Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

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engineer4286
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Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by engineer4286 »

Hi all,

My wife and I have been to Kauai before. Was offered what I think is a reasonable price for a 5 night/6 day stay in Kauai at the Marriot Vacation Club for $799. Long story short, this comes with the caveat that I have to attend a 90-minute presentations, which will be the sales pitch. Since I've read horror stories... Couple questions:

1) How do I make the mandatory presentation the least painful as possible for us and the salesperson, we will not fall into the trap and have no intention to buy.

2) Has anyone stayed at this property? We are bringing a 4 and 3 year old with us and were wondering of the cool boglehead ways to save money, cool excursions, places to see, things to do. Anything is fair game.

Feel free to reminisce about you Hawaiian escapes in this thread as well :happy
miamivice
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by miamivice »

engineer4286 wrote:Hi all,

My wife and I have been to Kauai before. Was offered what I think is a reasonable price for a 5 night/6 day stay in Kauai at the Marriot Vacation Club for $799. Long story short, this comes with the caveat that I have to attend a 90-minute presentations, which will be the sales pitch. Since I've read horror stories... Couple questions:

1) How do I make the mandatory presentation the least painful as possible for us and the salesperson, we will not fall into the trap and have no intention to buy.

2) Has anyone stayed at this property? We are bringing a 4 and 3 year old with us and were wondering of the cool boglehead ways to save money, cool excursions, places to see, things to do. Anything is fair game.

Feel free to reminisce about you Hawaiian escapes in this thread as well :happy
What do you plan on doing with your kids while you and your wife attend the timeshare presentation? It's typically a requirement that both spouses attend....
heikejohn1
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by heikejohn1 »

Take the kids with you!!!
The presenters will probably be happy to see you leave early if your kids start to get bored and disrupt the presentation. :twisted:
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by arthurdawg »

heikejohn1 wrote:Take the kids with you!!!
The presenters will probably be happy to see you leave early if your kids start to get bored and disrupt the presentation. :twisted:

Amen! Tell them to run around and play!!
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mattshwink
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by mattshwink »

heikejohn1 wrote:Take the kids with you!!!
They typically have a kids area, with games and such (and someone to watch over them) while you are in the presentation.

It is honestly hard to make everything painless. It is a designed sales pitch. Be on time, listen, and politely decline.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by carolinaman »

My wife and I have sat through a couple of these before we resolved to never do again. In the first one I made the mistake of explaining why I thought it was a bad deal as the salesperson pitched it. This angered her and made for an unpleasant situation. The second one we were just nice and pleasant and politely said we were not interested. The salesperson realized we were not going to buy and cut short the presentation. He was nice about it.

Lesson learned: be nice and pleasant and firm in your resolve.

My recommendation to people is to never do this because I have several friends whom I consider smart and good business people who have bought timeshare. You never know when you might have a weak moment that you regret for a long time.
jf89
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by jf89 »

Don't be rude to the guy! He's done this before. He knows people just go for the cheap room rate. Be honest that that's the only reason you're there. Maybe be a little dishonest in saying you can't afford anything and are only here, because it's your first opportunity for a vacation in years (and your last for a while).

The wife and I did one. Being young, we had the perfect opportunity to plead "poor kids just out of college", so we're easy. But their big sales pitch is generally "What do you normally spend annually on your vacations?" Then they show you what you can get from that nice round number.

To avoid it altogether, stick with the story that you're just there for the cheap rate, because you haven't been on vacation in years and won't be able to afford another one for a few more years. If the guy really sees that you're a lost cause, he'll let you out early and go be a go-for for the salesmen that have someone on the hook.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Longdog »

1. Keep in mind you are under no obligation to provide a reason why you are not interested.
2. If you still feel the need to justify your reason, then tell them that while you are enjoying your stay there, it is unusual for you to take such a trip since you normally take your vacations as camping trips; pitching a tent, lighting a campfire, making s'mores.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by fizxman »

I've sat in one with my now-wife. We listened to the guy give his speech and when he told us the price, which I think was $150/month with a several thousand dollar down payment, we told him we could afford the monthly payments but not the down payment because we just bought a house and have no more money to put down. This was all true too. He left and when he came back he said we could go. We vowed to use this excuse in the future if we needed to do so.
2cents2
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by 2cents2 »

1. Set your timer on your phone to keep track of how much time has elapsed (and make sure they don't exceed the agreed upon time commitment to make their pitch).

