how to say no to timeshare presentation

How to say NO to a timeshare presentation sales pitch

What is a timeshare.

A timeshare is essentially a shared rental of a vacation property. You “buy” a share of room that you can visit a set number of days at set locations every year. Vacation clubs are not exactly the same but they may be similar. In these situations you get multiple location options based on their property locations at a “discount”. But there are membership fees associated with the properties. Needless to say there are people sitting through these presentations for an amazing deal but are worried about how to say no to timeshare presentation sales pitches.

Believe it or not, I know people that won’t book a resort through a timeshare site because they are afraid of the presentation. This fear keeps them from saving up to two-thirds the value of the trip, which can be used for a number of things such as ANOTHER trip! Lucky for you I am here to help. We have been on 3 trips through BookVIP who offer AMAZING deals on resort stays all over the world. For example, we got deals for $99 vacations in the US and all inclusive deals under $1000 for two in Mexico . The catch is that to get these deals you have to site through a 90-120 minute sales pitch. I will show you ways to survive the timeshare sales pitch and minimize your time in the presentation.

What is a Timeshare Presentation?

A timeshare presentation is a 90-120 minute sales pitch designed to sell timeshare property or vacation club memberships to vacationers. While the presentations call for 90-120 minutes, that is the minimum time commitment. They can go longer if you do not shut them down. However, if you are truly interested this might not be a problem.

On the other hand, the rest of us probably are sitting through them to take advantage of an impossible deal. That’s exactly how we were introduced to these promotions.

Don’t get me wrong, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves on these trips. But our first one caused us some anxiety because we had no idea what to expect. I am going to explain it all so you can also enjoy these super cheap vacation deals and not stress out over the presentation.

What Happens During a Timeshare Presentation?

The first step is to know what is about to happen. Once you have that down and you see everything unfold, the rest is easy.

After you arrive at your resort you will be scheduled a morning presentation. The presentation usually happens within the first day or two of your arrival. I like it this way for a few reasons. First, with it being in the morning we can get the sales pitch over with and then we can enjoy the rest of our day. Second, getting it done early in your stay means by the time the end of your stay arrives the presentation is a distant memory.

The Breakfast Meeting

So now the presentation is booked and you show up. What happens now is you will be served breakfast and a representative will be assigned to you, if one wasn’t already. In our case we met our representative the day we arrived and they are the ones who gave us the basic rundown of the resort and was very welcoming.

This is by design! They want to establish a bit of trust the moment you arrive and there is nothing better than sending that helpful rep to meet you are breakfast the next day.

Anyway, during breakfast the rep will continue being sweet and establishing a bond. They may ask personal questions and also reveal personal information about themselves. This is not different than going to a Gentleman’s club or to Hooters and seeing the girls sitting with their customers. All they are really doing here is creating a connection of some sort while asking probing questions that may be used against you later.

I am not saying you should be rude. After all, these people are just doing their jobs. But do not be too free with your information if you want to make it easy t say no to the timeshare sales pitch later.

How to handle breakfast to make it easier to say NO to the timeshare presentation

First of all you should keep it in your head that this is al going to result in the sales pitch. It doesn’t matter how rude you are or how sweet you are, the result is the same. With that being the case undersell yourself. What I mean by that is even if you travel every month, do not tell them that.

They probably already know your income, so no sense in lying about that.

What they are trying to find out is how much you spend on travel, how often you travel and your upcoming travel plans. Give them nothing to work with.

If they ask me how often I travel I reply “Once a year if I am lucky.” This shows them you don’t travel that often. They may also ask how many travel days you typically use. Same idea, “sometimes 5 days a year sometimes 2. “

If they ask how much I spend on travel I reply “Not much, that is why I came here. Because it was so cheap.” They may get more specific and ask about your travel budget but you do not need to give them a solid figure. Something like “it varies by year”, should be fine.

When breakfast is over you will be given a tour.

The same helpful person you met the day before and that sat with you at breakfast is likely your guide. That was our experience at one resort. At another, they actually took us to their sister resort right next door. In that case our breakfast and tour was under the supervision of a new person. Other than that, everything was the same.

The tour guide will take you to see some very nice parts of the property. They will also show you upgraded rooms available only to “members”, or so they say. They point out all the amenities and talk about how wonderful and luxurious everything is. To be honest, we did see some very nice rooms and of course, the property was well groomed and lush.

How to handle the tour to make it easier to say NO during timeshare presentation sales pitch

Your breakfast companion and tour guide is not going to be the closer. They are just warming you up for later. But make no mistake, they get a feel for the customer and you better believe they communicate with the sales staff.

This will include any Intel they gathered during breakfast, your general excitement, travel habits and future plans.

So, if you did a good job at breakfast it will make it easier for you to say no to the timeshare sales pitch.

The tour is where I not so subtlety start looking at my watch. Yes, that’s passive aggressive but I want them to know that I am tracking time. On the other hand, if you are more forward, set an alarm to go off at the appropriate time.

The Timeshare Presentation Sales Area: Part 1

Some timeshare properties have you sit down and watch a short video after the tour. Others take you directly to the closer. Either way, the closer is briefed about everything I mentioned already.

Part 1 just refers to the video presentation. It is very general and may show you other properties in the chain. You will see beautiful visuals, probably set to some island music or vacation stye tunes to get you worked up.

How to handle the video presentation to make it easier to say NO during timeshare presentation sales pitch

There is not much to do here besides keep your emotions in check. Don’t start getting curious now because any question later can lead to extra time during your sales pitch. Remember, 90 minutes is the minimum!

Timeshare Presentation Sales Area: Part 2

This is where you meet the closer. The guy trained to use all of the information you gave them or did not give them in order to get you interested. It is my experience that these people are assertive but I did not find them aggressive. The difference really boils down to how disciplined you are and how you accept pressure.

You already know that you have a minimum time there, may as well not fight it and just get through the spiel.

How to handle the Closer to make it easier to say NO during timeshare presentation sales pitch

Show NO interest at all. They will ask question, lots of them. The answers give them ammunition to use as a counter argument. It’s a lot like those courtroom TV dramas, the more information the person on the stand gave away, the more rope they gave to the prosecutor to use against them.

Do you like the property so far? What did you think of the membership rooms? How much do you spend when you travel? Does your family like to travel? And on, and on.

You will inevitably answer a few questions but if you keep the somewhat vague there is less ammo for them to use. There will be a time to be firm and decisive though, that comes when your minimum time limit has been reached.

Before that happens though, if the closer is making no progress he might pass you off to the “Manager”.

The Manager

If you are on social media at all you have probably heard of the term “Karen”. A Karen is a stereotype for a woman who always wants to talk to the manager. Karen’s do this for the most trivial reasons and even when they are in the wrong. Many times they do this simply to belittle the employee that served them in front of their coworkers and boss. “I’d like to speak to your manager” is Karen’s battle-cry.

Well, I have news for Karen. This is ONE manager she does not want to speak to. The manager is going to knock down pricing, he is going to offer different plans, he may offer perks. He will seemingly have an answer for every objection you have. So now what?

How to handle the manager to make it easier to say NO during timeshare presentation sales pitch

The answer is still no. I am not interested. They will want to know why or they may want to now how to sweeten the deal.

Anything you say should be firm and plausible and can end in with minimum resistance.

I will give you an example.

Me: “I have only been here a day (or two)”Them: “This special deal is only available now.”

Them: “This special deal is only available now.”

Me: “I have to pass.”

That is really my go to. Basically to sum it up is “I do not make decisions like this on the spot.” That is pretty much it, there are not too many comebacks from that. All they have left is to try to pressure you by cutting the cost or adding perks and convincing you the deal is only good on the spot.

Any wavering from that opens the door for more rebuttals.

Lets assume you had a drink or two at breakfast or you slipped up a bit during the other parts of the sales pitch. What now?

Other Ways to Say No to the Timeshare Presentation Sales Pitch

It all boils down to your mindset. Remember You just paid $700 and got 8 days for two in Cancun with all th3 food you can eat and all the booze you can drink. Just reflecting on that that will help. But I have more!

It’s a game

The timeshare presentation is just a game. The reps all are trained to gain confidence, overcome objection and sell product. They do it everyday. They here no everyday. The game is for them to get a sale or at least get you interested.

For you the game is to see how many times you can say no in 90-120 minutes and how little wiggle room you give the rep. You win if you say no to the timeshare presentation sales pitch and get out very close to the minimum time requirement. That mindset keeps it somewhat fun, especially if your partner is in on the fun.

Put them on the defensive

So, you had trouble saying no and you forgot to make it a game. What now? You can always put them on the defensive.

For example, all timeshares have maintenance fees for the property. Those fees are passed on to the members. The thing is the fees actually vary by year so they have no way to tell you what the fees are from one year to the next. And if they can’t give you an actual figure, how can they expect you to sign a contract?

Blame it on the plastic

So, in this scenario they are asking you for the sale and you forgot everything else. What do you do now?

Blame it on your credit card! Let them know that when you travel you only carry cards with low limits in case they get lost. They may offer financing but tell them no, you don’t want to pay those rates and you don’t want anything new on your credit.

It’s not you, it’s me

A very polite and effective counter to all of this is your travel habits. This is why I advised you to be careful during the early stages of the selling process.

Why would you invest in an International timeshare package when half of your vacations are in the USA? Or why would you invest in a domestic timeshare if half of your trips are to Mexico? See? Very hard for them to justify the expense if you would not use the service.

If it comes down to it, you can tell them you rarely can travel due to work schedule, kids, sick parents etc.. No sense in buying a timeshare if you only travel a week every two years.

Privacy Please

Another tip is to create a sense that you prefer to make these decisions in private. Yes, your partner will be there and yes they will use that against you, but be firm and let them know you do not discuss money issues in public.

You like to discuss these matter alone to come to a decision, no matter how much negotiating they try to do with the package.

Another excuse you can use is that you have to consult with your accountant or money manager. If all else fails, tell the you have to pray or meditate before making a decision. All of these require privacy and it gets you away from the situation.

How to Avoid the Timeshare Sales Pitch

Of course, there is an easier but more expensive way to end the presentation. Do not show up or cut it off before your minimum time requirement.

If you are feeling stressed you do not have to stay. By the same token, they don’t have to give you the vacation for next to nothing either. You are getting an all inclusive vacation for two for under $1,000 based on your honoring the presentation agreement.

However, that is all you agreed to. You are under no obligation to buy or to stay longer than their minimum required time.

Saying NO to Timeshare Presentation Bottom Line

A vacation should not be stressful or a hassle. It should be relaxing, pleasant and create lifelong memories. Sadly, most people do not get enough of them for various reasons.

One of the reasons boils down to money which can be solved by taking advantage of these tremendous deals. But if you are not prepared for the situation it can leave you anxious about what is to come.

Remember, these people are trained for this job and they are used to rejection. So be polite but remain disciplined and firm throughout the process.

Follow the tips in this article and you too can take advantage of these deals without the stress of worrying about saying no to the timeshare presentation!

Related Posts

$99 Vacation Packages- Where to Find Them? 2022

MarketingBoost.com Incentive Marketing Review 2022

Table of contents.

Discover, Learn, Contribute, Connect

Guide: How to Say No During a Timeshare Presentation

Turning down a timeshare offer can sometimes be a challenge. Whether you are attending a formal presentation or a more casual sales pitch, it’s essential to communicate your refusal clearly and politely. By using the right words and maintaining a warm tone, you can effectively decline the offer without damaging any relationships. This guide will provide you with strategies, tips, and examples on how to say no during a timeshare presentation in both formal and informal settings. Let’s explore the art of politely declining a timeshare offer.

Table of Contents

Formal Ways to Say No

When attending a formal timeshare presentation, it’s crucial to maintain a professional tone while expressing your refusal. Here are some phrases and strategies you can use:

1. Be Direct and Brief

One effective way to decline a timeshare offer is by being direct and concise. This approach leaves no room for misinterpretation. You can politely say:

“Thank you for your offer, but I’m not interested in pursuing a timeshare at the moment.”

This response acknowledges the offer and clearly states your lack of interest.

2. Provide a Reason

Offering a brief reason can help explain your decision politely and show that you have thoughtfully considered the proposal. Make sure to keep your explanation concise and avoid getting into too much detail. For example:

“I appreciate the opportunity, but I’m not in a position to make a long-term financial commitment right now.”

This response acknowledges the offer, provides a reason for declining, and expresses gratitude for the opportunity.

3. Express Gratitude

While declining a timeshare offer, it’s important to express gratitude for the opportunity and the time invested by the presenter. By doing so, you maintain a warm and courteous tone. For example:

“Thank you for explaining the advantages of the timeshare, but after careful consideration, I’ve decided it’s not the right fit for me. I truly appreciate your time and effort.”

This response shows appreciation for the presenter’s efforts, highlights your decision as final, and maintains a respectful tone.

Informal Ways to Say No

In more casual timeshare presentations, such as those held at resorts or in social settings, you can adopt a slightly less formal approach while still remaining polite and respectful. Here are some phrases and tips to help navigate these situations:

1. Maintain a Friendly Tone

Embrace a warm and friendly tone throughout the conversation, ensuring that your refusal does not come across as rude or dismissive. Show genuine interest in the presentation and the person offering the timeshare while saying:

“I really appreciate you sharing the details of the timeshare with me. However, I’ve thought it through and don’t believe it fits into my current vacation plans. But thank you again for taking the time to explain everything.”

This response acknowledges the effort made by the presenter and expresses gratitude while subtly declining the offer.

2. Focus on Previously Made Plans

If you want to avoid giving too many specific reasons for your refusal, you can politely emphasize your existing vacation plans or loyalty to other accommodations. For example:

“Thank you for showing me the benefits of your timeshare. However, I already have long-standing vacation arrangements that I am committed to, so I won’t be able to take advantage of this offer.”

This response highlights your prior plans and indicates that you have already committed to other vacation options.

3. Offer an Alternative

If you genuinely appreciate the benefits of a timeshare but are not ready to commit, you can suggest alternative options that may work better for you or show a desire to consider it in the future. For example:

“While I’m not currently interested in a timeshare, I will definitely keep it in mind for future vacations. Do you have any brochures or information I can take with me? I appreciate your understanding.”

This response acknowledges the timeshare’s attractiveness, expresses potential interest in the future, and shows appreciation for the presenter’s understanding.

Declining a timeshare offer graciously requires tact and politeness, regardless of the setting. By being direct, providing concise explanations, expressing gratitude, and maintaining a warm tone, you can navigate timeshare presentations confidently. Remember, the key is to express your decision politely while appreciating the presenter’s effort. Whether you’re attending a formal or an informal timeshare presentation, these strategies and examples will help you say no gracefully without damaging any relationships. Happy vacation planning without the commitment!

Related Guides:

• How to Say No After a Timeshare Presentation: A Comprehensive Guide
• Tips and Examples on How to Say No at a Timeshare Presentation
• How to Say No at a Timeshare Presentation: A Comprehensive Guide
• How to Say No in a Timeshare Presentation
• Guide on How to Say No in a Timeshare Presentation
• Guide: How to Say No to a Timeshare Presentation
• How to Say No to a Timeshare: Your Complete Guide
• How to Say No to Timeshare: A Comprehensive Guide

About The Author

Carter Milton

How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation: Tips you Need to Know

• Post author: Scott Fix
• Post published:
• Post category: Couple Travel / Travel Tips

You are here because you want to know how to survive a timeshare presentation. How do I end the sales pitch? How do I resist timeshare sales tricks and just say “no”? After going through the process ourselves and chatting with a sales insider, we are here to share what we have learned. Read on for all you need to know to escape the formidable high-pressure timeshare pitch.

What’s the Deal with Timeshare Presentations? 

Everybody knows the classic “high-pressure timeshare sales pitch”.  You get offered 3 days and 2 nights at a fabulous resort for free, no obligations – you just have to attend a sales presentation.  They promise the pitch will be pretty short and that there’s no obligation to buy.  Sounds great, right?  But we all know the catch – it’s infamous.  The timeshare presentation is excruciatingly long.  Every time you think you’ve said “no” for the last time, they bring in a new salesperson or take you to a new room to start pitching you all over again.  It’s a high-pressure sales marathon.  To top it all off, if you don’t meet your obligated time at the presentation, you’re on the hook to pay for your accommodations.  So why do people still go to these things?  Well, because a free “3 days and 2 nights” at a resort is just too good of a deal to pass up sometimes! In fact, many travelers are trying to find out “How can I attend a timeshare presentation just for the free vacation?”   Well, we wanted to see what all the hype was about. When we got a call saying we’d “won” a vacation package, we shrugged and signed up.  Worst case scenario, we walk out and have to pay for the hotel stay.  

When we started asking around, so many of our close friends had either fallen for the timeshare pitch themselves, or knew a family member that had. We heard story, after story, of high-pressure pitches, salesmen that were insulting or rude, being led between rooms for hours upon hours, etc.  Hearing stories of people so close to us motivated us to write up everything we learned from our experience. 

The Initial Screening 

Cecilia signed up for a “contest” on Facebook that would enter you into a “drawing” for a free stay of 3 days and 2 nights at a resort and a $150 gift card.  We got a phone call saying we’d “won” while we were driving.  

We were asked some basic “info” questions (i.e., name, phone, address), followed by some “survey” questions.  The survey questions were things like:

When was the last vacation you took?

How much did you spend on accommodations?

How often do you travel?   

They also asked us if we only needed a reservation for 2, or if we’d like to bring anyone else up to 4 total.  Of course, we opted to take the 4-person reservation because the more the merrier, right?  

After all the identity information, survey questions, accommodation arrangements, and a spiel about our vacation/gift-card winnings, then came the hook – we’ll have to attend a timeshare presentation.  We were assured that we were only obligated for 90 minutes to 2 hours of the presentation; and with that, my wife and I looked at each other with a “do we believe that?” stare.  

But sure – in for a penny, in for a pound.  

Two things caught both of us off-guard towards the end of the phone call: 

One, we had to book the dates for our stay immediately.  We had to pull over from driving to frantically look at our calendars and figure out a weekend that worked in both of our schedules. The caller would just suggest a block of days from their availability, and we had to tell him if the range worked out for us.  

Two, we had to pay a $99 “refundable deposit” using a credit card.  When he asked for our credit card information, a giant alarm started going off in my head, yelling at me “this sounds like a scam!!”  I almost put the phone on hold to have a conversation with my wife about backing out of the whole thing.  I took a deep breath and reminded myself that our credit cards have fraud protection on them; and we’d just have to keep a closer eye on our credit card statements for awhile.  

Although we haven’t completely confirmed this, our strong-suspicions are that the initial phone call is really a screening. They want to see how susceptible you’re going to be to the timeshare sales pitch. It felt like a test to see if we were people that would make a fast decision, without much information, and commit money instantly for a “too good to be true” deal.  

Well, whatever we did “worked,” because as we later learned, they put us in the “prime candidate” group for the presentation.  More on that later.  

Arriving at Our Destination 

Because of the Covid-19 policy, only one person from our party was allowed into the lobby to check in to our room; our timeshare presentation was scheduled for the second day of our stay at 8 am. Only the person who checked-in signed any paperwork at all; and the other 3 members of our party didn’t sign anything or give any names. 

8am, bright and early, we drove over to the location for the timeshare talk and waited in a small line for a teller.  The person in front of us was having an unfriendly banter with the teller.  The only thing I picked up from my eavesdropping was that all the members of his party weren’t there so he wasn’t able to get signed in. We got called next and checking in only took a few seconds.  She asked if all members of our party were there, we said yes, and she said to wait in a corner for our “agent” to come and get us.

After a few minutes, our salesperson came out of a room, introduced himself, and walked us outside.  He said because of covid restrictions, he wouldn’t give us a tour of the entire facilities and grounds. Instead, we would drive separately over to a condo where he would give us a talk.  

We loaded up into our vehicle and were on our way without ever signing any official paperwork.  Also, we had been told over the phone, and on our “terms and conditions”, that we needed IDs and a credit card, but we didn’t need anything. I’m not sure if that is normal, or just because we showed up during covid restrictions.  

The TimeShare Pitch

We followed our salesperson’s car to a condo. On the ground floor, they had free continental breakfast and drinks set out on a table behind a rope, and someone with gloves handed us whatever we asked for.  We took an elevator up a few floors and our salesperson took the stairs to meet us at the top, then he showed us to a room and left so we could eat our breakfasts without our masks. We thought the room was stuffy, because we were all in our winter jackets, so we opened all the windows.  It was ~30 degrees outside.  When he came back, he sat in a chair across from our sofa.  I imagine he thought we were trying to freeze him out, but we were just hot.  

For the first 20 minutes, there was some minor small talk about nothing. It might have been to put us at ease?  Either way, we were pretty guarded with personal info.  He probably expected us to talk more about ourselves, and we were expecting him to ask us more direct, pointed questions.  

When he started to transition, I asked for an outline of what to expect for the meeting. How was our time going to be broken down?  What is our obligation?  How many people will we talk to?  Are we going on a tour? What is our time frame?  

He said we were there for a timeshare presentation – “yes, it’s a sales pitch.”  We had to be there for “an hour and a half, or 2 hours – whatever they told you.” Then when it was over, he’d take us back to the main building where we’d get our $150 gift certificate and a voucher that waived the cost of our stay.  

And then our “presentation” began.

He flew through a lot of “numbers” and acronyms. He talked so fast, to the point where none of us absorbed anything. To this day, I have no idea what he was even saying. Either way, as fast as he spat out numbers, the topic would always change.  I’m not sure if it was him, or us, or both; but we talked about movies, Pokemon, shoes, horses … just about everything except timeshares. 

After 40 minutes of struggling to sell us, he took us to a luxury apartment in the same complex. I think the intention was to give us a tour and really sell us, but other families walked in on us. Because of covid, only one group was allowed in at a time, so we left and let them see the rooms; but then we just kind of wandered off, back towards the door of the building.  I feel kind of bad for the salesperson, because trying to keep track of the four of us was like trying to wrangle cats.  He’d try to show us to a room, or tell us to wait for another family to get done, and we’d just wander back towards the exit.  He’d run to cut us off, and we’d just all meander around him, chatting about something else.  

We weren’t intending to be rude or purposefully being space-cadets or anything. There was just random downtime, so we’d do what any group of friends would do – we’d chat amongst ourselves. We also were never given any real clear instructions on what to do, so we’d just assume we were done and start walking back.  It wasn’t until we looked back on our experience that we realized we were probably sabotaging his sales pitch without meaning to.  

We went back to the “pitch room” and by now it’s about 1 hour and 10 minutes in.  Cecilia leaves the room to go to the restroom. (She was 3 months pregnant at the time, so bathroom breaks happened ALOT.) The salesperson looks at the 3 of us and says, “Okay, just be honest with me here. Why in the world are you guys at a timeshare talk?” There’s a pause while we all just stare at him, wondering what we should say and he fills the void with, “if you’re all so scared of covid that you’re even opening the window when it’s 30 degrees outside to get fresh air, why did you come here in the first place?”  I reply,

“… well, you want honesty?  My wife clicked a link on a Facebook contest that said we could win 3 days and 2 nights at a resort.  They called us while we were driving to say we’d won.  My wife was excited, and I wanted her to be happy, so I said sure, I’d go along with it.  The guy on the phone asked if we had 2 friends that would want to go, too, and we said we weren’t sure; so he said he’d put us down for 4, just in case. We asked our friends, they said they wanted to come, and here we all are.”  

He nodded along; looked at the 3 of us; pulled out his phone; and started playing Pokemon Go.  

Once Cecilia got out of the bathroom, he ran through his pitch at lightning speed.  He showed us a piece of paper with numbers on it that had a large down-payment. He rambled on and said, “but you don’t have that much in the bank, do you?”  After a pause, Scott said “no comment” – because the entire morning, none of us gave away any information about our financial situations.  He instantly flipped the paper over and showed us another price, the “only for today” offer with a lower price with financing; and asked if we wanted to buy at that price.  I said “no.” He said “alright then,” and texted his boss, then went back to playing Pokemon Go.  

Related Content: Traveling Alone or With a Companion: Which is Better?

Leisure Suit Larry 

After a few minutes of the party chatting about nothing again, in walks the boss – we’ll call him Larry.  Larry looks the part.  He’s wearing an olive-green suit that has the kind of texture that looks expensive; and a very high-maintenance hairstyle with a lot of gray speckles.  Larry’s entire presence is summed up by the uncertainty of whether his hair was naturally gray, or if it was purposefully dyed to look older.  

Larry has a calm, methodical delivery any time he speaks, like someone reciting a script that’s been rehearsed to perfection but then delivered so many times until it’s lost its meaning. He speaks without pauses, taking a big breath before each section of his ramble. He would emphasize words by deliberately stretching out the word, not by raising his voice.  Every point he made was framed as if the decision has already been made for you – you will lose money if you don’t make this choice because you are already spending money on vacations. 

Larry is what a used car salesman would be if used cars sold for more money.  

Larry ended his spiel with a piece of paper, which had a unit available for “today only.”  They’re always “only today.” 

He passed the piece of paper over to us, and the age of the paper suggested it wasn’t the first time he’s handed it to someone.  

The number on the paper was drastically less than any of the previous offers – it was less than half of the previous lowest offer.  I looked at the paper, folded it back in half, handed it back, and said no.  Larry was reluctant to take the paper, and asked “why?” 

We knew this moment was coming and prepared for it.  We reminded ourselves that we don’t have to justify any of our answers.  Socially, it’s polite to justify yourself; but you’re never under any obligation to justify yourself.  

We answered, “we don’t make large financial decisions that quickly. We talk through financial decisions together.”  Larry gave another ramble – this one I honestly didn’t listen to.  I just zoned out for a moment.  Then Cecilia answered him, “and we have a kid on the way, which makes it more important to spend time on big financial decisions, so the answer is still no.”  

Larry asked, “so … is there anything I can do or say that’s going to change that decision for you today?”  I said “no,” expecting to have to say that a lot at this point.  But then Larry abruptly said, “Okay, thank you for your time,” stood up, and walked out without a second look at us.  It was just an immediate withdrawal.  

The first salesperson, who had been sitting there quietly during Larry’s entire spiel, slapped his thighs, said “okay, I’ll take you back to the main center to claim your prizes” and visibly ripped up the piece of paper he’d shown us earlier.  He started to make some comments about wasting his time, but we were already walking out the door and didn’t really catch them.  

The Final Boss

We drove back to the main center and through a conference room that, in non-covid times, would have been the first room.  He took us close to a receptionist’s desk and asked us to stay put while he went to talk to someone.  We wandered up closer to them, trying to look out of a window to see a pool, which was just close enough to eavesdrop on the salesperson’s conversation.  He was giving her details about the conversation we’d had with him and Larry – that we “don’t make large financial decisions that quickly.”  He was giving her everything she needed so she would know the right angle to close the deal!  

It turns out, the woman he handed us off to was the Final Boss.  She asked us to go into another room, and Cecilia wandered off to the bathroom.   The three of us walked into the room, realized Cecilia wasn’t there, and wandered back out.  When she got out of the restroom, the four of us went in together to see the Final Boss.  She was sitting behind a small table with two chairs set up in front of it.  She said we could sit down, but we remained standing.  There were four of us and only two chairs.  You could tell that having 4 people there instead of 2 really threw their usual gameplans off.  

She asked us what the final price Larry quoted us was, and I told her; then she said “What if I could offer you that same unit at this price?”  She wrote a number on a piece of paper that was, again, exactly half of what Larry had offered.  

We repeated our line, “We don’t make large financial dec–” She interrupted, “Okay, take this slip into the next room and we’ll settle you up.”  

We hadn’t noticed, but there was a slip of paper already sitting on the desk in front of her.  With the paper in hand, we headed into the next room and handed it to an old man who was polite, friendly, jovial and looked like he was having the time of his life at work.  He slapped a stamp down on the paper, handed us a voucher, and we were out in no time.  We managed to survive the timeshare presentation.

Total time: 1 hour and 39 minutes.  

The Aftermath

After we left, we spent a lot of time talking with one another, trying to understand why we’d been let off so easily.  All of us had heard the nightmare stories about high-pressure timeshares – that people spent an entire day being shuffled from room-to-room, the aggressive salespeople, the insults, the good-cop bad-cop routines, etc.  We got none of that.  We were practically shoved out the door at one point.  

One theory we had was that we were a group of 4 that weren’t related to one another.  We were 2 couples, so they couldn’t pin one of us against the other.  They also couldn’t sell to all 4 of us, because we would never buy something together.  

Another theory was that we were just too chaotic for them.  We constantly changed the conversation – but not really on purpose.  We just filled the silent pauses with jokes or comments that became side-conversations.  

Timeshare Presentation Basics: Insight From an Industry Insider

We had to know why our experience was so different from the ones we’d heard about, so we called up a friend that used to be in the industry as a timeshare salesperson.  

Here’s what we found out:  

The reason some salespeople are pushier than others is because if they don’t sell for awhile, they’re suddenly given “one last chance” to sell, and if they don’t sell on that day, they’re fired.   If someone wants to keep their job, they have to sell; and that can lead to a very high-pressure sale.  

Sometimes they’ll get mad if you’re rude or just blatantly not interested from the start of the talk. They’ll toy with you and keep you longer on purpose out of spite. This can happen when you tell the salesperson from the start: “look, we’re just not interested in buying, we’re only here for the free stay.” 

Often, the salesperson lies about their background to identify with the “prospect”, like saying they have kids too; or they will lie about how long they have been selling; or that they have a dog, are also divorced, etc.  When our insider told us that, we all blinked. Had our salesperson lied about everything he told us the entire time?  At one point, he gave us his kids’ names – and now I’m not sure he even had kids.  

If a salesperson makes a sale on the previous day, then they get “first pick” in the morning; and the 8am timeslot is reserved for people they think are absolutely going to buy.  We were the 8am timeslot.  I have no idea why they put us in that group.  

If enough people are lined up that day for talks and they don’t have enough salespeople, they go on rotation.  As soon as a salesperson finishes their talk, they can go back and get another prospect.  The earlier they can pick a prospect, the higher the chances of getting a sell.  That’s why there’s more incentive for them to end a tour earlier if they know you aren’t going to buy and your tour is in the morning.  Tours in the afternoon aren’t so lucky.  

What if someone owns a timeshare and gets someone else to sign up for the timeshare talk? The timeshare owner gets a kickback – usually waived fees. 

But ultimately, why did our salesperson let go of us so fast?  Because Cecilia was pregnant.  At one point, our salesperson asked why Cecilia was going to the bathroom so much.  We told him she was pregnant, and when she came back in the room, he commented, “I didn’t even notice you were pregnant until you said that.”  That’s when he started flying through his presentation.  That was the change.  Apparently, people who are expecting a child don’t make sudden or “big” financial decisions. They’re too focused on what’s good for the baby.  

Tips on How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation

So here we are, everything we’ve learned boiled down to our top tips for surviving a timeshare talk.  

1. Go in prepared .

There is no reason to be mean or rude.  Just know your stance, be assertive, and remember that you don’t owe anyone anything.  It’s not impolite to say “no” without an excuse.  “No” is a complete answer that doesn’t need to be justified.  

2. Remember that you’re in a sales pitch .

For salespeople, ‘being nice’ is part of the sale. Similarly, ‘being relatable to you’ is more important than them telling you the truth. They butter you up in order to get information out of you, and they rely on the information you’ve volunteered for their pitch.  Things like your job, hobbies, or even your last vacation are used to determine your personal wealth and spending habits.  

