600 for a week, SFX offers the lowest prices for weeks that can be booked a year in advance. There really shouldn't be any question about value on our pricing.

What I really like about the LifeStyle weeks is the variable pricing. So you can pick the unit size and how far in advance you can book and it's price accordingly. You can get weeks for as little as $69. With the Bonus Weeks promotion, you paid between $399 to $599 for a week whether you booked it 30 days in advance, or one year in advance. If you pencil this out, LifeStyle weeks are an even better value than the Bonus Week offer, even if you don't have the Cash-Card.

And lets not forget, you "cannot" request a Bonus Week for where you want with the majors as you can with SFX. With the majors you can only book what is left on the shelf.

Personally... I hope we revert back to the LifeStyle weeks promo for our Members, I think is better value.

Hope this helps,

Mark @SFX
Member Communications

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

Hi Stress - Let me ask you... would you rather see the LifeStyle Weeks program back as the promotion than the current Bonus Week offer? Do you see that working better for you?

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

Honestly? I don't know. I missed out on the lifestyle weeks. I'm accustomed to the bonus weeks...and if that if what I am going to receive with my next deposit (which is soon) then I understand. Bottom line for me is the exchange week and getting where I want to go. Everything else is gravy. I just didn't want to be missing out on whatever could possibly be better than gravy.

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

I agree with StressCadet. It is the exchanges that are by far the most important thing for me. As long as I keep getting what we request, I will be a very happy camper. The rest of it is just icing on the cake.

[hurnik Member Find all posts View Profile Close hurnik]

Hi Kevin - thank you for your post and feedback. Keeping this in perspective, to get a one bedroom suite sleep 4, a year in advance for only $599 (only $85 per night), when just above average hotels are around $200 per night for a room, ($1,400 per week) ... and the major exchange companies have the equivalent weeks up for rentals at $800-$1,600 for a week, SFX offers the lowest prices for weeks that can be booked a year in advance. There really shouldn't be any question about value on our pricing.

What I really like about the LifeStyle weeks is the variable pricing. So you can pick the unit size and how far in advance you can book and it's price accordingly. You can get weeks for as little as $69. With the Bonus Weeks promotion, you paid between $399 to $599 for a week whether you booked it 30 days in advance, or one year in advance. If you pencil this out, LifeStyle weeks are an even better value than the Bonus Week offer, even if you don't have the Cash-Card.

And lets not forget, you "cannot" request a Bonus Week for where you want with the majors as you can with SFX. With the majors you can only book what is left on the shelf.

Personally... I hope we revert back to the LifeStyle weeks promo for our Members, I think is better value.

Hope this helps,

Mark @SFX
Member Communications

Thanks Mark. Unfortunately the lifestyle weeks expire in the calendar year that you deposited them (I deposited week in Feb. of 2012, my lifestyle weeks expire 12/15/12, so I don't even get 12 months to use them). Bonus weeks USED to have a 12-month expiration regardless of calendar year (ie, if I'd gotten bonus weeks I'd have until Feb. of 2013 to use them). Plus bonus weeks can be reinstated for a fee (or so my SFX website says) vs. Lifestyle weeks.

So given that you cannot necessarily use lifestyle weeks for a full 12 months, I'd say it was a good call to get rid of the lifestyle weeks.

--Kevin

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Urgent information about LifeStyle Weeks !

Thanks Mark. Unfortunately the lifestyle weeks expire in the calendar year that you deposited them (I deposited week in Feb. of 2012, my lifestyle weeks expire 12/15/12, so I don't even get 12 months to use them). Bonus weeks USED to have a 12-month expiration regardless of calendar year (ie, if I'd gotten bonus weeks I'd have until Feb. of 2013 to use them). Plus bonus weeks can be reinstated for a fee (or so my SFX website says) vs. Lifestyle weeks.

So given that you cannot necessarily use lifestyle weeks for a full 12 months, I'd say it was a good call to get rid of the lifestyle weeks.

