Good news!!

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

As a result of Member demand... and staff support at SFX, we are pleased to announce that SFX LifeStyle weeks is being re-introduced very soon for our 2013 deposit promotion.

This allows you to book additional vacations at quality resorts for a fraction for their market value, giving you great savings and more vacations than other exchange companies. Details will be forthcoming shortly.

If you have any questions regarding SFX LifeStyle Weeks, please do not hesitate to ask.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

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

Good to hear -- thanks for listening to your customers!

Kurt

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

That is great news!

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

Is this replacing the $399, $499 bonus week offer?

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

Is this replacing the $399, $499 bonus week offer?

Hi Pat - Yes, when the new promotion is launched next week, it will replace the current one. For those who have already deposited a 2013 week for the $399/$499 promo, that will still be honored. When they are booking a Bonus Week in the new upcoming offer, they will be charged less if the appropriate week is less than $399/$499 in the matrix.

Also... we are re-branding LifeStyle weeks to SFX Bonus Weeks. It is a name more consistent and known to Timeshare Owners.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

[Picker57 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Picker57]

Also... we are re-branding LifeStyle weeks to SFX Bonus Weeks. It is a name more consistent and known to Timeshare Owners.

Hi Mark - I like the re-branding idea; makes more sense.
Question: What can you tell us about deposit 'valuations'. Somewhere in the SFX website I recently saw something (wish I had the direct quote) about deposits being given values based on location, size, facility, etc., and that this would determine what we could find in our searches. Something like the TPU's that RCI has, or so it sounded. Is there any way for us to determine how our deposit is 'valued' or are these classified internal formulas?
Thanks,
Zach

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

Hi Mark - I like the re-branding idea; makes more sense.
Question: What can you tell us about deposit 'valuations'. Somewhere in the SFX website I recently saw something (wish I had the direct quote) about deposits being given values based on location, size, facility, etc., and that this would determine what we could find in our searches. Something like the TPU's that RCI has, or so it sounded. Is there any way for us to determine how our deposit is 'valued' or are these classified internal formulas?
Thanks,
Zach

Hi Zach and thank you for your post. Yes, it's called trading-power, and these formulas are used to establish a "fair" exchange system. We cannot disclose these formulas publicly, however I can advise the following. Within a 60 day window, all trading-power requirements are exempt. Every week within that window is available for exchange. Also... a good place to get an idea is in our "Promo-Widget". When you login to your account, you will be able to go to the Widget and enter your resort. You will see different colored squares on a calendar matrix. When you click the various dates, a window will pop-up with an "offer" to bank your week. The higher the season and resort quality etc. the greater the offer.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

[Picker57 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Picker57]

Also... a good place to get an idea is in our "Promo-Widget". When you login to your account, you will be able to go to the Widget and enter your resort. You will see different colored squares on a calendar matrix. When you click the various dates, a window will pop-up with an "offer" to bank your week. The higher the season and resort quality etc. the greater the offer.

Thanks Mark. May I assume, then, that if my deposit shows up as "prime" that I've done all I can as far as the quality of my deposit? Are all Prime weeks equivalent Trading Power? I have a few different SVC weeks banked with SFX, and they're all Prime. If I'm looking for a particularly hard-to-get exchange (or Bonus Week locale), would it make any difference what week I'm using for the trade?

Thanks,
---------Zach

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

Thanks Mark. May I assume, then, that if my deposit shows up as "prime" that I've done all I can as far as the quality of my deposit? Are all Prime weeks equivalent Trading Power? I have a few different SVC weeks banked with SFX, and they're all Prime. If I'm looking for a particularly hard-to-get exchange (or Bonus Week locale), would it make any difference what week I'm using for the trade?

Thanks,
---------Zach

Hi Zach - Answer to your first question, yes. From you resort, all prime weeks would have equivalent trading power.

