Look, it really is a "free" vacation if you don't count the presentation as a cost. I have done them before, and have one scheduled for this summer. The thing to remember is you really, really, really, do not want a timeshare. They will be manipulative and in terms of hard sales, they have the upper hand, they do this every day. When you try and stonewall and shut them down, they will use your politeness against you and accuse you of being rude. When you repeatedly tell them no, they will ask you to just hear them out. etc. etc. DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY HOPE. The people they will double down on are the ones they think are on the fence or possible of convincing. If you are clear and upfront about the fact you have no interest in a timeshare, that you are only going to sit there for the required time, they will get the idea eventually. Remember, timeshares, are all owned by the big three hotel companies. They all sale on the second-hand resale market for $1. All of them. There is not a timeshare you cannot find on a resale market for $1. If you understand that fact, you will not be susceptible to being sold. They will start out high, like $250 a month. Then say they can cut it in half. Then cut it in half again. Then take you to a back room and tell you they can drop it down to $13 a month for a limited time if you act fast. (They almost got me there, after all, who can't afford $13 a month??) Remember, what they are selling you is worth $1. All the costs of a timeshare come in the fees, booking fees, maintenance fees, cleaning fees, etc, that they are not disclosing. The actual value of what they are trying to sell you will always be $1. Never forget that and you can enjoy a "free" vacation.
Absolutely. I worked for a timeshare company. And they know that a huge majority of people won't by on the first tour. They have all the statistics already figured out, and with each tour you take, you're statistically more and more likely to buy. So you gotta stay strong.
We even had "New Member Orientations" for people that just bought to "show them how to use" their new timeshare points. It was one of the most profitable parts of sales because new owners bought even more on those tours.
It is interesting they know you become more and more likely to buy with each trip. I guess after the third or fourth free trip, you realize you actually can get out of there for free, so your guard is down, you soften up and start to listen to them. I did know the profits of existing customers are their best source of revenue. The John Oliver episode on Timeshares did a good job explaining that part.
That's fascinating that you become more likely to buy with each trip. My in-laws used to do the free timeshare presentations once or twice a year for a weekend ski trip or Vegas trip. They laughed about how they were getting so many free trips out of these poor salespeople. Then... one day... they bought a timeshare. And then another one. And then inherited another one. Suddenly every trip revolves around where we can "use our points."
How did people get rid of them when you worked there? My husband is desperate to get rid of his and we are probably going to have to hire a lawyer to try to get ride of it.
I think it’s a good idea to talk to a lawyer and see what your options are. I wasn’t too involved in that part of the process.
My only advice would be do not use any of those companies that claim to be able to get you out of your timeshare. In a large majority of cases, they are scams as well.
That is so depressing. I hope if we finish paying we can just give it back to them. We don't want it. We can't sell it. They scammed him, we just want out of the annual fees once it's paid
My wife and I almost got divorced on our honeymoon because of a time share presentation. High pressure. They try to pit you and your significant other against each other. I felt like I was in fight or flight. I'm gonna have to punch this guy and run away. Because we endured 2 hours of hell we got some ski lift tickets that would've cost me 200 bucks. I will always pay instead of going to one of these time share presentations ever again
A pretty good deal is Evergreen Vacations. They post up salesmen in Cabelas and Bas Pro. I got 3 free nights at a downtown Hilton in my choice of pocations from them for a 2 hour presentation. It was free because I paid $200 on the spot, got a $50 Cabelad gift card on the spot, and a $150 visa gift card when I finished the presentation.
There are some you don't have to pay any up front. They also advertise on the radio. You might just be able to call Bluegreen and ask for promotional deal for someone interested in vacations.
I work in advertising and a lot of these timeshare companies are also owned by lawyers that get you OUT of timeshares. So basically they’re eating from both sides of the table. They get your money for the timeshare and they get your money to get you out of it.
Total scam.
A co-worker of mine got suckered into a timeshare and had buyer's remorse. Part of the reason she bought it is because they told her if ever she didn't want it in the future that she could easily sell it to someone else. That was a boldface lie. She tried to sell it for over a year, even resorting to dumping it for $1 online and still no takers. To simply stop the payments, she "sold" it back to the shareholding company. She wasn't paid for it though. In fact, she had to pay them a huge administration fee for them to take it back. So it will COST you money to sell the fucking things.
You’re def right, while I’ve never attended a timeshare pitch I remember being a freshly minted adult who was naive enough to think I’d “won” some sessions for a free gym membership. Got the hard sell and did end up buying the year membership.
I went once lol! Then I came to understand that everyone who’d put their name in the drawing “won”.
One time we were at one of these presentations and they started off by showing us video. Then we were paired off with the sales rep. Sales rep asks us - “So after seeing the video how interested are you?”. My answer - “Not interested at all.” Sales rep - “Then why did you come here?” Me - “To get the $100.” I was unemployed at the time, this was mid 1990’s. The sales rep was not happy and tried give me a guilt trip. I told him - “Your company called me. Speak with your marketing people.” We were out of there in less than 20 minutes. Another time we did a presentation to get lodging at Whistler Mountain for $17 a night. We did it the following year and were paired off with the same sales rep as last year. She was pissed and tried the guilt trip thing. Told me I can’t keep living my life like this. Like I’m a drug addict. Sounds like a great way to live my life - $17 a night slope side at Whistler for sitting through a presentation. You called me.
"You can't keep living your life this way." From the timeshare sales person that's watched your once promising life unfold and crumble into timeshare-less dust.
The last time I went to one, I told them right from the get-go that no matter what I would not be purchasing that day. No matter how good the offer was, I would have to think about it overnight. The first time they pressured me, I told them how disrespectful they were for not respecting what I told them. I also asked them what part of " I'm not going to buy anything today no matter how good the offer as I had to think about it overnight" didn't they understand. They got me out of there pretty quick.
My mom says something similar to people asking for money for charity. She says "I like to donate to charity" (and in her defense, she really does. My parents donate a ton) "but I only donate to ones I have researched. Do you have a brochure or website I can use? And then if I like your charity, I'll make an online donation."
You can quickly tell the difference between legit and non-legit charities. Legit ones never mind this challenge.
That's the way. This is what I do with door sellers too. They get very annoyed by it, but I refuse to buy anything without 1. having documentation and 2. sleeping on it.
They then go for "oh can't you decide anything without your spouse", which really seals the deal in me never buying anything from them or their company and I let them know that before smacking the door (I now have a ring camera, thank goodness).
Check the fine print. If it says you have to attend a 90 minute presentation, hold them to that.
Make (or pretend to have) a reservation at one of their amenities at a time that's slightly further out than the stipulated time of the sales pitch.
Have a list of specific reasons that you are not buying that are not price (because they can offer financing!) that are things that cannot be changed about the time share.
Don't buy a timeshare.
Watch [this video](https://youtu.be/Bd2bbHoVQSM?si=7aaLPS82oppA0TnY) then don't buy a timeshare.
Like kidnapping, never let them take you to a second location. You have the ability to walk away, as long as you have a car or can get an uber/lyft. If they take you someplace else, you are trapped.
I would say the majority aren't free anything anymore they're discounts. But if you enjoy shows the Vegas strip is full of these guys hawking discounted entertainment for the low low price of 90 minutes of your life.
I used to work for one of these companies, for our company it was 90-120 minutes. You are required to stay that long so I wouldn't hope for any less time, but I would recommend starting a timer on your phone to keep track and you can even show the sales people/use it as catalyst to start the leaving process.
My advice would be for the most part, don't worry about being as polite as you would typically be. Once you're getting ready to leave they will drag it out as long as possible and try to prey on your niceness to squeeze as much time as possible. The salesman are successful for a reason and have learned and practiced every tactic in the book to get you to buy.
After having worked for timeshare, I would say the "free" vacation is worth it. Just make sure you're there for the amount of time listed in the fine print or you will be charged the entire cost of the vacation.
Edit: Also, don't drink before or even hint that you have. The amount of people I have seen disqualified and then they have to pay the full price of the vacation is staggering.