--Kevin

Hi Kevin and thank you for your post. I am very glad you brought this to my attention. Where did you read you have less than a year to use your LifeStyle Weeks? If that's in our site, please let me know so it can be corrected.

Here are the rules:

1. If you deposit your exchange week within the year it can be used eg: a 2012 week deposited in February 2012, you will have "one full year" in which to use it. You always have at least one full year if the week is deposited within the same use year. The one year in which to use it is effective as of the day we receive your deposit. So if you deposited a 2012 week in May, you will have until May 2013 in which to use it.

2. If you deposit next years week (a 2013 week) let's say today... you will have from "today" and through December 15, 2013 in which to use it. (In this instance you would have over 1 year and 5 months in which to use it. The rule is, if it's the following years week you are depositing, you have from the day we receive your deposit and up to December 15, of the following year. So... the further in advance you deposit your week, the longer you have in which to use your LifeStyle or Bonus Weeks. BTW... this is the same rule we had for our Bonus Week offers.

If you have any questions on this please let me know... Hope this helps.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

[hurnik Member Find all posts View Profile Close hurnik]

Hi Kevin and thank you for your post. I am very glad you brought this to my attention. Where did you read you have less than a year to use your LifeStyle Weeks? If that's in our site, please let me know so it can be corrected.

Here are the rules:

1. If you deposit your exchange week within the year it can be used eg: a 2012 week deposited in February 2012, you will have "one full year" in which to use it. You always have at least one full year if the week is deposited within the same use year. The one year in which to use it is effective as of the day we receive your deposit. So if you deposited a 2012 week in May, you will have until May 2013 in which to use it.

2. If you deposit next years week (a 2013 week) let's say today... you will have from "today" and through December 15, 2013 in which to use it. (In this instance you would have over 1 year and 5 months in which to use it. The rule is, if it's the following years week you are depositing, you have from the day we receive your deposit and up to December 15, of the following year. So... the further in advance you deposit your week, the longer you have in which to use your LifeStyle or Bonus Weeks. BTW... this is the same rule we had for our Bonus Week offers.

If you have any questions on this please let me know... Hope this helps.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

Thanks Mark. Actually I emailed the rep at SFX who took my initial deposit (made on 2/7/12) and they checked and said I had 5 lifestyle weeks (they don't show up on your account when you login, but they are "somewhere" in the system for the reps to see) and that they expired on 12/15/12.

So perhaps some training is in order for the reps so that they are aware that lifestyle weeks have a 1 year expiration for the current year?

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

I wanted to put in my vote for the lifestyle weeks. I own over 8 weeks and bonus weeks in the $399-$599 really don't interest me in the least but very cheap last minute lifestyle weeks might interest me enough to use for a weekend or a mini week bonus.

[g4fishing Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close g4fishing]

This has been an informative thread with lots of good information shared. I've only been an SFX member for a few years but for what it is worth I prefer the Lifestyle Weeks promotion. I've made use of a couple already and find them a great value.

If we are going back to bonus weeks I would like to see the first one be $299 or less.

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

This has been an informative thread with lots of good information shared. I've only been an SFX member for a few years but for what it is worth I prefer the Lifestyle Weeks promotion. I've made use of a couple already and find them a great value.

If we are going back to bonus weeks I would like to see the first one be $299 or less.

g4fishing - Thank you for your post and feedback. I remember those days where it was pretty much the norm from exchange companies where you could get a pretty decent quality resort week a year in for only $299. That was about 10-20 years ago and I am afraid those days are gone... just like the overpriced $50 per night hotel room at a good hotel !! I remember years ago, our industry was telling prospects that one day your $50 a night hotel room will be $100 night !! yes $100! They would snigger and sometimes roll their eyes back as if we were crazy. Well guess what (and you know where I am going with this)... those little tiny boxes aka hotel rooms are now an average of $175 to $250 per night for those same middle-upper range. Not the best hotels, but nice middle-upper.