If I'm looking for a particularly hard-to-get exchange (or Bonus Week locale), would it make any difference what week I'm using for the trade?

It could. For example a prime Hawaii deposit would have higher trading power than a prime Wyoming deposit. This is because the supply vs demand for Hawaii is greater than Wyoming.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[Picker57 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Picker57]

Hi Zach - Answer to your first question, yes. From you resort, all prime weeks would have equivalent trading power.

If I'm looking for a particularly hard-to-get exchange (or Bonus Week locale), would it make any difference what week I'm using for the trade?

It could. For example a prime Hawaii deposit would have higher trading power than a prime Wyoming deposit. This is because the supply vs demand for Hawaii is greater than Wyoming.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

Thanks Mark. My next question is only peripherally related to the Bonus Week changes, but I wasn't seeing a thread on the other 'Ask SFX' section. Can a reservation be made for someone else - friend, relative, etc? If so, how does one go about it - is it simply a matter of attaching their name to the reservation after we're notified that it's available? Does it make any difference if it's a Bonus Week or an Exchange?

Thanks,
Zach

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

Thanks Mark. My next question is only peripherally related to the Bonus Week changes, but I wasn't seeing a thread on the other 'Ask SFX' section. Can a reservation be made for someone else - friend, relative, etc? If so, how does one go about it - is it simply a matter of attaching their name to the reservation after we're notified that it's available? Does it make any difference if it's a Bonus Week or an Exchange?

Thanks,
Zach

I've done that several times. It doesn't matter if you use bonus or exchange. When I've given the name at the time of booking, there was no charge. I'm a platinum member. If I make it in my name and change it later, it costs $39. I think.

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

Thanks Mark. My next question is only peripherally related to the Bonus Week changes, but I wasn't seeing a thread on the other 'Ask SFX' section. Can a reservation be made for someone else - friend, relative, etc? If so, how does one go about it - is it simply a matter of attaching their name to the reservation after we're notified that it's available? Does it make any difference if it's a Bonus Week or an Exchange?

Thanks,
Zach

Hi Zach - If you are a Gold Member, there is a $39 Guest Certificate fee due at the time of actual booking. If you are a Platinum Member the Guest Certificate is Free, if the guest name is given at the time of booking. This applies to both exchange and bonus weeks.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

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

Hi Zach - Answer to your first question, yes. From you resort, all prime weeks would have equivalent trading power.

If I'm looking for a particularly hard-to-get exchange (or Bonus Week locale), would it make any difference what week I'm using for the trade?

It could. For example a prime Hawaii deposit would have higher trading power than a prime Wyoming deposit. This is because the supply vs demand for Hawaii is greater than Wyoming.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

Hi Mark,
So when I look at the Widget for a Myrtle Beach week it shows the summer as prime. It also shows up through early October as prime. You are saying that an early October week deposited 8 months prior would get the same trading power as a July week deposited 8 months prior?

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

Hi Mark,
So when I look at the Widget for a Myrtle Beach week it shows the summer as prime. It also shows up through early October as prime. You are saying that an early October week deposited 8 months prior would get the same trading power as a July week deposited 8 months prior?

Sally thank you for your post. That is a good question. The answer is no. A July week would have higher trading power than the early October week. However... there is still a good demand for that October week. The Widget determines what your promotional perks would be based on the week you deposit. In this instance that October week is good enough to get the same perks as the July week, but it doesn't determine Trading-Power. The person depositing that July week, would have higher trading-power than the October week.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

[Picker57 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Picker57]

The Widget determines what your promotional perks would be based on the week you deposit. In this instance that October week is good enough to get the same perks as the July week, but it doesn't determine Trading-Power.
Hope this helps...

Ah...now I get it; the Widget determines the perks but the property determines the Trade Value. I know the Trade Value is by some internal process, but is the lead time on the deposit one of the factors? ie. is deposit 12 months in advance of the desired date stronger than 8 months?
Thanks,
----Zach