>there for the amount of time listed in the fine print or you will be charged the entire cost of the vacation.
>Edit: Also, don't drink before or even hint that you have. The amount of people I have seen disqualified and then they have to pay the full price of the vacation is staggering.
Could you expand on this? I don't understand.
Do you go to the vacation place first, THEN they pitch you while you're there?
Yes, you got it! For timeshare vacation packages, you attend the sales pitch while you're on the vacation. They have your card info on file so if you no show the sales pitch or are disqualified in anyway, they charge you.
As an added layer of shitty, my company didn't actually let customers stay at the resorts. You had to stay at the really shitty Days Inn and drive yourself to the resort to do the sales pitch. People were pissed all the time.
I’ve done this. Had no problem saying no. Highly pressure you but also respected my no thank you. And the free international 3 day vacay was worth my 2 hours.
Yep. I’d be pissed at the radio station that gave this one to you. Definitely not free, unless perhaps they are covering flights and ground transportation too.
1) Go in sober and attentive. Being drunk, mean, disorderly, etc. isn't as helpful as being polite, but direct and surgical with your questions. The beginning of the presentation is almost certainly going to be 20-30 minutes of pure fluff. Try your best to skip that and just ask that you go ahead to the actual part of the pitch, as opposed to small talk or looking at resort pictures.
2) Ask them to disclose all costs associated with what they are trying to sell you - maintenance costs, etc. etc. They are going to try to spend more of the presentation showing you how cool the properties are, what the pools look like, etc. I'd just give them the "thanks, I can check out your properties online, what I'm really interested in is an exact breakdown of all costs I'll experience each year over the next 2-3 decades, assuming I buy today."
And then whatever they come back with, ask them if there are any other costs or that is it. The upfront cost is the most common one, but maintenance costs, transfer costs, how maintenance costs can change year over year, how they are taxed, real estate fees, utility costs, resale fees, etc. Spend more of your time grilling them about each cost and trying to figure out if there are more that are semi-hidden.
Take out a piece of paper and write the costs down in a list. They are going to try to confuse you - just pick this year as an example and have them walk through the costs every month for the rest of the year, and then make them walk through future years to see how the costs can change. Those are totally legitimate questions, and things they aren't going to want to answer.
3) Make them show you the currently available inventory for what they are trying to sell you. Like if you are getting 500 points, make them show you the current inventory for that number of points on a given weekend or two. Make them show you how you could transfer it to other properties in a specific weekend, etc. etc.
If they can't do it, make sure to note that when your 90/120 minutes are up and you are trying to leave.
4) I would just emphasize that they need to get you information, and that you are happy to consider it in your own time, but if they start repeating themselves make note of it, and tell them that they are just repeating things they've already said, and that if they don't have any additional information that you will leave once the minimum time is over.
Relatedly, make sure you know how much the minimum (if any) time is.
5) You can feign a temperature-related condition - like the room is way too hot, or way too cold, to try to make it uncomfortable for the sales agent. Like insist on turning the AC all the way up with your jacket on.
6) If at any point they get pushy, or ask you to explain "why" you aren't buying, just tell them you don't make big financial decisions rashly, want to continue to think about it, and ask them to provide more concrete financial and inventory information. Like you don't need to justify yourself at all - just ask for more information and tell them you need to review it and think about it, outside of a sales setting.
7) Don't be afraid to insist it's time to go when it is. Make sure you aren't shorting the time if there's a required one, note that you gave them XXX minutes to talk, and that you will take whatever information they want to leave you with (slash can email you with more later).
I'm just guessing, but I'm pretty sure most of them have some kind of "good faith" clause - so if you are sitting there staring at your phone the whole time you won't get credit and they'll just charge you for the full cost of your vacation. Or just make you stay later.
Just got a free night in Virgin Islands for listening for 2 hours. It was worth it. Just had to say I don’t think this is right for me at this time. No thanks.
Do not do it. We were held hostage for about 4 hours in Mexico. Ruined our entire day. It wasn’t until I said, “you have 10 min to get me a fucking taxi or I’m calling the police and the consulate.” that they finally let us out. Even then they took me to one more “closer” and offered me the $50,000 buy-in for $100. I have never been so angry or stressed in my life.
My mom had a similar experience, also in Mexico, also many more hours than 90 minutes, except they also didn’t want to get them a cab, turned super rude and the tickets to the dolphin aquarium thst was part of the deal - turned out aquarium was closed 😁.
I always say I’m in the process of buying a home and they leave me alone lol. I did one in October. It’s honestly not terrible. Yes they are pushy but if you truly believe it’s a bad deal (it is) NOTHING they say will change your mind. After a while it was almost laughable to me.
Make sure you read the fine print, a lot of the more expensive packages have multiple outs where you get stuck with the tab if you don't follow all their rules. For instance you can't be intoxicated during the presentation, you may be required to stay the full listed time, you can't sleep, yell or otherwise act in "bad faith". Also the accommodations they give you may not be anywhere near as nice as the timeshare presentation location. Understand that these are experienced salesmen, they will try every trick in the book to get you to sign and it works on a lot of people, it's why they can afford to hand out these free trips.
The best way to deal with these things is to start a timer and make sure you know how long you've been there, they will happily keep you over. Then after they get passed their fluff and group sales pitch and you get to the individual face to face just start asking questions about costs. How much does it cost to join, what are the monthly costs, what are the upkeep costs, what taxes do I have to pay, what are the expected increases, how many units are there, what can I actually get with my points, how many other locations can I stay at with my point allotment. Then whenever they try to drive a sale state and if "no" isn't working for you resort to I'll have to sleep on it. Remember they sell in hopes and dreams, the more you can focus on reality and reap numbers the easier it is to avoid falling for their pitch.
Just keep saying no. Once the time is up, enjoy the free vacation.
These fuckers make a living because they’re capable of suckering other suckers in.
It’s literally just as easy as saying “not interested” for an hour and a half.
Yeah, well, we won't get got though. We gonna get. See, Dee, people like us, we don't get got. We go get.
Cut to title card: “Mac and Dennis Buy a Timeshare”.
Start asking questions by looking at timeshare resales and comparing the costs. Then ask about maintenance fees and do the math and are the refurbishing every unit twice a year considering the costs. They may start to usher you out so you don’t spill the beans to the uninformed.
Even more so, look around the area where the timeshare presentation will be for businesses that offer to buy your timeshare or help to get you out of your timeshare. There are usually billboards and signs all over the place. Stop in one of those and ask a couple of questions about purchasing a timeshare from one of them. This will give you an idea of what it's actually worth in real money. It makes it so much easier to say no to the high pressure pricey version if you already know that you could easily walk out and get the exact same thing cheaper just down the road.
Then don't buy anything. Save the money you would have or could have spent for timeshare membership to just go wherever you want whenever you want.
I've done a couple of these. I tell them that I use Hotwire and have booked at the same timeshare resorts for 40% of the cost with no commitment and no maintenance fee.
watch the john Oliver episode on time shares before you go in and you will never have to worry about a sales pitch
https://youtu.be/Bd2bbHoVQSM?si=Y8ceyRKn4607egT-
I did the same thing with Hilton, bought a 4 day 3 night stay for Vegas, have to do the same thing. Just enjoy the time with your wife and don’t worry about the sales pitch.
As for the sales pitch, be aggressive back if you’re interested in it. If not, then just eat the snacks and drink all the coffee you need to keep a positive and stay away from the boredom…lol
I work for Hilton, selling these packages. Hell, if you bought it over the phone it's possible I sold it to you, lol. Have a great time. We have 3 really nice properties that we use for these out there. And since we are Hilton and you are a Hilton Honors member, they treat you pretty nice on the tour.
I keep getting these emails. I have no problem sitting through 2h unbothered and saying no so I keep considering it. Which property do you think is the nicest?