3. Silence is your strength.

It’s really, really tempting to argue, or to call the salespeople out when you catch them in a ‘blunder’ or ‘ah-HA’ moment.  But just remember: if you argue, you just feed into their pitch and you’ll end up staying even longer.  They want you to argue so they can sell you harder.  Don’t get into a back-and-forth. 

4. Be on guard for the angle.

The salesperson is always fishing for an angle. If they don’t know what is important to you they cant sell you. They’ll try to get you emotionally invested.  They might try to insult you, or dig at your ego, with things like “you can’t afford this, right? This is too much for you.” Don’t defend yourself. Don’t justify yourself. Just say “no” and leave it at that.  

5. Decide on a secret reason against buying and never disclose it .

If they don’t know why you won’t buy, then they can’t give you a pitch or argue against it.  For us, we knew that a timeshare is just a bad financial decision.  The financing is really expensive, and you don’t “save money” in the end.  That was our secret reason; and when the numbers were explained to us, and we saw the paper showing that it was a bad decision, we didn’t go “ah-HA!”  We just nodded along and kept it inside.  They can’t sweet-talk their way around your roadblock if they don’t know it’s there.  

6. If you really want a timeshare, don’t buy at the pitch.

7. and, of course, if all else fails – be pregnant..

You Might Also Like

Best Travel Quotes to Inspire Adventure

How to Find the Best Digital Nomad Jobs

This post has 15 comments.

I like the idea of timeshares—in fact, my inlaws own several—but I hate the high-pressure sales tactics they employ. It’s such a turn off.

That is such a good point. The concept of a timeshare isn’t all that bad, but the high-pressure talk and the difficulty of selling a timeshare should you ever change your mind are huge turn offs.

I love that the title includes SURVIVE, because that’s totally how it feels! We had to say “no” to like 10 different people before they would let us go!

We have heard so many horror stories like this. So glad we survived our first timeshare experience and came out on the other end with some bits of wisdom. Hoping this article can help out a few others so they do not have to endure a situation like yours!

I always wondered about timeshares. I like the concept but the sales tactic is highly annoying . It makes me wonder if it’s worth it .

You definitely have a point. High-pressure timeshare presentations are exactly that, high-pressure. They aren’t necessarily meant to be enjoyable, but I do think the experience depends on the salesperson. If you are assigned to a pleasant and respectful salesperson, then the experience really isn’t all that bad! It’s just playing roulette to see what kind of salesperson you wind up with.

Loved this. Your title caught me and made me laugh. Your last line made me laugh. My in-laws have had a time share for years and have dumped so much into the “maintenance fees”. It is a nightmare now for them to try to get out of it! Moral of the story: Whatever you might spend on the time share, you could simply put toward a nice hotel for your vacations and probably still come out ahead. Don’t fall for the pitch!

That’s such a good point. We haven’t heard of too many people who have been happy with their choice to purchase a time share. I think personally we will stick to the hotels and Airbnb’s as you mentioned!

Ive stayed at friend’s time shares a few times, and they can be really nice, but those pitches are such a turn off! Now I know, mention that I’m pregnant and if we do want to buy, don’t buy it at the pitch!

It’s a pretty good deal for a free holiday for you. :)

Great article with good suggestions. I do these as a travel hack to get free stays and freebies in Vegas. The key is to have an ironclad will and not be afraid to keep saying “no.” No matter what the reps try yo say or do, YOU are in control. They are obligated to give you the gifts and you are under no obligation to be polite or give reasons. The worst thing that can happen is you’ll get berated or insulted. There are worse things to endure and you basically get a free hotel stay. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.

I like the Hunger Games reference. Thanks for sharing your personal experience with surviving timeshare presentations. It takes a strong will to make it through without buying anything, but like you said YOU are in control and have the right to say no.

Well they get you drunk in Mexico I bought a timeshare in Cabo and they kept serving me and my friend drinks to loosen me up. I fell in love with my salesman and finally gave in he was so nice and now I am one of the happiest timeshare owners on the planet. Going to Cancun booked a 1700 square foot 2 bedroom 2 bath bringing 3 friends with me. Hotels are soo soo expensive and with a timeshare I am saving a ton of money and it is making me travel more which I love. Life is short live it to the fullest and don’t look back. I was all ways jealous of friends that owned Timshares but now I get to enjoy all the benefits and I am saving a ton of money.

I LOVED your article and learned a great deal! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge. We definitely will do the things you have suggested. I might even buy a pregnancy belly to wear. Lol

Hahaha good luck, let us know how it goes!

Love your angle and how you shared your experience along with your post realization analysis. We’ve done a few many many years ago and found the perks of going to a high-stress 2 hour meeting somewhat worth it, but then again agonizing.

We are about to go to another in the next month and this was helpful to get us mentally prepared.

Thank you for taking the time to share.

Comments are closed.

• Monday- Thursday 9-7PM - Friday 9-5PM Eastern
• [email protected]
• 1-407-627-1179

How to Say No to a Timeshare Presentation

• Timeshare Investement

• Primo Management Group
• April 10, 2024

Timeshare companies and other vacation rental organizations dangle attractive prizes in people’s faces. In return, people who sign up have to sit for hours in front of a presentation about the benefits of timeshare properties and deal with salespeople eager to make sales.

These enticements often include things like deeply discounted stays at luxury resorts, gift cards, and other nice items.

Why are these companies so willing to spend so much money to get leads and convince people to sit and listen? Because they know how hard it is for many people to say no. 

Timeshare presentations have been going on for decades. The timeshare industry is bigger than ever, and that’s in large part due to aggressive salespeople and years of research into what it takes to get people to say “yes”.

They capitalize on manipulating your emotions and obfuscating financial implications of any deal, making signing up for timeshare ownership seem like the sensible thing to do.

You may be carrying some sense of obligation into the room to begin with, and they know how to stretch that feeling of obligation to get you to sign the dotted line. 

Even if you’re open to learning about timeshare ownership or even buying a timeshare, that’s fine. However, everyone who goes to a timeshare presentation should realize just how far the deck is stacked against them.

You’re not going into an objective, fact-based presentation where the salespeople will help you weigh the costs and benefits of ownership.

Instead, these people make money by saying what it takes to close the deal. This is not the time to have an open mind.

You can do research on whether timeshare ownership makes sense and is a good financial decision on your own time.

Too many people experience stress and financial hardship as a result of pressure and other sales tactics common in timeshare presentations. 

Learn how to say no to a timeshare presentation to limit the potential you’ll make rash decisions you’ll regret. There are things you can do before the presentation to help you make it out unscathed. 

Do Some Research on Your Own Time

Sitting in a comfortable chair at a luxury resort isn’t the first time you should be researching whether a timeshare is for you.

Think about it, the resort has probably spent the last couple of days buttering you up with palm trees and cocktails by the pool. You’re a bit tanner, a bit heavier, and more relaxed.

Your guard is likely down. When you’re relaxed and in a good mood, you’re more likely to agree to things you wouldn’t otherwise.

This isn’t the time to make decisions that will cost you a lot of money over the years. 

Instead, do some prep-work beforehand so you go into the presentation knowing the numbers.

You don’t even need to know all the options, but there is plenty of information online about specific companies and resorts that will come in handy when your salesperson is looking you in the face telling you this is an opportunity of a lifetime.

Look up what sort of legacy costs you can expect, understand the cancellation process and if that is even an option.

Read owner reviews and get an idea about what it would be like working with the company.

The first time you hear about the timeshare shouldn’t be when you sit down in a plush hotel conference room chair. Do some research in your own time first. 

Learn About the Tactics Salespeople Will Use

This is not a game of wits and forget about any sort of transparency in the presentation.

The people there are there to close you. They will say things and put things in a certain light to move you closer and closer to the deal as the presentation progresses.

One of the first things salespeople do is get your guard down, they’ll spend some time getting to know you by asking you questions and engaging in pleasantries.

Those danishes and coffee? Those are meant to imply that they are here to serve, helping you lower your guard. “What a nice gesture!”, you may be telling yourself as you take your first bite. 

Once the wall is a bit down, the salespeople will start to build common ground by creating a foundation built on your “yes” answers. “How do you like the resort?” “It’s great, isn’t it?” “You should bring your kids next time, right?” “Don’t you love the beach?” You’ll subconsciously get used to the idea of agreeing with your presenter. 

Once he or she has you saying yes, they’ll slowly move up the scale, building a dream situation in your head.

Creating problems that only owning this timeshare can solve. They’ll have you thinking that your life will be deprived if you don’t sign the dotted line.

Some salespeople even play on the fact that you got a discounted vacation, implying that you owe it to them to sign the deal. 

You can watch videos online about common sales tactics used in timeshare presentations, so nothing comes as a shock or a surprise when it’s you sitting in on one. 

Create a “Safe” Phrase with Your Partner

Most commonly, couples go into timeshare sales presentations together. Salespeople want to eliminate the, “I need to talk to my spouse” excuse.

When they’ve got you both there, they’ll figure out which one of you is more agreeable and use it as leverage on the other person. 

You and your partner should discuss what you’ll do before you go in and set expectations ahead of time.

Don’t go in saying you’ll just see what happens. That’s a surefire way to walk out owning a new timeshare.

Owning a timeshare property works for some people, but you shouldn’t make that sort of decision in a pressure-filled situation that you aren’t prepared for. This isn’t something that should be an impulse buy. 

Tell your partner that you both are absolutely not going to say yes on the spot no matter what.

Make an agreement you can both live with. Realize, though, that at some point the salespeople will get to you.

These people are good at their jobs, and they are typically paid very well for their ability to convince people to make expensive decisions after listening to a presentation for an hour.

That’s not easy. When you or your partner start to sway, have a safe word or phrase ready to help snap out of it.

It doesn’t have to be anything cheesy. It could be something like, “we said we would discuss this after the presentation”, or “before we came in we decided we weren’t going to be making a decision on the spot.”

You and your partner need to hold each other accountable. Remember you are not accountable to the stranger salespeople you’ve just met. 

Remember You Owe Them Nothing

Before you attend the presentation, and while you’re in it, remember that you owe the resort, the timeshare company, and these salespeople nothing.

They will try to make it seem like they’ve done something amazing for you by giving you discount rates on a room or whatever else they used to lure you into the presentation.

Remember that they did this in exchange for the opportunity to pitch you on timeshare ownership.

You don’t owe them a deal. By sitting in the presentation, you’ve fulfilled your part of the bargain, and you owe them nothing more. 

Don’t let any implication of guilt or that you’ve somehow shortchanged them by saying no get to you.

That is emotional manipulation at its finest and is often one of the last things salespeople will do to try and get you back on the “yes” track.

Don’t let a guilty conscience or your good nature trick you into signing a contract that will last for years. 

Just Say “No”

You don’t owe your sales representative any reasons. When you say know, they’ll try to figure out exactly what’s driving your reasoning.

They’ll have a million different rebuttals to get around any financial, travel, or logistical concerns.

You don’t owe them an explanation. Keeping your “no” short and simple will truncate the amount of time you’re in the presentation and avoid having to say no over and over again.

A simple, “no thanks” is enough. If you feel bored repeating yourself, you can mix it up by saying you’re not interested, maybe next time, or a number of other simple but firm rebuttals. 

Every year, thousands of people go into timeshare presentations resolute that they are not going to sign up for a timeshare, only to walk out a new owner with a multi-year contract that will cost them a lot of money.

Many people regret that decision for years because getting out of a timeshare contract is complex and can take some time.

Instead of dealing with the negative emotions of buying something you shouldn’t have, go into the presentation armed with the information and emotional intelligence you need to say no. 

If you already signed the contract and want out, read our guide on  how to get out of a timeshare here .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

How To Say No At a Timeshare Presentation

• June 27, 2024

Navigating the high-pressure world of timeshare presentations can feel like a minefield. You’re here because you’re looking for a way out, a method to resist the relentless sales tactics without caving in or getting emotionally entangled. But rest assured, there are several strategies to escape unburdened and we’re here to guide you through them.

This article is your lifeline, offering a step-by-step guide on surviving timeshare presentations. We’ll uncover industry secrets, expose sales tricks, and arm you with the knowledge to confidently say ‘no’. Read on, and prepare to master the art of resisting timeshare pressure.

5 Steps for telling a Timeshare Rep “No”

Mastery of the art of saying “No” to a timeshare representative demands a keen understanding of the tactics often employed during their presentations. Inculcate these five steps in the walkthrough to effectively decline unwanted timeshare offerings:

Remember that the Timeshare Presentation is a Game

Engage in timeshare presentations with the cognizance that it’s merely a game. Keep in mind, your emotional state serves as their landing strip. Therefore, adopt a detached and neutral demeanor, rendering the sales pitch ineffective. Treating it like a game facilitates the ability to play without getting emotionally involved.

Stay Unemotional during the Pitch

Amidst the presentation, strive to maintain calm. While this might sound challenging, remember the timeshare pitch heavily relies on your emotional state. Tactics like zoning out or casually browsing on your phone may prove helpful, enabling you to concentrate on maintaining serenity. Persistently remind yourself, “This is a game. I mustn’t become emotionally entangled.”

Saying Yes to Get Out

An ingenious strategy to smoothly exit a presentation involves diligence in agreement with the timeshare representative. Concurring with components of the pitch facilitates its uninterrupted progression. Interruptions, on the counter side, offer them insights into your objections or concerns. Consequently, they might exert pressure on you to overcome your objections. It proves more effective to withhold your objections until the closing stages of the presentation. Presenting a collection of reasons at once places the representative on the backfoot, leaving them with insurmountable rebuttals.

Confront the Lie

Direct your focus on the authenticity of information provided during the presentation. Sales reps in the timeshare industry have a reputation for distorting the truth. Challenge inaccuracies or inflated statements promptly. As the adage goes, “Trust but verify.” If information seems amiss, cross-verify it with the corporate office instantly. Moreover, channel your indignation towards the company and their practices rather than the representative. This tactic ensures swift retraction of falsehoods, signaling to the representative that you aren’t easy prey.

Play Hurt and Humble

Share with your timeshare representative instances that have evoked sympathy in you. Your stories of hardships or travails can trigger empathy, making the representative less inclined to place further pressure on you. Bear in mind that everyone, including the timeshare representative, deserves to understand your unique circumstances without feeling manipulated or exploited.

The Best Advice for Timeshare Sales Presentations

Having explained previously how to navigate through the timeshare presentations, there still exist crucial considerations that can greatly enhance your competence and self-assuredness during these encounters. These recommendations pivot around meticulously planning your interaction, upholding your privacy, and being steadfast in declining the sales pitch.

• Specify your Time Limits Beforehand : A typical timeshare presentation extends 90 to 120 minutes. That duration can unexpectedly stretch into several hours. For a seamless departure, set a timer on your phone or watch as a reminder. Doing so alerts you when the agreed-upon time expires, allowing for a timely exit.
• Decline to Share Personal Information : If you’re not a potential timeshare buyer and are attending for other reasons, such as for a prize or gift, it is advisable that you avoid sharing any personal details with the sales staff. They may persist for specifics like phone numbers, email addresses, family members’ names, and so on. Nonetheless, sternly refuse to share this data to keep your essential data private.
• Understand the Impact of Maintenance Fees : Concerning maintenance fees, industry practices often include a lofty annual cost, nearly able to rebuild the entire equity from the ground up. For example, a two-bedroom condo might attract a $52,000 annual maintenance fee. Recognizing this financial liability is paramount in making your final decision.
• Stand Firm on your “No” : During the presentation, the salespeople may provide an avenue for negotiation. Still, insist on your resolve to not purchase. For instance, if asked, “Is there anything I can do or say that’s going to change that decision for you today?” regardless of the tools at their disposal, your answer remains a confident “No”.

Incorporating these insights into your approach will enable you to maintain your tenacity and evade any potential traps during the timeshare presentation. Furthermore, while interacting with the sales staff, remember to stay cordial but firm, treating any interaction as part of an ongoing negotiation devoid of obligation or commitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a single person go to timeshare presentation.

Yes, a single person can certainly attend a timeshare presentation. However, if you’re part of a couple, married or otherwise, both partners need to attend the presentation. Minimum age is 25 for singles and 21 for spouses.

What do you say to get out of a timeshare presentation?

To gracefully exit a timeshare presentation, firmly express your disinterest in purchasing a timeshare. Avoid providing reasons that could invite further sales pitches. A simple “Thank you, but I am not interested” should suffice.

How long do timeshare presentations last?

Timeshare presentations typically last between 90 and 120 minutes. However, it is not uncommon for them to extend to several hours. Be clear about your availability and stick to it—you’re on vacation, after all.

Can I cancel a timeshare presentation?

Yes, you can cancel a timeshare presentation. To do so, communicate with the timeshare company as soon as possible, adhering to the cancellation procedures outlined in your contract. This usually involves submitting a written request.

How do you not buy at a timeshare presentation?

Resist the timeshare sales pitch, stay only for the agreed-upon duration, provide minimal personal information, and don’t disclose your banking or credit card information. Don’t sign any documents on the spot, and keep saying “no”. If the situation starts making you uncomfortable, feel free to leave.

James, a renowned expert in the field of timeshare and timeshare issues, has carved a niche for himself with his insightful and detailed writing. With over a decade of experience, he has been pivotal in shaping discussions around timeshare investments and the challenges they pose. His career began in hospitality management, where he gained firsthand experience with the intricacies of timeshare contracts and property management. This background provided him with a unique perspective that he has leveraged into a successful writing career.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name  *

Email  *

Add Comment  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• Inspiration

How to Avoid a Timeshare Presentation

Ever since developers realized that they could get fast money out of a hotel or real estate project by selling units as timeshares, their sales reps have been let loose on unsuspecting travelers. And that is why you need to know how to avoid a high-pressure, arm-twisting sales pitch that lassos you into a timeshare presentation that will waste your time and put you at potential financial risk.

The last thing you may want to think about on vacation is buying real estate; these sharks intend to change your mind. They offer inducements such as free flights, free nights, free tours, and other "free" gifts.

Timeshare salespeople are trained to be persistent and wear down resistance. The worst ones are downright deceitful. But you aren't defenseless. If you can learn how to avoid a timeshare presentation and are willing to temporarily suspend your good manners, those sales types will be no more annoying than gnats.

Difficulty: Average

Time required: 5 minutes if you succeed, hours if you don't, here's how:.

• Avoid something-for-nothing offers.  Ever pick up the phone and hear a robo-voice announce, "Congratulations! You've won a free vacation... a romantic vacation ... a trip to Disneyland ?" Hang up immediately! These are all come-ons and you won't get something for nothing if these people hook you. So if you are not interested in dubious investments, do not accept any such offers by phone, in the mail, through social media. or on location to sit through a timeshare presentation. 
• Find out who you're dealing with. Sellers can be sneaky, and some use terminology different from "timeshare presentation" (such as discovery tour, gift opportunity, special value promotion). If someone offers you something, ask if he or she is a sales person and if real estate ownership is involved. Be suspicious!
• Get in and get out. Okay; you couldn't resist. They promised it would be short and the reward worthwhile. Hold them to the time frame promised, and set your watch or smartphone alarm. Fifteen minutes before the timeshare presentation is scheduled to end, give them warning that you will leave.
• Give out as little personal information as possible. Do not give timeshare sellers your cellphone, home, or work phone numbers, nor your main email address. If they insist, provide fake numbers.
• Under no circumstance, give anyone associated with the presentation your credit card information.
• Don't sign any anything. Once you put your signature to an agreement, you will be legally bound to carry out the terms of the contract. If you do become interested in the property, ask to take an unsigned copy of the agreement and say you will have it reviewed by your attorney.
• Just say no . Not maybe, not "we'll think about it," just no. The worst thing you can do is lead a salesperson on. He or she will become your personal barnacle.
• Be willing to be rude. It's not in some peoples' nature to flat-out say, "No... I don't want this... get out of my face." You're not dealing with grandma or a member of a church congregation. You're dealing with a salesperson. If they push you, push back. They're trained to be persistent and deal with rejection.
• Leave. You cannot legally be held against your will. By leaving, you will forfeit any "gift" that you were promised, and you may be responsible for your own transportation back to your hotel. But then you will be free.
• Call the police. If anyone tries to block your exit, immediately call the police from your cellphone and record the exchange. (Asking to speak to a manager or supervisor may not be the solution, as this individual is typically a senior salesperson aka con man who is even more adept in the deceptive "art of the deal.")

What You Need:

• Ability to withstand sales pressure
• Willingness to be rude if necessary
• Determination not to sign anything
• Wisdom to resist "too good to be true" offers
• Understanding that ones who profit from timeshares are sellers not owners

Related Articles

More related articles.

How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation

Ibrahim Zaghw is a freelance content writer who helps finance and business-related websites and blogs to both educate and engage their readers.

Timeshare presentations offer attractive perks, but there are serious risks as well. Knowing how to survive a timeshare presentation can help alleviate those risks.

Presentations are the timeshare industry’s primary marketing tool: up to 78% of timeshare owners attended at least one presentation at the resort where they eventually purchased a timeshare. 58% bought after just one presentation[1].

Timeshares are widely seen as a trap. Fees are high, vacation habits change, and one-sided contracts tie owners to their units for life. Still, people attend these presentations and often make decisions they later regret.

This raises some questions:

• What happens during these timeshare presentations? What tactics do they use?
• How can you avoid falling for these tricks and keep your checkbook safe?
• If you end up buying a timeshare, can you rescind your purchase?

Let’s answer all these questions, and show you how to survive a timeshare presentation. Starting with the most obvious one:

Why Would Anyone Attend a Timeshare Presentation in the First Place?

No one wants to sit through a 2-hour presentation, listening to a salesperson drone on about timeshares. Or do they?

Timeshare companies are smart. They lure you in with perks and offers that might make the presentation well worth your time. Here are some offers that others have received:

• A prepaid debit card comes with a substantial sum on it.
• Free tickets to a show.
• Discounts on hotel and resort stays that could reach up to 60%. 

In return for these perks, the timeshare company or resort will ask you and your significant other to attend a 90-minute to 2-hour sales presentation.

Many people show up to these presentations just for the perks. These people are rarely prepared for the barrage of sophisticated sales tactics about to be slung their way, and many end up capitulating under all the pressure. Hence, this is why learning how to survive a timeshare presentation can be crucial.

How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation: What Exactly Happens at the Presentation?

Usually, timeshare presentations follow a specific routine with little deviation from one case to the next. These sales techniques have been developed over years of practice, and they are very effective.

The broad strokes look as follows:

1. The Introductions

Once the resort or company has checked you in, they will send a representative your way, and for the next 2-3 hours, they will be your best friend. They will have a ton in common with you (Wait, you have a German Shepherd waiting for you at home? Well, they have two named Debbie and Laika). 

If you haven’t noticed the sarcasm, what I am really trying to say is that not only is this representative a salesman who will do their best to get you to buy, but they will also try to build rapport with you by being nice and personable and by finding things in common with you, many of which could be invented on the spot.

You might choose to reciprocate the representative’s friendliness, but be careful about what information you share with them. When it’s time to sell, your new best friend will use every morsel of information at their disposal to close the deal.

If anything, it might be in your best interest to be clear from the get-go: If you have no interest in buying a timeshare, then let your representative know that upfront. Otherwise, you risk making the whole sales process harder for yourself, especially if your politeness is interpreted as genuine interest.

2. Refreshments

The timeshare company wants you to be in the best state of mind possible (for them), and alcohol is their friend. They will offer you refreshments before the presentation, including food and drinks. Some companies might present you with complimentary snacks, and others might go the distance and give you a full meal.

You shouldn’t let this excess hospitality get to your head and cause you to lower your defenses, especially if you already know that your answer is no.

3. The Presentation Begins

Now that you have been wined and dined, it is time for the sales process to start, beginning with a group presentation that will include you and other potential buyers. This presentation will be provided by an eloquent individual, someone who has done this hundreds of times before. They are going to wax lyrical, and you might be moved.

Although the presentation may vary from one company to another, the broad strokes are usually the same. Here are some of the main points that you will most likely encounter:

• The presenter will try to stir the audience’s emotions by talking about their dream trips while asking them what’s stopping them from taking those trips.
• Then they give you an answer: a timeshare could be the gateway to your dream trip, and it will cost you only a fraction of what you would have normally paid. (Of course, your presenter will forget to account for miscellaneous costs associated with a timeshare vacation, such as airfare and dining)
• Once they have you hooked and excited about how timeshares can lead you to the good life, the presenter will start discussing how their timeshare system works. This explanation will include vivid examples that will have you imagining all the possibilities.
• After all this, they might end things by offering you an incentive to sign with them on the spot.

Although the above represents what most timeshare presentations will look like, there will always be differences from one company to another. For example, rather than asking you about your dream vacation, the presenter might opt to tell you that you “should be kinder to yourself and treat yourself to more vacations and more luxurious trips.”

4. Giving You the Pitch

Once the presentation is over, your representative, i.e., your new yet temporary best friend, will lead you to a table where they will start laying out your options.

During this portion of the process, the representative is still trying to stoke your desire. They will show you different resorts in their company’s portfolio, they will break down how you can redeem your points if they are selling you a points-based timeshare system, and they will show you pictures of each resort, trying to get you all the more hyped up.

The one thing that your representative will not talk about at this stage is the program’s price. They don’t want to scare you off yet, so they will give you every reason to buy before discussing costs.

5. Taking You on a Tour of the Resort

As if everything up till now hasn’t been enough, the representative will give you a tour of the resort and its amenities. You will get to see the different types of rooms available, all the while imagining what it would be like to own a timeshare over there.

On this tour, you will see the best rooms the resort has to offer. The timeshare company will make sure to dial the luxury knob all the way up to 11. However, what you see will most likely not be what you get if you sign on.

6. Time to Talk About the Benjamins

Let’s recap what’s happened so far: You’ve been wined and dined. You’ve been told that it’s time to take your dream trip, and then you were shown what that trip can look like. You’ve even taken a tour of a resort, taking you one step closer to imagining yourself living a life of luxury .

By now, you should be in the perfect mental state to talk to your representative about how much all of this is going to cost you.

Just to be clear, the average cost of a timeshare is around $24,140. But you might hear numbers far higher than that [2] .

While talking about the costs, the representative will try to push you to make a decision on the spot. And how hard they push you will depend on how interested you have seemed throughout the process thus far. So, for instance, if you seemed eager during the presentation or kept ooohing and aaahing during the tour, the representative will feel that with the right pressure, you might buckle and buy from them.

If you were clear from the get-go and told the representative that you have no intention of buying a timeshare, they are more likely to back off quickly.

7. Bringing in the Closer

If you stick to your guns and refuse to buy, the representative will bring in the heavy artillery: the closer.

Closers will be well-dressed and look the part. They will ask you about your reasons for refusing to purchase and try to “work with you” to overcome these objections.

And, if you still remain intransigent, the closer will start bringing out incentives, hoping to change your mind and get you to sign with them. The closer may offer you a special, one-time deal where you can buy the timeshare for half the price presented to you by the representative. Other possible incentives include loyalty points and free trips. You’ll be offered what sounds like an affordable financing package.

8. Losing a Friend

What happens if you still refuse to purchase, even after the Closer has offered you the best deal the resort can possibly muster?

Remember that representative who was your best friend just a minute ago? Well, yeah, they’re about to give you the cold shoulder. Why should they be your friend if you aren’t going to buy what they’re selling?

You shouldn’t be surprised if the representative suddenly loses all their warmth and friendliness. They work on commission, and their livelihoods are based on you making a purchase. So, part of this sudden reverse in attitude is a genuine disappointment, and the rest is just another sales tactic.

9. Giving You One Last Chance

As you are being shown your way out of the resort, the timeshare company will give you one last offer.

Usually, the representative checking you out, who might be different from your former best friend and now sworn enemy, will also be the one to offer you a deal even better than the one presented by the closer. They will try to pressure you into taking this deal.

If they also fail, they will just show you the door while providing you with all of the promised incentives for attending the timeshare presentation in the first place.

How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation: Say “No” and Do It Often

So what should you do to survive a timeshare presentation? The simple answer is that you should be saying “no” throughout the whole thing. Whether you want to buy a timeshare or not , you should not be buying from a timeshare company, especially when your emotions are running high.

Here’s why “no” is the sensible answer:

Timeshares Cost Way More Than Their Sticker Price Might Suggest

Even though your representative will quote you a steep price to own a timeshare, that’s barely scratching the surface.

For starters, you have to factor in annual fees, including rising maintenance fees, special one-time assessment fees, and taxes . And this is assuming that you have paid for the timeshare out of your own money . But if you have financed the purchase through the timeshare company, you also have to factor in the heavy interest rates the company will levy.

Additionally, just because you have a timeshare doesn’t mean your next vacation is done and paid for. You need to think about airfare, food, and other activities and events you want to participate in. All these things are going to cost you.

Over and above, you should take into consideration the opportunity cost of your timeshare. Your signature on the dotted line will preclude you from exploring other resorts and vacation spots that aren’t covered by your timeshare agreement. This will not only limit your ability to travel but will also likely cause you to feel trapped at some point in the future. After all, you might not be able to afford any more Airbnbs, no more hotels in European countries, and no more cross-country RV trips.

To top it all off, you need to be aware that the minute you buy a timeshare, its value plummets on the spot and is no longer worth the tens of thousands you just put into it. The secondhand market is flooded with people trying to get rid of their timeshares. The other, and bigger problem, is that a timeshare is not an investment , no matter how hard the salesman tries to convince you otherwise.

How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation: Even If You Want to Buy a Timeshare, Don’t Do It at the Presentation

Even if you have your heart set on buying a timeshare, don’t buy it directly from the timeshare company.

Go to the secondhand market, where you can almost always buy the same exact timeshare for a discount of 95% and up to 99%. There are countless individuals out there who feel strapped with their timeshare agreements and want to get rid of them but have a hard time doing so. So, they end up selling at an insane discount – or even giving the timeshare away – just to spare themselves the annual fees.

How Do You Say No and Commit to It?

You may plan to refuse every offer the timeshare company will throw your way, but you are up against professional manipulators. It doesn’t hurt to have a bag of tips and tricks to better help you resist the sales tactics you’ll face.

Use a Ulysses Contract

A Ulysses Contract is a clever but simple way to force yourself to stick to your goals. For instance, to lose weight, you can lock the cabinet filled with sweets and give the key to your significant other. This act of self-restriction is a form of a Ulysses contract.

Similarly, when attending a timeshare presentation, you can restrict yourself by not taking your checkbook with you. And even though most presentations will require that you have a credit card on hand, you can choose to attend with a card that has a limit far below the price of the timeshares you are about to see.

That way, you are limiting the options available to you and ensuring that no matter how emotionally excited you get, you cannot and, therefore, will not commit to something that you will regret later on.

💳 Learn more: For those using credit cards, this post offers 11 rules to ensure you’re using them wisely .

Be Distant Yet Upfront

We talked about the representative being your best friend. Well, the best thing you can do is be distant and boring.

Any information you provide can and will be used against you. So, if you mention that your kids are about to enter middle school, the representative might talk about how the vacation is for them and not for you. To sell you on the timeshare, the representative will highlight the importance of making memories before the kids are off to college and how you will regret not making the most of this time you have with them.

