A question of value vs reality

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

Let’s address the question of value and reality...

SFX has not increased its Bonus Weeks pricing in a long time, meanwhile the prices of accommodations in hotels and other timeshare related companies have"Increased". We have made a "minor" market adjustment because our pricing was too undervalued. We had a group of our Members look at Bonus Week pricing using their login with the “other” exchange companies, and they reported back to SFX that pricing for the same or similar quality properties in the same seasons, in most instances were around double to triple of our pricing. They said, from time to time, you might find a comparable unit a little cheaper, but in almost every instance, they were around double to triple in pricing compared to SFX. Our members advised, most of the other exchange company’s one and two bedroom weeks typically at around $700 to $1,800, but you could only book what was sitting there, you couldn't request what you wanted.

Another very important factor; SFX is the ONLY exchange company that allows you to request a Bonus Week as if it were an exchange week. With the major exchange companies you can only book (not request) whatever leftovers they have sitting on the shelf. To be able to “request” what you want for an additional week of vacation, you would have to spend thousands of dollars buying the second week, and then pay an additional $700 to $1,500 a year in maintenance fees and taxes. However with SFX you are able to book that second week for less money than what you are currently paying for your maintenance fees! So how can you complain about our pricing?? Really??

For those who are not familiar with hotel pricing in high demand locations, here is a reality-check. The average price of a reasonably nice hotel room for two (not the best), in a high demand location averages $225 to $325 per night. The average price of a one bedroom suite for four with SFX is only $86 per night ! Where can you get a nice hotel or suite in a good location for $86 per night? It really doesn't exist.

Not all tiers were increased. In fact Bonus Weeks booked 6-12 months in advance came down in pricing.

For those who have an SFX Cash-card as a result of a promotional deposit campaign, can effectively get a substantial discount off the current new pricing.

Most units booked by our customers are one bedroom suites, 31-90 days in advance….The new price is only $599. That is only $86 per night. (Retail value approx. is in excess of $200 per night).

HOWEVER… If you deposit a week for an exchange, depending on the promotion, you can discount down from that price.

With regards to getting an SF week for only $399? Have you checked the price of hotels in SF ?? That is typically the price of one or two nights for a room for 2. !!!!! I also remember when gas was $1 per gallon, and a good hotel room was $50 a night…. That was a long time ago.

What do you pay for a maintenance fee? $800-$1200 a year for a week, plus thousands of dollars to buy the actual week! Sounds like you paid a lot more for the use of your week than what SFX is charging for Bonus Weeks!

The bottom line……Our prices range from $169 - $800 for a whole week and you can request what you want. It’s way less than what you pay for your maintenance fee, and you are complaining about our pricing??? Really??

SFX Bonus Week pricing

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

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

I'd like to respond, but won't, much, except to say that for an exchange company, and within the timeshare industry, you have a good deal.

I better leave it at that.

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

I have to agree the ability to request a week is huge.

Other companies just offer leftovers.

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

Hopefully some members will post some of the bonus weeks they have received from sfx in the last year or two and include the resort, approximate date, cost and lead time until check in for the confirmation so we can see the value offered. I guess I see these as more discounted rentals that you can set up an ongoing request. I guess calling them bonus weeks just begs the comparison to rci's $249 any size but really only over built areas bonus weeks and II's AC (accommodation certificate- bonus weeks) that range from $199-$400 of which some can be used with ongoing searches. I would imagine bother the rci and II weeks have a retail rate of $150-200 per night but it's not like I plan on spending retail rates on any of them.

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

Many of us own multiple weeks and shudder at the thought of another maintenance fee.

However, let's say you just owned one good week. The Bonus weeks are an excellent value since you can request far in advance what you want. You only pay for the bonus week if you use it.

In years you can't travel, you don't have that responsibility of paying for multiple weeks.

I've been very pleased with SFX so far and in this day and age, if you run a business, costs are going through the roof for EVERYTHING.

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

The first week we ever actually went on more than 25 years ago was a $99 "Bonus Week".

If you absolutely have to timeshare, like you haven't found there is a better way, those $1000 maintenance fees really make the whole thing pretty unattractive, especially when you still have to pay them even when you don't need them. Yeah, I know, nothing new there.

I guess what I'm trying to say is wouldn't it be great if everything you used was a Bonus Week (and never had to own a week and pay a maintenance fee)? Let's face it, the major exchange companies seem to have plenty of excess inventory they try to get rid of at any price.

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

As I said in the other thread, the bonus weeks are not an incentive for me to deposit a week. However, am I going to continue to use SFX exclusively? Of course I am. There are many other reasons to use them. The main reason is I have always been able to get the exchanges I wanted. I was not able to do that with either RCI or II. There are other advantages like not having to pay resort fees at many resorts that charge RCI exchangers like the Manhattan Club.