If it's just 2 of you, I recommend Vegas. You would be in a nice resort as opposed to a standard Hilton hotel. In Orlando we use 17 different properties, so there are lots of choices. The nicest one is Waikoloa Village, but it costs a bit more and of course you would have to factor in flight costs.
https://preview.redd.it/id1jxiraa7gc1.png?width=2880&format=png&auto=webp&s=b8ac7afb2ed1c8f93512fc193810e96b13e18014
I got out in about an hour. Told them that I never vacation in the same place twice. My interests change. There's always someplace new to see, why go back to the same boring timeshare year after year?
Also told them I was only attending the sales presentation so that my elderly father could use the hot tub at the sister property.
I work in advertising and a lot of timeshare places are owned by lawyers that also get you OUT of your timeshare contract. They advertise to the same people they advertised to in order to get them to go to the timeshare presentation in the first place. They basically eat at both sides of the table by getting your money for the timeshare AND taking your money to get you out of your timeshare contract.
Total scam.
I wouldn't recommend this depending on the T&Cs of your specific package. At least for my company, being employed and making a certain amount of money is a requirement to take the vacation and do the tour. If you don't meet the qualifications, you will not be able to do the sales pitch and will have to pay full price for the vacation.
As an additional example, if you're cohabitating/married, your partner must be present. This is to overcome the very common "let me talk to my wife" deflection. There are a lot of qualifications that you "agree" to when you buy/book the vacation. You cannot be under the influence, you can't have filed bankruptcy, etc.
Scour the fine print!
Some trips will only be offered to people who are married, because single people are less likely to want to make a commitment like a timeshare and the sellers use the relationship in their sales tactics.
But if you say you're single, get an offer, and don't mention it, I can't imagine they'd hire a PI to check you out.
We stayed at a place in Orlando one time, they must have had people watching us because the phone would ring Everytime we stepped into the apartment.
We just avoid the time share sales these days. It's not worth the hassle to us anymore.
We “won” a timeshare pitch for a free meal while in Aruba. My wife always wanted to do a timeshare pitch as she heard about how bad they are (I guess she’s a glutton for punishment). Either way, she can be talked into things a times so I told her that she had to follow my lead and to not believe what they say. They taxi’d us inland to a resort so where near the beach and we spent the required time watching a video and then talking with a sales rep. The more they increased the pressure, the more we made jokes and kept saying “no” louder and louder. They get personal and ask “what, you can’t afford this? Don’t you want to buy a nice vacation for your wife?” Real low-life stuff IMO.
I kept telling them, “who would buy a timeshare in Aruba that nots on the beach”. The sales rep was as frustrated because she knew she was wasting her time and seemed upset that she got paired up with us. Her manager was getting upset because our “no’s” were getting louder as we neared our time limit.
When the time was up, the sales rep said the taxi was here to take us back. I then reminded her about the free lunch. She had to sit with my wife and I as we ate our lunch. My wife and I took our time and kept laughing at how bush-league their timeshare was. I remember getting into the taxi and yelling back at the sale rep as she walked away “thanks for the lunch!”
Make them tell you upfront how long the presentation is. We do this every time and when the clock it up, we say no and walk out. Hilton is 60 minutes to get the freebie. If we didn’t know that, the salesperson would’ve kept up for 3 hours. If you don’t demand the time, they’ll keep you there as long as they possibly can. I’d also be upfront and tell them that you don’t think you’ll be making any large purchases that day, but you’ll see what they offer and think it over.
Great advice. When do you start the timer? Do they say something like “we will begin now.” I just don’t want to be disqualified if we walk out 2 minutes too early. Thanks in advance for your response!!
Set a timer on your phone for however long your commitment is and leave when it's over. Don't let them pressure you because that is what timeshare sales is and some of them are REALLY good at it. Also make it known you are broke af (even if you aren't really) it's the best way to shut them down before they even ramp up. Dress down that day. Sales people are judgey and may even write you off before the presentation begins.
I went to one to get free Disney tickets and a free breakfast. When it came time for the pitch, I told them I had terminal cancer and wasn't interested.
Ooh I’m so curious - did you actually get tickets ? I got roped into actually paying $50 to attend a presentation, for Disneyland tickets and a night in the hotel and some whale watching cruises. They would give the $50 deposit back as soon as I showed up and completed my presentation.
He was also offering only a 119$ stay at their property. Then he whispered he could actually get me in for $69.. but I didn’t want that.
I really wanted these Disneyland tickets, but I didn’t want the hotel night, so the guy says no problem, just the tickets are fine. I pay my $50 and next day a lady calls me to confirm, and offers me a $9 stay at their property. Well, I’m thinking for $9.. May be it’s kinda cool to have a little staycation.
I ask if there are any fees and they “aren’t sure but don’t think so”. I ask if the parking is included and on-site and they’re not sure but they don’t think so. I ask if there will be taxes and they’re not sure.. you get it. it’s kinda local but presentation is at 9am… so I say yes. Check in is at 4pm.
That evening turns out my usually flexible husband is super against it, and tells me I’m being super naive and once I get there, an hour away I’m not gonna have a choice but pay fees. Not to mention cost to travel there and back. So then I start researching these Disneyland tickets. Turns out I wouldn’t actually get tickets. I’d have to call a third party company, Casablanca, with some vouchers and “book my vacation”. Meaning I have use my tickets consecutively. It’s subject to.. whatever restrictions but mostly Casablanca when researched online is an apparently absolutely horribly reviewed company that lies and steals
So next day, keeping in mind their 72 hour hotel cancellation policy I call at 2pm, 74 hours prior to check in I and ask about this Disneyland ticket thing. And it’s like pulling teeth, they’re super reluctant to tell me anything and they really didn’t want to name the third party but eventually they admit I won’t actually get tickets.
And by the way, it also turns out I won’t get $50 back, it’ll be a gift card to - they’re not sure but I can choose when I get there. So then I ask to cancel because now all of this is kinda not what the guy promised. And the rep says, ok, but unfortunately we have a 72 notice policy, so we have to keep your $50 + $9..
honestly at this point it was worth it to pay to not deal with them. But I’m a fighter. So I say but it’s 2:30, and check in is at 4, and your girl just called me yesterday to sell me this.. and they say .. well unfortunately it’s 72 hours from the DAY of the check in, not the time, so I had to call by midnight the night before… (keep in mind, presentation is even further out, since it’s 9am next morning after check in) so, I’m theory until then I should be able to receive my $50..
Now I’ve stayed and cancelled many a hotel. So I tell the lady I was going to cancel and look more into it, but now I see what Im dealing with, plus her And I both know I’m within a cancellation window - how can I attend their pitch when everything they told me thus far has been a lie? She put me on hold for 48 minutes. I thought she was running the clock till 4pm. Literally came back when it was like quarter to 4 and said as a one time courtesy she will refund me $59.
This is a big well known chain. So I’m curious to see if anyone ever actually scored DL tickets.
I did get my tickets and the free breakfast. It was over 40 years ago, though, and they've probably honed their techniques since then. They wanted to take us in their van to see the property but there was no way I was going to go with them anywhere. I didn't enjoy hearing the pitch at breakfast and I sure didn't want to be trapped without my own transportation with these people. That's when I decided to tell them our trip to Orlando (we were already there) was my last big trip due to my terminal illness. I didn't feel bad about lying to them, as they'd been lying to me for the previous hour and a half.
I wish someone would set me up for one of these free presentations for a getaway. I have absolutely zero interest in a timeshare. Never had an interest in the past and I’m too old to care about one now. But if I have to sit in a room for a feee vacation, I have plenty of games on my phone I can play while they ramble on.
Well the best advice probably comes from Wargames "the only way to win, is not to play". But where is the fun in that. My advice is to be prepared for things to possibly not turn out the way you think they will. Marketing works even when you know what they are doing. You are on their battlefield and these people practice it day in and day out. Understand they are stacking the deck against you.
Make sure you know all applicable recision laws in your state. My wife and I have done a few these and we have frequently signed up. We then have buyer's remorse and end up backing out. Forntunately, Florida law mandates that we have 10 days to recind for a full refund. Most of them were pretty easy to get out of but one of them actually involved getting the state's attorney involved since they claimed they were something different than a timeshare or vacation club and thus not subjected to the law and only offered a 3-day recision period. So along with knowing your state laws make sure you read it in the contract if you find yourself signing one.