Alternatively, if you come across as distant and disinterested, the representative will figure out that they probably have no shot with you. So, they will quickly go through the motions and get you out of the door that much faster so they can move on to a better prospect.

Share as little personal information as possible. Don’t discuss your income or assets. You’re just giving the representative more ammunition for their sales pitch.

If you are upfront with the representative and let them know that you have no plans on buying a timeshare and are only there for the free gifts, they will be even less pushy with you.

Remember, the sales representative’s end goal is to make a sale. And if it is clear to them that you are a lost cause, they will try to move on to other prospects who seem more promising.

Don’t Argue

Arguing with a timeshare salesman is a futile effort that helps no one and keeps you at the sales pitch longer than necessary.

If your representative claims that a timeshare is an investment, just nod and smile. On second thought, just nod and don’t even smile.

Don’t bring up the secondhand market or anything else that could drag you into an unnecessary conversation. Unless absolutely necessary, don’t even ask questions.

The only thing you should do is to hold them to their own time limits. So, if they tell you that the entire sales pitch will last 90 minutes, then you should start your stopwatch the second they check you in. You can even stop your representative in the middle of their pitch and remind them that they have 25 minutes left on the clock.

Salespeople will try to wear you down by making the process much longer than the agreed time. Don’t let them get away with it.

Have a Game Plan

You don’t need to give the representative a reason when saying “no,” you should have a host of reasons prepared in the back of your mind. These reasons will strengthen your resolve and protect you when the representative starts tugging at your emotional strings.

Don’t share these reasons, as this would give the representative reason to believe that they could make the sale if they could just overcome your objections.

Another idea you can include in your game plan is to show up for the presentation when they are at their busiest. The busier they are, the more likely they are to finish your entire sales pitch faster so that they can move on to other, more likely buyers. They also won’t pressure you as much because they want to preserve their energy for other people walking into the resort.

I Bought a Timeshare, Now What?

Although you might be on your guard, you still might end up signing a contract. Perhaps you were a little tipsy and couldn’t keep your guard up.

Whatever the reason, you will most likely feel buyer’s remorse. After all, almost 85% of timeshare purchasers end up regretting their decision [3] .

So, what can you do?

Canceling Your Timeshare

The good news is that the consumer protection laws are in your favor as they provide you with a “cooling off” period during which you can rescind your timeshare purchase. This “rescission period” ranges from 3 days to 15 days, depending on your state.

To rescind your timeshare purchase, you will need to carefully read the paperwork you signed, as it will contain the information you need. The process can be a bit complicated. That’s intentional: timeshare companies don’t want you to cancel on them. But if you follow the instructions and don’t give up, you will get your deposit back.

If the rescission period has expired, you face a much greater challenge, and you will have to do some serious research on how to avoid timeshare exit scams and how to get rid of an unwanted timeshare .

👉 Learn more: For those in the timeshare loop, here’s a post outlining some of the best exit companies in the market .

How to Survive a Timeshare Presentation: Putting It All Together

There might be benefits and perks to attending a timeshare presentation. It still doesn’t make any fiscal sense to sign a purchase agreement, especially as the secondhand market is much cheaper.

If you want to attend one of these presentations, then the secret to how to survive a timeshare presentation is you need to have no problem with saying “no” over and over again. You need to be comfortable with not sharing personal information or giving reasons for your refusal. And you need to know how to avoid letting your emotions drag you into a long-term financial commitment.

If all of this applies to you, then enjoy the free tickets, the discounted hotel rooms, and the other juicy incentives. But if none of this applies to you, then spare yourself the hassle and don’t attend the presentation in the first place.

By Ibrahim Zaghw

Contributing writer.

Ibrahim Zaghw is a freelance content writer who helps finance and business-related websites and blogs to both educate and engage their readers. Before being a writer, Ibrahim was a business analyst at a boutique consulting firm. His job was to assess the viability of different business decisions as well as to write detailed business plans for them. Ibrahim graduated from Cairo University as a civil engineer.

To support the facts within our articles FinMasters editorial team uses only high quality primary sources. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we make sure our content is unbiased, accurate and up-to-date.

[1] https://www.arda.org/number-timeshare-presentations-attended-purchase

[2] https://www.explore.com/1205101/what-is-the-average-cost-of-buying-a-timeshare/

[3] https://finnlawgroup.com/statistics-about-timeshare-rescission/

More in The Breakdown

20 Best Personal Finance YouTube Channels to Follow in 2024

Is Value Investing Ready to Outperform Growth?

Why Are Banks Failing? Can You Lose Your Money?

What Can We Learn From Berkshire Hathaway’s New Buy?

Why You Shouldn’t Buy a Timeshare (Probably)

Are Americans Bad at Saving Money?

12 Ways to Get Paid to Read Books in 2024

The Hyper-Consumerism Effect: How to Break Free From the Need to Buy

Money 2.0: How Technology Is Changing the Way We Manage Money

The Evolution of Personal Finance, From the 70s to Now

10 Key Financial and Credit Steps to Take When a Loved One Dies

How Much Does It Cost to Die In America?

35+ Best Finance Podcasts to Listen to in 2024

The Cost of Being Poor: Why It Costs So Much to Be Poor in America

The Illusion of Wealth: Why Accumulating Material Possessions Doesn’t Guarantee Financial Security

Why Are Gas Prices so High? 18 Questions Answered!

5 Surprising Benefits of Downsizing Your Home

How Much Can You Save in a Year?

• Cookie Policy
• Privacy Policy

We did a little mythbusting on one of the burning questions of the moment. Here's what you need to know about why gas prices are so ...

How Does Inflation Work: An Illustrated Guide for the Rest of Us

With all this talk about inflation have you ever stopped to consider if you really know what inflation is? If you’re not really sure - join the club and read on. ...

12 Valuation Ratios Every Investor Should Know

Learn all about the 12 valuation ratios that allow investors to quickly estimate a business’s value relative to its ...

Popular Articles

12 best rent reporting services in 2024.

Not all rent reporting services are created equal. To maximize your credit score increase you need to choose the best rent reporter for you. Learn ...

The 15/3 Credit Card Payment Hack: How, Why, and When It Works

Here's what you should know about the 15/3 credit card payment hack, including how it works and whether you should use ...

Yes, You Can Build Credit with a Debit Card. Here’s How!

In this blog post, we take a closer look at why you couldn't build credit with a debit card before, and why you can ...

How To Get Out Of A Timeshare Presentation When Traveling

Depending on where you're traveling, you might get solicited by timeshare sales representatives who want to rope you into ownership options. This can often happen if you stay at a resort, since sales representatives can see that you have an interest in travel and already like the area. Maybe you are genuinely curious and want to get a timeshare. There are some famous ones, like the Disney Vacation Club , that offer ways to make it worth your while.

What'll likely happen is that you'll get invited to a presentation, where the reps will offer a sales pitch on getting in on the "deal." To incentivize guests, they'll lure people in with wonderful freebies. In some cases, these are worth sitting through the presentation for. In other cases, they're completely not. The problem is that these timeshare presentations can be super tough to get out of. Reps often have several strategies to wear guests down in an effort to get them to sign on, and it can feel overwhelming. There are ways to get out, even if you feel completely roped in. And hey, you can even walk out with the perks that were promised.

You can say 'no' through the whole timeshare presentation

Timeshare presentations lure people in with appealing incentives, and the reps who put them on know exactly how to make guests feel welcomed and, at times, compelled to go along with the process. Because of this, it can be challenging to get out of a presentation once you're there. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, you have complete agency. If you want to leave at any point during the presentation, no matter how pressured you feel to stay, you are free to do so. If anyone tries to block your exit, you have every right to call the police. Hopefully things won't come to that, though.

If a sales representative tells you that a presentation is only 20 minutes long, you can take note of the time and even set a timer on your phone. Your vacation time is precious and if a certain time frame was the expectation that was set, then you can absolutely hold the rep to it. Don't feel pressured into signing anything on the spot. If you truly want to consider an offer, then take the document with you and look it over when you have more room to breathe or even have an attorney look it over with you. Don't be shy to say "no" also. Sales representatives will be persistent if they think you are genuinely mulling something over. If you're certain you don't want a timeshare, say so clearly and without hesitation.

You can get the freebies

The reason that people sit through timeshare presentations is because of the freebies and perks that sales representatives offer to lure people in. They'll offer anything from free flights, free restaurant gift cards, free hotel stays, travel points, and more. You can still get some of the freebies offered, though, even if you don't buy a timeshare. The site Lifehacker offered tips and opened the comments for feedback on how people still got the perks without getting roped into anything. "My wife is the same and wants to do this almost every time we go to Vegas," user @thatdamnpaul wrote in the comments about going to timeshare presentations. "We usually hit up one the first or second morning we're there and have scored free Cirque tickets, dinners, even casino chip credits." Many users agreed that it's good to attend with another person and have roles clearly defined, with one of you acting as the tough guy, who has agreed to say "no" under every possible circumstance. That way you won't get talked into anything and can still walk out with the gift.

Many people on Reddit talked about the experience too on the forum r/DaveRamsey . Some users did have success getting freebies with no commitment. "Yes, my husband and I did this. We went on the free two-night trip to a fancy golf course, had a nice time, and flatly refused to buy anything," Reddit user r/oaktreegardener wrote. However, many said it wasn't worth the time.

The Awkward Traveller

5 Ways to Scam a Timeshare Presentation for Travel Deals and Freebies

I am a participant in affiliate programs, so basically I earn a small commission if you use any of the affiliate links on this post - at no extra cost to you! Dope right?

Who doesn’t love a travel deal? EVERYONE. Well, unless you’re one of those people who like paying EXTRA to prove a point or something (couldn’t be me). Regardless, I’m sure you’ve heard about attending a timeshare presentation or promotion in exchange for a literal FREE VACATION.

Like. What?

How can a hotel offer 3 nights accommodation plus water park tickets and a $100 restaurant gift card for $129?

How can watching a short video reward you with a free flight and lodging for a weekend across the country?

Well. That’s because these promotions are from timeshare companies looking to introduce their resort, and timeshare ownership, to new people. Remember what Andrew Lewis said, if you’re not paying for a product, YOU are the product.

Little do these timeshare presentations and companies know – I’m a very fickle product.

And by fickle, I mean I want all of the reward without any of input. But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. First, we should probably break down timeshare presentations.

Table of Contents

So What ARE Timeshares?

Timeshare sales are big business! Like, REALLY big. In 2019, there was $10.2 billion (yes billions!) in timeshare purchases in America. That’s almost twice as much as Sephora’s sales. The global timeshare market is expected to reach $40 billion in 2023. And yah, that accounts for the whole COVID pandemic. I mean, it might have even increased it.

But, as with any industry, in order to grow their business, timeshare companies need to pivot and begin selling timeshares to younger generations – aka Millennials (specifically young/cusp Millennials) and Gen Z. Yanno. ME.

And maybe you too. I don’t know your age. But I’m assuming you might not have had a timeshare property before, so I’ll just lump you into the target audience as well.

So what IS a timeshare? Timeshares are partial vacation ownerships of condo-like units in resort developments. They are owned, operated, and maintained by independent resorts, small chains, and large timeshare companies like Hilton Grand Vacations Club, Club Wyndham, Marriott Vacation Club, and Disney.

I mean, you might have stayed in a timeshare rental before without realizing it. I know I did in Napa, California, and it turned out to be one of the most affordable options in the area! And it was REAL NICE TOO.

Okay…So What are Timeshare Presentations?

Just like car sales, timeshare selling is most effective IN PERSON. But companies can’t just stand outside of grocery stores like Girl Scouts selling cookies and try to guilt trip you into buying something.

So timeshare companies hold timeshare presentations, or pitches. Basically they invite you (or a group of people) to the presentation, give you ALL the pros, explain through any of the cons, and really try to sell you on the idea of having a timeshare property.

And to really sweeten the deal, they throw in some awesome perks for just ATTENDING the timeshare presentation! Usually a free weekend stay at a hotel or resort, flights, food and drink credit, activities, the works. So I mean…if you really want to get flewed out for the absolute minimum amount of work, attending a timeshare presentation can be a pretty sweet deal!

What’s the Catch?

I mean….

What’s your time worth to you?

Two hours of your time can “fund” vacations to resorts across the country. You can score unbelievable travel deals by attending these timeshare presentations, but it’s important to educate yourself so you don’t get pressured into buying an unwanted or overpriced timeshare.

Is it possible to still reap the benefits of attending a timeshare presentation without…yanno, ACTUALLY buying a timeshare property? How do you talk you way out of a sales pitch?

I’ve personally only been to one timeshare presentation (and snagged a free trip out of it!), so honestly I’m not the BEST to help guide you to making these companies spend their coin on you. That’s why I’ve enlisted the help of my buddy Monica , who has actually been a timeshare owner for fifteen years. Trust me, know one knows more than her about squeezing all that you can out of those promotional presentations. She will be dropping her five best tips for making out like a bandit without spending a dime! Monica, take it away.

Double Check that You Meet Their Qualifications

These deals can be an amazing way to travel on the cheap, but you have to meet the qualifications outlined in the Terms and Conditions. 

There’s always a barrier. But no worries, they’re not TOO out of left field. Remember, by making this type of promotional reservation, you are confirming that you meet their requirements and promise to attend a timeshare presentation. Here’s a variety of conditions found in the fine print to give you a sense:

Example of Timeshare Presentation Requirements

• Couples living in the same household with combined income of $50,000; Must have the same address on their ID; Must attend the presentation together
• Single people 30 years of age and older with annual income of 45K or more may qualify
• Must be currently employed
• Must be creditworthy (no bankruptcies, foreclosures or liens in the past two years)
• Cannot be in the process of home loan modifications/refinance
• Must pay 13% room tax and $20.00 daily resort fee due at check-in
• Must have a credit card that is not connected to a debit account
• Only for the U.S. Residents that reside in AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KT, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY.

That said, when I attended my first timeshare presentation, the only thing they checked was my ID and which state I lived in. They didn’t even check if my partner and I had the same address (we didn’t), so. Just putting that out there. They might though, but if you’re already in the door, they usually want to at least try to keep you there.

The Sales Presentation is Required. Seriously

By booking your reservation, if you get an offer where you travel to the resort FIRST, then attend a presentation there, you agree to go to the sales meeting and cannot skip it.

Point. Blank.

The reason they are offering room accommodations for free, or close to it, is to get people to attend their sales pitches. A majority of timeshare purchases are made during these presentations, so timeshare companies know the more people who attend, the more sales they can make.

Listen, they are not playing around with this requirement. If you do not go, your credit card will be charged the full retail price of the accommodations, or a flat fee around $300, depending on the resort. Usually, it’s whatever is more expensive. You have to hold up your side of this travel deal and can’t get out of it. 

On the flip side, if you get an offer where you have to attend a timeshare presentation first, THEN they’ll fly you out, you don’t have too much to lose if you don’t show up. Well, except your potential getaway.

Set Your Phone Timer

You agreed to attend their meeting to get this offer, but only for the amount of time listed in the promo fine print – and not one second longer .

You’re on a vacation after all, don’t waste half a day in a hotel conference room.  If the promo you booked says “a 90 minute sales presentation,” start your phone timer the minute the presentation starts. Once you’ve given your time, your obligation is fulfilled. Period. 

Do not let them tell you otherwise, make you feel bad, or talk you into spending any more time with them. It’s unnecessary. Something as simple as, “Thanks for sharing this information with me. The required 90 minutes is up. Take care :)”

Get out of your seat and go back to enjoying your vacation. Badda bing badda boom.

However, if you attend a timeshare presentation that does not state a time limit (usually the ones that give you the trip AFTER), you really just have to muscle through their multiple sales tactics. If you are uninterested in buying, be stern and make that clear. Any sort of wishy-washy “mayyybeeee”s will just make them keep you longer.

Keep Your ID and Credit Card in Your Own Hand

Yes, you are required to “present” an ID and/or Credit card, but present it in your own hand. Do not let them keep it or take it anywhere .

If I was at a car dealership shopping for a car I’d do the exact same thing.  If they give you a hard time, play their fine print language back to them, and stay friendly. “I’m presenting you my ID. I only give my ID to customs at the airport. Or when a police officer pulls me over for speeding.” Laugh, and smile! A little light heartedness goes a long way!   

This piece is critical because if they have your ID or credit card, it will be very hard to get it back once your phone timer goes off. If you have all of your items in your wallet, you can leave once your part of the deal is done.  If they have your stuff, you’re kinda a hostage. Stay ready and you won’t have to get ready.

Arm Yourself with a Resale Listing

Are there some bad apples in a barrel? Yes.

Are there some timeshare sales people who are aggressive? Yes.

If you find yourself in a very uncomfortable position, especially if you are usually a more quiet or shy person (or just a people pleaser), getting out of a strong sales pitch can be difficult. I am one of those people.

To have some backing power, show them a print out of a resale listing for their exact resort and ask them if they can match the price. 

Spoiler: They can’t. You’ll be at the pool before you know it. 

Hold up hold up hold upppp. Wait a minute….but what exactly is that?

What Is a Timeshare Resale Listing?

Did you know there is a resale market for timeshares where existing owners sell their unwanted timeshare to other people?

Yup, just like a car or house, people resell their timeshares too! It’s not like you’d have a “new” timeshare anyway since you’re just buying a specific time to use the property.

You can save 75%-99% of resort sales price by buying a timeshare in the resale market. Timeshare Users Group (TUG), the oldest and largest timeshare owners group and advocacy organization, hits it right on the head when they say, “Why would anyone buy from a resort if they could get the exact same “used condo” week, at the exact same resort property, for pennies on the dollar from an existing owner?”

Where Can You Find Timeshare Resale Listings?

If you ARE interested in buying a timeshare property rental, there are a few places you can go that will be hands down cheaper than getting it at a timeshare presentation.

One of the best places to find timeshare resale listings is TUG’s owner-to-owner marketplace .  It is one of the largest and most visited timeshare classified ad sites on the internet with $30 million in timeshare sales, $18 million in owner-direct timeshare rentals, and one-week vacation exchanges between timeshare owners. If you can’t find the resort you are visiting there, check out Redweek.com , the largest online marketplace for timeshare sales and rentals.

Plus, both sites are fantastic reliable resources to arm yourself with information during a timeshare presentation.

If you’re curious about buying a timeshare for up to 99% off and want to read about “Best Buys” check out Monica’s article: Timeshare Purchases 2021: How to Get The Most Bang for Your Buck. 

Getting the Most out of a Timeshare Presentation: Conclusion

If you love to travel and are trying to find ways to afford it, timeshare presentation promotion deals are certainly an opportunity. Also, if a company is going to treat you like a product, at least make them pay you for it!! I’m not saying go out and ROB them –

-but definitely take advantage of the opportunity! Follow these five tips and you’ll feel confident, and empowered, to attend a timeshare presentation, say NO to buying, AND walk out with a free getaway. Now go on and get yo goodies!!

Have you ever attended a timeshare presentation? How did it go? Let me know in the comments below! And, if you want to know more tricks about working perks in your favor, check out my post about soft-core scamming your loved ones into payin g for your travels . I promise no family memebers or friends will be hurt in the process 🙂

I want to give a special shoutout to Monica for writing up and providing all of her expert knowledge on timeshare rentals. Basically, she’s the Timeshare Fairy Godmother you never knew you needed. Seriously, if you ever want to know about timeshare vacation tricks and tips (or even what to do around the NYC Metro Area) SHE’S YOUR GAL. Check out more of her stuff over at PlannerAtHeart.com !

Pin these Timeshare Presentation Tips!

Sharing is caring!

Similar Posts

Coachella guide for first timers : avoid the 5 most common disasters.

I am a participant in affiliate programs, so basically I…

Living for the Alive Museum Seoul

Yachats travel guide: 2 days in oregon’s best hidden getaway town, 10 best restaurants in tokyo: chow down at these must-eat dinner spots, myths and misconceptions about the bahamas – debunked.

Travel Crew Check! Who are You in Your Squad?- Personality Quiz

56 comments.

There are a lot of great tips here, and to be honest I had heard of timeshares but didn’t know the details about them, so thanks for sharing all of the helpful information!

Yayyy!! I’m so glad you found it helpful!

Really useful post lady!

I do value my time, so I am not desperate to spend 90 mins listening to a presentation for a timeshare I don’t want to buy…but it is a pretty amazing deal! I guess I could daydream my way through it.

We were actually approached by some timeshare sellers in Whistler last year. They offered us 4 nights for $200 (normally it is closer to $200 per night, so we were VERY tempted.) The problem was they wanted the money up front before we could choose our dates, so we didn’t want to commit. I do regret it a bit as it would be nice to stay up there for multiple nights!

Awww man, I get that!! If I wasn’t sure about my availability, I’d be super hesitant to commit as well! But now that my entire calendar year is free….hahah

Ok I was SO excited about this free travel hack until I saw that it’s only available to American citizens, haha. I always wondered why I didn’t hear about timeshares here in Canada, I guess it’s just an American thing!

Maybe!! I wonder…why….

I have always heard of the timeshare rewards, but never thought of making it a way to get free trips and more! So thank you, thank you, thank you! I am going to have to try this sometime and didn’t even know I could look up “events” for it.

Let me know how it goes!! Thanks for reading!

Great article!! This past weekend, I went on a vacation to Las Vegas and was approached to attend a presentation and would receive a free mini vacation, $50 visa gift card, and $100 slot play. Their presentation was not about timeshares, but was trying to sell you their website that allows you to have access to cheap deals for hotels, flights, etc. I came with the mindset that I am NOT buying any of it, but my boyfriend was falling into their trap. However, I got him together and we took the free things and left. I’ve been obsessed with trying to find more presentations like this!!!! I went to the websites that you posted in this article, but having trouble seeing what deals are offered with their timeshare.

AHHH!!!! Thank you so much Kylie!! That literally means the WORLD to me haha. ALSO YAAAAAS getting those deals!!! So the websites I posted are not directories for timeshare presentations – they’re just a directory for timeshares resells (by the owner). Kinda like a timeshare zillow/redfin. But that’s a great idea, I should put together a post of where to find the presentations themselves – thanks for the idea!

Kylie! I would love to see what you have assembled for places like this!

How do I sign up to receive promotions to stay at hotels for timeshar presentations?

The most direct way would be to call the timeshare company and ask if they have any promotions/presentations going on. The website VacationPeople dot com is another resource to browse!

do you happen to have a list of these timeshare companies?

I’m considering this website. Is it legit?

I’m headed to St.Petes beach on a timeshare presentation that i bought 3 nights for $160. I’m prepared to go to the presentation and set my timer for 2hrs. The more pressure people put on me the more i back away. I’m ready, but your article gave some great pointers.. thanks!!

My pleasure!! Thank you so much for reading 🙂

Your information about the secondary market is not COMPLETE. You can buy points but you receive non of the benefits of ownership. And the timeshare company has right to recession meaning they have the right to buy it first. Also all you are buying is the maintenance fees that go up 4% per year. And additionally. Just say no it’s classless to bring up the secondary market in a presentation.

So the point of this article isn’t actually to buy anything at all, secondary market or not. It is a leveraging tactic to get out of buying anything. The bottom line (regardless of pros/cons of the secondary market) is that the price cannot be matched, and is an easier way to pivot out of an aggressive sales tactics for those who may find it harder to “just say no.” In my humble opinion, judging others on their social confidence and navigating aggressive sales pitches is more “classless,” but maybe that’s just me.

It’s also classless to correct someone so publicly.

I’ve been on about a dozen time share presentations in my lifetime. I currently have 3 vacations in my coffers to cash in on during the next year. I enjoy making the salesmen work and work and work to try to force me to take their offer. Just remember that you have all the power, until you sign the contract to purchase….so I never purchase and I retain my power over them.

Have you taken advantage of their free vacation and is it legitimate? I attended a presentation and got a voucher for Orlando trip but I need to send a money order for $100 that’s refundable and then 60 per person for taxes. Is that correct?

I personallyyy wouldn’t pay out of pocket for any offer that’s supposed to be free.

I’ve used this opportunity many times! Once I had a sales man yell at me because he thought I was truly interested in buying. I guess I have a good poker face! Haha!

cant believe people like you think they’re actually getting somewhere in life. absolute loser. I’ve owned 3 programs for 15 years and NEVER have spent my valuable vaca time with my wife and kids on another presentation. if you already own one and are doing presentation you are an imbecile wasting your most valuable resource, your TIME

Ahhh interesting, but you DO use your valuable time to comment on something irrelevant to you? Lol Okayyyy Nick

I signed uip for a 3 day 3 nite timeshare “promotion” in Las Vegas – there were many things offered for attending the sales presentation – and they wanted $399 down for the ‘package deal’. However, when I got there, I wasn’t allowed to attend the sales presentation (they said I was 15 min. late). When I tried to reschedule and told them I was willing to pay for an extra nite at the hotel in order to attend a rescheduled time/date – they offered me a second chance 2 days later. But when I tried to go to that, they cancelled on me. I felt “scammed” as I got the hotel – but had to pay for the last nite there in addition to the $399 plus all the resort fees plus hotel taxes. This was a real “Bait and Switch” on the travel company’s end. Who do I complain to? Undoubtedly they are doing this to a lot of people coming to Las Vegas.

Mmmmmm yeah, this was a good example of the timeshares turning the scam on the guest – and unfortunately they usually write it into their fine print that they are allowed to do it since you were late (I would not be surprised if you were even a minute or two late and they just exaggerated your lateness). You could try complaining to the timeshare company, but in truth since you decided to stay and didn’t get it in writing that you would get reimbursed for the extra hotel nights then…they probably won’t do anything for you. In this situation, the best thing to do would to NOT pay out of pocket for extra nights at the hotel and just head home and consider it a $399 vacation deal.

I had my eye on the Las Vegas timeshare promotion but I was hesitant about it. I’m sorry that happened Ellen, try filling a dispute claim with your bank.

Hey There! Leaving Sunday for a 4 night vacation. I was promised a bunch of gift cards but when I see reviews it says that if you say NO than they refuse to give you your promotional items! How do you get yours? Suggestions?? Thanks so much!

Mm so you can think of this in two ways. The first and potentially the “best/easiest” is that either way, you’re getting a 4 night vacation, which is pretty sweet in itself. So even if they don’t give you the promotional items, hey at least you got something. The second way to approach this would be to get everything in writing. And specifically ask if it is still valid with no purchase required. Then you have more ground to stand on if they do not give you your promised promotional items…which they still might not.

I am going to a vacation presentation that is 120 minutes. When does the 120 start? Is it the time of the appointment or when you first meet with the salesperson. I would like to know so I can set my alarm. Thanks.

That is correct!

Hi ! I recently came to a Orlando trip and was approach with a timeshare sales rep unknowing after already agreed to attend presentation due to promotion. I was very hesitant about the deal as she only inform I have to show up to a grand hotel tour and they will discuss about “vacation packaging they offer” and a view of the hotel. Also they said and I quote “marketing strategies “ because in return I will attend the presentation and just share word to mouth about my experience. She stated if anytime I would want to cancel it would be fine and no fee will be charged. I was pursued to attend an appointment during my stay but a few minutes later as they gave me my flyer with information of the hotel . It stated information about timeshare which I was never informed until they actually gave me the form. After I notice and was very upset. I asked to cancel and they didn’t want to give me a confirmation of cancellation. I put a deposit of 100$ just “confirm my seat” they also put my income information incorrect. They didn’t fly me out or stated they will give me the promotion after I attend and obtain my certification. I’m really concerned about them not being honest with the cancellation and returning my deposit. If by any chance they keep the deposit and charge me for not attending can I dispute with my credit card?. I have prove of the paper of appointment and them writing canceled but they didn’t want to put there signature it was a very frustrating situation. Please give me some advice or tip would help thanks !

Yeah I would dispute that with your credit card if they do keep the deposit. You have the agreement in writing AND you reached out to them, so its more than likely your card won’t even question further and wipe the charge (if needed)

We did this with Marriott in Cabo. We attended the presentation and they kept telling us it is NOT a timeshare. So we signed up. When we got home we did research and realized it IS a timeshare! The cool thing is, we live in Colorado, and they have a law that says if you cancel within 3 days you can get out of (any) contract for real estate. So we canceled. We have had no issues whatsoever AND we enjoyed a lovely vacation for four days in Cabo for $300. Plus we probably made the sales guy feel awesome because he got us to sign up for everything. Hehe.

EYYYYY!!! Now that’s a GREAT trick!!! 🙂

I’ve done several of these. Vegas, Orlando, Myrtle Beach. Usually when I book at a property like Hilton, once they know you have a credit card they ask would you like to hear about special offers, say YES. That’s when they switch you to the department that SELLs you a Great Deal for a special price. Most of these are NOT FREE. But, more like $199. For three or four nights at a luxury property. You MUST attend the Timeshare Tour and You MUST be on Time with The Spouse, if you told them that you have one. They will have snacks. Take a tote bag. The tour gives you a chance to see their top of the line suites. Act nice, go back to the “boiler room “ and say NO to everything. They might get a little nasty, or they might be glad to get rid of you and get on to the next customer. Don’t take it personal. It’s their job to make you feel like crap because you didn’t buy their product There will always be ONE LAST Person when you think you are getting away. The vouchers for future stays are worthless because you have to pay first at someplace that costs three times the voucher. In Vegas we got dinners and show tickets that were worth it. Count the wasted time as part of your trip. In places like the Caribbean you are more likely to get breakfast or lunch. Your not in the states so be careful. They might pick you up, but not take you back to your resort and you end up with an expensive Uber or taxi bill. Finally: if you get a random call: make sure the trip is to somewhere you want to stay. There are people offering some real dumps.

Great tips!

Thank you for the resale sites And all the other helpful info especially the timer.. You’re brilliant!.

Thank you so much for reading!!

our friends think we are nuts but who can beat 6 days 5 nights at an all inclusive resort on the beach in Puerto vallarta for $549.00 For 2 adults and 4 kids! Plus we got a free vegas trip and a free excursion while there. I’m really good at saying no to the sales ppl and think it’s kinda fun to get all these good deals!

I have done a few timeshare presentations in my life and found it was worth my time to save $$, however, I have just hit a new stumbling block. I booked a 5 night vacation in Cancun for 399 with presentation, I then paid another 280 for taxes, fees, and “white glove service “, still not bad for all inclusive. I then purchased our non-refundable flights. I was the contacted by the resort and told they have a max age restriction of 68 for the presentation, my wife turns 69 2 days before we get there. Waiting to hear back from booksi now to see if they can bypass this. I don’t have a good feeling.

Good luck!!

How can I get my payment back for a vacation that didn’t happen yet, from a time share Market place? I just found out about the 90 min presentation after the fact. I tried to cancel, but I was told it’s no -refundable. Our reservation is on Aug this year. I really wanted to cancel that vacation. I paid $2500 for 7 nights and 6 days Cancun vacation for 5 persons. I bet there will be additional surprise charges I am dreading about. Do I have a case getting my money back?

You could try going through your credit card to cancel.