2. Don't sign anything until your lawyer has reviewed it. I have only attended 2 timeshare presentations (about 30 years apart). Both of them wanted my immediate signature on a purchase agreement before leaving the presentation. They put a sense of urgency on making an immediate decision--such as offering a discount which expired when leaving the presentation.

3. Don't sign anything until you have read the public offering statement and any other accompanying program documents (this will take a while). The public offering statement is important to read and understand--the sales person will say lots of stuff and make lots of promises, but if it isn't in writing it doesn't mean a thing. (Also, there is a chance they won't be able to provide the public offering statement at the presentation for whatever reason)

4. Don't sign anything until you understand the program.


2, 3 & 4 ought to keep you safe.
Last edited by 2cents2 on Tue Aug 02, 2016 7:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
bberris
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by bberris »

heikejohn1 wrote:Take the kids with you!!!
The presenters will probably be happy to see you leave early if your kids start to get bored and disrupt the presentation. :twisted:
Be sure to get them a double espresso with extra sugar and cocoa puffs.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

You don't need excuses. I've been to dozens of these presentations and there's no way around a sales person getting mad. They often go in rotation, just like car salespeople, so if they draw you, get no sale, they have to wait for their next turn to find a sucker.

When they start with their first leading questions designed to lead you to say "yes" to "If I can show you how to save money on vacations, would you be interested?", just say no. It could stun the salesperson because nobody says no (we do). They'll probably come back and make you feel uncomfortable asking why you came to the presentation if you aren't open to buying. You can honestly respond that you are required to be here to get the low price on your stay but you won't take a time share, even if it's free. (they then are in a corner.....if you won't take it for free, how can they possibly convince you to give them money?)
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Toons
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Toons »

1)" How do I make the mandatory presentation the least painful as possible for us and the salesperson, we will not fall into the trap and have no intention to buy."

I would be wearing my bluetooth headset,
streaming music from the phone
:mrgreen:
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by jf89 »

Jack FFR1846 wrote:You don't need excuses. I've been to dozens of these presentations and there's no way around a sales person getting mad. They often go in rotation, just like car salespeople, so if they draw you, get no sale, they have to wait for their next turn to find a sucker.

When they start with their first leading questions designed to lead you to say "yes" to "If I can show you how to save money on vacations, would you be interested?", just say no. It could stun the salesperson because nobody says no (we do). They'll probably come back and make you feel uncomfortable asking why you came to the presentation if you aren't open to buying. You can honestly respond that you are required to be here to get the low price on your stay but you won't take a time share, even if it's free. (they then are in a corner.....if you won't take it for free, how can they possibly convince you to give them money?)
Yes, there is a way to get around a sales person getting mad. Be nice to them. Treat them like people that are being paid to do a job. They aren't expecting a 100% hit rate, so they aren't at all mad if you hear them out and just say you can't afford it. Answering "no" to a leading question that 99.9999% should be answered "yes" is not being nice to somebody. It's being stubborn and rude.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Shallowpockets »

I am curious.
How does one make themselves a Hawaii trip and then get offered this deal?
Did you receive this deal offer before you thought of going and have now engjneerd your trip based on staying there for free?
A mail offer? A phone call?
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fizxman
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by fizxman »

Shallowpockets wrote:I am curious.
How does one make themselves a Hawaii trip and then get offered this deal?
Did you receive this deal offer before you thought of going and have now engjneerd your trip based on staying there for free?
A mail offer? A phone call?
I went for work. While there I wanted to do a tour of the island. By agreeing to attend a timeshare meeting (Hilton Grand Vacations), I saved money on the tour.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Emilyjane »

I've done a few Marriott ones and the salespeople have been quite nice. I try to remind myself that if it was such a great deal, they wouldn't need the "you need to decide this this minute" approach. That said, my failsafe is having my husband with me-- he's much more resistant to the sales pitch.
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Timoneer
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Timoneer »

engineer4286 wrote:Hi all,

...
2) Has anyone stayed at this property? We are bringing a 4 and 3 year old with us and were wondering of the cool boglehead ways to save money, cool excursions, places to see, things to do. Anything is fair game.
I am assuming that this is the vacation club on the same grounds as the Marriott Lihue resort. If so, here is a cool Boglehead trick for saving money on the car rental if you are arriving in late afternoon.