I do agree that the SFX bonus weeks are definitely better than the others because you can request them. I used them in place of exchanging a use week back when they were $99 and $199. Now there is too much of a difference between the exchange fee and the bonus week cost for me to use.

I can definitely see where the bonus weeks have value for people wanting extra weeks above their use weeks. In our case we can never use them because most of our vacation travels are non-timesharing.

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

The funny thing is everyone seems to think it is so great to be able to put in a request for a "bonus" week with sfx. With rci and II everyone complains that they have to put in a request because nothing is available but if they want to "rent" a week there is plenty of availability. The resorts pictured on the bonus page of sfx happen to be of Vacation Village affiliate resorts and 2 Mexican resorts. Between rci and II they probably have at least 3000 unit weeks at those 6 resorts for both exchange and rentals over the next two years with the average 2 br at those resorts being maybe $500 top so you really wouldn't need to request them you could just confirm the week or weeks at anytime.

[M. Henley Class President Find all posts View Profile Close M. Henley]

Gone soft have we?

I'd like to respond, but won't, much, except to say that for an exchange company, and within the timeshare industry, you have a good deal.

I better leave it at that.

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

I guess what I'm trying to say is wouldn't it be great if everything you used was a Bonus Week (and never had to own a week and pay a maintenance fee)? Let's face it, the major exchange companies seem to have plenty of excess inventory they try to get rid of at any price.

JLB - Thank you for your post. Chicken or the Egg? ..... There wouldn't be any Bonus Weeks if there weren't any ownership weeks.

For the most part, with major exchange companies Bonus Weeks are an oversupply of deposited weeks.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

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

I can definitely see where the bonus weeks have value for people wanting extra weeks above their use weeks. In our case we can never use them because most of our vacation travels are non-timesharing.

Hi John - That is a good point. There are a number of different ways to travel outside of the Timeshare world, in which case Bonus Weeks / exchanges etc. are not desirable. Some people only vacation with timeshares, others blend different types of vacations in addition to their timeshares, and one of the main reasons people want to sell their timeshares, is because it doesn't meet their needs for a changed lifestyle.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

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

The funny thing is everyone seems to think it is so great to be able to put in a request for a "bonus" week with sfx. With rci and II everyone complains that they have to put in a request because nothing is available but if they want to "rent" a week there is plenty of availability. The resorts pictured on the bonus page of sfx happen to be of Vacation Village affiliate resorts and 2 Mexican resorts. Between rci and II they probably have at least 3000 unit weeks at those 6 resorts for both exchange and rentals over the next two years with the average 2 br at those resorts being maybe $500 top so you really wouldn't need to request them you could just confirm the week or weeks at anytime.

Hi Sally - Thank you for your post. In those instances you mention above, there is a huge oversupply of space (Orlando /Mexico), therefore easy to get an exchange and Bonus Weeks. However, its the many other desirable areas where there is a very limited supply of space, where having the ability to Request an SFX Bonus Week in a similar way to an exchange, is where there is great value to the consumer.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

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

JLB - Thank you for your post. Chicken or the Egg? ..... There wouldn't be any Bonus Weeks if there weren't any ownership weeks.

For the most part, with major exchange companies Bonus Weeks are an oversupply of deposited weeks.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

We think alike.

Of the "Search First" concept, without depositing, I have always said there have to deposit in order to find something in a search.

& yeah, there have to be owners, or the system would collapse. It seems like the industry loses sight of that, or at least loses sight that it might be easier to try to retain those who already own as to spend the money it takes to get someone new to pay several thousand dollars for something that is going for free on Internet, and not finding any takers.

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

and one of the main reasons people want to sell their timeshares, is because it doesn't meet their needs for a changed lifestyle.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

more "like thinking"

I perceive that there are more like that, changing their needs and wanting out, than changing their needs and wanting in.

Any event, whatever the current numbers are, everyone that gets in gets out at some point for some reason.

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

Hi Sally - Thank you for your post. In those instances you mention above, there is a huge oversupply of space (Orlando /Mexico), therefore easy to get an exchange and Bonus Weeks. However, its the many other desirable areas where there is a very limited supply of space, where having the ability to Request an SFX Bonus Week in a similar way to an exchange, is where there is great value to the consumer.

Thanks,
Mark @SFX
Member Communications

So, how about Snowbird Season in SW Florida?

4/16/05 Post:

http://www.tug1.net/tugbbs1/Forum11/HTML/004223-5.html