I was scammed into buying a so-called hotel package that I later found out had a timeshare presentation requirement. By the time someone pointed it out to me it was past the timeframe to cancel and get my money back. So I’m now stuck with this package. On top of that when I called Booksi/Monster Reservations they revealed that it’s also a requirement to make at least $60k. They never asked me that question when I bought the package! They gladly took my money to get this hotel package, but didn’t bother asking me about my income or tell me about the requirements. Is there a recourse for this?? What if I only make say $20k? It’s their fault that they let me purchase the package anyway, without asking me what I make beforehand. Wouldn’t that be reason for them to have to cancel and give me my money back?? Also every time I call in and speak with someone I get told something different. A few people told me that if I didn’t want to deal with the presentation that I could just choose a variety of other hotels other than than the one I purchased the package on, that don’t require you to attend a presentation. But then today a couple reps said it doesn’t matter which hotel I choose I will have to attend a presentation no matter what. Plus it’s only May 1st and they conveniently have nothing available until July. I’m so frustrated and angry that they are in for quite a “treat” for when I arrive for this presentation. Definitely not getting one more cent from me and I’m not going to feel one bit sorry for any of them. I don’t even care if they start crying. In fact them crying just might make me feel a little bit better about all this. I want them to feel how I feel and how I have been crying over this huge headache of a situation. That’s how upset I am! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Kay.

It seems like you’re on the right track. Sometimes you get roped into a presentation that is so ridiculous that the only thing to do is attend…but you don’t have to be excited about it! I’d recommend leaving immediately after whatever the required time is up, then go enjoy the rest of your vacation.

Hi there, This webpage is terrific! Really great information! My question is how can I find these Promotions? I searched all over the internet and I couldnt find any places offering a Promotion to sit through a Timeshare Presentation.

Ideally we would like to go to an “all inclusive” resort for 5 nights to the Carribean or Costa Rica. Do you have any suggestions as to where I can find some options? Also, do any of these promotions ever include credit for airfare?

Thank you for your help!

Been in two presentations. I keep my shades on and don’t say nothing. I don’t engage in any small talk. A no from the start and I shut down. No information about me or my family. I make it uncomfortable. They might as well be talking to themselves.

There ya go!!!!

our tips on staying firm, setting time limits, and staying focused on your travel goals are invaluable for travelers who might encounter these presentations. The personal anecdotes and real-life examples you’ve shared add a relatable touch, making the reader feel well-prepared and empowered to handle such scenarios. Thanks for shedding light on a topic that many travelers may find awkward, and providing them with the tools they need to make the most of their travel experiences. Your thoughtful guidance will undoubtedly help fellow travelers navigate timeshare presentations with confidence.

We are going to Myrtle beach next week and we were called by the crown reef we booked our hotel through for a presentation. For a free 5 night stay at any crown reef resort at various cities they have. I was skeptical and asked the proper questions. The only thing I had to do was answer questions and go to this presentation for a fee for reserving my seats for fifty dollars. They said I get it back in a visa gift card and a free 5 day stay. He ended up upping the stay to 8 days. So what signed up. They said I was only obligated for two hours of my time. They also said if I don’t show up I would be out the fifty because it would give others the opportunity that I passed on if I didn’t show. So further reading after i agreed, that is a form of saving money on resorts and such and it’s basically a time share. We are nervous to attend because we have kids but there’s a specific area for them to play and you can see them while the presentation is going . Okay fine. I agreed. Even though this presentation hasn’t happened yet, I agreed to the most two hours which they stated. I agreed to the fifty charge on my cc on a recorded line. We figure get a free stay at a resort is worth the two hours but we aren’t buying anything. The question I have is, they stated if I don’t show they keep the fifty. That’s fair. But I also read some other time shares they can charge you credit card for more if you don’t stay the whole time or meet the requirements. I also met the pre requirements on the phone but I’m not staying anywhere free for this presentation. I bought my hotel for the week stay and they called me so I’m asking is if I bail I should only be out the fifty?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign me up for the newsletter!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Tips for Surviving a Timeshare Presentation

The key to making it to the end, and claiming your prize, is simply to survive. Before you attend a timeshare presentation, make sure you are clear on how long the session is scheduled to last, and what you will be eligible for at the conclusion.  Confirm that this is offered even if you do not go through with the buying process. The tips listed below can help you assure you will not be roped into a vacation ownership you do not desire, and ensure you can get through the process as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Tips for Surviving and Escaping a Timeshare Presentation (Without Buying):

• Before you go to the presentation, find out when the busiest times are, and go during one of these times. This will give you the upper hand – when a resort is overbooked and understaffed, your likelihood of getting through the presentation in under 90 minutes is dramatically increased.  You are also less likely to be the victim of high pressure sales; the salesperson will just move onto the next person if you seem uninterested.
• Before your session begins – tell them you will be up front with them, and that you expect the same treatment from your salesperson. The “If I like it, I will get it” approach will deter the salesperson from badgering, or otherwise pressuring, you into something you have clearly told him you are not interested in.
• Keep to yourself and try to be as boring as possible. Timeshare salespeople will use any personal information you provide to try and strike some sort of common ground with you, making you feel as though you can trust them. If they offer some sort of tale about how they know so-and-so from your town, just say that is nice, and ask to focus on the issue at hand – getting information about the resort.
• Hold them to the time frame that you have been promised for the timeshare presentation. If you were quoted 90 minutes, set your alarm for 70 minutes, and remind the salesperson at 70 minutes that they now have 20 minutes to finish up the talk.
• Do not lead on the salesperson. Do not pretend you are interested only to let them down at the very end. If you have no intentions of buying be sure to act that way.
• When they ask how much you make, lie. Pick a low to average income when asked how much you make per year. Admitting or saying you have a lot of disposable income is just going to make your experience that much more painful – think multiple salespeople all over you for hours on end.
• Tell them you already know about timeshare and its benefits, this way they will need to be more focused on the amenities at the particular resort, thus, shortening the presentation.
• Try not to talk too much, again, be boring. The less details you offer up about your personal life, the better.
• I am not interested in buying, I just want to trade to go to other resorts.
• I just bought a new house, I do not have any extra cash.
• I am swamped with bills – car payment, credit cards, new RV, home remodel, etc.
• The resort just does not fit my lifestyle – not enough activities for kids, location is too cold, lack of surrounding activities, etc.
• I can not afford it, it is much too far out of my price range. Be ready for them to offer ownership every other year, tell them it is still not affordable enough.
• You like your other timeshare better. This is a pretty solid reason, as there is no way they can haggle price to rope you into buying.

Similar Posts

Faq for rci points – how does the rci points system work.

Before purchasing a points-based timeshare, it is important to know exactly what you will be getting for your money. The following list of frequently asked questions regarding RCI points will touch on many of the basics of the points exchange, and feel free to leave a comment if you have any additional questions. Please follow…

Fisherman’s Cove Lakeside Resort Experience

I received a call from someone purporting to be from RCI. I have two timeshares and use RCI for exchanging purposes. They wanted to ‘explain a new program from RCI’. We went, met with them, and to make a long story short, ended up buying a timeshare from this group, plus giving my two other…

Pros and Cons of Using a Timeshare Broker

If you’re reading this page you’ve probably been through all the information you can take regarding how to sell a timeshare on your own. Truth be told, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to sell a timeshare. If you’ve tried gifting, donation, reselling on timeshare forums, eBay, Craigslist and word of mouth you are probably fed…

Do I Need a Lawyer or Broker to Sell My Timeshare?

Whether you are considering selling your timeshare ‘for sale by owner’, or have already found a buyer for your time share property (in which case – congratulations), there are a few legalities you will need to consider before closing the sale. In either case, you may be wondering whether or not you need a lawyer…

Timeshare Rescission Period in US

Each state passes its own laws regarding the amount of time you have after buying a timeshare property to return it for a full refund.  The process of returning an unwanted timeshare shortly after purchasing is known as Timeshare Rescission, or rescinding.  The timeshare rescission process refers directly to the interval of time that is…

7 Tips to Avoid Timeshare Scams

Most timeshare units are sold at a presentation, and even more often, there is a prize or incentive offered just for attending the timeshare presentation. The most common incentives include: discount hotel rooms, weekend getaway packages, show/event tickets, and prizes such as automobiles and boats. Being aware of these incentives, the high pressure sales tactics…

259 Comments

Wow. My wife and I went through a horrendous presentation in Orlando after being promised a three night stay in a hotel near Universal studios and we barely made it out of there in 2 hours after some real hardcore then, what turned out to be, rude sales pitching.

I would heed all warnings about the way that they try and sell you a piece of resort luxury for thousands and thousands of dollars (of course they never discuss dollar amounts up front.) Here’s my advice if you were not ALREADY considering buying timeshare after A LOT of research and TALKING with friends and family about their experience: 1. When they say two hours, hold them to the time. Perhaps you need to pick up your 89 year old mother at the hotel at exactly 11:00 or she will become agitated. 2. Do not engage. Do not tell them about family or friends (unless it’s your 89 year old mother who would NEVER stay at a timeshare with you, so there goes the ‘family time’ excuse to buy more property.) They will use every angle to hook you and connecting to family is a big one. 3. Do not talk. 4. Say no. 5. Say no again. 6. Say that you will never by timeshare because a. you rarely stay at hotels b. you do not like resorts c. you cannot afford it d. no. The answer is no. But be careful. Our salesperson held the “Well, we might have to reschedule you again” bit. (Which would have meant paying hundreds that I didn’t plan on spending for the hotel stay that they gave us in return for the presentation.) Don’t bite it. Say that the paper, the e-mails and the information you were given is what you are abiding by. So if they say “Two hours” it’s two hours. Whisper loudly to your wife about your close friends who are lawyers. That is all. Hope this helps. And btw, if you can, don’t even bother!

On 3/15/2020 we attended a Wyndham TimeShare Presentation. We were lured by the “FREE Gifts” while attending a Home Show exhibition in Seattle. The “Free Gifts” were: 7-Nite Resort Vacation Certificate + $150 Dining Credit + 30,000 Wyndham Points. Sounds great doesn’t it?? The reality: the Dining Credits are called “Dining Dough” from Restaurant.com We thought we could spend $150 at a fine restaurant—NO!! Dining Dough gives you $25 off of a $50 meal with LOTS of restrictions. Limited number of participating restaurants. So NOT very useful. The “amazing” 7-Nite Resort Vacation Certificate?? Maybe we will be able to use it, but there are MANY restrictions. The ONLY valuable item we received for 3 hours of our time was the 30,000 Wyndham points. We had the opportunity to get $100 in Dining Credit and 45,000 Wyndham points. Unfortunately we chose the almost useless extra Dining Credit. We tried asking several times during the presentation about the Dining Credit—but they refuse to answer any questions about it. (The salesmen KNOW they are almost worthless). Therefore be VERY specific about WHAT Wyndham offers you. The best bet is to ask for MORE Wyndham points.

• Pingback: What It's Like Sitting Through A Timeshare Presentation Just To Get The Free Gift - One Couple's Personal Experience With A Popular Vacation Club | The Travel Guide

My wife and I have gone to a dozen of them over the years. We really enjoy it because, amongst other things, it’s a inexpensive vacation. I won’t lie though, at this point we’re also going for the sheer kicks and giggles of the whole thing. We know their Schlick. The into, the tour, the probing, the puke price (an actual industry term), and everything else. When the right time come I will start asking them probing questions. My favorite is about how much the maintenance fees are. That’s when I pull out what they fear the most…a calculator. $500 for a studio means that it’s costing them $13,000 a year just to maintain one tiny unit? Com’n! I have a 3000 sq. foot home that needs only a fraction of that outlay. They have no answer and then, when they try finanancing (15-20%), and I tell them that a bank will do it for 3%, they have no answer. I ask them if they will wave, in perpetuity , the fees and taxes and of course they won’t. They’re already dying to get rid of us when, on cue, my wife says that she has a call and steps away for 5 minutes and then, when she comes back, she shows the sales rep a few on EBay that didn’t sell for even $1. More crickets from them. Another ploy is that I get up and tell them that I wan’t to run this past my financial advisor. They don’t like that one either. T/he last trick is to ask for the contract to review it with our realtor, etc. Nooooo…it’s a one time deal only offer and you can’t even take the contact out of the room. We also make a point of making our objections loud, but always polite, so that the other people in room can hear them. Of course, before any of this is done we haggle better stays in better places, more cash, etc. over the phone. It’s hilarious and a real interesting study in human nature. We’ll enjoy the 3 days for free and fortiet part of one as our “bill”. Some other things to say, that bug them.” -/we like to cruise because we don’t have to worry about cleaning up, cooking, and so forth. My wife likes turndowns too.

-I want to see the world and really don’t like seeing the same place twice

-(this one only works in Vegas), I never have to pay for lodging anyway because I get the room for free because I gamble, and can use their pool and stuff whenever I want.

If you’re really dying to have one, then just go on line and find one to rent. Their are plenty of people who can’t use them on time, or just want to recoup their annual fee, that will practically give you the week for a few bucks and take a lesser loss than a full one.

You can’t sell them, can’t write them off on your taxes, can barely rent them….turning the tables on the sharks is just giving the them what they deserve.

You don’t have a clue about how timeshare works. You seriously have no respect for someone who works off of commission. You and your wife and your enjoyment of wasting someone’s time is disgusting. That timeshare rep may have 3 or 5 kids at home that they are supporting and you are simply wasting their time. People like you are scum just like those on welfare. You all want something for nothing. Next time why don’t you spend your money and leave the presentations to those who will actually think about better vacations and saving money over their lifetime of vacations.

That person has nothing to feel sorry about. I was called by a timeshare place. I was under the impression that I was receiving a free gift through ihg’s reward program. I already had plans to travel to one of the offered locations anyway, so I accepted the offer. After paying a down payment I googled the place and realized it was for a timeshare pitch and immediately tried to cancel, but they would not return my “down payment”. These places use pushy tactics to lure you into visiting them and charge outrageous monthly places to people they are able to convince to buy in. The sales reps that work there know that what they’re selling is not a good deal for most people. They are the true scum.

I don’t think it’s right to waste folks time, but as a timeshare salesperson you’re a liar if you reckon you’re selling a good product

We bought a Wyndham timeshare, unit base is Orlando. They have nice facilities. I took a break from the salesman, saying I was going to the pool to ask people if they thought it was a good deal? They liked it, so we bought the two year plan. I hated the cheesy group presentation. The so-called breakfast was a joke- coffee, juice, and packaged doughnuts! We don’t use it a lot and the points get transferred to RCI (participating hotels). Holiday Inn RCI had horrible units! The good thing- less chance of lice, compared to hotels; suites, and nice facilities. The bad- maintenance fees and taxes. They call the heck out of you afterwards to upsell you. I finally got a different phone number. The “information update” presentations are horrible! They claim something like 45 minutes, but it’s actually at least twice that. I objected strongly and a woman got belligerent, saying she was just trying to help us! I know they wanted to upsell, but nope, I’m not doing it! I’ll never go to an update or another timeshare presentation again. If you do want a timeshare I recommend Wyndham.

That’s exactly how I feel about people like YOU, who LIE, LIE and LIE just to sell. You are the scum!

It isn’t “Something for nothing.” The “Something” the attendee gives is his or her time.

Maybe so BUT I was sold a “vacation” recently with the understanding that We would sit thru a timeshare presentation…. The girl made her offer, we said “no thanks” she then offered the hotel stay plus the same amount of gift cards minus 25.00 we had to spend on the “vacation”, again we said “no”. Then she offered all of that plus a free cruise for 2…At that point we signed up, she knew VERY well going into it that we had no intention on doing anything and even told us that if we took our toddler that we would get out faster…she was just trying to make a sale which we agreed to with her knowing that we would NEVER purchase a timeshare at the presentation…so they kinda get what they deserve when they are that pushy…if they don’t like working for commission they should find another profession and not try so hard to give stuff away to get you to listen to them.

Yeah I feel sorry for them, alright. Must be pretty hard up to join the army of salespeople who descend on those there for the “one hour” pitch. Didn’t you see Wyndham was forced to pay millions to a whistle blower who exposed how the teams were told to say anything they wanted to close a deal, especially for elderly visitor, as long as they didn’t write it down in the contract. An army of Wyndham lawyers lost that one. Ironically, the award went to the whistle blower for being fired, not to those who got bilked out of their retirements. Was no different when I bought Marriott. First thing I hear on my last Wyndham vacation, “you need a parking sticker to use the garage”. To get one, you need to run the gauntlet of sales associates. I get to my room, unplug both phones. They knock the next day and say it appears my phone isn’t working. What’s a family need to do to be left alone?

Might you know the parties who won the Wyndham caee?

I am seriously considering taking RCI to court. We were very specific on what we we’re looking for in a timeshare. EVERYTHING the sales person told us was an outright lie. The timeshare he sold us is completely useless to us and does not one thing he assured us it would.

Any help would be appreciated.

Feel sorry for them?! Ha! Didn’t you see Wyndham was forced to pay millions to a whistle blower who exposed how the teams were told to say anything they wanted to close a deal, especially to the elderly, as long as they didn’t write it down in the contract. An army of Wyndham lawyers lost that one. Ironically, the award went to the whistle blower for being fired, not to those who got bilked out of their retirements. Was no different when I bought Marriott. My last Wyndham vacation, “you need a parking sticker to use the garage”. To get one, you need to run the gauntlet of sales associates. I get to my room, unplug both phones. They knock the next day and say it appears my phone isn’t working. What’s a family need to do to be left alone?

Justin, maybe those who work off commission should find a better job with more reliable income if they have 3 to 5 kids to feed lest they end up as “scum just like those on welfare” (your words), not mine. I totally agree with Toni’s advice. Not all, but a great majority of time share salespersons give high pressured sales pitches to people who simply can’t afford it. They wear them down and guilt them into debt that they cannot afford. Don’t you think if people could afford a 4 day/3 night vacation they would pay for it themselves instead of giving up 90 to 120 minutes of their time? I know my time is a lot more valuable than a time share, but if you offer a nice gift, I’m willing to give up that small amount of my time. The presentations with the high pressure sales pitch will keep people there for longer than they’re actually required to stay. Time share companies are not stupid. They are well aware that they need to offer some type of benefit to lure potential customers. If someone is actually that interested in purchasing a time share, the company would not have to offer free dinners, show tickets, etc… The benefits that attract serious buyers are the benefits of owning the time share and the rest are extras. It’s a cheap way to get a vacation. My husband and I were offered a 4 day/3 night stay at our choice of available Wyndham resorts simply because he had accumulated more membership reward points for a stay at a Wyndham hotel. We intend to take advantage of it and Toni’s advice is spot on! It’s not a matter of respect for the salesperson’s earning potential. It’s a matter of respect the salesperson has for the customer who is not interested in the sale. Instead of pressuring someone who’s not interested, be polite and move on to the next potential customer for your commission. It’s usually the salesperson’s pushy tactics and pretend interest in a customer that costs them their commission.

Please don’t try to survive the timeshare pitch. I always felt so ashamed for what my guests had gone through when they approached me at the entrance to the theme park that I worked at with vouchers which they thought we would get admitted at the front gate. No, this voucher must be exchanged for a ticket so these guests waited in line at the ticket booth after having half or more of that day’s park hours wasted sitting though timeshare hard-sells.

I don’t think that y’all are a bunch of thieving moochers. I think that you probably had the same experience that I did when I spent my wedding night at a timeshare presentation in Reno for a “free” room after we had come with enough money to pay for our own lodging. My husband and I were young newlyweds who had never heard of timeshare before, which I don’t think was even called timeshare back then because it was 30 years ago. Thank heavens I could see that this was not in our best interest and told them one lie to counteract the many that I believed that they were telling us. I was asked about work and told them that I worked for a law firm much more powerful and bad-ass than where I actually worked. This was clearly disturbing to the salesman because he left quickly and returned with a supervisor who thanked us for our time and got us out of their quickly. We checked out the next day with no further pressure about buying a timeshare.

I then went to a timeshare presentation many years later, alone, just to see if they were any less slimy than I believed that the first place was since this was a different company. I got up to leave because I did not care about the gratuity once I saw that it was the same game but with the new name of “vacation club”. I was asked to wait for a second by the salesman who said that they owed me a “free gift”. I just wanted to forget about it, but I have done sales work and know that it is really hard so I took pity on this guy whom I thought seemed like a rookie and sat back down. I was then faced with two more people who wanted to hold me captive and so I reached for my handbag and sweater no longer caring how rude I was being. Then a third person stopped by the table and asked me what was holding me back, meaning of course holding me back from signing the papers. My response since she didn’t ask specifically what was holding me back from buying but simply what was holding me back I replied “Nothing. I am leaving”. When I was then asked what was the hurry, I told the truth that I had transcripts to type. Again, I was then quickly dismissed with cash since that was the “gratuity” this company was “offering”. They did not want to deal with a court stenographer while trying to get away with their crooked conduct.

I no longer work as I am now in this country’s Medicare crowd, but the reaction of the timeshare scammers to my profession both times told me that they knew what they were doing was wrong.

I know live in the theme park capital of the work since my husband took retirement, and I immediately say that I don’t believe in timeshares the second that hear someone at a mall kiosk or whatever say “Where are you from?” I know what is coming next. Even telling them that I live here in Orlando doesn’t shut them up so I just match their rudeness if that is what it takes, which it often does.

The sad part is that I really do think that a lot of timeshare sales people apply for the job not realizing what is expected of them. Take a look at the local paper to see that timeshares are hiring all of the time. They advertise for timeshare sellers more often than they advertise for maids at these resorts, and a company’s turnover rate tells you all that you need to know about a company.

“I no longer work as I am now in this country’s Medicare crowd, but the reaction of the timeshare scammers to my profession both times told me that they knew what they were doing was wrong.”

You lie. This is the 2nd example you give about your lies. You go on a fly buy for your honeymoon. Who is the scammer here ? Stay home, in Orlando no less – pretty much the birthplace of timeshare. Never heard of timeshare before. And you go AGAIN. Alone. You should have been NQ. Non-Qualified.

You are more useless than the people you are complaining about. They are doing a job. You don’t want them to come to your office telling you how to do your job either.

The companies doing these things are more successful than yours. Why else would you have to lie about your “profession” ? Hilton, Marriott’s, Sheraton…Disney…!?

Go home. Turn on the thermostat. Buy some Coronas. Put a palm tree screen saver on. Stay at home. Do not pass start. Do not collect your (almost) free holiday (for your honeymoon no less).

Welfare. I bet you play Minecraft.

You know, I agree with both of you. If the timeshare company is pushing you to attend and you want to even though you state you aren’t interested, playing games in the presentation is fair game. I remember in Vegas, I repeated said no and after 10 sweeter offers, the last one being a 200 Visa card, I said ok. Well, they were frustrated with me and gave me the 200 Visa card after 45 minutes.

But if you are stringing any interest to get a freebie and then play games, that’s wrong.

Now, I always say no and stick with no as even the 200 is t worth it. I’m on vacation, and want to keep it that way.

I find it quite hilarious, and a bit sad the comments I am seeing. Either way, I have attended several timeshare presentations and they are relenting in their pursuit of your money. I ended up purchasing a timeshare with my sister because they literally called in the every sales person they could find, I’m guessing because they saw two women and they knew they could get us. What was more insensitive about it was we were on vacation and it was wayyyy over the 90 mins they promised, it was just about allllll day and our kids didn’t get to go tubing. Needless to say we ended up not ever using it or went back to the resort in VA (Massnutten). That was over 10 years ago and I have since gone on several, some just as bad, others no so much. I attended one where the sales rep asked me in the first 5 mins how serious I was, and when I told him I really wasn’t he said “ok” let’s do the basics and get you out in time to enjoy your day.. he asked for a few referrals, which I was happy to give since he didn’t attempt to strong-arm me into something I didn’t want. That I appreciated, not the “calling in reinforcements” tactics that only piss me off. I will attend a presentation in July with my family,however I am not in the market to buy and plan to employ the same tactics as the sales rep used on me just the opposite. Look I know why I’m there.. he knows why I’m there. I paid a small amount to go on vacation, and in return they get 90 mins of my time.. and I will stick to just that 90 mins. So for those who had very bad experiences, I’m sorry you had them, however next time, just be firm and remind them what your obligation was to them.. an that if they want any referrals it would be best that they adhere to that time-frame and leave out the strong-arm tactics. Another thing I will add.. IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO DEGRADE PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU DON’T AGREE WITH THEIR VIEW OR THE EXPERIENCE THEY’VE HAD?

Wow, do you really think it’s worth your time, to spend half a day at a timeshare presentation to get maybe $100? Is your time only worth $25 per hour, taking time away from your family on vacation? If you’re that poor maybe you shouldn’t go on vacation!

The associate assured me it wasn’t a sales pitch. After all, I was already a Wyndham owner, right? They just wanted to invite me to an information session where owners would be able to voice their concerns and give the company some input. Right. A two hour armbending session to convert from simple weeks I had over to a point based system for my choice of plan, $35K or $80K, financed for my convenience. Nope. I paid only $3K for my 2 bedroom 1 fixed week in Kona Hawaii. After nearly 3 hours they gave up on me. I scored another week in the same place. I’m wondering if they’ll invite me to attend the session again. “Information session my foot”. They took a chance on me. They judged wrong. I knew it was unlikely to be an “info” session and that I wouldn’t buy anyway. Do I feel guilty? Of course not. Vegas rules apply. The house always wins in the end, but sometimes, the guest does.

My friend bought into a 2 bedroom unit.. 2 weeks a year… Or they can do 2 2 bedroom units for 1 week a year if they need more space. They paid $22,000 about 10 years ago and pay $750 in fees annually. They asked me to help them sell it by looking online and seeing the best way to do it. I looked at some sites that are selling the same kind of deal for exactly $1. Sooo many people are trying to get out of their $22,000 upfront purchase for just $1!!! Just so they don’t have to pay the fees anymore because they no longer want the timeshare. My friend is now trying to give the unit away… free! Anyone that is going to suffer their way through one of these presentation, I beg you to please first look online and see what people are selling the units for in the same place you are getting the presentation. You will then be able to tell the salesperson that wants you to spend thousands, exactly how much you can buy the place for on the private market. P.S. They offered me their place for free… I didn’t take the deal.

I got several calls from someone who offered us a stay in Whistler BC for a low price. We lived in Washington State, probably not 100 miles the Canadian border. They told me it was for homeowners and there was an age group and we had to make a certain amount of money a year. While we fit into the age group I told the caller we didn’t own a home and we didn’t make the amount of money we were required to make. They still kept calling us and said it was OK if we went. We would have a 90 minute tour and presentation. I thought we would be among a lot of people for the presentation and if we were interested we would talk to someone after and make arrangements. We took the train up to Vancouver and then took a bus the rest of the way. We were given times for the presentation to attend and I told them 9 a.m. I wanted to get it over. When they gave us our voucher it was for 3 p.m., right in the middle of the day. We arrived for the presentation and to my dismay it was a very pregnant saleswoman who was talking just to my then-husband and I. We had been trying to get pregnant for 12 years so the fact that she was 7 months pregnant did not encourage us at all to be cooperative. She handed us a sheet with prices – beginning at 30K Canadian, which would have been 20K American. “Where would you like to vacation?” “Alaska,” I said. “Oh, they don’t have timeshare in Alaska. Anywhere else?” “We are saving to take an American History tour with a group of people. We’ll go to Washington DC and Boston and New York City and Philadelphia and places like that.” “Oh, well I will tell you how you can own your vacation. You buy a timeshare and you will pay $280 a month and get a weeks’ vacation.” “We don’t want to come here every year.” “You don’t have to–you can trade. You stay in a timeshare in Boston for a week or you can stay in Washington DC for a week or whatever.” “We don’t want to do that. This is a three week tour. We will only be staying in one place for a night or two.” “Oh, but you really save money. To get a room in Whistler you have to pay $200 a night.” “we clean and decorate the rooms. We have expert interior designers.” Really, if I own something I want to have it decorated the way I want it. Then she led us to a room where there were other people and we watched a short video. People in the video were talking about how much they loved the timeshare. “I like to make my own coffee” a man stated. Good for him. We don’t drink coffee.

I thought this would end and we could all go our separate ways–but no we were led back to the office to argue with this pregnant Ha ole woman from Hawaii. She had told us how wonderful timeshare was in Hawaii as well.

She repeated herself. We would own our vacation. They had expert designers to decorate. Then she gave us an option that was cheaper and we could get a week every other year. It went on and on and on. Finally I said, “Ma’am, we do not want to do this. We have listened to your presentation and this is not for us.”

“OK. You know we invested $400 in you.” She gave us a gift certificate for a restaurant and we left.

So why did you go to the presentation? Did anyone force you?

You should have replied: “And I gave you 90 minutes of my time, which is worth much more than that. Have a good day.”

Not really, because if it was truth, they woudln´t spent their “worthy time” to get that little discount.

Ok so my parents went to a timeshare presentation to get 400 extra bucks because we were staying in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and it rains a lot there so they figured what the heck? They wanted time to think over the offer which was that we got that trip and the next for free and a pretty cheap time share. My parents wanted time to think it over but the presenters said they had to decide right then. They were very intense and aggressive about it. My parents decided to say no because they thought that something was off. The deal was way too good to be true. Was it a scam or not? Also, are there any tea hares that you would recommend… Like hotels that are well priced but have multiple locations and are fairly nice? Thanks!

Your parents did the right thing by saying no. Most timeshares can be bought resale for pennies on the dollar. Remember that for Mexico you are not protected by any American law, an extra disadvantage. There are all kinds of nice accommodations to be had through TripAdvisor, HomeAway, Airbnb, etc. for less than payments on a timeshare (including rentals by desperate timeshare owners). If you really want to learn about timeshare systems, go to tugbbs.com and they can give you a LOT more detail. I am not affiliated with that site, but found it when researching how to survive timeshare presentations as well.

just to make this clear when you buy from resale you get what you buy when you buy from a good resort you actually recive incintives that alow you to vacation in multiple seasons and have tools to help you save money and others dont i sell timeshare and we offer amazing add ons for free and things like personal service that you dont get when you buy online there are 1000’s of things i can do to personalize a timeshare for a family if you buy for pennys on the dollar you get what you get

Old sales like weeks are terrible. I know Hawaii you have to be a licensed real estate agent and disclose everything.just a thought.

I read through most of the comments but I still have questions. My partner and I would like to purchase a timeshare before the close of this year. We aren’t married but my income is qualifying for most terms and conditions I’ve read (30 yr old). I called a company today to gain more info on just the process of timeshare ownership prior to visiting but no luck. When I agreed to book for what is possibly the best deal around I was lied to about the room accommodations. Am I being too picky requesting that I know in advance, prior to paying-if my room will be oceanfront or poolview? The discount will be helpful as we intend to view two other states prior to purchasing. Exactly how does this work.Am I to just accept any room because of the rates? Will I be staying in a room that is an available timeshare? Any advice and tips are welcomed. Be nice, you all are a tough bunch. Thanks.

It seems like so many people are in the same band wagon of “I hate timeshare or only buy resale” I am a very happy timeshare owner. I purchased my points 7 years ago for about $19,000 and have a maintenance fee of about $600 per year. I take 1-2 vacations literally anywhere I please. In the past 7 years I have been to Paris, Australia, Egypt, Disney, Napa Valley, Steamboat Springs(co), and a handful of destinations like Las Vegas etc.. If I had paid out of pocket for each trip with comparable accommodations I would have spent double or tripe that amount. I did consider buying resale myself but would have given up so many of the perks buying from the developer. I did like the additional bonus points I received and the fact they pay RCI for the life of my ownership. I’ve read some people on here say they can buy a vacation or RV for the same money and are absolutely right.Although it will be a rinky dink RV and a sad little vacation home. You will still have maintenance and insurance to pay for annually on both of those items. If you like quality and flexibility like I do, buy a timeshare with a large and reputable company. So yeah my maintenance fee is $600, I just booked a trip to Singapore for 8 just using my points. Can a non-owner stay at a 5 star resort for that rate?