Well... lets start putting this all into perspective and looking at a value on this. Hotel room for 2.... would cost you lets say between $1,000 to $1,600 for a week. Then what is the value of a Gold Crown or 4/5 star rated timeshare one bedroom suite?? Well that depends on the Location, Season and how far in Advance you are wanting it. (Supply vs. Demand). Compared to a hotel room, surely it is worth more than a room? After all you are getting "more" in the way of accommodations...right?

Just for discussions sake, lets say your Bonus Week is the same average price/Value as a hotel room... around $1,000 to $1,600 for a week. On that basis if you only paid $500 to $800 for it, most would say you had a great bargain!! Especially if you could book that 9-12 months in advance. Now... if you were booking that 30 days in advance, then perhaps not such a great bargain as their is a diminishing time-money value the closer you get to the check-in day. Conversely the further in advance you can book... there is a higher value to the inventory. The closer to the check-in day, the higher the Risk to the company of the unit sitting "empty", thus a loss.

And this is why we ran a "pilot program" on the LifeStyle Weeks. It is a fairer and much better value for our Members, giving you far greater opportunity to take more vacations for less money.

In our prior Bonus Week promos, you would pay eg. $499 - $599 for quality weeks that could be requested up to one year in advance (similar to an exchange request). This also meant you would pay $499-$599 if you booked it within 90 days of arrival

However, with a reality check, we find the major exchange companies have their one year in advance weeks priced around $800 to $1,600 for the same space !!! This means our pricing is under priced and not realistic for the market place.

LifeStyle Weeks totally addresses both ends of the spectrum with fairer pricing and better value. The further ahead you book... the price is a little higher but still great value and much LESS than the major exchange companies. BTW... with the other exchange companies, you CANNOT request a Bonus Week a year in advance like an Exchange week. You can only book what is sitting around in their inventory. With SFX you can request what you want as a Bonus Week in a similar way to an Exchange week. Less than 6 months in advance... you can get weeks as little as $69 for the whole week !!

Also, there is a very good chance we will be reintroducing LifeStyle Weeks as a deposit special promotion very soon. It's amazing how much you can write just after a cup of coffee...

Hope this helps

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Thanks Mark. Actually I emailed the rep at SFX who took my initial deposit (made on 2/7/12) and they checked and said I had 5 lifestyle weeks (they don't show up on your account when you login, but they are "somewhere" in the system for the reps to see) and that they expired on 12/15/12.

So perhaps some training is in order for the reps so that they are aware that lifestyle weeks have a 1 year expiration for the current year?

Hi Kevin - If you would be kind enough to send me an email at accounts@sfx-resorts.com with the agents name that sent the email, I will gladly make sure their manager can review with them to make sure there is correct information going to customers. It was a brand new offer back then, but still... there are no excuses, and we are glad your brought it to our attention. Very soon, you will be able to see your LifeStyle Week credits when you login. Because it has Variable-Pricing, there is much more coding to be done for online interaction, because we don't know if you are going to book a week 15 days or 365 days in advance. Whereas before with one priced bonus weeks, it was very simple coding.

BTW... in an earlier post you mentioned that Bonus Weeks could be reinstated (if expired), and not LifeStyle Weeks. In actuality, neither of those can be reinstated for a fee. It is your deposited exchange week (if expired), can be reinstated for a fee.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

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

Also, there is a very good chance we will be reintroducing LifeStyle Weeks as a deposit special promotion very soon.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

I'm glad it isn't gone for good. Even it is only offered as a special once per year or every other year, it makes a big difference to me. It is very difficult for us to get away for an entire week at a time. Taking a weekend once per month is so much easier for us. The Lifestyle weeks are great bargain for us to do that. If I needed to pay for a bonus week just to get a night or 2 away, I wouldn't use it.

Like others have said, the exchanging thru SFX is still the best way to exchange week for week. If all we get is an exchange, I'll still use it. However, if I have the option of booking the lifestyle weeks, I'll deposit more and buy more extra vacations.