Don't rent a car for the first day. You will probably be tired and not going anywhere that evening. Instead call for the hotel's courtesy van to pick you up. It is a quick 5 minute drive through a back way on the hotel's property. The next morning you can take the van back to the airport to pick up the rental car. Save yourself one day of rental and some stress.
Last edited by Timoneer on Tue Aug 02, 2016 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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njboater74
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by njboater74 »

Just go with it. Make it an educational experience, watch how the salesperson handles objections, how they ask leading questions to get you to say 'yes' to something before actually proposing it.

In the end 'I'm not convinced' is a perfectly acceptable response. They'll ask why -- 'I'm not convinced, and this hasn't convinced me'. "I'm no more convinced now than before" is the logic you can use in case they try and make you stay longer. Don't reason with them on why you aren't convinced, because they'll have an answer for everything.

On the other hand, if they do convince you, Kauai is quite lovely.
When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth and tell the whole world - 'No, YOU move'--Captain America, Boglehead
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by dbr »

engineer4286 wrote: 1) How do I make the mandatory presentation the least painful as possible for us and the salesperson, we will not fall into the trap and have no intention to buy.
I wouldn't accept the offer or stay at the property. It is not likely properties operating that business model are the sorts of places we stay anyway. But we never seem to have any interest in package stays anywhere anyway.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Emilyjane »

Kauai stuff--

Poipu Beach is a nice one for kids, one area is sheltered a bit.

Lawai Beach good for snorkeling. There is a tiny beach there, adults could take turns snorkeling while kids played on beach supervised by other.

Drive up to Waimea Canyon is cool, and keep going to look down over the Napali Coast.

North Shore beaches are incredible, especially in summer. More unpredictable in winter, so I would be inclined to avoid with little ones. Ocean advice from my Hawaii resident brother-- Never take your eyes off the ocean.

Have a great time!
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance", Confucius
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by playtothebeat »

I love Kauai. Got married there. Always a special place for me. Highly recommend eating at Hukilau Lanai in Kapa'a (I'm biased, since that's where my ceremony was). Go see the Napali Coast. and Hanalei Bay. and Waimea Canyon. Lots of great hikes. The pool at the Marriott is excellent, as is the beach/lagoon - I stayed at this resort for a week for the wedding. Can't wait to go back.

Timeshare presentation? Nothing wrong with simply saying you're there for some free stuff. Hey, it's the truth. Just don't have a "weak moment"
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Watty
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Watty »

Multiply some of the numbers that they say by 52 weeks in a year and 4 weeks in a month and causally mention to your spouse that the $15,000 timeshare with a $500 maintenance fee is like buying a $750,000 condo with a $2,000 a month HOA dues. Looking up of nearby similar condo and being able to mention that they only sell for $250K (or whatever) would be good too.

When they hear you doing that they will know that there is little chance of a sale and they will likely not use a lot of high pressure. They may still be required to go through the motions for 90 minutes but they will likely not try to drag it on.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by goblue100 »

I've done a few of these, for varying rewards. I've pretty much decided the perks aren't worth the pain, but it sounds like you are getting a pretty good stay. I've tried several approaches to get through it as easily as possible. I agree with the people in the thread who advocate being basically honest and tell them:
1. We don't normally take big vacations and stay in lesser, cheaper hotels when we do.
2. We like to go many different places (they will pitch on how swappable a TS in Hawaii is, but that costs extra every year)
3. Money is too tight, even if it isn't
4. Only came for the free stuff
5. I'm a Boglehead and once you add in all the maintenance fee's plus the cost of the TS it doesn't make financial sense