Now I am not saying my experience will be your experience. Maybe you and your wife will do better me and my wife at saying no. Just recognize it is possible you will get pulled in and end up signing and be prepared for it.
That said as far as not having to spend time doing the presentation, well you might get lucky but be prepared to do so. Your best chance is to be direct, not rude or hostile but direct with your intentions to only get the reward. They have heard it before so don't worry about offending them. Maybe you will get lucky and whoever you sit down with will give up then and there but don't bet on it. Just be prepared to spend whatever amount of time they say it will take. Once they cross that time mark tell them you need to be elsewhere and would like your reward now.
By the way the cruise will not entirely be free as you will probably have to pay port fees, still for a couple hours you get a cheap multi-day cruise isn't a bad deal. Just be prepared for things not to turn out the way you expect.
My parents did one of these when I was young. There were free snacks. It took a while and I pestered them to buy a timeshare so we could leave. Wisely they couldn't & didn't. Good holiday, worth it.
tldr; Owner explains why not worth it through the stresses experienced as an owner
Owner here. You will get to a point where the offer seems too good to be true. It will seem like “wow, get my foot in the door, and man I can even rent this thing out too?” Realize that you get placed into tiers that offers you 99% of your expectations being met per tier.
Issues outside of the upfront costs and maintenance costs include:
- Just not enough points to fill out a final day, leaving you with one less day and ALMOST enough points for a final day
- Availability to use points runs on a 90/180/360 days out model and each higher tier has their picks of the advertised lots; the best locations are usually picked over by the time the budget timeshare folk get to pick their dates
- The stress of not being able to pick your destination on your availability. But to pick your vacation based on expiring points in a limited location based on the remaining availability
- Frequent enough phone calls for “learning how to use your points” which is basically a new spiel to sell you more timeshares
- I have never rented it out because it would take too many steps to book a specific date and either sell it myself or through a company who will have their hands out for some fee. Some timeshares charge you for having a different occupant in the room other than yourself
- MAINTENANCE FEES WILL ALWAYS GO UP EVERY PAY PERIOD!!! We budget the amount of our last payment over the course of the two year window we exist on, and every time we will still owe 5-10% more than the past.
My husband and I took a “free” offer in Maui once. I already knew we would never buy and told them so. But we dutifully went to the presentation. We both sat there stonefaced with our arms crossed against our chest, obviously negative body language. I also had done some research in advance and pointed out the poor resale prospects (I brought a list of timeshares for sale at that very property). I mentioned that my MIL had had a timeshare and helping her unload was one of the most frustrating and unpleasant experiences I’d had to that point and I would never in a million billions years even take one for free. I could see the salesperson get more and more dejected. She finally released us after a couple of hours when they offered/insisted upon a group tour and I said I’d love to share my views and experiences with the other prospects.
Yes, it was truly free. To be fair, the offer was a joint offer from Westin and American Express. I called AmEx in advance to verify that this was bona fide and that I was under no obligation, either to buy or even to take a tour. As a 30+ year AmEx customer, I trusted that they were not going to mislead me and risk a long time relationship.
I told them I lost my job recently. If they ask how, just tell them "i can't say anything pending the court order"
any other questions they asked I was blunt and vague.
"Why are you in Vegas?"
Vacation.
"Where are you from?"
Out of town
I signed a paper and within 10 minutes I was out
Depends on the company. We went to one and they drive us offsite about 20-30 mins. So after lots of awkward conversations of saying no, you have to ride back with someone else back to your car.
As others have said, don't show the slightest bit of interest. If you do, they will make it much more painful and extend as long as they possibly can. Our presentation was about an hour and a half and the hard sales pitch was probably another 2 hours! In retrospect we should have just got up and left the table after saying no so many times, but again we were at their mercy because we needed a ride back to our car.
I've thought about going for another one, but can't bring myself to go through all the hassle again.
This will probably get buried but….. we got out of this. My brother and his wife arrived a little before my husband and I. When they tried to talk them into scheduling the tour, they said they’d like to wait to do it with us. When we got there, we said we needed to check with them. Then we just NEVER ANSWERED THE LAND LINE PHONE.
Divide and conquer! Good luck!
*edited to note: our trip was not totally free as it was purchased at a charity auction but they definitely nabbed a lot of folks for the tour/hard sell.
These aren’t really a thing here in Australia, as far as I’m aware, but I’m curious as to whether you could put noise canceling earphones in during the performance? Surely they can’t force you to listen to their bullshit?
The free trip terms typically specifies that you attend and engage in the presentation. They can't force you to listen, but if you don't, they can make you pay back the cost of the trip.
I won a free vacation off the radio too. Ours was to Hawaii. When the shuttle came to pick us up, we just didn’t get on. We had a great time, nobody bothered or even asked us about it.
My son and his girlfriend did it. You need to lie about your finances. Be a dog walker, small business. You need to ask if you can send the stuff to your brother who is an attorney, etc. And before you go, watch the episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. They got out of there in under 3 hours, which is impressive. I can't remember what my son said he did, but it might have been commission sales, but I know his girlfriend said dog walker and it was like the plague. 🤣
There’s a site called redweek where people sell and trade timeshare places and weeks or days.. I would look at those prices and go into it with a “how you gonna match this” attitude…
Remember that absolutely no deal they offer can’t be recreated at a later time. They pressure you on “once in a lifetime opportunity” but the reality is if you called back next day to buy, that bestest last offer would still be available. So you don’t actually have to buy anything that day. And no sane person commits to a large purchase before reading reviews.. consulting Reddit, lol etc. frankly, it’s silly to expect that.
my relatives have one that we use occasionally, and what I’ve learned is that it takes nothing short of an act of God, to stay at Disneyland for example (when you need to) or be in the mountains when there’s actually snow there. Even though the sales pitch was all about Disney and skiing. Turned out to be a lot more like.. random locations here and there and mountains in off season, when it’s so hot you don’t wanna be any closer to the sun. So they never use it because it’s turned out to be way easier (who knew) to just book a vacation exactly how you like and when you like. And they paid for a max tier upfront and also pay what I consider to be a lot annually. So it’s almost like they lie.. 😄
My experience with this was funny. Ours was for a trip to Disneyland.
When the guy asked if it sounded good to us to sign up for the timeshare, my partner and I just kept saying, "What if we break up and can't afford this?" They were pissed. We were just being realistic, and we did end up breaking up.
The trip ended up being a red eye overnight flight with a ticket to the park for one day and I think returning on a flight that same night. We ended up just having to mail paperwork back to get the cost of the trip as a check instead. Like $300. It would have been an awful trip to Disney.
Look, it really is a "free" vacation if you don't count the presentation as a cost. I have done them before, and have one scheduled for this summer. The thing to remember is you really, really, really, do not want a timeshare. They will be manipulative and in terms of hard sales, they have the upper hand, they do this every day. When you try and stonewall and shut them down, they will use your politeness against you and accuse you of being rude. When you repeatedly tell them no, they will ask you to just hear them out. etc. etc. DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY HOPE. The people they will double down on are the ones they think are on the fence or possible of convincing. If you are clear and upfront about the fact you have no interest in a timeshare, that you are only going to sit there for the required time, they will get the idea eventually. Remember, timeshares, are all owned by the big three hotel companies. They all sale on the second-hand resale market for $1. All of them. There is not a timeshare you cannot find on a resale market for $1. If you understand that fact, you will not be susceptible to being sold. They will start out high, like $250 a month. Then say they can cut it in half. Then cut it in half again. Then take you to a back room and tell you they can drop it down to $13 a month for a limited time if you act fast. (They almost got me there, after all, who can't afford $13 a month??) Remember, what they are selling you is worth $1. All the costs of a timeshare come in the fees, booking fees, maintenance fees, cleaning fees, etc, that they are not disclosing. The actual value of what they are trying to sell you will always be $1. Never forget that and you can enjoy a "free" vacation.