You must be a timeshare salesperson. I owned a timeshare property and thought it was the worst 5 years of my life. None of my friends who still own one thinks it’s the best investment ever.

You probably did not use it buddy

Of course he’s a salesperson. Why else would he be trying so hard to push people away from the resale market and to buy from the developer?

Why do I need a 5 star place? I often go on a package that includes several people or I stay at a Motel 6 or in a college dorm. I would like to try hosteling. A room to sleep in? Why do I need to be fancy just to sleep?

You don’t. You can continue to squeeze people into your motel 6. The clanking heaters or air conditioners,the yelling running baseball teams of 9 year olds, the drunken partiers, and the bugs all come for free too, since you like to travel so cheaply. Why not stay home, be more comfortable, save every dime, and not bother?

Which timeshare company do you work for?

if you dont use it or can not afford it wrong thing to do if you will use it and can afford it awsome thing to do

Either you are a salesperson or bought into a scam. Why pay for one condo for thousands of dollars, with an 18% interest rate, for one week AND pay $400-$800 year maintenance fees?

The price for ONE $50,000 condo.

52 individuals purchase ONE unit = $2,600,000 PLUS interest 52 individuals pay a $400 annual maintenance fee=$ 20,800 PER YEAR Maintenance over 15 years for ONE unit is $312,000

Within 15 years, these same 52 individuals could have purchased a 2 million dollar home for less than one timeshare.

The price for ONE $25,000 condo.

52 individuals purchase ONE unit = $1,300,000 PLUS interest 52 individuals pay a $400 annual maintenance fee=$ 20,800 PER YEAR Maintenance over 15 years for ONE unit is $312,000

Within 15 years, these same 52 individuals could have purchased a 11 million dollar home for less than one timeshare.

I am due to attend ‘another’ presentation, which unfortunately is a requirement of my free holiday gift received at a previous presentation over 6 months ago. I already know how it works and have no intention of buying. I do not want to waste anyone’s time but have been told it is part of the conditions. My gift is for three free nights at a luxury resort/spa which I have already stayed in several times before. My only cost is a AUD$29 booking fee potentially saving over AUD$1500 (off peak).

I am disappointed that having already earned the gift I am having to again sit through 90mins of hard-sell but I don’t appear to have any other choice.

Stop thinking life is free.. u get something start appreciating and giving back or life will no longer give u anything. If u do go. Be happy and thankful u had this opportunity. . It is for people who see the value and not for cheap renters.

Agree. I am a happy owner who has stayed in castles and great resorts and not had to pay anything except some maintenance. I don’t mind paying that for what I get. I have gotten my money back many times over.

Perhaps don’t go or pay the $1500. You will be not only wasting their time but yours if you know it is not for you.

How old are you? No one is forcing you to go, are they? But you did want that cheap prize right? Lop

Geez louise people!!!! We just got talked into a cheap trip so I find myself here learning! they quickly threw in there that this Fourth of July special for bass pros new resort would include a quick timeshare share presentation, no further explanation. My husband, who is very intelligent didn’t even catch it! I did but am interested in learning about it so I said why not! You are sales people lurring in possible commission! Stop pretending like you’re the victim here. You know EXACTLY what you are doing! Stop attacking people that are smart enough to do a little research prior to making a possible large investment with there hard earned money. They agreed to a small amount of time not buying! Back off! If it’s such a great investment you might get further with Presenting the benefits rather than bullying and intimidation! Your responses has me further from purchasing than I could have imagined! and miss Pamela, I like your idea of giving back. There are many ways you can give back that will fill your life with much joy that by far surpass anything you will get back from giving money to a timeshare salesman or resort, right thinking, poor application! Your grand idea is also known as karma, so goes both ways, you get back from the universe what you put in so might want to consider taking your own advice next time you leave a Nasty message to a stranger;) namaste

I’m a westgate timeshare rep I help owners upgrade to bigger units and help them on exchanges, and believe me when I say timeshare works if you own in a high demand location.. One of my owners made $43,000 last year off our referral and travle partners programs plus renting out his additional week.. now if you want to go on vacation for free and travle the world for virtually nothing go timeshare. But if you want to stay in the same cheap hotel with two twin beds no privacy and no kitchen then don’t go on tour.. This is for people who want to own thier own vacation not work around complies like hilton or quality inn..

Keep drinking the westgate koolaid. TS industry is a scam and you are the bus driver to the hell it is. Fool.

Westgate sales are reps are so entertaining. They’re certainly the biggest scammers out there but I’ve somehow managed to find the humor in their sales pitch.

I feel for you guys, such s depressing life to have to rip off families. Keep fooling yourselves into thinking you’re doing all of us THE BIGGEST FAVOR EVER!!

“…if you want to go on vacation for free and travle (sic) the world for virtually nothing go timeshare.”

Hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

That’s a good one! I needed a good laugh today!

Timeshare is Vacation Insurance. I work in Mexico, and you can get up to $500 USD for attending a presentation. Why do you people give up your vacation time to go on a presentation? My wife’s Resort has partnered with Cirque du Soleil . It is a permanent venue now in Playa de Carmen, and they are building one in Nuevo Vallarta now. They are also building a theme park, that will surpass Disney World! There is one mandatory maint. Fee in 10 years. If you don’t vacation you don’t pay. 70% of sales in timeshare are from existing owners! If it was so bad, why do they buy more? Your money is safer investing in family memories, than in the Stock market. Would you like people to come to your job, to waste your time? Sales Reps get fired because of people like you, and we know if you are lying to us.

We attend your presentations Pepito because you ask us to come. And who does the lying????? You guys start off with what you say is the best deal and then if someone guts it out, you practically give it away. Nothing worse than a cry baby used car salesman.

They ask you to come? You can say NO! If someone asked you to shoot yourself I am sure you would say NO to that! The only people that regularly attend timeshare presentations are cheapskates who could never afford a nice vacation anyway.

Wrong Barbara. Most of us could afford a nice vacation on my own. But if they want to exchange a timeshare presentation for a vacation, I’ll take it. We pay them with our time, which is worth more than the vacation they offer anyway

You must be another salesperson attempting to justify a scam. I really don’t know how you sleep at night.

I stopped listening to this loser as soon as he said his wife is building a theme park that will surpass Disney World?!?!!? Haha what a joke he is sale pitching right here in the comment section LMFAO!

It’s the Mayan Palace, also known as the Palace of Lies. They keep changing the name to avoid the BILLIONS in lawsuits. It is outright fraud. I ought to know, I work there. We are conmen. IT’S A SCAM. Do a quick search for Mexican timeshare fraud and the number one offender is the Palace of Lies, even though they are affiliated with the Cirque de Soleil

You are a lying sack of &@$%. Scum sucking TS sales people are all the same.

Quit going to the presentations then! Sheesh!

LOOOOOOL these people are illarious. I have been a salesrep for over 6yrs ive worked for Westgate and now im with Sheraton. one thing i wanna say, even the newbies knows when you guys are lying. i try not to blame you guys why cause maybe you were not raise that way. Motel 6 or quality inn always have great deal. all we ask as a sales person if i may speak on their behalf you still can go on a presentation and not purchase its ok, but try not to lie some of us take our job very seriously and we have on going training just to make sure of helping our customer better. you are on vacation not us, this our job. jerk will be jerk by all means but vacation ownership does work for those who deserve it. and can trully afford it.

I hope your sales pitch delivery is better than your spelling and grammar. Wow.

I was lied to during a presentation and at closing both sales rep and loan officer told of what my benefits include. Now i find myself on my final downpayment month have spent 2300.00 innocently called asking questions on booking first trip and was told i can only use share once a year when i was told i could use it as often as i liked…WTH! Now i can stop future payments but will be reported to credit beareau as failure to complete promise and i LOOSE monies i have already paid!!!! Customer service rep was going to forward for assistance but doesn’t look good. I sure hope they can resolve this or i will plaster their name on every post to help someone else from being shammed……. And that my cyber peers are how the rich keep getting richer, they’re no different from a common street thief

Disappointed,I purchased a Timeshare in Cabo and I have attended several others it is very clear that you are only buying 1/2 weeks a year. I find it hard to believe that someone told you (I don’t care how bad the sales rep was) that you could use it anytime you wanted that is not how ANY Timeshare works.

Don’t be so quick to disbelieve what ‘Disappointed’ says, Vicki. I just attended a Timeshare presentation last week and our salesperson said the same thing… that we could use the resort as many times a year or book rooms at exclusive resorts all over the world, for only $139 per night whenever we wanted. We were also told of incredible deals on 7 day cruises through all the major cruise lines for as low as $249 per CABIN, not per person, and air fares so low you would jump at the chance to purchase one of their Timeshares just for the incredible travel discounts and deals. Of course, none of these additional perks were in writing.

Westgate rep lied and said i was getting an upgrade, but i got stuck with a third week that i could not afford and did not need. Now my credit is ruined because they foreclosed. Our government should put a stop to these scams.

True, if this person speaks the way they write, their income must be well below the poverty level.

Zaya, I have a question for you about Westgate tours. If you are married your spouse is required to show for the presentation, but what if she didn’t travel with me? If I put down that I am single, would anyone even check? Thank you 🙂

For a person who has been doing this for several years now your presentation is terrible and your lack of fourth grade grammer and vocabulary skills is stunning. I have a hard time believing you have been doing this for as long as you say. I agree no one should lie but the reason people lie to you is because of your lack of understanding the word no. I have been on a few of these presentations before and some were good with knowledgeable sales staff and others were like high pressured thugs trying to shake me down. It is funny you bring up Westgate. My wife and I attended an Westgate presentation and the sales people purposely attempted to split up my wife and I so they could pressure her alone. I made the mistake of using the restroom. Unbeknowst to me while in the restroom they were soliciting information from my wife that I already told them that I was not comfortable talking about. Towards the end of the tour they asked my wife if she liked the place and she said it was nice but we were not interested. The salesperson had the nerve to call my wife a liar. Which she is not and happens to be the most honest person I have ever met in my life. These places are all alike with high pressure sales pitch and their inability to conduct the presentation as promised. I’m not saying all sales people are bad because they are not and they are most likely bullied by their bosses as well. The flat out truth is that timeshares are ripoffs and there is absolutely no benefit of having one. The price they charge I could permanently have a house trailer in Florida which I own and could sell.

Yes they will check and if you are normally an honest person you will get caught reps know when you are lying!!!!!!w

Here is a novel thought just don’t go don’t take our money you are a parasite and a corporate welfare recipient – plenty of people love their timeshare this is NOT FOR YOU Professional Freeloader so just don’t go and don’t take our money because you can’t afford to buy any way

If people knew better, they would understand that your organization represents corporate welfare. They take advantage of people with hard sales pitches, pressure, gimmicks, and lies. The sales reps are trained to manipulate. They use unscrupulous tactics by aligning skewed “truths”. They don’t allow individuals to evaluate or research their “investment”. If timeshares were fantastic investments, they would sell without manipulation.

Zaya if you are a timeshare salesman go find real work. “If a timeshare salesman lips are a moving he/she is lying”

Your job has no ethics if you keep living life on a lie you begin to believe the lie.

Excuse me, Zaya, but did you ever take an English grammar course? When did you drop out of school or were you too busy hustling on the streets to attend classes? Nice people are your mark. Nice people are what selling times shares are all about. Hard working folks in good moods, on holidays, in exotic locals, in vacation mode, are your game and you’re the hunter! Nice people are basically trusting and honorable. Greedy? No! Yes, they or we do respond to all the grandiose representations you boys and girls make in your hustling rooms. Nice people generally do not just get up and tell you to screw yourselves and walk away. And you love those nice folks, don’t you? You study your prey, get a feel for what their weaknesses are, what their dreams and life aspirations and the financial class they’re in. You wait for each squiring rebuttal from these good men and women and you’ve seen it a thousand times before. You’ve rehearsed your lines, role played with your sociopathic gluttons on the sales staff, and you’ve listened to the second and third level instruct you on how to defuse each rebuttal from your mark, your chump, your patsy; the nice folks who are now sweating, fidgeting and nudging one another to just leave. You’ve learned just how far to push, to gently insult, to wave that lottery ticket before their eyes. You know how to ware them down, pit then against one another and in the end you offer up the bigger prize, the special just for them, the magic key to the kingdom.

I know you. I’m a shrink who has worked in prison settings. I’ve listened to you at corporate board meetings. And some of us have even voted for you. You’re sociopaths without conscience, without empathy, without souls. And you know that the rest of us just do not know how to disarm your charm, your slick tricks, and twitching tongues. You’re heartless cons. And

But, the masses are getting smarter which is why TUGS is a brilliant site. Folks, wise up. We live with these tricksters in every arena of our lives. Look at what happened in the election in 2016. The corruption is such that it takes those who have convicted warlords and crime families to shut the likes of these empty suits down. And when one scheme is exposed, you’re grifters who just move on to the next scam, the next easy mark the next plaything. Many end up incarcerated, but some of you are too clever and move about just inside the law. Timeshare salespeople are among the sleaziest, tricksters on the lower rungs of criminality. And, yes, you even stung me once. Never again.

I’ve only ever attended one of these timeshare presentations with my now wife during one of our early vacations to Orlando and can categorically say it was not worth it. We was in Universal and my wife saw a woman at a booth holding up some of the novelty Universal dollars, the ones with Betty Boop on them. My wife wanted some of these and rubes that we were we soon found ourselves booked onto a Timeshare Presentation for 9 O’clock the next day and $20 dollars refundable deposit lighter to ensure we weren’t going to be no shows. The next day we were picked up in a swank limo which was late and already contained an Australian family and we were taken to the Mystic Dunes resort complex. We were then checked in and assigned to a salesperson which took about 20 to 30 minutes and offered a cold buffet breakfast which looked like it had been sat out all night. This poor excuse of a breakfast lasted a further 30 minutes all the time we were being probed by our salesperson who had joined us with questions about where we were from, our holiday plans etc. None of the above time which was about an hour in total or the traveling time to the resort is included in your presentation time so 90 minutes in we were still waiting for the actual presentation to start. Luckily for us we got a salesperson who hadn’t been doing this long because after the obligatory golf cart tour of the complex when we got down to the number crunching my wife who is a Math Teacher back home blew her figures out of the water because the salesperson had given us a sales pitch based off vacation figures if the buyer lived in the US and because we reside in the UK my wife pointed out with arrows and using the salespersons pad that we would actually be worse off due to the ever rising air fares if we bought into timeshare than if we just continued to stay at motels during our vacations. This gaff by the salesperson effectively ended her own sales pitch and she seemed embarrassed and unable to recover from it so admitted to us that she was new and had to continue with the presentation as part of her training. We said that this was OK but that we would not be buying and by now we had switched off anyway and I honestly can’t recall anything else that she said until she asked my wife “So how would you like to pay? Check, Card or Finance?” My wife said through gritted teeth “None! I told you before we don’t want it!” At this the salesperson looked defeated and called the Closing Manager over and we all sat there in awkward silence for what seemed like an eternity and waited for him to come over. This silence was only broken when the salesperson once more tried to feebly defend her figures and sales pitch but by now she knew she had blown it. My wife just gave her a withering look and her words trailed off into silence as by now the Closing Manager arrived all jovial and tried to lighten the mood. Needless to say we eventually refused the Closing Managers offer and counter offer and was then given a ticket to redeem our gifts and the deposit we’d handed over at Universal and was then left to wait outside in the baking Florida heat for the promised taxi ride back to our hotel on I-Drive. We never did get the Universal dollars because they claimed to have run out. So they said they would have to give us real dollars to the same value instead until my wife said that wasn’t acceptable and they would either have to compensate us by giving us more in real dollars than the value of Universal dollars they had promised us or go and get some Universal dollars. The Closing Manager who had escorted us to the gift desk was a huge imposing 6ft guy and said to me “Haven’t you anything to say? as if to say “Keep your woman in line” I just smiled and replied “I don’t need to do I?” He huffed and just said to the lady behind the counter “Give her what she wants” and walked away glad to be rid of us. In the end though it cost us approximately 6 hours of vacation time from being picked up at our hotel to being dropped off again and did ruin the mood for the rest of the day slightly so I personally wouldn’t advise going on one of these presentations unless you really are considering buying.

Mr. H, Sir for one thank you for visiting the United States and I hope you do not feel this is a real representation of America. Though my experience was different from yours it still was the same. The lies, deception, phony math and the outright insults to our intelligence.

Just my experiences… I have owned timeshare and sold timeshare for 10 years. Clearly the best thing I have ever done for all of my loved ones. It’s not intended as a good financial investment, although neither is having children but we still do it because being a parent is priceless, so are the experiences and memories you have with them. That’s what it’s all about is the experience. The same reason why we go to events and restaurants, you can go to McDonalds and watch it at home or you can experience life and enjoy a hot dog and go to a game!

Thousands of International travelers, particularly from the US and Canada, have fallen victims oftimeshare fraud while vacationing in Mexico. Resort developers hire skilled salesmen to represent their timeshares as many different attractive packages, such as financial investments, deeded properties, or vacation clubs, just to increase their sales.

First I’d like to thank all the smart people that don’t endorse outright lying to their sales person. Second as a sales person myself I have to tell you that one we do know you’re lying, two we don’t just give up on actually earning our livelyhood, and three none of these tips actually work when you get a real salesperson. My only advise is hope you get a newbie and hope he gets rattled by these tips.

Let me make sure I understand what you say Mike:

You are saying that “a real sales person” will not give up. They will rope you in regardless of the fact that you are ready for them or not!!!

It is good for everyone to get to know the mentality of the Timeshare sales person from their own words.

Regarding your real sales people will not give up. this is what I have done. I pretty much tell the sales person right away that spending the amount required for timeshare and maintenance fees for 1 weeks vacation vs owning a actual property that I can visit any time or a RV for close to the same amount doesnt seem like a deal but for the next 2 hours( the required time for presentation and tour) they will have my attention. IF I see value I will let them know. And I also set my alarm for 30 minutes from the end of the 2 hour window. at the time the alarm goes off and you havent sufficiently proven your sale then the answer will be no and I know your closing manager will come in to sweeten the deal. Heres the sweeter deal, I honored my obligation as stated.you have till the end of the 2 hours to provide WRITTEN proof of any offer we MAY accept must be included In the contract and stated appropriately and if accepted the entire document must be faxed to my lawyer before signing otherwise the time has come to leave and any perks offered as part of the presentation are now due as agreed and stated in the disclaimer.I have done sales and also live in a tourist area myself so I know ins and outs that timeshare salespersons arent aware of.

Hmm no real salesperson brings in a closing manager! They close the deal themselves

four, you’re a scumbag if you don’t honor the “no obligation to buy” promise and pressure people into buying.

We sat thru a Marriott Vacation Club presentation last year, did not buy, but loved their program. We paid $750 for a future 3 night 4 days trip with the expectation (theirs) that we would sit thru ANOTHER presentation. We arrived, went to the scheduled meet and asked them to skip the presentation and go right to the sales part; we really were considering this Timeshare. They informed us we’d have to endure the presentation or be billed the difference of $300 for room rate discount they supposedly gave us. I said how would they do that and was informed since they don’t keep our credit card number on file, we’d have to fill out a credit card authorization form. We left! My question is: can they legal tack this charge onto our credit card we used at check in? Why would they miss an opportunity to sell. We did not care about the freebies and thought the $750 was a reasonable charge for our room. After this rude treatment, we are questioning why we ever considered it in the first place. Any suggestions?

Wow, that was handled poorly by MVCI at whatever location you visited. Had someone walked in from a fly n buy promotion saying that to us here at MVCI in Cancun, we would have gladly sat down to talk about your intention of purchasing….their loss.

Hi my name is Daniel, I posted here a while back and got a link that you had a question. Lets get right to it. I would be very surprised if the Big “M” charged you for the $300.00.Read all the information they provided (if you have it) the small print should tell you the answer to this. I sold timeshare for 10 years in Hilton head S.C. and I have friends that worked for “M” On Hilton head and they told me they would tell people that just to get them to stay and sit through the presentation.

Now I will make a quick suggestion, Please don’t let a bad sales rep ruin your idea of a possible timeshares. especially if you are considering Marriott. In my opinion they are the “cream of the crop” when it comes to timeshare. They usually have the best real estate, and all the “M” timeshares I ever stayed in where 5 star, gold crown top shelf places! Super nice!

Here is my take on timeshare. IF you vacation and you like nice places and 5 star condos! you cannot go wrong with a timeshare! Jackie if you have any questions I would be glad to help you out. as I said I worked in the timeshare industry off 10 years.

Last my opinion on this article is this. The person who wrote it is misguided, because who ever it is tells you to LIE!! Straight out lie to your sales rep. I disagree with this and do not understand this? I’m sure this person is not a Christian!

If you are still posting, I just wanted you to know that I truly enjoy reading your posts. I was up late studying for my CPA when I thought I’d look up timeshare complaints before going to bed. I stumbled across this site and read some of your posts and you are a very smart person. Tell your husband he is very lucky man. We are truly blessed to have someone like you on this site trying to get people to think twice before making a commitment. I like timeshares, I believe in vacationing, and I love to travel. But, does that mean that I have to commit to overpaying for a timeshare? It certainly does not. If I were to buy a timeshare, it would be a resale. As you said, they are giving them away because people are trying to get out of those maintenance fees.

Went to a really entertaining timeshare presentation a couple of years back, was a nice diversion on our vacation and we got 100 bucks for it. We definitely were caught in the magic of the resorts which seemed really awesome. The closing was a bit crazy and overdone where we were hit by 4 layers of salespeople trying to work us. The best was the “finance manager” or some bullshit who tried to close us. Her approach was to say: “do you think about what you spend at Target? What can we do to get this package to a place where you don’t have to think about spending it?” She was progressively more irate as I said that I didn’t earn the privilege to spend at Target unconsciously by making decisions unconsciously.

Then I closed on them: “as committed as you are to getting us to sign today, we are equivalently committed to NOT signing anything today.” Game over and they shuffled us off to the “exit survey” closer-closer-closer. That gave us enough time afterward to really look into the value proposition and see that they were going to charge us about double what it really would have been worth to us.

I learned my lesson, but thankfully only by wasting an extra 20-30 minutes than I needed to.

Janet – thanks for the entertainment. The various sales reps that appear to be angered by your well thought out responses.

Very good points, thank you for the tips. I was recently tricked into doing a timeshare presentation and I’m definitely going to use your tips when I go. Basically, I was at a fair and was told that they were doing discounted stays at a resort in Florida. I agreed, filled out the paperwork, and paid. At the end of the paperwork, before the signature page, the guy said “oh by the way, you will have to do a brief presentation when you are there.” There was nothing stated about timeshares, but I did some research and figured it out. No problem, I get to stay at a resort for pretty much nothing and thanks to your tips, I won’t have a hard time with the pushy people.

If you are not interested in purchasing a timeshare, do not attend a timeshare presentation! The free gifts are not worth wasting a day of your vacation, and putting your hard earned money at risk of being scammed by the timeshare salespeople.

Uhhh wrong website Liliana. This site is for people who are not interested in purchasing a timeshare, yet want to survive a timeshare presentation

I am a timeshare shark, I’ve been in the game for over ten years.

We call these types of people “strokers”. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen them with my own eyes. There are people that will come down here on a week’s vacation and go to 5, 6, 7 of these presentations, just to get the free stuff.

These people are IDIOTS. They don’t understand that they are spending 500 a DAY to be on vacation, yet they will waste a whole day going on a sales pitch to get 100 bucks and a bottle of tequila. If they’d stayed home they would be 400 bucks ahead.

Then they will spin elaborate webs of lies. They act like they are interested during the pitch. Newsflash, morons: if you act like you are interested we are going to keep trying to close you. I have all day, I am not on vacation. I can go to the beach anytime. When it comes down to the money suddenly Grandma needs a new kidney, the dog needs braces, or the most common one-we are in the middle of closing on a new house. Last time I bought a house I went on a vacation in the middle of the closing. Seems like at least half the people here on vacation are in the middle of a real estate closing for some reason.

We laugh at these idiots. I have nothing else to do today, and I only get one shot per day, so if you are going to ruin my day by wasting my time when you have no intention of buying anything, then I’m going to ruin your day by dragging this bs out as long as possible. We know you are lying to us. We are professional liars, you are amateurs. You do this all the time for the free stuff? So clever. So you’ve been on, what, twenty, thirty of these presentations? I’ve done it THOUSANDS of times. If anyone’s gonna leave here with one leg shorter than the other from all the pulling it’s not gonna be me.

We’ll seat strokers outside in the blazing sun “while we get your gifts ready”. Then we’ll sit inside at the bar and laugh at them sweating out there. After about half an hour they will be sweating bullets and start to get really antsy. That’s when I’ll tell my buddy to go take a crack at them. He’ll go out there, they think he’s bringing them the gifts, and he just starts right in with the entire pitch all over again.

Then when they’re REALLY squealing, we’ll take them to the “gift department”. This is called EXIT and it’s ANOTHER ENTIRE SALES PITCH. We usually run a 25 percent close in the sales room AND 25 percent close in exit. This means that at least half the people who come through the pitch will be leaving somewhat light in the wallet, whether they intended to or not. WE ARE EXPERTS AT THIS. YOU ARE AMATEURS.

The guy who tells me, “I’ll listen to your pitch but I AIN’T BUYING NOTHING”??? That’s my meat.

We are MASTERS at using your own words against you, twisting them around to mean anything we want them to. We will play off wife against husband, kids against parents, one couple against the other couple.

TL;DR? DO NOT GO ON A TIMESHARE SALES PITCH.

Your obviously and a-hole and your math skills are sh@t.

“This means that at least half the people who come through the pitch will be leaving somewhat light in the wallet, whether they intended to or not. WE ARE EXPERTS AT THIS. YOU ARE AMATEURS.”

100 people show up; you sell 25% (25 buyers, 75 exit) you sell 25% of the 75 exiting (round that to 19 more buyers, 56 leave)

So mathematically, 44% (44 buyers/100 entrants) are closed.

I’m guessing your math on fees are probably similar.

I’m a timeshare salesman. The company I work for is irrelevant. People who want freebies will attend a presentation in return. That is understandable, and it is human nature. We try to sell to them, and that is the nature of a salesperson. Now, the company I work for doesn’t pressure and we stress honesty. I present a product that works, and present it honestly. People tend to appreciate that, and buy based on the benefits they see, and those benefits are not always financial. It’s personally very satisfying to get unsolicited vacation photos from my clients…that’s the icing on the cake long after I’ve spent their sales commission. Doing a straight-up presentation and job afterward also provide me with a decent client referral portfolio. That is where the real money is-getting clients to refer others.

I know what’s sold out there, and who sells what, and those of you who are reps know the same. If what you sell isn’t on the up and up, you deserve the strokers. I frankly wouldn’t waste my time or someone else’s unless I had a genuine interest. As I have read in a few comments, I also believe in karma…and that you get what you give.

My advice to people who are a little interested: do your homework. Go with a real company with a real track record and support system. Make sure what you are offered is backed up in writing, and don’t be afraid to whip out your iPad or iPhone or iWhatever and check the person’s story. Someone who is confident that their product delivers what they offer won’t bat an eyelash and won’t have to defend a thing. Like I said at the beginning, we know what we sell.

And we know you are here for the freebies. It’s up to us to show you a different way to vacation. One that works for you. If it does, great. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too. Life is short. Spend your vacations doing whatever makes you happy. In the end, that is what matters.

Andycancun, I have a question for you about timeshare tours. If you are married your spouse is required to show for the presentation, but what if she didn’t travel with me? If I put down that I am single, would anyone even check? Thank you 🙂

As a person who is 3 weeks away from spending time in Hilton Head (attending a time share presentation during my stay that pays for my stay), I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed the banter back and forth between agents and customers presenting pro’s and con’s and being defensive about everything! I will remember everything said here and utilize all of it during my attendance of the presentation. Thanks guys!Salud!

Janet, that was an awesome read! I’ve been readin alot about various options but can’t find a list of all the different timeshare presentations available? I’ve done Wyndham and Bluegreen, what others are out there off the top of your head? Thanks.

I am a rep for Festiva and I have several comments for this blog.

#1: Timeshare companies use many different marketing companies to advertise our products and keep people coming in. With that said, our marketing department has screwed me on the back end, whether it be by people by telling them the presentation lasts an hour when it actually lasts two, or being rude to people. Anything to do with marketing has nothing to do with sales at the resort.

#2: Professional time share presentation takers: Many times in the industry, we call these people “professional mini-vac’ers”. One of the incentives we offer to come take a tour is offering a two or three discount stay at our resort in exchange for two hours of someone’s time. At my resort, this is a GREAT deal and people save about four hundred dollars on this deal. However, many people use these types of incentives at many resorts and just take up someone’s time, over and over, without any real interest. These types of people, gift getters, do help us fill tours. However, taking the same tours over and over again not only wastes the rep’s time, but the customer’s as well. For all the time they spent trying to get something free, they could purchase something at a good deal and never have to waste their time with a rep again.

#3: The timeshares you see on the market that people are begging to give up are old fixed weeks. Most companies, like mine, deal exclusively on a point system. My resort, for example, owns over two dozen resorts and members can use their points intermittently between all of them. If they like they can exchange outside the company as well. Old fixed week timeshares have no value because owners have to spend money with outside companies to exchange and it gets expensive. My company offers exchange with a fee of 117 dollars and some points. The timeshares you see with no value belong to people who did not purchase or convert to a point based system. My company is growing in size and as we add more resorts, our property value and the value of the owner’s timeshare will grow, not diminish.

#4: Reps know that only one or two out of every ten tours will buy. Stacking the numbers is in our favor so we take many tours we know own’t buy. However, the numbers always even out. I have NEVER been rude to any tour, regardless of whether they buy or not. I get paid by the hour on top of any commission so I never have to pressure people to buy something they dont want.

#5: Depending on the state, customers have the right to what’s called a “cool down” period. This means they have between three and ten days to cancel their package. When reps pressure people into buying, they just cancel, which wastes even MORE of people’s time. So my company refuses to hit people hard. What we do is show off our product, show the benefits, and let people make up their minds themselves. We do a lot of business that way because we have a great product.

#6: Timeshare, in many ways, is awesome. It saves people thousands and my particular company offers insurmountable benefits by joining. The maintenance fees can be high, but my company offers the lowest rates and has a program designed to eliminate those fees. Vacation ownership is a great way to see the world and spend time with your family.

#7: There are three important components to vacation ownership. People must love the program, be able to afford it, and have time to use it. If all three of those elements come together, I usually have a sale. If not, I still go through my presentation to practice and sometimes I a surprised by who buys (and who doesn’t!). Most of my customers have come back to me to say they felt great about their purchase, it has benefited their family, and they see great value in our product.

I understand why some people do not like the industry. There are ups and downs to everything in life though. I am really proud to work where I do and I enjoy helping people realize their dreams. I don’t swindle anyone and I am honest and upfront about everything concerning the sale. I love what I do, how many people can say they help couples stay together, or help family members spend more time together? How would you feel if your customers sent you postcards saying you kept their family together, or helped them spend time with a loved one that has since passed?

Timeshare is actually a great investment. I hope some of you will keep an open mind in spite of the negative comments on here if you ever do take a tour. You might be surprised by how interesting, useful, and valuable some of the products are.