If they persist beyond that then they are being rude, and I'll just flat tell them no, and ask to leave. Not sure if you have to get something signed or stamped to fulfill your requirement. I did make one guys eyes glaze over when I explained to him if I took the down payment and the maintenance fees and put them in a stock account earning 12% a year (it was the late 80's, 12% seemed normal) I could fund my vacations for the rest of my life and end up with a lot of money left over, so he could keep his time share. He pretty much gave up after that.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

jf89 wrote: Yes, there is a way to get around a sales person getting mad. Be nice to them. Treat them like people that are being paid to do a job. They aren't expecting a 100% hit rate, so they aren't at all mad if you hear them out and just say you can't afford it. Answering "no" to a leading question that 99.9999% should be answered "yes" is not being nice to somebody. It's being stubborn and rude.
I would submit that your assumption is not correct. We went to St Thomas and were handed an invitation at the airport. The thrust of the pamphlet was that we would get a voucher for a number of restaurants on the island. We were quite nice to the sales person but also 100% honest. We were there for the free voucher, nothing more. We would not consider any time share anywhere ever. The sales guy did get visibly angry when his first question was answered with an honest "no". He asked why we came if we weren't interested in a time share. My answer....I pulled out the pamphlet and showed him how it featured the voucher and the 90 minute timeshare presentation was actually in small print. We were there for the voucher and nothing more. I actually said to him "if you don't want people coming for a restaurant voucher who have no interest in time shares, maybe you should feature the time share on the pamphlet and put the restaurant voucher in small print."

Ok......let's flash back to the previous time share visit we did. We went through the 90 minute presentation, looking at rooms, seeing the pool, looking at the charts and graphs showing how much money we'd save vs....I don't know.....whatever assumption they had. We ate the chicken salad sandwiches and I think I got a soda. At the end, the salesman couldn't get us to bite and he brought in the heavy hitter guy who used guilt and opportunity and "this offer is only good right now....it'll be twice if you walk out the door". When he saw we weren't buying, he left us with the sales guy who said "If you weren't interested in buying, why didn't you tell me right at the beginning? That would have allowed me to work with someone else."

What I took from that was that it would be better to tell them right up front the truth. That we would not consider, under any circumstances buying a time share.

It does not matter what we say. Sales people will be mad.

Remember, we've gone on dozens of these time share presentations. We started on our honeymoon while in Hawaii and have done them on St Thomas, St Martin, Aruba, Vermont, the Berkshires, Cape Cod. We like the free stuff and can survive a silly presentation.
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celia
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by celia »

Let's be fair here. You were not "suckered" into anything. You knowingly signed up for a trip that cost $799 PLUS 2 hours of your time. I assume you will keep your part of of agreement.

We didn't sign up for that ahead of time, but I wanted to go to the presentation anyway once we got there. DH resisted. I showed him how we could get the free luau dinner with entertainment package. Go with an open mind to enjoy the whole experience, but "leave" your wallet at home, so to speak. Enjoy the view, the furnishings, the refreshments, meeting new people who probably know the lay of the island. Watch how sales pitches go and what techniques they use. They will show you where their worldwide properties are so wherever you go on your travels, there is a timeshare nearby.

The way I finally ended it is to tell them where I like to visit. Since it is true that I've gone to my tiny ancestral villages, and wish to go back, I started talking about those places and how I wished they had a hotel near them.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Sandi_k »

We did a Marriott TS presentation years ago. We were honest: we were there because we wanted to discount at the local hotel so I could visit my friends nearby.

When they tried to hook us with the variety of TS location options, all of them seemed to focus on golf for the guys, and shopping for the gals. Since DH does not golf, and I hate shopping, we asked if they had anything in Europe or in historical areas...and the answer was pretty much "no."

We then noted that the world was a big place, we had no interest in taking the same vacation every year, and we thought that we were a bad fit for their sales model. They agreed, and gave us the vouchers, and let us go on our way.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by nisiprius »

I don't think it is a good idea to try to steal bait from a mousetrap. You are gambling that your sale resistance is higher than a good salesperson's skill. I have a friend who bragged about going to time-share presentations just to get the free dinner. She said "When they come to talk to me, I tell them that I'm only there for the free dinner and they leave me alone." One day it transpired that she had, in fact, eventually bought one... and was unhappy with it and was trying unsuccessfully to get rid of it.