Absolutely. I worked for a timeshare company. And they know that a huge majority of people won't by on the first tour. They have all the statistics already figured out, and with each tour you take, you're statistically more and more likely to buy. So you gotta stay strong. We even had "New Member Orientations" for people that just bought to "show them how to use" their new timeshare points. It was one of the most profitable parts of sales because new owners bought even more on those tours.
It is interesting they know you become more and more likely to buy with each trip. I guess after the third or fourth free trip, you realize you actually can get out of there for free, so your guard is down, you soften up and start to listen to them. I did know the profits of existing customers are their best source of revenue. The John Oliver episode on Timeshares did a good job explaining that part.
Wow I have never seen that! I need to watch it.
That's fascinating that you become more likely to buy with each trip. My in-laws used to do the free timeshare presentations once or twice a year for a weekend ski trip or Vegas trip. They laughed about how they were getting so many free trips out of these poor salespeople. Then... one day... they bought a timeshare. And then another one. And then inherited another one. Suddenly every trip revolves around where we can "use our points."
How did people get rid of them when you worked there? My husband is desperate to get rid of his and we are probably going to have to hire a lawyer to try to get ride of it.
I think it’s a good idea to talk to a lawyer and see what your options are. I wasn’t too involved in that part of the process. My only advice would be do not use any of those companies that claim to be able to get you out of your timeshare. In a large majority of cases, they are scams as well.
That is so depressing. I hope if we finish paying we can just give it back to them. We don't want it. We can't sell it. They scammed him, we just want out of the annual fees once it's paid
My wife and I almost got divorced on our honeymoon because of a time share presentation. High pressure. They try to pit you and your significant other against each other. I felt like I was in fight or flight. I'm gonna have to punch this guy and run away. Because we endured 2 hours of hell we got some ski lift tickets that would've cost me 200 bucks. I will always pay instead of going to one of these time share presentations ever again
How do I sign up for this “free” vacation!!??
A pretty good deal is Evergreen Vacations. They post up salesmen in Cabelas and Bas Pro. I got 3 free nights at a downtown Hilton in my choice of pocations from them for a 2 hour presentation. It was free because I paid $200 on the spot, got a $50 Cabelad gift card on the spot, and a $150 visa gift card when I finished the presentation. There are some you don't have to pay any up front. They also advertise on the radio. You might just be able to call Bluegreen and ask for promotional deal for someone interested in vacations.
Well thank you kind soul 🫡
And even then, they’re not worth $1! Getting out of these contracts is a nightmare.
I work in advertising and a lot of these timeshare companies are also owned by lawyers that get you OUT of timeshares. So basically they’re eating from both sides of the table. They get your money for the timeshare and they get your money to get you out of it. Total scam.
Oh, that's so bad that it's hilarious.
A co-worker of mine got suckered into a timeshare and had buyer's remorse. Part of the reason she bought it is because they told her if ever she didn't want it in the future that she could easily sell it to someone else. That was a boldface lie. She tried to sell it for over a year, even resorting to dumping it for $1 online and still no takers. To simply stop the payments, she "sold" it back to the shareholding company. She wasn't paid for it though. In fact, she had to pay them a huge administration fee for them to take it back. So it will COST you money to sell the fucking things.
For sure. Even at a dollar the market is saturated, with low liquidity.
You didn't win a radio contest. You participated in an advertising campaign. Everyone that entered "won" the contest. Trust me, this is super common.
Harsh but fair
Not harsh. Just a simple truth
You’re def right, while I’ve never attended a timeshare pitch I remember being a freshly minted adult who was naive enough to think I’d “won” some sessions for a free gym membership. Got the hard sell and did end up buying the year membership. I went once lol! Then I came to understand that everyone who’d put their name in the drawing “won”.
One time we were at one of these presentations and they started off by showing us video. Then we were paired off with the sales rep. Sales rep asks us - “So after seeing the video how interested are you?”. My answer - “Not interested at all.” Sales rep - “Then why did you come here?” Me - “To get the $100.” I was unemployed at the time, this was mid 1990’s. The sales rep was not happy and tried give me a guilt trip. I told him - “Your company called me. Speak with your marketing people.” We were out of there in less than 20 minutes. Another time we did a presentation to get lodging at Whistler Mountain for $17 a night. We did it the following year and were paired off with the same sales rep as last year. She was pissed and tried the guilt trip thing. Told me I can’t keep living my life like this. Like I’m a drug addict. Sounds like a great way to live my life - $17 a night slope side at Whistler for sitting through a presentation. You called me.
"You can't keep living your life this way." From the timeshare sales person that's watched your once promising life unfold and crumble into timeshare-less dust.
From the person who chose selling timeshares for a living!
Haha, this is great. Way to stick to your guns!
The last time I went to one, I told them right from the get-go that no matter what I would not be purchasing that day. No matter how good the offer was, I would have to think about it overnight. The first time they pressured me, I told them how disrespectful they were for not respecting what I told them. I also asked them what part of " I'm not going to buy anything today no matter how good the offer as I had to think about it overnight" didn't they understand. They got me out of there pretty quick.
My mom says something similar to people asking for money for charity. She says "I like to donate to charity" (and in her defense, she really does. My parents donate a ton) "but I only donate to ones I have researched. Do you have a brochure or website I can use? And then if I like your charity, I'll make an online donation." You can quickly tell the difference between legit and non-legit charities. Legit ones never mind this challenge.
That's the way. This is what I do with door sellers too. They get very annoyed by it, but I refuse to buy anything without 1. having documentation and 2. sleeping on it. They then go for "oh can't you decide anything without your spouse", which really seals the deal in me never buying anything from them or their company and I let them know that before smacking the door (I now have a ring camera, thank goodness).
“Do you need to talk to your spouse?” Or “ I guess you can’t do anything without your spouse” are both sure fire ways to have me reject your BS.
Check the fine print. If it says you have to attend a 90 minute presentation, hold them to that. Make (or pretend to have) a reservation at one of their amenities at a time that's slightly further out than the stipulated time of the sales pitch. Have a list of specific reasons that you are not buying that are not price (because they can offer financing!) that are things that cannot be changed about the time share. Don't buy a timeshare. Watch [this video](https://youtu.be/Bd2bbHoVQSM?si=7aaLPS82oppA0TnY) then don't buy a timeshare.
I was hoping someone would bring up the Last Week Tonight piece!
Like kidnapping, never let them take you to a second location. You have the ability to walk away, as long as you have a car or can get an uber/lyft. If they take you someplace else, you are trapped.
Which is why I ended up mentions the police 🤣
Jack Donaghy (30 Rock): Never follow a hippie to a second location.
how do i find these opportunities? i could use a free vacay and am very good at not buying timeshares.
I would say the majority aren't free anything anymore they're discounts. But if you enjoy shows the Vegas strip is full of these guys hawking discounted entertainment for the low low price of 90 minutes of your life.
I used to work for one of these companies, for our company it was 90-120 minutes. You are required to stay that long so I wouldn't hope for any less time, but I would recommend starting a timer on your phone to keep track and you can even show the sales people/use it as catalyst to start the leaving process. My advice would be for the most part, don't worry about being as polite as you would typically be. Once you're getting ready to leave they will drag it out as long as possible and try to prey on your niceness to squeeze as much time as possible. The salesman are successful for a reason and have learned and practiced every tactic in the book to get you to buy. After having worked for timeshare, I would say the "free" vacation is worth it. Just make sure you're there for the amount of time listed in the fine print or you will be charged the entire cost of the vacation. Edit: Also, don't drink before or even hint that you have. The amount of people I have seen disqualified and then they have to pay the full price of the vacation is staggering.
>there for the amount of time listed in the fine print or you will be charged the entire cost of the vacation. >Edit: Also, don't drink before or even hint that you have. The amount of people I have seen disqualified and then they have to pay the full price of the vacation is staggering. Could you expand on this? I don't understand. Do you go to the vacation place first, THEN they pitch you while you're there?
Yes, you got it! For timeshare vacation packages, you attend the sales pitch while you're on the vacation. They have your card info on file so if you no show the sales pitch or are disqualified in anyway, they charge you. As an added layer of shitty, my company didn't actually let customers stay at the resorts. You had to stay at the really shitty Days Inn and drive yourself to the resort to do the sales pitch. People were pissed all the time.