We got tons of phone calls to do this thing. They said we were required to make 45K and own our home. We did not meet either qualification and I told them. I guess we made 45K Canadian. They said it was OK. Later when I got these calls I just hung up. I was sick of arguing with sales people. I want to try hosteling. I have stayed in Motel 6 and the like. I have stayed in college dorms–a week in a sleeping room for $150 ain’t bad and I get a chance to meet a lot of people in the lobby. I am a solo traveler and I get tired of all this private and personal stuff.

Hello – I couldn’t find my answer in this feed:

I am a 34 year old unmarried female traveling to Cabo San Lucas with my 33 year-old boyfriend, we’re looking to ‘window shop’ around for timeshares in the area. We are staying in a house in Pedregal, not at any of the actual timeshare resorts. Here are some questions I have. Please, if you can help yourself: don’t tell us NOT TO GO ON A TIMESHARE TOUR! Here are some questions I haven’t been able to find answers to:

– We will not and can NOT sign any paperwork on the timeshare tour. When should we make this apparent to our salesperson? At the beginning? – We want to get top cash gifts for our 90-120 minute tour (i am aware it may take longer than this based on others’ experiences). What proof/documentation is required to insure our gifts? – Do we have to provide proof of our income? This kind of information is a bit intrusive. – Is there any reason in the end they would change their mind on the $ cash gifts they promised?

Thanks in advance for all your expertise in this category.

U2 are prime candidates and should be offered the largest gift amount. However walking in to a resort asking to tour might leave you with less then what you’ll get by signing up at the airport. To ensure you receive whatever you’re promised get it in writing. They want to make sure that you have a credit card not a debit card, Your age is what they want, being unmarried takes a little away from your value. There is no reason not to go on tour, but like you said you should never sign anything that is a potential financial burden without carefully considering the consequences, away from the emotional whirlwind of a sales room. Anything you can buy today you can probably get a slightly better deal on tomorrow. If you go in and explain your here to learn but you both agree there is no reason to sign anything on tour they will pretend it doesn’t matter and apply pressure later. Just agree that the deal is amazing and you love it, but it would be irresponsible to make such an emotional decision. They may try to make you feel bad for not being able to make a decision, if they do remind them this type of treatment is going to make the decision no. Don’t argue with them. Don’t be defensive. Don’t try to trick them, just simply don’t sign until you have done your homework and are not on an emotional high.

If you would like I can put you directly in touch with several of the sales managers here in town.

Good luck, Mike

[Email Redacted]

P.s. most importantly, enjoy your time, and don’t let them waste too much of it!

Come on guys who is kidding who? How much did you spend for your vacation? The average cheap American is spending around 3/5,000 for seven days do you relize when you go to waste a salespersons time in getting your gifts in the average amount of about 200 dollars if you can be a tuff dealer. Lol therefore you draw your cute little kiddies with you tell all your lies to the salesperson that of course enjoys there everyday that you are actually paying them to attend your only 7 days off from work lol you have worked a year for and you spend your whole day with someone you don’t know so it ends up costing you one full day of your hard earned vacation time to get how much back in return. Do you really dislike each other that much to spend an entire day of your 7 days. Actually the joke is on you who attend the tours for a few bucks! Lol that is really stupid if you ask me. Go enjoy what that salesperson enjoys everyday you are just another number in his/hers eyes. There is about 33% of intelligent buyers that vacation on a regular bases that understands how to use their vacation club membership. So when you go and lie about your status in income and so on just remember there is something called karma! You have a job I hope also, right when people lie to you how does it feel. That’s them look stupid great way to raise your children! Great conversation afterwrds to on how you screwed the salesperson je je je the salesperson two weeks later is enjoying what you paid for the rest of there lives while you are still digging into the snow bank to get your car out so you can drive to work! The job you hate! Just remember why not be honest with yourself! Go enjoy your vacation without living and feeling proud of it later on. When one of your children ask you mommy “we really did not just buy a new car we still have the old” why did you tell the man a LIE. Lol live with that one. Great role models. Have a great vacation spend it wisely!

Way to go David, I totally agree with what you said. If people could just get over thier junk addiction and realize there are no free rides they would be way ahead in the long term. And your right about them loosing more than they gain, as most of the time those gift promises are empty promises any way. Not always but most of the time, and even when they are fulfilled it’s only to save face, and to have some more pawns with which to lure in more unsuspecting takers.

Hey Jen, How was your trip? Probably not as profitable as you had hoped, eh? No matching names/address on your id’s? Unmarried you qualify as a single lady only. Let your bf stay at the resort, you’ll be more believable that way. What did they offer you, a $100 or so? If you told them at checkin you will not be signing anything today they most likely nq’d you, right? Depending on the resort, if your excuses for not buying vary from the checkin qualifying questions they ask, you very well could go home penniless without a ride back. If you have not yet gone, I would encourage you to go enjoy your vacation and not waste anyones time including your own. btw, if you want to go and play to get paid you’ve got to have a verifiable ts ownership, then you can make $500 or more.

Exactly. Ive been just laughing my ass off at the comments with lungs super inflated in anger because WE, THE SALES PEOPLE that are trying to make a living are LYING, THIEVES, SCAMMERS and coming from hell. Well then again is our FRIKKING job. First of off this blog article is called how to survive a timeshare presentation without buying. Ha! You guys lir and are getting trained to go on every vacation and sign up for presentation to get little ridiculous gifts worth maximum 500us. That is the worth of your family and your vacations, who are the thieves here stealing our only shot for the day to buy us food? Stealing our time and chances to sell to others that are not such idiots and can actually male the math and figure it is better to vacation this way as you have been doing it. Haha. I feel sorry for you. All of you. Cheap arrogant dumb tourists. Keep training yourself in how to survive a presentation for little 200 bills. And waste half of a day. Disgusting.

We are recieving 925.00 us. Cash and nights for 2 hrs. Time. 200 would not be worth it.

Stroker!!! What kind of industry are you in? Why does someone have to pay you, to show you something you are interested in?? Get real! Greed is a sin yes or no??? If people like you just quit going to get free b.s. then the industry would shut down. No marketing equals no sales! No sales equals no business! You say you are 33 but not intelligent enough to figure this out. Your sales rep should use crayons when presenting! Just stay home or stay at the pool. Who window shops for timeshare. Go to ebay and window shop!

Hey, Jen…did you get a good look at all the timeshare store fronts. Now that you are ready and able to sign, how about buying my Marriott timeshare. Maui. It’s only $1 dollar. Is that price range in your budget? Is Marriott quality ok? What day should we set the appointment to close? I m available anytime. I ll even fly to you. Don’t worry, I will pay my way. Sound good? Deal?

Janet says: November 23, 2011 at 7:26 am Gee Mike, sounds like I struck a nerve, and I’ll say the same to you as I said to the last timeshare sales rep. above. Not only don’t I care what you think of me, I actually appreciate it, so thanks!

Ok, I get that you guys all hate each other, and you are all in need of a creative outlet for this extra emotional energy (I suppose I am included in this) but Janet, I really want to know how you did this. I mean bravo. Can you please tell me how you were able to accomplish the what you said above. No joke, you seem to have been able to combine anger and apathy, angry aloof? Yes, an angry aloof thing, but how? If you really were able to, well done!

Warm Regards Guy Typing, Esq.

I am also an avid timeshare presentation goer. However, I agree with the fact that you are the one that must end the presentation, I don’t fully agree with your in presentation tactics. I actually go in with an arsenal of stories and questions. I tell stories and listen to the stories they have for me. I ask them questions about all the other properties they have around the world and the amenities they offer. I use up the entire 90 or 120 minutes with conversation and stories and questions. As soon as my alarm hits the 5 minute warning, I wrap up. I let them know that it has been a great presentation and I appreciate their time, however their time is up. I stand up and ask to have my goodies. 🙂 Thank you for the blog. It was fun to read!

Mike I think you are a very lonely guy who needs to find yourself someone to talk to. Why don’t you commit yourself to a hobby instead of wasting other people’s time. Get a life!!!

I am not a time share rep. However, I do know from going to former presentations that it is a great deal. I couldn’t convince my husband to do it and have regretted it every since. He developed a heart problem the next year and we have not gone on a vacation since because we didnt have a vacation plan in place. you spend thousands on cars that last buy 5 years before you replace it. Timeshare is for life and we will be purchasing hopefully soon. Just my two cents. And my experience has been that the sales folks were kind.

Sue, I am a rep. With the largest vacation ownership in the world. I would love to answer any questions you might have about how to get involved if you are still concitering it. All I have to say, is if you are going to buy, make it be with the most reputable company, with the most flexibility, and the one with the most programs available to help offset maintenance fees, and other out of pocket vacation expenses. There is some valuable advice I could give you as an insider, and would be more than happy to 🙂

• Pingback: Timeshare Presentation Deals - Do They Exist? | Timeshare Vacations Rentals Exchange Help Selling Timeshares

Timeshare presentations are not a good way to make a buck.

If you divide the amount of time you get for vacation in a lifetime, the amount you would have gotten paid to work at your employer during your vacation time, minus the time it took you to get to your destination. It’s worth like $500 an hour. I was offered a $600 Helecopter tour to go on a presentation in Hawaii, I said no, my time is more valuable. In addition, I was not interested nor had the extra funds to purchase a timeshare. I am in food service sales, and I do not want someone wasting my time when I am working. Going on presentations where people make straight commission and basically wasting their time for $100 is bad karma. Desperate people do these kinds of things, next you’ll be hitting up the nearest car lot for free pizza and soft drinks…please get a life.

Wow wow wow someone figured out the system and knows how to spend your time wisely not wasting other people’s time with their lies. It’s unbelievable to me that people fill the brains with such non sence to share stories or use the words arsenal go play the board game SORRY!!! What kind of parents were these people brought up with…I find great pleasure in having a customer such as conartist Mike. When they are begging you to leave the table saying “your time is up” I say to a Mike kinda guy is yea you think so? I’m in control you just didn’t relize it jerk! I get to say when, where and how long the tour will take. You are going to spend the whole day with me just as you planned telling me all your stories! I love to answer WHY is that so a Mike can feel really strong in his comment for the day yea so why is that mike. If one knows how to seek out time wasters and you have to take them on tour je je je love getting lost and tour the area two or three times and a Mike says we were just here! Yes, just wanted to see if you were paying attenuation so come and visit me Mr. mike I show you the resort so you will dream or have nightmares about us. Then we get really laugh the loudest at YOU! Think about it is it really worth your time “on vacation to spend it with someone you don’t know!!! We are a lot smarter than most of us look.

You can call a person who goes to a time share meeting a “time waster” or think they are just after freebies,but in reality the marketing people working for the time share company goes out of his way to invite (insist) that you sit through the presentation regardless of your level of interest. I signed up for one today. I explained that I was not interested, and did not want to be pressured, and there was little or no chance of me ever buying. His said that is fine, you are coming to this city anyway, and for your 2 hrs. we will give you such and such. So this thing (tactic) of demeaning those who sign up and are not really interested is wrong. The guy bought 2 hrs. of my time. When I say no, it will simply be a bad investment they were willing to make and they knew it up front.

okay… New post, old thread… I used to work for west gate as an “independent contractor”. We got 500.00 checks the next morning after we closed the night before. Very competitive and I was driven. I love sales, I sold 30 timeshares in 3 months during a summer break while studying computer science.

I also really like timeshare, I use friends and buy points and weeks from folks to vacation. That’s always worked for me. I don’t think I’d own, but that’s because I’d rather save for a little cottage a block or two off a beach that I can decide what happens to it…

My “PD” project director and my manager at west gate are total scumbags and just bad people in my opinion… I was forced to quit because they didn’t like me studying during breaks, and because I would come in late a couple of days because I had class… I was on fire at the end of the summer and couldn’t quit… I tried to make a deal with the PD but in the end it failed.

I didn’t realize that once I “quit” all my commission that was owed me also was withheld… Bottom line, it’s tough on the salespeople… The highest closers always go out first, and a lot of people struggle.

I agree, with most posts…. Don’t lie…. But, I also agree that the folks that book these things are pretty aggressive… They are called OPC where I’m from, and these guys are sharks… When you’re trying to support yourself and your family, rationalization will happen… Some people will say anything to sell…

Bottom line… If you can afford it, take one presentation… Don’t be that repeat person… I’ve sold a lot of people who swore that they would never buy from me, and they did… They lied… Who cares…. We all lie…. A good salesman finds a real problem you have and presents a clear, sometimes affordable, solution… If you can comfortably afford it, and you like it, why not? If not, screw it. If the hassle you, screw them. It’s not about wasting the salespersons time… It’s about your time.

What a jerk. But it sounds to me like the guy you are busy getting lost with while you waste his time isn’t the only one who is loosing. I hope that EVERYTIME you do something like that some other salesman gets a great sale that would have gone to you. Better yet I hope that your bosses wised up and got rid of you.

As long as timeshare companies pressure people who tell they “I can’t buy right now.” into taking tours by offering them incentives don’t blame the people who cave, blame those who are offering the freebies. I’ve been upfront every single time I’ve taken a tour (about 4 over 20 years) that I’m not buying right now. In stead of just accepting that mist places up the offer. If it’s worth giving up my time I’ll accept. I’ve stayed in timeshares about 15 times. My brother owns one and gets me guest passes. Someday I hope to. But you know what I would never buy one from someone like you. As a matter of fact now that I’ve read your post when I’m ready to buy I will take a tour while telling the salesperson upfront that I can’t purchase right now, just to see how he or she treats me. Any getting lost or trying to hold me hostage past the allotted time and on the way out I will tell them “I planned to purchase today but you didn’t treat me with respect so I won’t be buying from you.

Hey guys, I just read all you posts on the pro’s and cons of timeshare. Ill throw my 2 cents worth in: A lot of people here spend their entire time going to presentations just to get a cheap holiday. Ask yourself this, if it really isnt worth buying and the presentations are so bad, why do you keep going? You guys make such a big deal on “how and why not to buy” but didnt you just get sold? some rep just made 2-300$ off you and gave you a few nights noone wanted. Id rather pay 2-300 extra and not have to bad mouth what people like the retired army seargent enjoys. And also: Ive been to hilton, disney, wyndhams and marriots, and i tell you what, its not bad at all…otherwise you guys wouldnt bother with the presentation and just pay the full price yourselves? right?

I love you could not have said it better. I know when I go on a vacation it is to relax and unwind not sit and argue or say no no no. Being a grown man and to ask if I can leave that’s the funniest part of all these comments. I mean who really is in control of who???

You ask: “if it really isn’t worth buying and the presentations are so bad, why do you keep going?”

Answer: At the very top of this page you’ll read: “There are people who make a sport of attending timeshare presentations just for the freebies offered. I am not going to condone or disapprove of this behavior, my role is simply that of an informer – letting the public know the ins and outs of a timeshare presentation.” I suppose another thread could be started that reads: “How to close effectively on timeshare presentations.” but I will go out on a limb and say it wouldn’t be nearly as popular.

Sure, there are folks that don’t have any intention of buying when they come to the presentations. But have you ever wondered why the timeshare companies don’t ask you this before your hear the pitch? Why they don’t say: “Well, if you’re here just for the free vacation then we can’t honor this offer”? I’ll tell you why, it’s because they hope they can rope in even those that were initially only looking for a free vacation. The offers say, “you get this price if you listen to our presentation, no obligation to buy.” So when folks say “Thanks, but I’m not interested,” that should be the end of it. Now I understand that timeshare salesmen need to make a living, and in most cases they have to do so by pressuring folks (sometimes successfully) into buying. Sadly, when it comes to timeshares, I’ve heard more regret stories than happiness stories (just count them in this blog). So you see, it goes both ways. The timeshare folks know that a lot of folks come in looking for a free vacation but they don’t care, and the frequent timeshare-freebie-only crowd know what they’ll face and they are happy with it, it doesn’t “ruin” their vacation, and they are not free-loaders since they gave their time (money) to listen to the speech.

Look, when the time share companies use sales people acting as customers as room fill, to deceive real people into thinking the sales room is full of customers, the timeshare corporations are just exploiting people. Their sales people pretending they are customers are not even being paid for being room fill! At least real people attending presentations for sport are giving sales peopl a break from being unpaid actors!

I have never really heard of that in my life, that does not mean that it is not happening in other resorts. You have to realise just like with anything else “buyer be ware” in any sales business there are good people providing a service, and there are bad people as well. So, not everyone that you are sitting across are not the enemy just folks trying to provide for the same way as you. You are also right, a sales rep. would rather have an opportunity to practice or to make a sale then trying to fill a room to make it look busy. I have just never heard of that but I am sure that has to be one of the smaller resorts. – Good Luck in All your Timeshare ventures- Just don’t think that we are all cut from the same cloth.

This resort area 25 miles of coast and is monopolized by timeshares to the point that rooms costs 3 times as much to stay on the beach as it does in Honolulu, Hawaii. I don’t make up the jargon, and I don’t work in the industry. I just have a friend who is an OPC.

man i work at grand crown in branson missouri and that is just dumb all tables are people looking to buy or people that made up there mind on the way there that they were just doing it for free stuff. None of which are sales reps trying to fill a room to try and make it look more busy. its timeshare we dont have to do that were always busy unless its the off season then were just travel to cali or another warm place. sorry man but your buddy is a lier. theres nothing wrong with timeshare specialy if you have kids because its not what you buy for your kids that counts its about wat you do with them because them memories re what makes them happy.

Your writing is practically illiterate. How do you expect anyone to take your comments aeriously?

You commented to it.? Also check your post. Seems you cannot spell. This post is about timeshare. Not who,s the best at posting! All I can say is WOW. I am a veteran timeshare sales rep if anyone has real questions I can and will do my best at answering them. Dw

Ridiculous quest there. What happened after? Good luck!

Timeshares are not an investment. I think most folks agree.

But further, they are not a tenable approach as a mechanism to travel and see the world. You can buy them for this purpose, just realize this is a fool’s errand.

Better options, as in MUCH more mileage for the buck, same or better quality (same places in most all cases), more options, no restrictions, no obligations, etc. etc.

Take the 20k for the unit, plus the annual ‘maint fees’ and amortize from the sum the rental of these units off the secondary market…from owners that have gotten suckered into the purchase and are looking for some temporary relief. In the end, you spend less, have no blackout dates, and don’t have the risk of a ‘cash call’ or assessment.

So if you love to eat a $1,000 burger, fine-great-dandy. Just don’t kid yourself or others that it’s a good deal…it ain’t. So long as you are not targeting the deal, and just like to spend the 20k for the bottle of champagne at closing, then it’s your moolah.

Even if I was so inclined to drop a grand for a bacon cheese, I would STILL probably opt for a fancy dinner with friends, just on principle.

Do you own one? Clearly you must to say that a timeshare is not a great way to see the world. You are mistaken. I have traveled the world with my weeks. Where do you own? Dw

Janet I just flipped through the entire blog for the first time…. My God. You don’t have a life. Maybe you should go buy a real condo…. But it sounds like you only have the money for the nearly free timeshare travels. Good luck with your little blog.

Gee Mike, sounds like I struck a nerve, and I’ll say the same to you as I said to the last timeshare sales rep. above. Not only don’t I care what you think of me, I actually appreciate it, so thanks!

My recommendation to you is first, go on on a few timeshare resale sites, such as “Redline”, ebay, etc and see for yourself exactly how much an identical timeshare at the property you claim to have bought into is selling for on the resale market. If you do this, you should be downright irate, at the sales rep., and at yourself, for buying at the presentation price, for something you could have bought for 1/2, 1/5th, and very possibly, for as little as $1. If you’re not, then I’m sorry, but I’m not going to believe you’re not supplementing your retirement pay by selling timeshares, which I noticed you didn’t deny.

Seeing as I doubt you’ll take me up on my recommendation, I took the liberty of performing a simple analysis.

So I went to ebay and ran an analysis of the last 50 completed timeshare auctions. And yes, ebay is a good measure of “fair market value”, defined as “assuming a willing seller and willing buyer, the price at which an item will exchange hands.”

Of those last 50 completed auctions, only 18 sold, meaning that 32, or 66% did not get a single bid, not even the 11 timeshares offered for only $1 22%.) Of the 18 that did sell, 6 sold for one lousy dollar (12%). 2 more sold for $2 and $5, respectively. 5 sold for an average of $280, and the remaining 5 (10%) sold for $1,026, $2,551, $5,000 $7,450, and $10,250 respectively. Those 5 however were in prime locations,such as Manhatten and Hawaii. The timeshares that garnered the most were both Mariott properties, located in an extremely prestigious section of Newport Beach. My bet is the original presentation price of those probably ran closer to $50,000, making the total loss on resale even greater.

I’m an accountant. I do the math, and I don’t care how much, or how little money anyone has. No one is OK with finding out that they just paid $20,000 for something they could have bought for as little as $1. It’s not smart, it’s foolish, and the normal reaction is outrage.

Well, except apparently for the timeshare sales reps., who, by your own admission, are really happy with all their money, bonuses and free time, that they seem to be enjoying at the expense of others.

If you bothered to look at the rest of this site, you will see the literally hundreds of people, facing financial ruin, desperate to get out of their timeshare contracts they were pressured into signing on the spot, many of them facing financial ruin as a result. Especially in this current economic crisis, with millions of Americans losing their jobs and their homes, you should be ashamed of yourself.

FYI, the rich don’t get wealthy by squandering their money, and those who do squander their money, don’t stay rich for long. The wealthy don’t buy timeshares, they buy vacation homes. The wealthy also don’t sign any contracts without running them past their attorneys first, and can’t be pressured into buying on impulse at a presentation, so it’s not the wealthy who are being harmed.

You know, with all the layoffs, my husband even quit his job because others he worked with needed the money far more. When we go to a timeshare presentation, we try to warn as many of our fellow presentations against buying as we possibly can, and regard it as a public service. I’m not just a timeshare nazi, I’m a responsibility nazi, and I’m sorry, but you’re not going to convince me that convincing people to sign contracts, committing them financially to tens of thousands of dollars to pay for extravagant vacations they may not even be able to take, much less afford, and pressuring them into doing so “on the spot”, giving even giving them time to really think it over, is anything remotely resembling responsible. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t see how anyone who possesses a conscience could do such a thing, to anyone. But that’s not the primary reason I attend timeshare presentations, and it’s not the freebies either.

YeI’m an accountant, but what I specialize in is forensics and fraud, meaning that companies hire me to find out who’s stealing and how. Determining who the thief is always easy. All I have to do is wander around for a few days and whoever hates me the most, is almost always either the one who’s stealing, or in collusion. Oh, first, they usually try to charm and con me, throwing everyone else they work with under the bus, but when they realize it’s not working, that’s when they get nasty.

Then they tell me all about my miserable pathetic life, and make all the same accusations to attempt to indimidate and discredit me. I really appreciate it too. It’s like they’re painting great big targets on their back, to help zero right in on them.

In case I haven’t made it obvious enough, attending timeshare presentations is far from a hobby or waste of my precious time. For me, it’s more like an profiling tool. Kind of like Clarese paying a visit to Hannibal Lector. Very educational, and extremely beneficial in developing my skills. So I really do appreciate your comments.

Have a nice day.

Manhattan and Hawaii, wow!

ok look the secondary market is filled with Timeshares no doubt. The reason you are seeing prime location properties for sale so cheep is because the maint. fees are so high. and they are going to sit there for a while. Timeshare is not a inverstment property. however it is an investment- all those free vacations you took you have so many wonderful memories. That is your investment… it will force a workaholic to spend one week without his cell phone and with his wife and kids. If gives those children so many great memories with there family. kids don’t care about money all they need is there parents. So, if dad and mom spend $15,000.00 or $30,000.00 dollars and have one great vacation every year for the rest of there lives who are you to take that from someone! Shame on you! for your for being blind to what it is really about. You went to disney and a resort paid for it shame on you ! those smiles on your childrens faces were not put their by your actions but the actions of another you just got to enjoy the smiles and great memories. Shame on you for thinking you know the person on the other side of the table he is a father , she is a mother , a husband a wife ! Shame on you….enjoy the vacations they were a gift that we provide your children when you can’t provide for them, Shame on you for spitting in our faces! you have so many flaws your human. But you people are the worse type of people your not greatful for a hand-out that was given to you and your family. The Gift of “Time” was given to you …. take that to the bank…. I will create a million smiles this year “What Will You do”? You may even be one of them….

You want the true way to get out of a timeshare presentation give me your credit card and I will show you.

There’s so much wrong with your post, I don’t even know where to begin.

I guess I’ll start with, no, you’re not getting my credit card, and how dare you even suggest such a thing! No one on this planet “owes” you a living, much less are you entitled to expect that anyone should just hand you over tens of thousands of dollars of their hard earned money, because you imagine they should. You’re certainly not entitled to mine. OMG!

Timeshare salespeople have families? Yeah, well so do theives, rapists, and serial murderers. So what? As far as I’m concerned, attempting to use your family in a rather sad attempt to “guilt trip” me, (and anyone else) is just yet another slimey, dispicable, underhanded BS con job, typical tactic I’ve grown to expect from timeshare reps. Shame on YOU!

I am not responsible for supporting your family, and neither is anyone else. No one “owes” you $15,000 to $30,000+ of their hard earned money, just because you need to support your family. Supporting your family is your job, don’t try to schlep it off on the rest of the world.

And no one’s children “need” mommy and daddy to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a timeshare to putsmiles on their faces either. Most children would rather their parents spend quality time with them, attending their games, recitals, etc., demonstrating their love by participating in their lives and cheering them on. That’s what puts smiles on children’s faces, and those are the times that wonderful memories are made of. Not becoming a “workaholic” just so they can hand over all their money to the wealthy corporation you work for, justso you and your corporate executives can make millions. Again, OMG!

And the secondary markets are not just filled with “cheap” timeshares, they’re also filled with timeshares that are being given away, totally FREE! Who in their right mind would actually pay $15,000-30,000 for something they could have gotten for FREE?

Even worse, is the fact that the only reason people GIVE away timeshares they actually were conned into paying that kind of money for is out of desperation to get out of the outrageous interest, annual fees and taxes–because they can’t afford them!

And even when people try to give their timeshares away for FREE, they’re not finding any takers. Charities won’t even take them.

Lodging is only a small portion of the cost of taking a vacation. You’re leaving out all the other costs: transportation, meals, entertainment, etc. None of which are covered by the costs of buying, and maintaining a timeshare.

Attempting to claim that buying “forces” people to take a vacation? That is absolutely not true!

There are myriads of sites filled with unused timeshare weeks–offered to the general public, and for far LESS than the owners are paying, just in annual maintenance fees alone. Anyone can stay at just about any timeshare they want, no need to buy in! We do it all the time, and usually only pay $199 to $299 for the entire week. My bet is that the reason the owners aren’t using those weeks is because, after paying all the expenses of buying and maintaining their timeshare property, they don’t have enough money left over to take a vacation!

FYI, this country, and in fact, most of the world, is in a recession, and in fact, the worst recession since the great depression of 1929! Times are hard, and people all over the world are losing their jobs, their homes, and having a hard time just putting food on the table.

Timeshare companies rely on luring their victims who have zero experience in this industry, and know absolutely nothing about what they’re really getting themselves into.

If even timeshare corporations believed their own hype, they wouldn’t need to entice people with free gifts, or trick them by misrepresenting the purpose of their no obligaton, 90 minute, “tour”, intentionally omitting the word TIMESHARE!

You’re not giving anyone a “free gift” of time, or anything else. What you’re “giving” them is yet another financial obligation, which most people can not afford to take on!

Maybe you should take a look at the rest of this site, and see just how many people are suffocating under the financial burden of the timeshare properties that they were basically conned into buying.

The only one who should be ashamed of themselves is you.

(my opinion, of course.)

well said..I hae went on timeshare promotions now for 12 years ..I even am to the point that when they cll me on the phone I know there tricks so I use them against them…things like it sounds great but I dont have that much monehy right now for the promotion …and they talk to their manager and within minutes have the shaved the price by 100.00 bucks!! that cracks me up..then I get extra days for much less than they orignally say….I say”hey I am coming from 12 hours away 3 nights is not even close to enough..and dont agree to just a hotel type room you want a 2 0r 3 bedroom CONDO with full kitchen..I will be going to Wyndamm Resorts Olando..within Disney Property..2 bedroom( I was promised a 3 but none available for the week I picked) Condo room for 4 nights and I am getting a 100 dolar Visa card when I am done and I only paid$159.99 orginally they wanted 299.99 just to go listen this craziest pitch you have ever heard…owning timeshares…laugh at them in your head while they are talking to you! you got a great deal and they got 2.5 hours of your time. Score: you great vacation them: NOTHING!!! and then I bought 2 nights off everave for Orlando hotel rtoom for 2 nights which gets me my full 7 nights….they did not have the other two nights available for me so I got them myself! and that was $160.00 for two nights with 80 dollars in hotel credit to spend however I want..so for about 350 dollars we are going to Disney ..staying within 2 miles at both places..we already have tickets with o expiration that we have used 4 times now and we just need spending money!! THAT is Disney on a shoe string budget without comprimising any of the conforts!! When we go to the parks we have lots of spending money..we eat at the nice places at least twice…we buy lots of pins and trade them and we always do one excursion…going on a boat and deep sea fishing…Sea World..Midevil nights etc. so we are not having a cheap vacation we are just saving where it helps the most..the room that you are barely in because you are out enjoying yourself…. I always spend several days on the internet looking at all the eals and putting in my phone number because then they call you with better deals and you can negotiate more on the phone with them..they wil do almost anything to get you to yes on the phone…it is great! when I check it and the people read what are vacation is and how much we paid ..they are like how in the world did you get it for that much?? that is an awsome deal..or they have said I ahve never seen it for that low! IT WORKS!! Debbie

Janet, You are awesome!! Thank you very much for your intelligent, knowledgeable information. I’m sorry you’ve gotten the ignorant responses you have. You are clearly educated and actually care about people, and ceasing the corruption. I truly appreciate the time you have put into writing all of this. That is a gesture of true concern. Someone who speaks the truth is always subject to the rejection of those who do evil, whether they are aware they are doing evil or not. I hope for the people who have been opposing you that they actually find a respectable job where they aren’t knowingly, or unknowingly scamming others.

I have a question for you: We, unknowing of all of this, purchased a weekend from Bass Pro for BlueGreen Resorts week. My family, through my mother, already owns three timeshares, two of which are through Marriot which is very nice. We never were interested in buying a timeshare at all. My husband just wanted to buy the week to go to Branson. They have stated the presentation is 2 hours and we will recieve a $75 gift certificate at the end…But, if we don’t show up, they will charge us $100. I’m trying to locate the original papers we signed to see if it ever said anything about there being a penalty for not showing up. Do you think we should go knowing we aren’t going to buy anything, just for the two hours, as soon as the two are up we immediately leave? I’m afraid they will take the cc number and charge something more than the $100. Also, I’m afraid that since we split the week, and are planing to use the rest of the 7 days another time, and if they know we didn’t buy in their presentation the first time, that something bad is going to happen with the second half of our time.

Do you have any advice for me? We are leaving Friday for the first part of our “destination package”.