There ain't a horse that cain't be rode, and their ain't a rider that cain't be throwed.

If you keep attending timeshare presentations, there is a significant risk that you will buy a timeshare. Don't count on being "the horse that cain't be rode."
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Whakamole »

Jack FFR1846 wrote:It does not matter what we say. Sales people will be mad.
I suspect they're not angry, but rather trying another sales tactic on you. No matter what you do when you say "no", their anger may just be a way to see if they can intimidate you into signing, or laying a guilt trip on you.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by KlingKlang »

I've never done a Marriott TS presentation. Haven't done this in 25 years because I don't need the aggravation. Did quite a few with my parents in the 60's and 70's. Some went well, some came close to physical confrontation. The worst was Treasure Lake in Western PA. After riding around looking at undeveloped property for four hours we were informed that not only wouldn't we be getting the free meal but that we wouldn't be allowed to leave until we had given them the names and contact information for 10 of our friends to 'compensate them for the time that they had wasted on us'.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Shallowpockets »

Some posters here are real advocates of going to presentations for free stuff. They feel they are resistant to the sales pitch. They see it as easy payment for their free stuff.
At what point would you not sit through 60-90 of sales pitches?
This topic is for a week do free room.
Would of sit for a free dinner? A rental car? A dinner cruise?
Where is the "not worth it" point crossed for these people?

I will not stand in long lines at all for a free ice cream cone, discounted price, or ...anything.
I take free samples at Costco, but if there is a swarm of people, I do not.

Coming away from a 90 minute sales pitch would probably spoil my vacation, maybe just my day. Hard to sit there and be totally glib and unaffected at all. It would be a topic of conversation between myself and SO afterwards and probably not in a good way. Just the time to talk about it would be an imposition on my vacation.

Those of you who delight in these freebies, stay strong, because it only takes one time and you are sunk.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by investingdad »

What happens if your don't show up or refuse to attend?

Charge your credit card for the full amount of the stay?
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dcdowden
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by dcdowden »

Take a look at the Forums and Information at Timeshare Users Group.
You will quickly learn the most important principle of NEVER buying a timeshare from the Developer.
If you are ever interested in a Timeshare, you can buy resale for huge discounts.
We did do a Marriott Timeshare sales pitch several years ago and they were not overly aggressive once we made it clear that we would not be buying anything from them. We listened to their sales pitch and just said no thanks.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by squirm »

engineer4286 wrote:Hi all,

My wife and I have been to Kauai before. Was offered what I think is a reasonable price for a 5 night/6 day stay in Kauai at the Marriot Vacation Club for $799. Long story short, this comes with the caveat that I have to attend a 90-minute presentations, which will be the sales pitch. Since I've read horror stories... Couple questions:

1) How do I make the mandatory presentation the least painful as possible for us and the salesperson, we will not fall into the trap and have no intention to buy.

2) Has anyone stayed at this property? We are bringing a 4 and 3 year old with us and were wondering of the cool boglehead ways to save money, cool excursions, places to see, things to do. Anything is fair game.

Feel free to reminisce about you Hawaiian escapes in this thread as well :happy
You have to sit through the allotted time that is required, at least that is my understanding. Last time share pres I went to, I told them upfront, I'll sit through it, only to collect the prize. I was firm, no smiling. They said forget it, and gave me my "prize". I told them I'd only swim with the sharks for the allotted time.

I wouldn't take the kids, they'll just have to suffer through it too. Just sit and politely decline, they'll try and make you feel like crap for declining, it's part of their job.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by squirm »

don''t sign anything...tell them you'll check out the secondary market on redweek or tug first.
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by scottyja »

I had a friend attend one of these in Mexico. He did his research beforehand and got a list of all the company's properties. He then compiled a very selective bucket list of everywhere he and his wife wanted to visit in their lifetime. He ensured nothing on his top 10 was covered by the company's properties (think Great Wall, Pyramids, Denali, etc...). The salesperson went on and on about all the great properties they had, but when my friend started pressing him about specific locations, there was nothing his company could offer. That pretty much shoots it all down right there. I think the saleperson caught on pretty quick, but it does make the process pretty black and white. No company has properties everywhere. When the salesperson gave him the "why did you come, then?", he simply said "Mexico was on our bucket list, we can now cross it off. We likely won't return."

