TrendWest

So. We just got back from our second TrendWest presentation. This is a timeshare company that bribes you to coming to hear their presentation with a free trip along with gift certificates and whatnot. Their hope is, of course, that you sign up for their product, which is a snazzy sounding timeshare deal. We saw a short group presentation, and a short film, and then talk individually with a salesperson who gives you all the info and tries to wrangle you in.

We went last year. We promised ourselves that we wouldn't sign up for anything, but we also wanted to keep an open mind. I won't speak for Diana, but I actually did keep an open mind, and by the end of the presentation, it really does sound like a good deal on the surface. You pay a one-time fee, and for that fee, you get 12,000 "credits". You get 12,000 credits every year, and they roll over for up to four years. You then use these credits to make reservations at vacation spots all over the world. You can also buy more credits for cheap, and you can sell them, will them to survivors, etc. Sounds almost like unlimited money.

Last year, what really turned us off to the idea was that we NEEDED to sign up that day. No time to think about it. No taking home papers and pouring over a cost analysis. The choices were to put down thousands of dollars on the spot (or sign up for a financing plan), or get the hell out. And they made us feel bad for saying no. Like we'd personally dissapointed them.

We ended up getting a gift certificate to the Cheesecake factory (where we went right afterwards), and a trip to Vegas which expired just a couple days ago. We really wanted to go, but just never got around to planning the trip (maybe if we had this timeshare thing, we wouldn't have had that problem! oh!)

Anyways, fast forward to two hours ago. Diana picks me up from work, and we show up. Sit through the presentation with a perky guy telling fun stories about how great it is to be a TrendWest owner and trying to get the crowd involved. Then watch a silly movie that I spaced out in during the whole time. Then we met with our sales lady, who actually was pretty nice (at first). She did a little survey, asking us about our vacation habits and what we like to do, etc.

She also noted that we'd been there before, and I think asked why we didn't sign up before. In any case, we were given the opportunity to explain that we are NOT impluse buyers. We simply do not conduct business like that on a conversation. We might be interested if we were given all the information on paper, so that we could run some cost analysis on it. She said something to the effec that they do NOT do pressure sales there, and she apoligized for whoever was helping is before. I was shocked (and said so) that she said that. The whole point of there operation is you NEED to sign up that moment. And they use bullshit tactics to make you feel personally guilty if you don't sign up. And that's not "pressure" sales? Anyways, about the need to sign up on the spot... she gave some bullshit answer about real estate deals and for some reason it HAS to be signed up for THAT day (regardless, apparently, of the fact that they run the operation all f'ing year and twice on weekends). Anyways, she could see that we weren't so hot on the idea, but we were obligated to stay there for another 15 minutes or so. She ran through the options and benefits which I half listened to, nodding when appropriate and answering her questions however she wanted.

The time came when she described the credits. Credits are $1.55 each, and you buy 12,000 of them. But you get 12,000 each year automatically for no extra charge (but there is a yearly "maintenance fee" of a couple hundred dollars). When given the opportunity, I asked why there was this abstraction between dollars and credits? Why aren't things just described in dollar amounts? She said she couldn't really answer that, but that lots of other timeshare places are converting to this sort of "credit" system.

Then I had a real stroke of brilliance. If you HAVE to sign up that day, and they don't let you take paperwork home with you, maybe we could have some paperwork so that NEXT YEAR when they call us back in, we'd have a more informed decision for them? This didn't go over so well. They simply do not give you the information in writing until you sign up. "But you're given three days to back out, if you wish." She also said that all this information is on the internet, and that I had a *whole year* to do the research, and basically I'm a sucker for not coming prepared. But she stilll flat out refused to give me any marketing materials.

So, we didn't sign up, obviously. She said "well folks, here we are..." in a this-is-the-big-moment sort of way. I said "You're a very nice person..." (which she seemed to be). She kind of was exasperated and said stuff basically like "well, if you're going to pass up an opportunity like this, I guess there's nothing I can do." I said, honestly, but with a smile "Don't take it personally, we just don't do business like this." to which she responded "I do take it personally." Oh for fucks sake, lady. Gimme a break.

She said thanks for coming, and we said thanks for the gifts. I thought that was our cue to leave, so turned and headed away. Apparently she stuck out her hand to shake mine, but I swear I didn't see it. Diana said I fully snubbed her, which I feel bad about (I don't feel bad about saying no, but rejecting a handshake is just rude). But I honestly didn't know. Anyways, Diana shook her hand, and we walked out of there.

Time spent, about two hours (which would have been spent in traffic, watching some TV, and maybe playing some computer games).
Profit: $50 in gift cards to Home Depot. $10 gift card to Shell gas stations. Plus a 4-day-3-night stay at some hotel in a variety of different cities. We still need to read the fine print on this one. But even without the trip, for $60 in almost-cash, I say we made out like bandits.

Oh yeah... when I mentioned something about "the next time we're here" or whatever, she said something like "Well, you probably won't be invited back" in a hurt, snotty sort of way. I kind of laughed and said to Diana "This well is tapped out!" We shall see.

I have no doubts that lots of people are satisfied with their TrendWest timeshare purchases. I don't mean to slander them or anything. I just can't believe the way they conduct business. There's a catch somewhere, and they don't give you enough information to figure it out before you sign up. That just feels wrong.