May you be blessed beyond measure for the good you have done and the light you have shed. Lawrie

ps. FYI, if in case anyone who reads this decides to send me back a negative comment, please know before hand, you are wasting your time because I will NOT waste my time reading it. Thank you. And since now I have freed you from wasting your time writing to me, may you fill your time with something good to do. 🙂

Lawrie, I hope this response comes in time for you. I went through the Bluegreen presentation as well, but at Wisconsin Dells. Do you have an e-mail message from Bluegreen or the company that set up your visit? It probably has terms and conditions (or a link to something that does). My guess is that the standard language of “90-120 minutes” applies. So if you are there 120 minutes, tell them that you are done, and if they don’t sign you out right away, WALK OUT. As I state below, there may be state laws that apply, and if so, remind the good salespeople of them. (If they want to break the laws, why do you want to do business with them?)

Some other paperwork suggestions to bring with you: * Copies of your Terms and Conditions, if you have them. * Printouts from sellmytimesharenow.com, redweek,com, Timeshare User Group, etc. of resale prices of timeshares at that location. * You may find condos or similar units for rent through Hotwire for the time you are staying at Branson for cheap. Bring printouts of those prices. * When they ask you how much you spend on vacations, tell them that you either get free use of timeshare rooms from family or that you book great rooms for cheap through Priceline (at $40 – 50/night). For us, at least, that’s the truth, too! * REMEMBER, they will talk FAST with numbers, and quote you prices that do not include maintenance fees, club memberships, special assessments, and other charges. Boy, do those charges add up! * Check out Missouri state laws and regulations concerning timeshare sales (probably under whatever department does professional licensing for realtors and other such people). I looked at the Wisconsin website on timeshare sales and found a section on “prohibited sales practices.” If such language exists under Missouri law, read, print out, and have with you. * Don’t fall in love. Like a car, it can’t love you back. There will ALWAYS be another deal, so don’t fall for the “today only” garbage. (In Wisconsin, at least, it is against the law for them to say that.)

You will likely have to go or pay a penalty. When we got to our destination, we found that they would only schedule presentations in the middle of the day (11 AM or 1 PM), which ruins your whole day. I don’t know which is really better, but we did 1 PM and got out OK after exactly two hours.

Remember, a lot of these people are human, so at least start out by treating them like you would want to be treated. Our salesman was actually a decent guy who was recovering from a car accident (and unless he had a good makeup artist, he had a big scar to show for it). Be low key and keep your wits as much as possible. My sixth grader actually could poke holes in their presentation after the fact, so at least we got an educational experience out of it!

Very well said, Janet! Agree 100% with everything you said.

this is an awesome story…I fully agree..timeshares are not a waste of time..they are means to an end..if I want tickects or rooms for cheap ad I can handle the pressure then this is the way to go…I lkike to analyze the presentaiton people and predict what they will do or be sacrastic with them to really let them know I will not buy but I sure do like the stuff…iot is a game…they ahve their gimis ..one place I went to had a gong and everytime some really dumb person bought a timeshare they hit the gong…I started laughing….they did not like that…call their bluff about their stupid con…se what they say…if you do not want to go back to that one again…I stayed at the Westagte Toweres 5 times with huge rooms and lots of activites for free for the kids…then I got sarcastic and they made me leave the presentation. My husband was embarrased I was laughing!! I still got all my stuff!

Why would you call people dumb? That is as shady as you going on all those tours knowing you will never buy one all I can say is I’m sorry! For u! dw

Maybe that KARMA will come back and bite them in the @$$!!!!!LOL!

Janet Wow. I have a feeling you are a truly sad person that is dissatisfied with your own life. Especially to spend as much energy as you did replying to a post. I found the site merely by accident from a friend who had a bad experience with timeshare. If 99 out of 100 people hate that they bought a timeshare…. Then I’m the one percent that is very satisfied with what I bought and my salesperson. Maybe you should find another hobby instead of trying guess other people’s lives and incomes. Yes I receive 50% of my base pay. No it wouldn’t solely support me. Oh and by the way not every retired NCO is on food stamps. I have always been smart with my money, friends and investments. At 44 I need nothing. I have a great home, all the toys I want and the free time to go with them. Maybe you should invest more time in researching positive things to invest in and stop wasting your time on trying to be a time share nazi. Oh and before you try to attack my last comment, I’ll just stop you by saying that timeshare is not an investment. It’s a vehicle for me to travel to different parts of the country and world for a couple weeks a year. Last thing I’ll comment on before I leave this post for good ( because I do have better things to do than banter with your sorry, insignificant ass). I’m sure in timeshare sales just as with any other type sales there are good sales people and sorry sales people. Mine had great character. Have a field day Janet. It’s what your life seems to be about. Mike

“Wow. I have a feeling you are a truly sad person that is dissatisfied with your own life. ”

Yeah, it’s stupid for someone to think that they completely know a person based off of one experience of them posting something online.

I went on a presentation last year with the thought of NOT buying. I’m a retired Army 1st Sgt with 20 years in the infantry. I’m the last person that someone could manipulate. BUT, I saw the value in it especially since I like to visit other areas of the country every year. The last six months I’ve dove deeper into the program and found that I can actually work my week vacation into 3 maybe 4 weeks in different resorts in one year. Still only paying my one week timeshare. It may cost me an an extra $200 for an additional week but I’m staying in $200 a night resorts. I love that I was sold on timeshare and have zero regrets. I wouldn’t want to be a timeshare sales person but everyone I spoke with love their job and the benefits, money, and free time that come with it.

All the timeshare salespeople told you how much they love their jobs? What else would you expect them to say? Like any of them would actually admit they hated their jobs? Come on, you should be able to do better than that.

All of those sales rep. who told you that their jobs give them lots of free time, money and benefits? Yeah well, if they’re doing that good, then they no legitimate excuse for accusing non-buyers of being cheap moochers, “taking food out of the mouths of [their] children!”

FYI, people who imagine themselves incapable of being manipulated, in reality, are the easiest of all. In fact, in your post, you practically provided detailed instructions on what buttons I could push, to manipulate someone like you.

Your post revealed that you’re obviously proud of having been an army sargeant, so all I’d have to do is to play on that pride. First, by making up BS stories about the many, military officers who supposedly have bought in, and how happy they all were. Not just sargeants either, but commissioned officers, such as captains, majors and even generals, all of who recognize a “smart” investment when they see one, which serves to trick you into believing that all your superior officers buy timeshares, and surely you want to be as smart as they are, don’t you? (sucker!)

To build credibility in your mind, I’d then call over one, or more of my little rep. buddies, who would be more than happy to confirm my BS stories, adding a few of their own, and then we’d both tell you about the many high ranking officers we’ve sold to, this past week alone! (ha, ha, ha, you fool)

Now that I’ve got your pride and credibility, next I’ll go to work on your innermost desires, by making up stories, all about the many (high ranking) military families who own timeshares there, and how they just love getting together with other military personnel, especially enlisted personnel who have proven themselves worthy — buy buying a timeshare! Yes! I would play it up big time, telling you how that will put you in the same league as all kinds of commanding officers, colonels, lieutenants, who will all agree that you must be as smart as they are by recognizing such an outstanding bargain! (you stupid fool)

By the time I got done with you, I’d have you painting fantasy pictures in your head, of you and your family spending vacations “schmoozing” with all the highest ranking military officers, even generals. Wow! An infantry sargeant vacationing with the generals, now wouldn’t that be awesome? Yeah! Wouldn’t that make you the envy of everyone you ever served with? And gee, wouldn’t that really impress your family? Now, wouldn’t the opportunity for those kind of “bragging rights” be worth spending a measley $20-30,000 on a timeshare?

I wouldn’t even have to go so far as to say all that. All I have to do is plant enough seeds of desire in your little head, and your imagination will take of the rest for me. Before you know what hit you, your mind will be playing scenerios of you, and your entire family, having dinner at the White House with the President of the United States, all because you were “smart” enough to buy that timeshare at the over inflated presentation price, paying over $20,000 for something you could have bought for as little little as $1 on the resale market. What’s “smart” about that?

You don’t think that would work on you? Really? Then why are you attempting to do the same thing here? Trying to impress readers with your military background, as if simply being a retired sargeant with 20 years in the infantry somehow renders you incapable of “being manipulated”, which in itself, is nothing more than yet another manipulative tactic.

FYI, all those same ploys have been attempted on me, at every single timeshare presentation we’ve attended. Only, as I’m an accountant, they use CPAs, CFOS, and CEOs. All I have to say about those ploys is LOL!

Now let’s see, 20 years of military service? If you joined at the age of 18, that would make you about 38 years old now. At the age of 38, receiving 50% of your former pay, usually won’t pay all the bills, so most military personnel who retire that young, usually will supplement their retirement pay by starting a new career. Possibly, as a timeshare sales rep. Is that about right?

No? Then why else would you be here? What’s in it for you? I mean, seriously, this is a complaint board. If you are simply a “happy camper”, if anything, you’d be writing about your joy on your timeshare’s site or a travel site, not on a complaint board.

If you took 2 minutes to browse the site before posting, you’d see that this is a complaint board, and the only ones who post on complaint boards are those with complaints. On this board, that would be:

1) People who are upset because they feel they’ve been duped into buying a timeshare they neither want, need, and/or can afford, using tactics they regard as completely disreputable, and/or are retaliating against reps. who feel they are entitled to insult and belittle anyone who doesn’t hand them over $20,000 or more at their sleazy, so-called “presentations”, which I personally regard as a complete and total ripoff.

2. Timeshare sales reps. who are pissed off at having their time wasted by those only interested in the “freebies” offered, so they’re retaliating here, playing every imaginable “head game.”

Making your true agenda obvious really isn’t that clever.

Damn Janet,

You’re pathetic. Get a life, girl.

Timeshare reps have a right to make a living just like everyone else. Like any other salesperson, they have a product to sell. You either like it or you don’t, and if you don’t, you don’t spend hours trying to shoot it down, unless you have had bad experiences with it yourself.

There are a lot of people out there that are happy with their timeshares. Do you know why? It’s because they know how to use them and get the most out of them. You, obviously dislike the idea of timeshare, but I’m betting you don’t have any real experiennce with them, so you don’t really know what you’re talking about.

Nobody twists arms to make people respond to offers of free nights and other perks for attending a presentation. You rarely get something for nothing in the world, kid. And if you accept the freebies, you should button your lip and take what’s coming to you. Timeshare sales is like any other product…supply and demand. And trust me there are a lot of less anal people out there enjoying the hell out of their timeshares and have been for years.

Hey Tony, truth hurts, doesn’t it?

In saying, “timeshare reps. have a right to make a living…”, by that you mean YOU, right? You’re a timeshare rep., aren’t you? Your true agenda here is pretty obvious.

As far as telling me that I should “button my lip?” Maybe that works on your wife, but I’m not your dog, and you are not entitled to give me orders. So I won’t be obeying you.

You seem to be ignoring the fact that this is a complaint board. This board was not started by someone who is happy with their timeshare, but rather, because they are NOT happy, not at all! If you bothered checking the rest of this site, you will see it is chock filled with people who are angry, and desperate to get rid of the financial burden they feel they were both pressured and CONNED into purchasing. Quite a few are facing financial ruin as a direct result, not that you care, do you?

Timeshares are so worthless, that many people on this very board are complaining that they can’t even give them away! Most charities won’t even take them as a free donation, and neither will anyone else. Those who inherit them don’t want them either, and certainly don’t want to be stuck with the annual maintenance fees and taxes, that they can’t afford!

Have you even bothered reading the rest of the posts on this board? Do you have any empathy for the any of the posters here, in dire straits and facing financial ruin? Any at all? Are you even aware that our entire country is in the worst recession since the great depression? That people are losing their jobs and their homes, and can’t afford the payments on their worthless timeshares that you, and other reps. talked them into buying? Do you realize that roughly 1/4th of all home mortgages are underwater, and that 2 MILLION children in our country are now homeless?

As far as I’m concerned, you are earning a living at the expense of others, by conning them out of their hard earned money, and NO, I will never agree you should have the right to do that! I regard the business practices of timeshare companies as predatory, underhanded, slimey and completely disreputable, and I want to see laws passed to make what you do for a living illegal.

That’s what I want, and until those laws are passed, I will continue to inform and warn as many people as possible, and will do so while I’m attending timeshare presentations, wasting as much of your time as possible, and collecting those “freebies.”

As far as my having real experience with timeshares? Gee, my husband and I stay at all kinds of timeshare properties, only we happen to know there’s no need to “buy in.” There’s tons and tons of unused weeks at practically every single timeshare property. We’ve paid as little as $99/week by taking advantage of timeshare travel clubs’ “last minute” specials (no membership required!), and the most we ever paid was $400, and that was for a full week stay in a 2 bedroom, luxury oceanfront condo in Key West at “The Galleon”, which is less than 1/2 the annual maintenance fees that owners pay. For a 1 bedroom condo, we normally pay exactly $211/week, $1 for the bid, plus $15 processing fee, and $195 for the cleaning fee, and that’s for an entire week’s stay through an auction site called “travelauction”.

You want to talk “supply and demand”? When it comes to timeshare properties, there’s far more supply than there is demand, and that’s why they end up renting them out to the general public, dirt cheap!

I know exactly what I’m talking about, and No Tony, I’m not about to trust you, or take your word on anything. All anyone has to do is read the rest of the posts on this board and they can easily see which one of us is really telling the truth!

Here’s what I don’t understand:

Why can’t people just say no if they don’t want to buy a timeshare? Whether they can’t afford it or don’t like it, nobody held a gun to their head … a lot of people are weak when it comes to a high pressure salesperson.

Why don’t people read the fine print before they sign a contract? This seems like a no-brainer, especially when thousands of dollars are at stake.

In this day and age, why don’t more people check out timeshares for sale on the internet if they are considering purchasing one?

Why can’t people realize that accepting a discounted vacation, a cash incentive, show tickets, whatever, does not obligate them to buy a thing? All you owe is your attendance at the presentation, nothing else.

How hard is it to figure out that if you just pay for your vacation you’re not obligated to go back again next year, the year after, etc.?

There are lots of reasons you can give a salesperson for not buying a timeshare, but you really don’t need an excuse or an explanation. You don’t need to defend your “no”.

Janet, Why do you hate timeshare ?

Why do you spend so much time and effort putting people down who like it ?

If it is not for you don’t by it.. If you like it and thinks it beneficial then buy it…. People make their own choices in life they can say yes or no why do you think you have the right to decide what is best for them I don’t see you talking about anything else do you love ecverything in life except time share why don’t you blog about other things you don’t like

Timeshare is not for everybody but it is for sme people they are the ones who buy have you interviewed any one selling a timeshare i believe you are speculating on why their selling and blogging without knowing the facts….

I’m sorry you feel this way but speaking without knowing the facts is wrong…..

I have already written a number of posts, in which I have provided a wide variety of reasons why I am opposed to timeshares.

What part of my explanation are you still not understanding? Or are you intentionally just being obnoxious?

And James, the reason I am discussing timeshares, is because that is the topic of this board. If this was a gardening board, I would be posting about my garden. Seriously, what is wrong with you that you can not understand something that obvious?

As far as knowing the facts go, if you had bothered taking 15 minutes to check out the rest of this site, then you should know this is a complaint board, filled with people who hate and despise the timeshares they feel they were suckered into buying, and desperately trying to find a way to get out from under the financial burden they feel they were mislead, conned, and deceived into buying. No James, none of them like, need or want their timeshares. They want to get rid of them, but can’t find any takers. Most charities won’t even accept fully paid off timeshares as donations. Those are the real facts, that you don’t seem to want people to know.

Only people I know who like their timeshares and feel they are a good value, are those who bought on the resale market, where timeshares can be purchased for as little as $1!

If more people knew that, my guess is you’d probably never make another sale, now would you?

Janet, what other companies do you use…I wanna jump on this train!

Mike Congratulation. Dw

Timeshares are awesome for some people. People who can afford to travel enough to make them work for them. My brother owns 2 because he travels often for both work and pleasure. With just his points he can often do like you and get 3 or 4 weeks out his regular fees. Plus he can get extra weeks for an added fee. Sometimes as low as $169 a week. I know because he’s gotten me extra weeks too, but there is a $50 guest fee for that. We stayed in Vegas for 2 weeks (actually 7 nights in a week) for less than $400. If I could afford to travel enough to make it work for me I’d buy one. (Or grab one of the ubiquitous free or almost free ones that are out there) Right now I can’t justify it when I can only get away for a week or 2 a year (Other than visiting my parents.) and sometimes that isn’t in the cards if our medical expenses are high or we have several major things break down in our house. Like this year when our well pump and central air went out. I made it through the summer with a window unit. Not fun in SE Texas, but a blessing since we could have had to deal with not even having that. The year before we were blessed to be able to spend a week in Angelfire, NM (nice area very disappointing resort and we won’t ever return.) followed by a week at the Wyndham in Pagosa Springs, CO (Our 2nd trip there. Loved the area so much I want to move there. The resort is very nice and the people who work there are wonderful.) Our rooms the 1st 2 weeks we stayed in Pagosa Springs were nicer than the ones the 2nd time, but neither was nasty like the Angelfire resort. We’ve stayed at timeshares in Weston, FL (near Ft. Laud.) and Orlando. I think 3 times in Orlando and all but one was nice. They put us in the old section instead of the new one that had been advertised in the photos. That one we were only in for about an hour. We called and complained and we were switched to a much nicer resort in a larger room. Most of these were RCI resorts. Just thought I’d mention this so that if you are ever considering going to any of these areas you’ll know what at least one person thought.

YOU CAN SIGN UP AT THE STATE FAIR THEY HAVE LOT OF GREAT OFFERS .ALSO TRY Silverleaf Resorts.SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS ALSO HAVE A TIME SHARE SIGN UP BOOTH.

THE KEY IS TO SAY I DO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY TO WASTE ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I SAY IT WHEN I AM SHAKING THE SELL PERSON HAND,I THEN LET THEM KNOW THAT EVERY THING LOOK CHEAP AND YOU HAVE SEEN THEIR OTHER RESORTS AND THEY ALSO LOOK CHEAP AND YOU WOULD NEVER LET YOUR FAMILY STAY HERE.HATE EVERY THING YOU WILL BE OUT OF THERE SO FAST WITH PRIZES IN HAND.

I will have to try that. The amount of time the presentations take is the worst part of it for me. I have plenty of sales resistance. And who doesn’t like to get freebies? Where was this?

JUST FINISH ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIME SHARE ,30 MIN FOR $600 CASH.I LOVE THIS ONE AND HAVE BEEN DOING IT EVERY 12 MONTHS FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS.

I have been going to timeshare presentations for all of my adult life…needless to say I have been to disney 7 times and Mrtyle Beach 4 and Daytona Beach 4 times. I have some advice before you even decide to do it….have an esimate on how much you think you should pay for what you are getting from them on the phone…..I have cut my deal in half on the phone and got extra nights. Some examples of what to say are….I just paid my house payment and all I have left is x dollars to pay for something like that right now….ttry about 200.00 for the whole package….it really does work..it is using their own scheme against them…they will get a manager to approve it and everything…The vacation I am about to go on cost me only 159.00 for 4 nights at Wyndom resort..two bedroom…full kitchen AD I get a $100 American express after going to the presentation…so I got a 2 bedroom condo for 4 nights for 58.00 bucks!! We also did the ones where we got 150.00-200.00 cash…and then we had more money to spend at the parks…that was our go out and neat great at disney money… My husband hates them but without them we would never go on vacation and I have went to probably 20 of them and never bought but LOVED all the free stuff…also bargain for more tickets…whatever it is you want bargain for that specific thing….ticket to SEa World..Disney whatever…make them feel bad…I always say I need more nights becuse I am coming from far away and I always stay on vacation for 7 days…most of the time that gets you more days from them. You might pay a little more but it is well worth it…the condos are fabulous!! Dont just stay in a hotel for the timeshare stay on property…unless you need Disney tickets then it is worth it becasue you are gone most of the day anyways…I already have tickets that are non expiration so I work harder at nights for rooms…make it work for you not them!! and onnce you shop around on line you will ahve sale people calling you…do not just say yes to the first call decide where you want to go and what you want an d then listen to several different ones to see which is best..tell the person on the phone to call back tomorrow you need to talk to your husband…they will call back believe me..and usually they will sweetin the deal..always say no at first because they will give you more!!

We always bargain for additional “freebies” too, but then after we get our vouchers, we then see what else we can get from the amusement parks.

For example, after receiving our free Disney vouchers from the timeshare presentation, we then went to the ticket booth at Disney, and found that as long as we did so before the last day of use, we could upgrade our vouchers to add additional days, along with adding the “waterparks and more” and “no expiration date” options, turning our 3 day tickets (which included 1 option), into 7 days at Disney theme parks, plus an additional 7 days at Disney waterparks. We had to pay the difference, but the more days you buy, the cheaper the “per day” cost becomes. We also bought those upgrades several years ago, bringing our total cost to a less than $15/day per ticket, and we can use those days any time in the future.

For attending 1 presentation, we received 4 1 day tickets to Universal Studios. Universal then allowed us to add a 2nd day for $20/per ticket.

All of that though was several years ago, and we haven’t checked recently to see whether the theme parks still upgrade timeshare vouchers.

great idea..thanks for sharing. Our tikets will be running out pretty soon so we will need new ones for the next time we go..I think we only have three days left on them. we got 10 days no expiration and have used them on 4 seperate vacations to Disney….we alwys only do 2 or 3 parks otherwise it is too much in seven days…also we go to Un iversal or Sea World or last year we went to Busch Gardens on vouchers from the timneshare.. Debbie

We were just in Orlando in December, and only spent one day at Disney, and only one day when we went there this past summer as well. I agree, it’s too much, and there’s so many other things fun things to do in Orlando, especially when you go so often, curtesy of the timeshare companies!

exactly…if you stay at Westgate they have activities everyday for the kids to do and they have put put that is for free when you come as a timeshare promsotion peson…they also have a night of the week where it is a barbeque for free that you can go to or is it rfeally cheap for all your family…the kids meet other kids and you an enjoy just relaxing at the pool and not have to make dinner! I think Westgate is the best place to go on a timeshare…we have stayed ther many times but last time was the it..they have a new policy about how many times you have went and they put us on some list of families that have went on many timeshare there..we were still in the sytem from the last time or two….but now we have others to choose from..this willl be the first time At Wyndum.Bonet Creek so I am excited about a new place…

As another alternative to presentations, timeshare forums can be a great place to connect with owners hoping to recoup even just a fraction of their costs, by renting out their unused weeks or points.

My husband and I have family in Florida, so we go there several times a year. We’ve stayed at Bonnet Creek, and it is really nice, but the DVC(Disney Vacation Club) properties are our favorite.

Unfortunately, they don’t offer any free, or even reduced, stays for presentations. But I’m on a couple of timeshare forums, and on occasion, DVC owners will have points that are about to expire, and will either “rent” them cheap, and sometimes, will offer their few remaining points for free!

So, courtesy of one of the members, my husband and I just recently stayed at the DVC Animal Kingdom Villas. She only had 30 points, so we did have to “rent” a few points from another member to cover the difference, but still, we got a 3 night stay for a little over $50!

Timeshare companies that have “lists” usually only restrict you to 1 presentation at their properties per year. Fortunately there’s so many timeshare companies, especially in Orlando, that it will take at least a year to cover all of them 🙂

Just came back from a free stay in vegas, I did not know anything about all these timeshare scam but before the presentation I asked my wife not to buy but she still did. Now I’m in the process of rescinding my contract. Hopefully they recieved my certified mail before the rescission deadline is over. Oh, and I tried faxing the rescission letter yesterday and got the fax report in my hand.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Read the Privacy Policy

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

8 timeshare sales tactics—and how to resist them during a pitch

If you’ve ever attended a high-pressure timeshare pitch, you’ll definitely agree with me: They are intense. They are persuasive. And they might even put big pressure on your marriage. But a timeshare presentation doesn’t have to threaten to send you to couples counseling; you can absolutely resist the most common timeshare sales tactics—if you know what to look for.

My husband and I have gone to two timeshare pitches: One in Hawaii on our belated honeymoon and one in Vancouver, Washington. I learned so much both times, and I’m happy to say my marriage is stronger than ever. That’s not by accident: We found ways to stay strong together in timeshare presentations and resist the wedges the salespeople are trained to drive between couples during their pitch. Now I’m sharing those timeshare sales tactics with you—so you can earn that free vacation, resist being manipulated into buying something you don’t actually want, and still have your partner to travel with!

Whether you’re a timeshare pitch veteran or are considering attending one for the first time (and for the promise of a free vacation, amirite?!), you need these tested hacks Hubs and I learned firsthand to survive a timeshare pitch.

Survive a timeshare pitch as a couple

Chances are, you or your partner has been approached by a timeshare company to attend a presentation selling points or owning a timeshare. Stats back this up: The timeshare industry has grown consistently over the last 8 years, and sales of timeshares has increased by more than a quarter since 2013, according to industry research .

That’s a lot of people buying timeshare properties and points.

In fact, industry insiders suggest that about 15% of people buy a timeshare after listening to a pitch—yet many feel pressured or intimidated into making the purchase.

All that confusion and hardball sales tactics can be hard on your relationship (and you’ll probably have to attend as a couple, as many timeshare companies require you to decide to buy together). Hard feelings are common especially if one person in your couple is more of a green light than the other.

But you don’t have to end a timeshare pitch with resentment, hurt feelings or a sense of #fomo. You and your partner can resist heavy-handed timeshare sales tricks and keep your bond as strong as ever. Here’s how.

8 timeshare sales tactics—and hacks to resist them

1. know your goals and resources.

The sales pitch: Playing to emotions. Salespeople use the timeshare sales trick of relying on your emotions to make a gut decision to purchase a timeshare. After all, you probably didn’t go into the timeshare presentation planning to buy (and they definitely know that); even still, timeshares are wildly successful—because they manage to sell them even to couples that didn’t intend to buy.

Beat the sales tactic: Take a hard look. Before you step into the sales presentation, know your resources: How much discretionary spending do you have in your budget? How much vacation time do you have? Knowing these facts ahead of time will help you resist the dream of staying in a timeshare property 6 weeks a year if you only get 2 weeks of PTO.

How it worked for us: We had recently bought a minivan (aka #swaggerwagon!) before we attended a timeshare presentation. So to survive a timeshare pitch, we just had to remind each other that any wiggle room in our budget was now caught up in the four wheels that would have to drive us to our more modest, budget-friendly vacations for at least a while longer.

2. Play as a team

The sales pitch: Playing couples off each other. When you have a tangled necklace, you start to tease the chain apart by starting with the looser end. The same goes for timeshare sales techniques: They approach the sale by targeting the more enthusiastic or susceptible half of the couple. Once they have one person convinced, he or she often persuades the hesitant person.

Beat the sales technique : Go in with an agreement. If you’re attending the timeshare presentation just for the free gift or vacation (no judgment!), be up front about that with each other—from the beginning.

How it worked for us: The promise of two free plane tickets and two nights’ stay in a hotel persuaded me to sign up for the timeshare presentation in the first place, and that’s how I convinced Hubs to come (though I also told him I’d cancel it in a heartbeat if he gave a hard no).

3. Have a kill switch

The sales pitch: Now or never. At some point, timeshare salespeople have to close—to make a hard sell. If a potential customer isn’t going to buy, they’ll have to cut their losses and move on, but they’ll use all their timeshare sales tactics to get you to say “yes.”

Beat the sales tactic: Establish veto power. To survive a timeshare pitch, agree that either person in your couple can say a hard no—and that will be the end of the story.

How it worked for us: I signed up for the most recent timeshare presentation while I was at a home show, and the way I got Eric to go to the pitch in the first place was to establish this rule. He knew he could say no and I would agree, regardless of how I felt about it. It cemented a sense of trust between us that neither of us would be pressured, and that we always had a way out if buying a timeshare wasn’t worth it.

4. Know your roles

The sales pitch: Appealing to the more enthusiastic partner. Timeshare salespeople know that one person in the couple is more likely to be open to buying a timeshare, so it makes sense that they appeal to the more gung-ho person. They’ll encourage that person’s enthusiasm or curiosity by encouraging them to imagine a family vacation in one of the wonderful spots they’ll show you.

Beat the sales tactic: It’s easy to get caught up in the possibilities of owning a timeshare property. Being aware that you may fall into this dream—in spite of your logic or any promises you made to absolutely not buy a timeshare —helps prevent some of the in-the-moment excitement.

How it worked for us: Based on our first timeshare pitch experience, we knew I’m more susceptible to the timeshare sales tactics; in Hawaii, I was ready to buy into the timeshare—even though we barely had enough money to pay our cell phone bill! So we knew that to survive a timeshare pitch this time, Hubs would have to stay strong and be the voice of reason during the “discussion time” salespeople leave you to have.

5. Don’t rush

The sales pitch: Claim the deal won’t last forever. Timeshare salespeople create a sense of urgency around buying a timeshare because they’re about a zillion times more likely to sell a timeshare while you’re there in the presentation room. They know they need to close the deal in that moment, and applying subtle pressure to buy immediately makes people more likely to buy a timeshare.

Beat the sales technique: Timeshares have been around for decades, and they’re not going anywhere. Salespeople will show you deals they have just for that day (which are way cheaper than the ones available on other days), but honestly, you’ll always be able to get a good deal if you want.

How it worked for us: Hubs, who was the more level-headed half of our couple and who definitely helped us survive the timeshare pitch, reminded me that we can always sign up for another timeshare presentation down the line if we do decide it’s a good fit for our family. There is no shortage of timeshare opportunities.

6. Evaluate your vacations

The sales pitch: Inspire huge vacation dreams. Timeshare salespeople will show you examples of the most beautiful, luxurious timeshare properties in the most desirable locations to make you imagine the best vacation ever. Bali! The Maldives! Tahiti! They’ll have you dreaming up vacations in places you’d never wanted to visit—until this timeshare pitch.

Beat the sales technique: Before even stepping into the timeshare pitch, you and your partner should talk through the kinds of vacations you take today and the kinds of vacations you want to take in the future. Those kinds of vacations might not match with buying a timeshare.

How it worked for us: During the timeshare presentation, Hubs and I used our family’s lifestyle as a touchstone to resist the sales technique. We do a lot of camping, we bring our dog on most vacations, and many of our trips center around visiting family in locations where the timeshare company didn’t have any properties. In this way, we were able to logically see that the timeshare didn’t actually make sense for our family.

7. Read body language

The sales pitch: Taking cues from body language. Salespeople of all stripes are expert at reading subtle cues from potential customers. Are they leaning forward? Are their hands on the table? Are they constantly looking at the clock? They use this body language to fine-tune their delivery.

Beat the sales tactic: Keep tabs on your partner’s body language, from how they are sitting to what they’re doing with their arms. This will clue you in to see if they’re digging the experience or getting defensive. That way you can mirror their attitude and present a united front to the salesperson.

How it worked for us: At one point in the most recent timeshare pitch we attended, Eric crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. This body language told me that he’d been triggered by something the salesperson said. Knowing him, I was able to figure out that the salesperson’s tactic—to suggest we were depriving our kids of family vacations if we didn’t buy—touched a nerve. Because I was paying attention, I could see that he was ready to be done.

8. Remember the free gift

The sales pitch: All or nothing. Timeshare salespeople design their presentations to make you feel as if you  must buy in the moment—or lose out big. They focus on what you can have with the not-so-subtle suggestion that you’ll have wicked #fomo if you say no.