As for me, I've avoided these presentations like the plague. My thinking - this guy sales timeshares all day, five days a week. He's probably better at selling than I am at not buying. The only way for me to guarantee not buying something I don't want is not to go in the first place.
dave_k
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by dave_k »

My wife and I went to one of those once, in Princeville on Kauai (only one we've been to), to get discounts on some activities we wanted to do. It was an annoyingly high pressure sales pitch, but we told them we simply would not make a decision like that on the spot. We were passed off to someone else who persisted until we were becoming visibly aggravated, then they finally let us go. We happened to go by a place that resold timeshares later that day and found that identical units were going for about 10% of the original price! Just go in knowing that it's likely a terrible deal and there's absolutely no reason to decide on the spot. They are full of crap when they tell you they are almost sold out, the deal is only good right now, etc. You could always decide to buy later after researching it if it's something you actually want.
alfaspider
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by alfaspider »

dave_k wrote: Just go in knowing that it's likely a terrible deal and there's absolutely no reason to decide on the spot.
Right, you decide on "no" before the presentation starts :mrgreen:
likegarden
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by likegarden »

My son once had signed up for a presentation about buying a timeshare in Vermont. I had read the previous Boglehead threads about timeshares and could persuade him to cancel. Thanks!
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HomerJ
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by HomerJ »

2cents2 wrote:1. Set your timer on your phone to keep track of how much time has elapsed (and make sure they don't exceed the agreed upon time commitment to make their pitch).

2. Don't sign anything until your lawyer has reviewed it. I have only attended 2 timeshare presentations (about 30 years apart). Both of them wanted my immediate signature on a purchase agreement before leaving the presentation. They put a sense of urgency on making an immediate decision--such as offering a discount which expired when leaving the presentation.

3. Don't sign anything until you have read the public offering statement and any other accompanying program documents (this will take a while). The public offering statement is important to read and understand--the sales person will say lots of stuff and make lots of promises, but if it isn't in writing it doesn't mean a thing. (Also, there is a chance they won't be able to provide the public offering statement at the presentation for whatever reason)

4. Don't sign anything until you understand the program.


2, 3 & 4 ought to keep you safe.
Umm... just don't sign anything at all.
harrychan
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by harrychan »

We got the same for Westin's "Vacation club" Kauai offer for $799 4 nights 5 days including rental. My understanding is that the Westin one is optional but they will nag you to attend. A firm "no, we are interested and please inform the staff to stop asking us again." will get them off your backs. Are you sure it is mandatory? I have read at flyertalk that you can further negotiate up to $200 in resort credit if you attend one.
This is not legal or certified financial advice but you know that already.
WasabiOsbourne
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by WasabiOsbourne »

can someone lay out how much per night you pay for a time share?

relatives and friends have them. some rich, some not. non-rich ones regret it. rich ones are fine with it.

what is the advantage to paying cash for a one week vacation at a 4 star Marriott resort or hotel? is it pretty cheap but you are really locked in?

just wondering about the per night cost..... i realize they are very hard to get out of or sell.
WasabiOsbourne
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by WasabiOsbourne »

i like the "i have to run this by my personal lawyer" line...... you could even offer a name and number.
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beyou
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by beyou »

Never went to one of these, not for TS, free dinners, vouchers etc.
What I don't like is the idea that I have to hope at the end they are honest and provide whatever is promised,
after you fulfill your obligation with hours of your time. In this case, where you booked a trip,
presumably you are checked in. So do they treat you well during the rest of your stay ? Any surprises
at checkout with unexpected expenses ? I just don't trust high pressure sales tactics.

As far as I am concerned, there is no way they can tell the difference between "after careful consideration..NO"
and "NO and never had any interest". If I seriously had some interest in buying anything else in life, like a new car,
I can go to a car dealer and spend 5 minutes or 5 hours looking at cars, up to me. But if I am forced to sit there for a period
of time, whatever promised is PAYMENT FOR MY TIME, with no obligation, you provided your end of the bargain.