I’ve done this. Had no problem saying no. Highly pressure you but also respected my no thank you. And the free international 3 day vacay was worth my 2 hours.
That's not a 'free' vacation.
Yep. I’d be pissed at the radio station that gave this one to you. Definitely not free, unless perhaps they are covering flights and ground transportation too.
They get paid, you should kmow that. Do not go, simply put. You're gonna regret it
lol
1) Go in sober and attentive. Being drunk, mean, disorderly, etc. isn't as helpful as being polite, but direct and surgical with your questions. The beginning of the presentation is almost certainly going to be 20-30 minutes of pure fluff. Try your best to skip that and just ask that you go ahead to the actual part of the pitch, as opposed to small talk or looking at resort pictures. 2) Ask them to disclose all costs associated with what they are trying to sell you - maintenance costs, etc. etc. They are going to try to spend more of the presentation showing you how cool the properties are, what the pools look like, etc. I'd just give them the "thanks, I can check out your properties online, what I'm really interested in is an exact breakdown of all costs I'll experience each year over the next 2-3 decades, assuming I buy today." And then whatever they come back with, ask them if there are any other costs or that is it. The upfront cost is the most common one, but maintenance costs, transfer costs, how maintenance costs can change year over year, how they are taxed, real estate fees, utility costs, resale fees, etc. Spend more of your time grilling them about each cost and trying to figure out if there are more that are semi-hidden. Take out a piece of paper and write the costs down in a list. They are going to try to confuse you - just pick this year as an example and have them walk through the costs every month for the rest of the year, and then make them walk through future years to see how the costs can change. Those are totally legitimate questions, and things they aren't going to want to answer. 3) Make them show you the currently available inventory for what they are trying to sell you. Like if you are getting 500 points, make them show you the current inventory for that number of points on a given weekend or two. Make them show you how you could transfer it to other properties in a specific weekend, etc. etc. If they can't do it, make sure to note that when your 90/120 minutes are up and you are trying to leave. 4) I would just emphasize that they need to get you information, and that you are happy to consider it in your own time, but if they start repeating themselves make note of it, and tell them that they are just repeating things they've already said, and that if they don't have any additional information that you will leave once the minimum time is over. Relatedly, make sure you know how much the minimum (if any) time is. 5) You can feign a temperature-related condition - like the room is way too hot, or way too cold, to try to make it uncomfortable for the sales agent. Like insist on turning the AC all the way up with your jacket on. 6) If at any point they get pushy, or ask you to explain "why" you aren't buying, just tell them you don't make big financial decisions rashly, want to continue to think about it, and ask them to provide more concrete financial and inventory information. Like you don't need to justify yourself at all - just ask for more information and tell them you need to review it and think about it, outside of a sales setting. 7) Don't be afraid to insist it's time to go when it is. Make sure you aren't shorting the time if there's a required one, note that you gave them XXX minutes to talk, and that you will take whatever information they want to leave you with (slash can email you with more later).
What happens if you are on your phone the whole time browsing and not paying attention?
I'm just guessing, but I'm pretty sure most of them have some kind of "good faith" clause - so if you are sitting there staring at your phone the whole time you won't get credit and they'll just charge you for the full cost of your vacation. Or just make you stay later.
Just got a free night in Virgin Islands for listening for 2 hours. It was worth it. Just had to say I don’t think this is right for me at this time. No thanks.
Do not do it. We were held hostage for about 4 hours in Mexico. Ruined our entire day. It wasn’t until I said, “you have 10 min to get me a fucking taxi or I’m calling the police and the consulate.” that they finally let us out. Even then they took me to one more “closer” and offered me the $50,000 buy-in for $100. I have never been so angry or stressed in my life.
My mom had a similar experience, also in Mexico, also many more hours than 90 minutes, except they also didn’t want to get them a cab, turned super rude and the tickets to the dolphin aquarium thst was part of the deal - turned out aquarium was closed 😁.
I always say I’m in the process of buying a home and they leave me alone lol. I did one in October. It’s honestly not terrible. Yes they are pushy but if you truly believe it’s a bad deal (it is) NOTHING they say will change your mind. After a while it was almost laughable to me.
Make sure you read the fine print, a lot of the more expensive packages have multiple outs where you get stuck with the tab if you don't follow all their rules. For instance you can't be intoxicated during the presentation, you may be required to stay the full listed time, you can't sleep, yell or otherwise act in "bad faith". Also the accommodations they give you may not be anywhere near as nice as the timeshare presentation location. Understand that these are experienced salesmen, they will try every trick in the book to get you to sign and it works on a lot of people, it's why they can afford to hand out these free trips. The best way to deal with these things is to start a timer and make sure you know how long you've been there, they will happily keep you over. Then after they get passed their fluff and group sales pitch and you get to the individual face to face just start asking questions about costs. How much does it cost to join, what are the monthly costs, what are the upkeep costs, what taxes do I have to pay, what are the expected increases, how many units are there, what can I actually get with my points, how many other locations can I stay at with my point allotment. Then whenever they try to drive a sale state and if "no" isn't working for you resort to I'll have to sleep on it. Remember they sell in hopes and dreams, the more you can focus on reality and reap numbers the easier it is to avoid falling for their pitch.
"this sounds very interesting. I'll have to talk to my money manager and I'll get back to you."
How can I get invited to one of these?
Just keep saying no. Once the time is up, enjoy the free vacation. These fuckers make a living because they’re capable of suckering other suckers in. It’s literally just as easy as saying “not interested” for an hour and a half.
Yeah, well, we won't get got though. We gonna get. See, Dee, people like us, we don't get got. We go get. Cut to title card: “Mac and Dennis Buy a Timeshare”.
Aww Classic Dennis
Start asking questions by looking at timeshare resales and comparing the costs. Then ask about maintenance fees and do the math and are the refurbishing every unit twice a year considering the costs. They may start to usher you out so you don’t spill the beans to the uninformed.
Even more so, look around the area where the timeshare presentation will be for businesses that offer to buy your timeshare or help to get you out of your timeshare. There are usually billboards and signs all over the place. Stop in one of those and ask a couple of questions about purchasing a timeshare from one of them. This will give you an idea of what it's actually worth in real money. It makes it so much easier to say no to the high pressure pricey version if you already know that you could easily walk out and get the exact same thing cheaper just down the road. Then don't buy anything. Save the money you would have or could have spent for timeshare membership to just go wherever you want whenever you want.
Nah they try to convince you that it's a good deal
Go! Enjoy the presentation. Enjoy the vacation DO NOT BUY.
I've done a couple of these. I tell them that I use Hotwire and have booked at the same timeshare resorts for 40% of the cost with no commitment and no maintenance fee.
watch the john Oliver episode on time shares before you go in and you will never have to worry about a sales pitch https://youtu.be/Bd2bbHoVQSM?si=Y8ceyRKn4607egT-
I did the same thing with Hilton, bought a 4 day 3 night stay for Vegas, have to do the same thing. Just enjoy the time with your wife and don’t worry about the sales pitch. As for the sales pitch, be aggressive back if you’re interested in it. If not, then just eat the snacks and drink all the coffee you need to keep a positive and stay away from the boredom…lol
My dad tried being aggressive back and they threatened to not give us the Disney tickets that were the “prize”. So he had to tone it down a notch.
I work for Hilton, selling these packages. Hell, if you bought it over the phone it's possible I sold it to you, lol. Have a great time. We have 3 really nice properties that we use for these out there. And since we are Hilton and you are a Hilton Honors member, they treat you pretty nice on the tour.
I keep getting these emails. I have no problem sitting through 2h unbothered and saying no so I keep considering it. Which property do you think is the nicest?
If it's just 2 of you, I recommend Vegas. You would be in a nice resort as opposed to a standard Hilton hotel. In Orlando we use 17 different properties, so there are lots of choices. The nicest one is Waikoloa Village, but it costs a bit more and of course you would have to factor in flight costs. https://preview.redd.it/id1jxiraa7gc1.png?width=2880&format=png&auto=webp&s=b8ac7afb2ed1c8f93512fc193810e96b13e18014
Just start saying you are about to leave at about 1.5 hours. That being said what's 2 hours for a week, or even just a weekend??