Beat the sales technique: When you’re caught up in the sales pitch, it can feel as if you lost when you say “no”—even if that was your goal to begin with. You also might leave feeling manipulated or put down. So when you leave, remind yourself of whatever free gift you earn when you survive a timeshare pitch. Having a free vacation to look forward to will help put a positive spin on even a negative experience.

How it worked for us: Before we attended the timeshare presentation, we talked about where we wanted to go. We decided on Phoenix because I’ve never been there, we wanted a destination that was relatively close to our home in Oregon, and we wanted a warm and sunny vacation to take in the winter. So when we left the timeshare pitch, we already had a fun plan to look forward to.

Finally, I hinted that I would buy some new lingerie for our free vacation—and that didn’t hurt either! #hubbahubbah

Are timeshares worth it? That all depends.

This post isn’t meant to be a guide on saying no to timeshare pitches—unless that’s what you want to do. If timeshares genuinely fit with your lifestyle, budget and travel goals, hooray! Buy a timeshare! (or two, ha!)

That said, I don’t love a lot of the timeshare sales tactics, and many of them put uncomfortable pressure on couples. The presentations are crafted to manipulate you into buying, regardless of if buying a timeshare is a right fit for your family.

Either way—if timeshares are worth it for you or not—I know these tips to survive a timeshare pitch as a couple will help you emerge with your relationship intact.

I’m curious: Do you have any timeshare pitch horror stories, or any that went surprisingly well? Do you have tips to survive a timeshare pitch? Share in the comments below!

Previous Post Bloggers' favorite tacos in LA: Never eat disappointing Mexican food again

Next post back to school for bloggers: resources to next-level your blog, you may also like.

Girls trip 2020: 20 fabulous destinations in the US + abroad

Bet the timeshare people hate you! Awesome article and you’re absolutrly right. I’m also the one more likely to get excited…

Ha! Well they have to know 99% of people go into those meetings not intending to buy.

This is a very important article! Some salespeople are super aggressive, and I am not a fan of the ways in which they pressure people. Glad you shared this!

I hear you. It feels icky to be pressured, but if you know the tactics they’ll likely use, you can guard against them.

I’ve never been approached by someone pitching this kind of sale, but these are great tips to keep in mind. Pinning this so others can read!

Thank you for sharing, Lecy! It really does pay to know how you’ll be targeted. That way you don’t fall into a trap you didn’t see coming.

We have been on so many vacations where we are bugged to show up to an information time share session. I have never been to one but nice tips in case I find myself in one some day!

I swear the vacation industry relies so heavily on these kinds of pitches. I’m surprised you haven’t gotten roped into one!

What a great post to write Catherine! I always wondered what went on in those timeshare meetings. You give a great game plan!

That’s the thing: People don’t know what they’re getting into when they agree to a time share pitch! Glad this shed some light, Erin.

Love all these tips! Thanks for sharing!

Anytime, Amanda. Thanks for reading 🙂

Lol. My husband and I have sat through two of these pitches- the last one 10 years ago in Disney world for some upgrade perks. We still joke about it now- ten years later.

I’m so glad you can joke about it together! My husband still gets FURIOUS whenever the time share pitch in Hawaii comes up in conversation.

I’ve not been abroad since I was a kid but I remember my mum and dad getting approached about time shares ALL the time whenever we went!

Time share pitches can be a great way to save money on travel and activities – but only if you manage to not be persuaded into buying if you don’t actually want to buy.

So informative and practical Catherine. Any advice for those of us who already own a timeshare and want to get out?

Hm, I haven’t had to do this personally. I do know there are some companies that will help but I haven’t heard about how reputable they are. I think some facilitate selling your timeshare to other buyers. Sorry I can’t be of more help!

Thank you for this posting! I know a few people who have timeshares and they enjoy them. But my parents had 2 (they are in their 80’s now), and they ended up spending $5k to sell them. I’m sure they may not have known the best route for selling, but in this time in their life they just wanted out. Selling timeshares isn’t always easy. I didn’t want to “inherit” the timeshares, because I saw that my parents STILL had to pay timeshare fees and expenses, even though the timeshares were paid off. If you can’t go every year, then it’s a waste of money. And yes, you can trade or pay extra to go to resorts that are not in that specific location, but that limits where you can go each year. Like you said, I’m not against timeshares, but it is a bigger commitment than the salespeople tell you. All of that said, I’m considering visiting a timeshare promotion in Orlando with my kids this summer. Ready for the sales pitch at the end …. 😉

Absolutely, Susie — timeshares are not bad! My in-laws are members of two different ones, and they take full advantage of them. It’s just important to know what you’re in for during a timeshare pitch so you’re not persuaded into something that won’t work for you.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

TO & FRO FAM

This family travel blog is written for you—a mom who wants quality time and memorable vacations with her kids. I’m one of those moms, so I get that you want to leave your stress at home. I crafted (and tested!) these travel hacks and destination ideas to help the whole crew make the most of your time together. xo, Catherine

Drop me a line if you want to collaborate, connect or simply say hello.

[email protected]

• Disclosures + Privacy Policy

Family Travel Checklist

• Midwest USA
• East Coast USA
• South America
• Getting there
• Hotel & rental travel hacks
• Ultimately fun activities
• Delicious travel tips
• Travel gear

To & Fro Fam

• Gorgeous Pacific City, Oregon: Things to do, restaurants + more
• Charming Long Beach + Seaview, Washington: 9 fun things to do
• Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden: Best things to do in Hilo, HI
• Quirky Sou’wester Lodge: Glamping trailers + unique places to stay
• Goblin Valley State Park, Utah Guide: Hikes, hoodoos, camping + more
• 5 Best Hotels for Kids in Vegas, plus family-friendly casinos
• Ogden Dinosaur Park: Life-size dinos, paleontology museum + more in Utah
• Stunning Dead Horse Point State Park near Moab: Alternative to Arches
• 38 Unique Girls Trip Destination Ideas for 2022: Serious Inspiration!
• Kraft Boulders and Kraft Mountain Loop: Kid-friendly hiking near Las Vegas

• Cabo San Lucas Tourism
• Cabo San Lucas Hotels
• Cabo San Lucas Bed and Breakfast
• Cabo San Lucas Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Cabo San Lucas
• Cabo San Lucas Restaurants
• Things to Do in Cabo San Lucas
• Cabo San Lucas Travel Forum
• Cabo San Lucas Photos
• Cabo San Lucas Map
• All Cabo San Lucas Hotels
• Cabo San Lucas Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Cabo San Lucas

What is the best way to say "no" to a Timeshare presentation - Cabo San Lucas Forum

• Mexico    
• Baja California    
• Baja California Sur    
• Los Cabos    
• Cabo San Lucas    

What is the best way to say "no" to a Timeshare presentation

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Los Cabos forums
• Cabo San Lucas forum

Schedule one for the end of your stay, and then cancel the night before. That would solve all your issues. You only have to say no the last day! If you consider that rude...Think about who you are dealing with!

Ha, and to prove my point -- see this current listing on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CABO-VILLAS-RESORT-AND-SPA-BEACH-GOLF-CABO-SAN-LUCAS-MEXICO-TIMESHARE-/390742212871?pt=Timeshares&hash=item5afa0d0107

I suggest you print it out and take it with you. :)

If you think you must explain yourself, they have half won the battle. Say no.

The best way to say no is to say that you have 90 minutes cause you have that much time set aside. At the end of 90 minutes tell them that they have done a great job and you've decided no. They aren't super pushy like some resorts.

When we first started going to this resort they bugged us every day to go to the timeshare spiel. You cannot ignore them as they don't let you check in until they can bug you about going to this. Do not give them money. We never did just said call us later so we could get rid of them and checked into our room. The one time we went to the timeshare they actually had several changes of sales persons and were in no way low key. I do not know how they are now. One time was more than enough.

• Jet ski 10:52 pm
• Trip review March 24-30 at Villa La Estancia, family of 4. 10:48 pm
• Beach info near Villa del Palmar today
• Vill La Estancia and Arco yesterday
• Anyone want to fly fish this weekend? yesterday
• ME Cabo - How loud is the music... really? yesterday
• Hotel Balcony/Patio Furniture yesterday
• New Walmart Aug 27, 2024
• Day trip from Cabo Aug 27, 2024
• Sunset sail Aug 27, 2024
• Cabo Resort Recommendation Aug 27, 2024
• Cielito Lindo Travel Aug 26, 2024
• Motorcycle endorsement on drivers license Aug 26, 2024
• Water taxi - where to go Aug 25, 2024
• Best time of year to visit Cabo? 9 replies
• All-inclusive , adults only resorts in Cabo 6 replies
• Name of resort that filmed Heartbreak Kid 9 replies
• Weather in August?? 9 replies
• Cabo vs. Cancun HELP 14 replies
• How is Cabo in late november, weather, tourist, etc. 9 replies
• Is Cabo San Lucas Safe? 145 replies
• Weather in December 11 replies
• Cabo vs. Puerto Vallarta 8 replies
• Where are the swimmable beaches? 8 replies

Cabo San Lucas Hotels and Places to Stay

• What hospital should I avoid in Cabo San Lucas
• Airport Transportation: What are my options?
• Walking Around Cabo: What is there to see/do?
• Walking Around Cabo: What is there to see/do? (#2)
• Weather: What's the weather like in Cabo?

• Vacation Rentals
• GreenLeaders

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market.  See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our  credit card rating methodology .

How To Do Timeshare Presentations for Free Trips (And Not Get Trapped!)

Brett Holzhauer

Content Contributor

66 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 22 U.S. States Visited: 29

Michael Y. Park

25 Published Articles 326 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 60+ U.S. States Visited: 50

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

41 Published Articles 3376 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 50 U.S. States Visited: 28

Table of Contents

The timeshare swindle, what to expect and do, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

The term “timeshare presentations” can evoke a feeling of dread. When you’re on vacation, the last thing you want to do is sit in a cheesy, high-pressure sales room for up to 2 hours. But I’ve found value in these as a journalist and travel nerd.

I experienced my first presentation in Orlando in 2017. I earned a $200 gift card to Universal Studios, which was more than worth the 90 minutes. I learned how the consumer end of timeshares works, which was quite informative. In the past, it was based on buying a number of nights. Now, the systems primarily work by using points you can redeem globally at a variety of properties. These points are a different currency than the points and miles earned through credit cards or loyalty programs.

Since then, I’ve done 2 Hilton presentations in Las Vegas, Nevada, and I plan on doing more.

The biggest takeaway has been how predatory timeshare companies are and the lack of value in these packages that are nearly impossible to get yourself out of. So I wouldn’t recommend anyone lock themselves into a timeshare contract. But in a highly competitive travel market, timeshare companies continue to give away outstanding perks for you to show up, making the time worth it for many travelers. Having done 3 presentations, I can tell you there’s a simple solution to get in and out painlessly.

Timeshares have long been a punchline in the travel industry. Even children’s cartoons like “ SpongeBob SquarePants ” take jabs at the questionable investment. Unfortunately, many people fall for the high-pressure sales tactics by believing it’s a strategic way to “invest” in travel. Nearly 10 million U.S. households own some sort of timeshare travel product, according to the American Resort Development Association .

Although there is a market for timeshares, they remain a highly despised product. One CNBC survey suggests 85% of people regret buying a timeshare, and the Better Business Bureau received 3,000 complaints regarding Wyndham Destinations and Hilton Grand Vacations in the last few years. Even the Federal Trade Commission has had to step in to guide consumers through the treacherous waters.

But once you take away the negative experience and look at the numbers, it’s a bad investment with little to no return on investment. Nevertheless, if you decide to go to a timeshare presentation, the representatives will do their best to make the numbers as appealing as possible.

The Finn Law Group , a law firm specializing in timeshare litigation, paints the numbers perfectly. With an initial purchase price of roughly $48,000, you could spend over $106,000 over 20 years on maintenance fees, assessments, and more. I would go out on a limb to say most people wouldn’t spend $106,000 on vacation housing potentially in their lifetime, especially if they use points and miles to their advantage.

It’s not worth locking yourself into an investment where you’re guaranteed to lose money, and it will cost you more than simply renting and leaving.

If you sign up for a timeshare presentation for an incentive like a free or heavily discounted room (such as offers from Choice , Hilton , Hyatt , IHG , and Wyndham ), it can feel intimidating. But here’s the short of it: You will watch a short video, sit down with a salesperson, tell them “no” a few times, and they will let you go on your way.

They are accustomed to people coming simply for the offer and going on their way. However, there are a few things you can do to make the process as painless as possible.

Be Firm But Polite

If you’re there solely for the offer and don’t want to purchase a timeshare, let the salesperson know right away. They may push back a bit, but ultimately, they don’t want to spend too much time with someone who isn’t interested.

I’ve let salespeople know quickly that I travel for free using credit card rewards and have no interest. In my experience, they may pry a bit, but they tend to back down if you’re firm.

Don’t Show Interest To Be Polite

Some people can lean into being polite by at least entertaining the offer knowing deep down they aren’t going to purchase. This is adjacent to signing up for a credit card for the welcome bonus , knowing you’re going to cancel the card. Don’t feel guilty for taking an offer that is publicly advertised. Moreover, don’t let that guilt turn into mimicked interest.

This can lead to more time wasted and the salesperson becoming even more pushy.

Don’t Lose Track of Time

Timeshare companies typically advertise their packages with a clear description of how long the presentation is. Normally, it’s either 90 minutes or 2 hours.

As long as you show up on time, be sure to hold the representative to their end of the deal. They are typically pretty good about getting you out on time, but keep a close eye on your phone or watch. If the end of your time is approaching, make it clear to whoever you’re speaking with that your time is almost up, and you’re ready to leave.

When they offer you appointment times to do your presentation, opt for the first morning time. By doing this, you can get it out of the way and enjoy the rest of your day.

What if You’re Actually Interested in the Timeshare?

If you’re interested in a timeshare, I recommend going to a few different brands to see which works best for your needs and budget. Some of the larger brands include Wyndham Destinations, Hilton Grand Vacations , Marriott Vacations Worldwide , Disney Vacation Club , and Diamond Resorts.

If you’re looking for a timeshare feel with a larger room and kitchen rather than a standard hotel room, there are plenty of secondhand timeshare rental websites like RedWeek to find one. I’ve been looking for the right opportunity to use it myself.

Think of it this way: You don’t go on vacation thinking of buying the entire hotel. You rent a room, use it for your short-term needs, and leave. Sometimes, it’s simply smarter to rent. Moreover, a timeshare doesn’t come with any form of property ownership, so it’s a smokescreen of ownership.

Sacrificing a few hours on your vacation to save hundreds of dollars can be worth it. However, don’t be afraid to go if you’re sure you aren’t interested in purchasing a timeshare. Plenty of people have that same mindset and only attend for the free room or another incentive. So, go in with a strong mindset, a firm “no,” and go about the rest of your trip knowing you scored an easy deal.

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation  calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years! Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
• TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you! Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
• TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics! Free memberships for every 50 subscribers! Visit TUG on Youtube!
• TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $23,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone! Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $23 Million dollars
• Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free! 60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
• Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost! All T-shirt options here!
• Step by Step Guide: How to Sell your Timeshare!
• Last Minute Discounted Timeshare Rentals
• Free Timeshare Giveaways
• Timesharing
• Buying, Selling & Renting Timeshares

Polite way to say “no thanks” at timeshare presentation

• Thread starter thetimeshareguy
• Start date Aug 17, 2018

thetimeshareguy

• Aug 17, 2018

Hi everyone! My (new) wife and I are in Las Vegas and scheduled to attend a timeshare presentation as part of obtaining a reduced cost of staying at a resort here. (Her idea...) I’m a polite and considerate person and would appreciate advice on a way to gently but firmly say “thanks, but no thanks” to our host tomorrow after the two-hour presentation that’s part of our deal. There’s no way we’re buying — just looking for a nice way to let the man or woman down. Thanks in advance for all your thoughts! Guy  

Honestly - it doesn't matter how you say it. They will not take no for an answer, and will have a response for every excuse for not buying. Be sure you spouse understands this before you go, and make sure she understands that buying is not a option.  

TUG Review Crew: Expert

A polite way to say "no thanks" is just to say "no thanks". Keep saying it, with a smile, as often as needed.  

Tug Review Crew: Rookie

Start your timeshare with the price of their unit on the secondary market followed by We are interested in buying if you can provide a lower cost. We have had a couple 20 minute timeshare meetings. Why waste their time. Be upfront and honest.  

thetimeshareguy said: Hi everyone! My (new) wife and I are in Las Vegas and scheduled to attend a timeshare presentation as part of obtaining a reduced cost of staying at a resort here. (Her idea...) I’m a polite and considerate person and would appreciate advice on a way to gently but firmly say “thanks, but no thanks” to our host tomorrow after the two-hour presentation that’s part of our deal. There’s no way we’re buying — just looking for a nice way to let the man or woman down. Thanks in advance for all your thoughts! Guy Click to expand...

Passepartout

Tug review crew: veteran.

It may be easier for me than you. We are seniors, and I tell them that "we are in the liquidation phase rather than the acquisition phase of our lives. Would you like one if our timeshares?" But when they don't catch on, I have no qualms about resorting to simple insults about their hearing or comprehension. The easy ones accept a firm, NO for an answer. It usually has to be repeated Jim  

TUG Review Crew: Elite

thetimeshareguy said: My (new) wife and I are in Las Vegas and scheduled to attend a timeshare presentation as part of obtaining a reduced cost of staying at a resort here. (Her idea...) Click to expand...

• Aug 18, 2018

I tell them what I know... I know where I can get resales. Then they tell me it's not the same... I'll miss out on _____ system or deals etc. Then I explain to them how the resales totally meet my desires for vacation. Then they give me grief for attending when I knew I wouldn't buy. And I tell them the gift enticed it to "listen to a sales update."  

Just don't show up. There is no polite way to deal with these sharks.  

TUG Review Crew

https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php...-rescind-cancel-my-timeshare-purchase.189301/  

billymach4 said: Timeshare guy with a name like that you want to know how to deal with these situations. Sorry I don't mean to be harsh but best best is not to agree to these timeshare presentations. Click to expand...

thetimeshareguy said: I agree. I know quite a bit about timeshare and even wrote a book entitled Timeshare Secrets a few years ago. My new wife booked this holiday hoping to save a little money by going to this presentation and I am just fishing for tips on letting these people down gently — that’s all. Thanks. Click to expand...

SmithOp said: Who is giving the presentation, which system? Some of them can be really nasty. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro Click to expand...

just keep saying NO, until they walk you out the door.  

I know quite a bit about timeshare and even wrote a book entitled Timeshare Secrets a few years ago. Click to expand...

Ask no questions about the property, listen only. If they try to play on your sense of pity by saying they or family member has some type of medical issue, reply that you have a close friend in the same situation. We are seniors so we tell them at this point in our life there is no way we are purchasing another ts, and if we were it would be on resale market. And if they play the card that business has been slow with few sales, suggest to them because timeshares sold by developers are so overpriced. Just check TUG or other websites. Good luck and enjoy your vacation.  

magmue said: Maybe gift the salesperson with an autographed copy of your book when you arrive? Click to expand...

I am exactly like you. Being much older I have learned over the years that in some rare instances being polite just does not work. Time share presentations are more often than not one of these times. Be firm and polite and realize that the salesman is not doing you a favor. At some point rude may be the only option. I have a toggle. It takes an extreme amount of pressure to move that toggle but once it is flipped you do not want to be on the other side.  

bluehende said: I am exactly like you. Being much older I have learned over the years that in some rare instances being polite just does not work. Time share presentations are more often than not one of these times. Be firm and polite and realize that the salesman is not doing you a favor. At some point rude may be the only option. I have a toggle. It takes an extreme amount of pressure to move that toggle but once it is flipped you do not want to be on the other side. Click to expand...

clifffaith said: "Go with God, but just go" flipped my toggle when the third salesman/closer pulled that gem on me last year at a Diamond resort in Scottsdale. I guarantee that everyone in the room heard me say FUAH to him. Click to expand...

• Aug 19, 2018

thetimeshareguy said: Blue Green Click to expand...

DaveNW said: Faith, you made me laugh right out loud with that perfect response. You need to take this coffee cup to your next presentation, and turn it around when you've had enough. https://dls-store.com/shuh-duh1?s=ceramic-11&c=White&p=FRONT Dave Click to expand...

• This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn more…

Is Attending a Timeshare Presentation Worth It for Families?

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

We've probably all received an invitation to a timeshare presentation where we'd spend a few hours but get a free or inexpensive vacation out of the deal. Most of the time we say "no" because of the horror stories we've heard from people who have attended a similar event with aggressive sales tactics or with people that didn't respect their time. Today's parents have limited time to spend with their children while balancing work and household duties. Is attending a two-hour timeshare presentation to save a few bucks worth sacrificing time with the family -- especially when you're on vacation?

But some of these timeshare properties, many of which can also be booked with points, are pretty appealing. We'll talk about the timeshare pitch and perks in a minute but let's first look at some timeshare properties families may want to visit.

Top Timeshare Properties for Families

Here are a few examples of popular family-friendly timeshares, many of which are bookable on traditional hotel points. Elite members might receive an upgrade to a larger room when making a hotel reservation. And, another bonus of booking a timeshare-stye property usually ensures that you'll get a one-, two- or even three-bedroom unit that will easily fit your family (and with washing machines!).

• Kidani Village, a Disney Vacation Club property at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas (Orlando, Florida): There are four savannas with more than 200 hoofed animals and birds roaming the resort. Although not part of a hotel loyalty program, points from Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard (not currently available to new applicants) can pay for your room. I found nightly rates in the $300s before tax. You can even "rent" Disney timeshare points from owners. Personally, I want to book a room here for my family just for the unique experiences with the animals.

• The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas* (Lahaina, Hawaii): Beautiful weather year-round and tropical landscapes make Hawaii a favorite for family travel. Cash prices start in the $500s, but rooms are only 50,000 Marriott points per night.

• Marriott's Grande Vista* (Orlando, Florida): My family stayed here before and loved the pools and game rooms. My son really liked the towers and water cannons at the Plaza del Sol pool. Cash rates start at $183 per night or 35,000 Marriott points.

• Hilton Grand Vacations on the Las Vegas Strip* (Las Vegas, Nevada): While gambling is for adults, the shows and attractions are for visitors of all ages. Las Vegas is a popular family destination for food, fun, and shopping. Room rates are as low as 54,000 Hilton Honors points or $124 plus tax. The Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card is a great way to earn points with a 125,000 welcome bonus after spending $2,000 in three months, and 6x points at US Restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations.
• Hyatt Residence Club Maui, Ka'anapali Beach: This property is right next to the Hyatt Regency Maui. The stretch of beach here is fantastic and the pool complexes are exactly what your family dreams about when thinking "Hawaiian vacation." Use 30,000 World of Hyatt points. Cash prices for the one-, two- and three-bedroom units varies depending on the season but are clocking in just shy of $1,000 per night for a two bedroom and $1,089 for a three bedroom this summer. The World of Hyatt Credit Card can help boost your Hyatt points balance.

• Westin Princeville Ocean Villas: The North Shore of Kauai is light on points hotels, but the Westin Princeville is an option on hotel points or for timeshare owners. Standard rooms are 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night and paid rates start at about $300+ per night. Larger suites are bookable for higher prices. Guests here get to enjoy the nearby beach at the Princeville Resort that is the perfect place to watch Hawaiian sunsets.

*For both Marriott and Hilton, loyalty members can redeem points and receive the fifth night free to increase their savings.

The Timeshare Offer

Spending points, however, isn't the only way you can stay at these villa-style properties. Most of them canvas travelers to find some that will exchange their time to attend a presentation for a free or heavily discounted stay, cash or a combination of the two. In most cases, you'll need to set aside at least two hours for the presentation.

The offer will vary based on which company's presentation you attend. If you are actually interested in buying into a timeshare, do your research beforehand to understand the pros and cons of ownership and get a firm handle on pricing. The timeshare resell market can be a great way to save money if you do decide that ownership is right for you.

No matter what the offer is to attend a presentation may be, always negotiate when speaking with the representative. Remember that you'll be giving up valuable vacation time with your family to sit through the timeshare presentation. He or she may have something extra to offer to close the deal.

Here is a timeshare offer we've seen recently:

Holiday Inn Vacations Club

While checking on my IHG Rewards Club account, the telephone agent discussed a Holiday Inn Vacations Club timeshare offer. For $199, my family and I would receive a four-day, three-night vacation in our choice of one of 14 destinations. The options included Orlando, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, the Great Smoky Mountains and other destinations.

Once we attended the presentation, we would receive the $199 back in cash plus a $100 discount certificate for a future Holiday Inn stay. I love a great deal, so I signed up to attend.

Some offers are a bit pricier, such as the $798 offer some receive to spend 5-nights at the Westin Princeville in Kauai, though that offer does include an Avis car rental. Or, at the Disney Aulani in Hawaii attending the sales presentation scores you two luau tickets (normally $139 each).

Our Stay in Gatlinburg

We booked our stay for Gatlinburg, Tennessee, at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains. We came to find out that the city is a great family destination filled with fun tourist attractions, delicious food and amazing nature hikes. (And don't miss Dollywood , which is nearby.)

Cash Versus Points

If you'd like to stay at the timeshare resort, you can book rooms for less than $200 a night or 35,000 IHG Rewards Club points. The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card is a great way to earn IHG Rewards points to pay for your stay.

The Holiday Inn Express Gatlinburg Downtown is located immediately next door and shares many of the benefits of the timeshare, including the indoor waterpark and pool. On many of the dates I checked, the rooms were very inexpensive when paying cash. You could book a room for 30,000 IHG points, but when the cash price is so low, I would opt for the cash rate or book through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal .

Attending the Timeshare Presentation

When you attend a timeshare presentation, remember that you're sitting with trained sales professionals. Their job is to weave a story to create an emotional connection and get you to believe that timeshare ownership is better than staying in a hotel where you want, when you want and paying how you want (cash or points).

Most timeshare presentations say that you need to attend for 90 to 120 minutes. If you let them, they'll keep you there as long as they can. If they've done their job correctly, they'll try to find the emotional trigger that will get you to buy one of their packages before you leave.

Do Both Spouses Need to Attend the Presentation?

Timeshare purchases are a big commitment, so the salesperson wants to ensure that both spouses are there to sign off on the contract. If one spouse is not there, it is an easy excuse to say that "I need to speak with my spouse about this" to get out of the potentially high-pressure sales pitch.

Before I got married, many timeshare companies I spoke with would not book an appointment with me. Their sales presentation is designed around families and the memories you create while traveling.

Can Children Attend With You?

Timeshare companies know the children can be a distraction or an excuse to leave early during the sales presentation. Because of this, your children may not always be allowed to attend the timeshare presentation with you, though there are exceptions to this. For example, the Disney Vacation Club does a great job providing colors and such for kids to stay busy during the presentation. We have heard of children attending with other brands, too, such as Hyatt.

When we travel with our children, they usually go to the kids club while we speak with the sales representative. In most kids clubs there will be toys and video games for them to play with, drinks and snacks to enjoy, and television to watch.

With many vacations jam-packed with activities, the kids club can be a welcome breather for kids to relax and enjoy some free-style play.

The Presentation

After signing in at the front desk, you'll watch a video with the other guests while your sales rep waits in another room. The video is designed to make you think about how you can travel with your family using the timeshare and what fond memories you will create. Timeshare members will talk about the places they travel with their ownership and how they love that the timeshare can be passed down to their children.

Once the video is finished, you'll go to the sales rep's table where he will ask questions about how you like to travel, where you want to go and how much you spend on vacation.

It always amazes them when we talk about how much we travel and how little we spend. Most of the sales reps that we've talked to do not understand the value of miles and points.

The Sales Pitch

The answers you provide help the sales rep craft the presentation and approach to get you to buy. The simple math works like this: You say that you travel a certain number of days each year and spend so much each night. They multiply this number by 40 years and compare your expected spend against the purchase of a timeshare.

The sales rep will tell you that it is better to buy a timeshare than rent hotel rooms. But what they often neglect to mention is that the timeshare locations aren't always in the places you like to travel, popular resorts book up quickly, maintenance dues go up each year and you'll pay the dues even when you don't travel. Additionally, if you go through a phase where you need to tighten up on discretionary spending (such as travel), you can't do that as easily if you owe set dues each year.

After you've listened patiently and politely declined their offer, a manager will come to the table. The manager will ask if the sale rep treated you well and take some notes.

At that point, he or she will probably offer you a trial package or maybe a discounted offer to return. A trial will let you try out the timeshare membership for one to two years by paying $1,000 to $3,000 to have a select group of properties to stay at. This package may lock in today's prices in case you decide to buy in the future.

For many people, the trial or sampler package can be a good deal compared to cash prices for the same properties -- points are sometimes even thrown into the deal.

At our Holiday Inn Vacations Club presentation, they offered us a future eight-day, seven-night stay for $1,499. We would be in a two-bedroom, two-bath unit similar to the one we toured earlier in the day. Although the rooms were attractive and the offer was tempting, we couldn't see our family wanting to visit any of their locations for eight days.

Should You Say Yes?

Although my family owns a couple of timeshares that I bought in my 20s, I generally recommend against buying one today. With so many vacation options using hotel points, discount travel sites like Groupon and timeshare rental websites, it usually doesn't make sense to lock yourself into a timeshare.

Related: Why Timeshares Aren't Always a Scam

If you do decide that buying a timeshare is right for your family, understand that you can buy them significantly cheaper on the secondary market. Websites like eBay, Redweek and Tug2.net offer thousands of listings of people trying to sell timeshare memberships that they no longer use or cannot afford.

Alternatives to Buying a Timeshare

Of course, we're all familiar with using hotel points when we travel. But did you know that you can rent timeshare units as well?

Many timeshare properties are available using hotel points. Others are available for rent on eBay and Endless Vacation Rentals .

Mommy Points recently rented Disney Vacation Club points from David's Vacation Club Rentals for an awesome Walt Disney World getaway. Going this route allows you to enjoy all of the benefits of a timeshare vacation for a given trip without the upfront cost or responsibility of annual maintenance dues.

Booking a Cheap Spring Break Vacation

For example, if you wanted to travel to Orlando for 2020 Spring Break and stay at a timeshare property, you have many options. A one-bedroom villa at the Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas, Lake Buena Vista/Orlando is available from Endless Vacation Rentals for $161 per night (total of $1,125 for the week).

The same room is available directly from Marriott for $170 per night (total $1,190).

Marriott Bonvoy members can book a week in this room for 300,000 points. The nightly rate is 50,000 points per night, but the fifth night is free as a member benefit.

In my experience, the closer you get to the travel dates, the lower the prices will be on Endless Vacation Rentals because they need to sell the package before the dates pass. Of course, specific dates can sell out.

Is It Worth Your Time?

For our family, giving up two hours of our vacation to earn a big discount on travel expenses is a good trade-off. My wife and I have the strength to decline their best offers to buy, no matter how appealing they may sound in the moment. In our experience, when you attend a timeshare presentation with a well-known name, once you say "no," they will (eventually) respect your decision.

Our family enjoyed a great four-day, three-night vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains for a net cost of $0 after attending the timeshare presentation. Plus, we now have a $100 certificate toward a future Holiday Inn hotel stay. Yes, we spent two hours of our time listening to a timeshare presentation, but it was worth it to have a free family vacation.

Have you attended a timeshare presentation to save money on a vacation? Was it worth it for the perks or will you never do it again?