I toss all these free dinner with financial advisors, and other offers, but someday if I have more time on my hands,
might try it. I am pretty resistant to sales pitches, but very upset if I don't get paid for my time.
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nedsaid
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by nedsaid »

engineer4286 wrote:Hi all,

My wife and I have been to Kauai before. Was offered what I think is a reasonable price for a 5 night/6 day stay in Kauai at the Marriot Vacation Club for $799. Long story short, this comes with the caveat that I have to attend a 90-minute presentations, which will be the sales pitch. Since I've read horror stories... Couple questions:

1) How do I make the mandatory presentation the least painful as possible for us and the salesperson, we will not fall into the trap and have no intention to buy.

2) Has anyone stayed at this property? We are bringing a 4 and 3 year old with us and were wondering of the cool boglehead ways to save money, cool excursions, places to see, things to do. Anything is fair game.

Feel free to reminisce about you Hawaiian escapes in this thread as well :happy
I am looking forward to your next thread, "How Do I get out of my Marriott Kauai Timeshare?"
A fool and his money are good for business.
AZAttorney11
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by AZAttorney11 »

I have no problem saying no. I am also 100% convinced I would never buy a time share. But it is not worth giving up precious vacation time to save a few hundred bucks. Like another poster said, the entire ordeal of getting to and from the presentation, listening to utter nonsense about investments, savings, and dream vacations, etc. and then (potentially) having a bad taste in your mouth (or your spouse's mouth) that could damper or even ruin a day (or more) of your vacation is not my idea of fun.
lemonPepper
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by lemonPepper »

engineer4286 wrote:Hi all,

My wife and I have been to Kauai before. Was offered what I think is a reasonable price for a 5 night/6 day stay in Kauai at the Marriot Vacation Club for $799. Long story short, this comes with the caveat that I have to attend a 90-minute presentations, which will be the sales pitch. Since I've read horror stories... Couple questions:
btw, this property has an amazing location. The beach here is perfect for bodyboarding and the sunsets are beautiful.

Can you also tell me how you signed up for this promo. I'm pretty good about saying no. My standard response is I need to sleep over a big decision. Or I have to read the contract or talk to my dad who knows more about this stuff.
inbox788
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by inbox788 »

jf89 wrote:Yes, there is a way to get around a sales person getting mad. Be nice to them. Treat them like people that are being paid to do a job. They aren't expecting a 100% hit rate, so they aren't at all mad if you hear them out and just say you can't afford it. Answering "no" to a leading question that 99.9999% should be answered "yes" is not being nice to somebody. It's being stubborn and rude.
Of course you can afford it, that's why you're on vacation (oh and they screened you for income already before the offer was made to you and might be somewhere in the terms you signed up for). And they'll have the monthly payment of only $200 or less which is less than your cell phone bill they'll play on you. They'll keep playing off these objections, so you need to arm yourself with some as well to play the game. You have credit card bills to pay. A car payment. Car needs maintenance and repairs. Mortgage bill. House has overdue repairs. You're escaping your money troubles. The kids have health bills. Need to save up for college. Oh, and they need clothes, shoes, school supplies, etc. Should you spend money that's supposed to go to these needs on a lavish vacation you can't afford? You win the game if you can get them off their sales pitch and discussing your money problems. And they'll want you out of there before others hear the discussion and begin to worry about the same things.

Sad thing is that these sharks will sell a contract to anyone, even if they can't afford it and they know it. They just have to get the mark to sign on the contract, and fill out the 15% APR loan documents for the next 10-20 years to make the deal work, and that's all they really care about. And in 2-3 years, these folks will be struggling to pay the annual fees, let alone keep up with payments and face foreclosure.
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Crimsontide
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Re: Suckered into Marriott Kauai Timeshare Presentation

Post by Crimsontide »

Why do people keep buying into these stupid things??? I hear a dozen commercials a day on the DFW airwaves for firms that help you escape your timeshare. They have created an entire industry dedicated to helping people dump stupid timeshare purchases... Don't play with these snakes, eventually you will get bitten.
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