Just when you think the demand for timeshare travel is beginning to dwindle, the industry bounces back and profits in a big way. For nearly 60 years, developers have been able to overcome the obstacles of their business model and continue competing with other travel options that threaten their existence. They don’t want buyers to know they can legally exit timeshare contracts if they wanted to. For the most part, their tactics to overcome have been at the buyer’s expense.
Those looking to enjoy a piece of paradise every year are usually set back by the reality of their purchase. After spending more money in an attempt to improve the experience, many owners feel as though they have no choice but to seek outside help. No matter how hard they try, buyers struggle to escape the clutches of their agreement – and the resort could care less.
Timeshare Companies Are Predicated on Profits.
Instead of finding a way to subdue their customer’s grief, hospitality giants proceed by submerging them in expenses. Timeshare companies believe this is fair. They believe a lack of disclosure is the consumer’s mistake. In most cases, they want them to feel this way. As if letting down everyone else that planned to use the condo wasn’t enough weight on their shoulders. The letdown is real and most buyers are willing to do what it takes to make the purchase worthwhile. But after a while, hope is lost.
While timeshare companies go above and beyond to place the blame on external forces, buyers know where the mistake began. They end up racking up a lot of debt just trying to relieve themselves of the burden. Predatory relief scams simply make matters worse, they’re not necessarily the root of the problem. The industry is flooded with scams but it has always been predicated on deceit with the intent to make an awful lot of money.
This is why vacation owners exit timeshare agreements. They’re not unhappy because they were scammed when trying to get out of the agreement. They’re disappointed the perpetual contract remains. Sadly, timeshare companies are doing everything they can to control the narrative and persuade their owners that the purchase contract isn’t the problem. Anything to take the focus off the real reason why their buyers are dissatisfied.
Companies like ours, that are actually helping fractional owners escape the ongoing financial burden, are a threat to the existence of timeshare travel. Because of this, timeshare companies now feel the need to slander exit services in general. Apparently, this is the new strategy for sustaining their business model. Keep in mind, this approach still doesn’t take into consideration their high paying customers.
Hospitality Giants Know What They’re Doing.
Over the years, the leaders of major hospitality conglomerates have provided insight on their growth tactics – and rarely do they ever pertain to buyer satisfaction. During an interview with CNBC in 2017, one CEO went on the record saying, “You need to have new people as owners, allow them to experience timeshare, and then they’ll probably buy more.”
In other words, the despair of a fractional owner spells an up-sell opportunity for the resort. Think about it. If you own a timeshare, you’ve probably experienced letdowns such as availability issues, unexpected fees or other failed promises. When you call customer service for help, an upgrade is more than likely presented to solve your problem. Contractual obligations don’t really give you much choice but to upgrade in order to enjoy.
Ironically, timeshare companies claim that additional spending is fueled by satisfaction. “More than 50 percent of people end up buying more timeshare,” said the same CEO. But people aren’t exactly calling in because they love the purchase and want to “buy more.” The implication that buyers are satisfied is extremely deceptive. It tells you all you need to know about the tactics behind timeshare travel. It also explains why the CEO went on to say, “We need to get that new flow.”
Even when owners aren’t trying to resolve dissatisfaction, they’re often pressured into upgrading during mandatory owner’s update meetings. Truth be told, timeshare companies are designed to trap consumers in perpetuity so the resort can continue billing for legal obligations. The more intervals they sell, the more money they make. “We moved more to just the upgrade model, now we’re swinging back towards the new owners.”
Resorts Are Trying to Control the Narrative.
Because of the legitimate options today’s buyers have to exit timeshare contracts, developers and their CEO’s know the window to legitimize fractional ownership is closing. Nearly all timeshare revenue is allocated for sales and marketing instead of resort maintenance or amenities. They’ve been playing this “oversell and under-deliver” game for decades now. Aggressive sales tactics have been the prerequisite for high profits and overcoming setbacks.
At the same time, they know if they’re unable to sign up more owners, the demise of the resort is inevitable. Even if they force current owners to carry the load, it’s not sustainable. The best way for them to hold income hostage is to discredit companies that actually know how to exit timeshare contracts.
Since the current narrative of the timeshare industry surrounds dissatisfaction, resorts are desperate to take the attention off of themselves. Especially when people are scammed because the resort failed to satisfy them. This is why timeshare companies are now trying to discourage owners from communicating with any type of third party timeshare relief program. Scam or not, they’d rather control the narrative.
Leading the public to believe they have their own competent solutions in place allows them to blame buyers that turn their back on the resort. Besides, they can’t afford to keep losing their customers. Many consumers are starting to believe this narrative. Sadly, many blame themselves. Some simply don’t know what to believe anymore. This is why they need to be educated on how to decipher facts from misinformation.
Exposing the Narrative Against Timeshare Exit Companies.
Timeshare companies know how difficult it is to close potential buyers. Their aggressive sales tactics have been well-documented over the years. The internet now provides consumers with in-depth stories about buyer’s remorse and a plethora of complaints regarding scams. People in general have become more aware of sales-heavy approaches. Because of this, developers know they have to double down on acquisition while maximizing the profits from their current owners.
Another quote from the same prominent CEO speaks volumes on how timeshares go about selling their intervals. “The [timeshare] purchase price is not what it would be to go buy a cup of Starbucks, so you’re talking about a $20,000 purchase price. You need to get people really interested and engaged to take that step.” In other words, this is a lot of money, so we have to do a really good job selling value initially.
The problem is, they’re not focusing on the experience. All of the efforts and capital is funneled towards misinformation, distractions and omitted information. The entire system is a sale and reasonable solutions don’t really exist. In the end, they simply want buyers to stop trying to get out of the timeshare and make the most of what they signed up for by upgrading. While some people find satisfaction this way, it’s not ideal for everyone. Especially when they were expecting something at a specific price tag.
Bad Exit Companies Mirror Timeshare Sales.
Reputable companies that exit timeshare contracts are nothing but a threat to the industry as a whole. While it’s not our goal to end the travel option altogether, we do believe consumers deserve to hear the truth. Even though a multitude of scams do exist, not all companies that exit timeshare contracts are cons. It may seem like the timeshare company is looking out for your best interest, but they really just don’t want to see you go.
The most interesting thing about their attempt to discredit timeshare exit solutions is the simple fact they’re warning owners about the same tactics they use. Fraudulent operations tend to follow the same roadmap that the initial sales presentation. This is because most exit companies are founded by someone who used to work in timeshare sales.
After being trained by state-of-the-art sales programs, they usually leave with a stolen list of owners to solicit. They have no idea what they’re doing and tend to be quickly exposed. Going public and attacking all companies that exit timeshare contracts because of a few bad apples that they trained is disheartening. But, again it doesn’t surprise us.
You Can Legally Exit Timeshare Contracts.
The industry has thrived for over half a century and they’re not going to give up without a fight. For those really looking to exit timeshare contracts, don’t be discouraged. While it may seem like your dissatisfaction isn’t being heard, you’re not alone.
We publish weekly articles to help timeshare owners understand what they’ve gotten themselves into. We’ve found that the more informed they become, the easier it is for them to find a solution that works. We’re not here to sell you on cancellation, rather stand up for the services we render with an honorable approach.
Since we actually care about the consumer, we don’t have to spend millions of dollars on sales and marketing to persuade them. For more information on our attorney-based cancellation services, feel free to schedule a free consultation or proceed with a qualification form below.