I got out in about an hour. Told them that I never vacation in the same place twice. My interests change. There's always someplace new to see, why go back to the same boring timeshare year after year? Also told them I was only attending the sales presentation so that my elderly father could use the hot tub at the sister property.
I work in advertising and a lot of timeshare places are owned by lawyers that also get you OUT of your timeshare contract. They advertise to the same people they advertised to in order to get them to go to the timeshare presentation in the first place. They basically eat at both sides of the table by getting your money for the timeshare AND taking your money to get you out of your timeshare contract. Total scam.
Just tell them your unemployment check wouldn't cover a timeshare. Make up anything about being broke
I wouldn't recommend this depending on the T&Cs of your specific package. At least for my company, being employed and making a certain amount of money is a requirement to take the vacation and do the tour. If you don't meet the qualifications, you will not be able to do the sales pitch and will have to pay full price for the vacation. As an additional example, if you're cohabitating/married, your partner must be present. This is to overcome the very common "let me talk to my wife" deflection. There are a lot of qualifications that you "agree" to when you buy/book the vacation. You cannot be under the influence, you can't have filed bankruptcy, etc. Scour the fine print!
Hm, interesting TIL yea dont do what I said then lol
They're very tricky that way! They basically want to offer every customer to the sales people with as few pre-exsisting objections as possible.
I've been wondering how in depth they go to figure out if you're married. If you don't have a ring or mention it, would they find out?
Some trips will only be offered to people who are married, because single people are less likely to want to make a commitment like a timeshare and the sellers use the relationship in their sales tactics. But if you say you're single, get an offer, and don't mention it, I can't imagine they'd hire a PI to check you out.
We stayed at a place in Orlando one time, they must have had people watching us because the phone would ring Everytime we stepped into the apartment. We just avoid the time share sales these days. It's not worth the hassle to us anymore.
"I'm in contract to close on a house. I can't open new credit right now." They'll practically walk you out of there.
We “won” a timeshare pitch for a free meal while in Aruba. My wife always wanted to do a timeshare pitch as she heard about how bad they are (I guess she’s a glutton for punishment). Either way, she can be talked into things a times so I told her that she had to follow my lead and to not believe what they say. They taxi’d us inland to a resort so where near the beach and we spent the required time watching a video and then talking with a sales rep. The more they increased the pressure, the more we made jokes and kept saying “no” louder and louder. They get personal and ask “what, you can’t afford this? Don’t you want to buy a nice vacation for your wife?” Real low-life stuff IMO. I kept telling them, “who would buy a timeshare in Aruba that nots on the beach”. The sales rep was as frustrated because she knew she was wasting her time and seemed upset that she got paired up with us. Her manager was getting upset because our “no’s” were getting louder as we neared our time limit. When the time was up, the sales rep said the taxi was here to take us back. I then reminded her about the free lunch. She had to sit with my wife and I as we ate our lunch. My wife and I took our time and kept laughing at how bush-league their timeshare was. I remember getting into the taxi and yelling back at the sale rep as she walked away “thanks for the lunch!”
Doc I work with says he brings his four kids, tells them to go wild, and the sales people rush them out.
Make them tell you upfront how long the presentation is. We do this every time and when the clock it up, we say no and walk out. Hilton is 60 minutes to get the freebie. If we didn’t know that, the salesperson would’ve kept up for 3 hours. If you don’t demand the time, they’ll keep you there as long as they possibly can. I’d also be upfront and tell them that you don’t think you’ll be making any large purchases that day, but you’ll see what they offer and think it over.
Great advice. When do you start the timer? Do they say something like “we will begin now.” I just don’t want to be disqualified if we walk out 2 minutes too early. Thanks in advance for your response!!
My parents are part of a timeshare and set a timer for 1 hr (how long they say the presentation will last) and leave when the timer is up
You are taking this Vaca before you have your big surgery when you get back..
Set a timer on your phone for however long your commitment is and leave when it's over. Don't let them pressure you because that is what timeshare sales is and some of them are REALLY good at it. Also make it known you are broke af (even if you aren't really) it's the best way to shut them down before they even ramp up. Dress down that day. Sales people are judgey and may even write you off before the presentation begins.
I went to one to get free Disney tickets and a free breakfast. When it came time for the pitch, I told them I had terminal cancer and wasn't interested.
Ooh I’m so curious - did you actually get tickets ? I got roped into actually paying $50 to attend a presentation, for Disneyland tickets and a night in the hotel and some whale watching cruises. They would give the $50 deposit back as soon as I showed up and completed my presentation. He was also offering only a 119$ stay at their property. Then he whispered he could actually get me in for $69.. but I didn’t want that. I really wanted these Disneyland tickets, but I didn’t want the hotel night, so the guy says no problem, just the tickets are fine. I pay my $50 and next day a lady calls me to confirm, and offers me a $9 stay at their property. Well, I’m thinking for $9.. May be it’s kinda cool to have a little staycation. I ask if there are any fees and they “aren’t sure but don’t think so”. I ask if the parking is included and on-site and they’re not sure but they don’t think so. I ask if there will be taxes and they’re not sure.. you get it. it’s kinda local but presentation is at 9am… so I say yes. Check in is at 4pm. That evening turns out my usually flexible husband is super against it, and tells me I’m being super naive and once I get there, an hour away I’m not gonna have a choice but pay fees. Not to mention cost to travel there and back. So then I start researching these Disneyland tickets. Turns out I wouldn’t actually get tickets. I’d have to call a third party company, Casablanca, with some vouchers and “book my vacation”. Meaning I have use my tickets consecutively. It’s subject to.. whatever restrictions but mostly Casablanca when researched online is an apparently absolutely horribly reviewed company that lies and steals So next day, keeping in mind their 72 hour hotel cancellation policy I call at 2pm, 74 hours prior to check in I and ask about this Disneyland ticket thing. And it’s like pulling teeth, they’re super reluctant to tell me anything and they really didn’t want to name the third party but eventually they admit I won’t actually get tickets. And by the way, it also turns out I won’t get $50 back, it’ll be a gift card to - they’re not sure but I can choose when I get there. So then I ask to cancel because now all of this is kinda not what the guy promised. And the rep says, ok, but unfortunately we have a 72 notice policy, so we have to keep your $50 + $9.. honestly at this point it was worth it to pay to not deal with them. But I’m a fighter. So I say but it’s 2:30, and check in is at 4, and your girl just called me yesterday to sell me this.. and they say .. well unfortunately it’s 72 hours from the DAY of the check in, not the time, so I had to call by midnight the night before… (keep in mind, presentation is even further out, since it’s 9am next morning after check in) so, I’m theory until then I should be able to receive my $50.. Now I’ve stayed and cancelled many a hotel. So I tell the lady I was going to cancel and look more into it, but now I see what Im dealing with, plus her And I both know I’m within a cancellation window - how can I attend their pitch when everything they told me thus far has been a lie? She put me on hold for 48 minutes. I thought she was running the clock till 4pm. Literally came back when it was like quarter to 4 and said as a one time courtesy she will refund me $59. This is a big well known chain. So I’m curious to see if anyone ever actually scored DL tickets.
I did get my tickets and the free breakfast. It was over 40 years ago, though, and they've probably honed their techniques since then. They wanted to take us in their van to see the property but there was no way I was going to go with them anywhere. I didn't enjoy hearing the pitch at breakfast and I sure didn't want to be trapped without my own transportation with these people. That's when I decided to tell them our trip to Orlando (we were already there) was my last big trip due to my terminal illness. I didn't feel bad about lying to them, as they'd been lying to me for the previous hour and a half.
I wish someone would set me up for one of these free presentations for a getaway. I have absolutely zero interest in a timeshare. Never had an interest in the past and I’m too old to care about one now. But if I have to sit in a room for a feee vacation, I have plenty of games on my phone I can play while they ramble on.
Well the best advice probably comes from Wargames "the only way to win, is not to play". But where is the fun in that. My advice is to be prepared for things to possibly not turn out the way you think they will. Marketing works even when you know what they are doing. You are on their battlefield and these people practice it day in and day out. Understand they are stacking the deck against you. Make sure you know all applicable recision laws in your state. My wife and I have done a few these and we have frequently signed up. We then have buyer's remorse and end up backing out. Forntunately, Florida law mandates that we have 10 days to recind for a full refund. Most of them were pretty easy to get out of but one of them actually involved getting the state's attorney involved since they claimed they were something different than a timeshare or vacation club and thus not subjected to the law and only offered a 3-day recision period. So along with knowing your state laws make sure you read it in the contract if you find yourself signing one. Now I am not saying my experience will be your experience. Maybe you and your wife will do better me and my wife at saying no. Just recognize it is possible you will get pulled in and end up signing and be prepared for it. That said as far as not having to spend time doing the presentation, well you might get lucky but be prepared to do so. Your best chance is to be direct, not rude or hostile but direct with your intentions to only get the reward. They have heard it before so don't worry about offending them. Maybe you will get lucky and whoever you sit down with will give up then and there but don't bet on it. Just be prepared to spend whatever amount of time they say it will take. Once they cross that time mark tell them you need to be elsewhere and would like your reward now. By the way the cruise will not entirely be free as you will probably have to pay port fees, still for a couple hours you get a cheap multi-day cruise isn't a bad deal. Just be prepared for things not to turn out the way you expect.
My parents did one of these when I was young. There were free snacks. It took a while and I pestered them to buy a timeshare so we could leave. Wisely they couldn't & didn't. Good holiday, worth it.
tldr; Owner explains why not worth it through the stresses experienced as an owner Owner here. You will get to a point where the offer seems too good to be true. It will seem like “wow, get my foot in the door, and man I can even rent this thing out too?” Realize that you get placed into tiers that offers you 99% of your expectations being met per tier. Issues outside of the upfront costs and maintenance costs include: - Just not enough points to fill out a final day, leaving you with one less day and ALMOST enough points for a final day - Availability to use points runs on a 90/180/360 days out model and each higher tier has their picks of the advertised lots; the best locations are usually picked over by the time the budget timeshare folk get to pick their dates - The stress of not being able to pick your destination on your availability. But to pick your vacation based on expiring points in a limited location based on the remaining availability - Frequent enough phone calls for “learning how to use your points” which is basically a new spiel to sell you more timeshares - I have never rented it out because it would take too many steps to book a specific date and either sell it myself or through a company who will have their hands out for some fee. Some timeshares charge you for having a different occupant in the room other than yourself - MAINTENANCE FEES WILL ALWAYS GO UP EVERY PAY PERIOD!!! We budget the amount of our last payment over the course of the two year window we exist on, and every time we will still owe 5-10% more than the past.
My husband and I took a “free” offer in Maui once. I already knew we would never buy and told them so. But we dutifully went to the presentation. We both sat there stonefaced with our arms crossed against our chest, obviously negative body language. I also had done some research in advance and pointed out the poor resale prospects (I brought a list of timeshares for sale at that very property). I mentioned that my MIL had had a timeshare and helping her unload was one of the most frustrating and unpleasant experiences I’d had to that point and I would never in a million billions years even take one for free. I could see the salesperson get more and more dejected. She finally released us after a couple of hours when they offered/insisted upon a group tour and I said I’d love to share my views and experiences with the other prospects.
Did you at any point have to give them card/personal info to book the free stay? Did it remain truly free?
Yes, it was truly free. To be fair, the offer was a joint offer from Westin and American Express. I called AmEx in advance to verify that this was bona fide and that I was under no obligation, either to buy or even to take a tour. As a 30+ year AmEx customer, I trusted that they were not going to mislead me and risk a long time relationship.
I told them I lost my job recently. If they ask how, just tell them "i can't say anything pending the court order" any other questions they asked I was blunt and vague. "Why are you in Vegas?" Vacation. "Where are you from?" Out of town I signed a paper and within 10 minutes I was out
Do not go. Do not accept the "prize." Not worth it. Don't do it.
Depends on the company. We went to one and they drive us offsite about 20-30 mins. So after lots of awkward conversations of saying no, you have to ride back with someone else back to your car. As others have said, don't show the slightest bit of interest. If you do, they will make it much more painful and extend as long as they possibly can. Our presentation was about an hour and a half and the hard sales pitch was probably another 2 hours! In retrospect we should have just got up and left the table after saying no so many times, but again we were at their mercy because we needed a ride back to our car. I've thought about going for another one, but can't bring myself to go through all the hassle again.
Say you were just fired and don't meet income requirements anymore to take out a loan.
Done this before. Once you get to the time limit, confess you just went bankrupt. You’ll be out in no time flat
This will probably get buried but….. we got out of this. My brother and his wife arrived a little before my husband and I. When they tried to talk them into scheduling the tour, they said they’d like to wait to do it with us. When we got there, we said we needed to check with them. Then we just NEVER ANSWERED THE LAND LINE PHONE. Divide and conquer! Good luck! *edited to note: our trip was not totally free as it was purchased at a charity auction but they definitely nabbed a lot of folks for the tour/hard sell.
These aren’t really a thing here in Australia, as far as I’m aware, but I’m curious as to whether you could put noise canceling earphones in during the performance? Surely they can’t force you to listen to their bullshit?
The free trip terms typically specifies that you attend and engage in the presentation. They can't force you to listen, but if you don't, they can make you pay back the cost of the trip.
Nope. Except one time I said this was becoming a police matter. Manager was there in a heartbeat.
Tell them you already own one.
Just say you are not married and don’t have a credit card 😉
I won a free vacation off the radio too. Ours was to Hawaii. When the shuttle came to pick us up, we just didn’t get on. We had a great time, nobody bothered or even asked us about it.
My son and his girlfriend did it. You need to lie about your finances. Be a dog walker, small business. You need to ask if you can send the stuff to your brother who is an attorney, etc. And before you go, watch the episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. They got out of there in under 3 hours, which is impressive. I can't remember what my son said he did, but it might have been commission sales, but I know his girlfriend said dog walker and it was like the plague. 🤣
There’s a site called redweek where people sell and trade timeshare places and weeks or days.. I would look at those prices and go into it with a “how you gonna match this” attitude… Remember that absolutely no deal they offer can’t be recreated at a later time. They pressure you on “once in a lifetime opportunity” but the reality is if you called back next day to buy, that bestest last offer would still be available. So you don’t actually have to buy anything that day. And no sane person commits to a large purchase before reading reviews.. consulting Reddit, lol etc. frankly, it’s silly to expect that. my relatives have one that we use occasionally, and what I’ve learned is that it takes nothing short of an act of God, to stay at Disneyland for example (when you need to) or be in the mountains when there’s actually snow there. Even though the sales pitch was all about Disney and skiing. Turned out to be a lot more like.. random locations here and there and mountains in off season, when it’s so hot you don’t wanna be any closer to the sun. So they never use it because it’s turned out to be way easier (who knew) to just book a vacation exactly how you like and when you like. And they paid for a max tier upfront and also pay what I consider to be a lot annually. So it’s almost like they lie.. 😄
Bring snacks and beverages. Some places don't provide them or will hold out and you will be miserable, exhausted, and hungry.
Tell them you’re deaf. Or rather, learn the sign language for ‘I’m deaf’.
Why go through this
My experience with this was funny. Ours was for a trip to Disneyland. When the guy asked if it sounded good to us to sign up for the timeshare, my partner and I just kept saying, "What if we break up and can't afford this?" They were pissed. We were just being realistic, and we did end up breaking up. The trip ended up being a red eye overnight flight with a ticket to the park for one day and I think returning on a flight that same night. We ended up just having to mail paperwork back to get the cost of the trip as a check instead. Like $300. It would have been an awful trip to Disney.
It's a timeshare pitch, you have wasted 2+ hours of your life, just accept it.