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/
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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..
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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.
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How Timeshare Presentations Earn Me Cheap Travel
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The most avid travel hackers often shoot me a skeptical glare when I utter the words “ timeshare presentation ” as a way to get discounted hotel stays and piles of points to use toward future travel.
The deal is pretty simple: receive a heavily discounted hotel or resort stay and other perks in exchange for attending a timeshare presentation — better known as a sales pitch.
The last email offer I received was in March 2023 from Hilton Grand Vacations. It dangled a three-night stay in Las Vegas plus 50,000 Hilton Honors points in exchange for $149 and sitting through a 90-minute talk.
Having attended four timeshare presentations over the last decade, I find that the discounted hotel stay and extra perks — like hotel points and discounted spa treatments or amusement park tickets — are worth my time. All you have to do is attend the presentation and say “no” (sometimes several times) if the timeshare is not right for you.
Here’s how to get nearly free vacations with timeshare presentations.
Determine the value of the promotion, then negotiate
I've successfully negotiated the terms of a timeshare presentation in the past, so I called Hilton to see if it could sweeten the deal with upgrades like more travel rewards points or food and beverage credits.
After reviewing the terms of my promotion — and with some very polite back and forth — I requested an increase to 100,000 points and a waiver on the additional resort fees of $34 per night. After a long wait, the sales representative’s supervisor approved the deal if I accepted it on the spot, which I did.
According to NerdWallet’s valuation , Hilton points are generally worth about 0.6 cent each , giving the 100,000 points an approximate value of $500. The nightly room rate over my travel dates was $249, plus $34 per night in resort fees. That gives this deal a value of over $1,300 in exchange for 90-minutes of my time and the $149 I paid for the package.
Understand the restrictions and limitations
Certain hotels require attending the presentation with a spouse, while others may have specific income requirements. Ask about blackout dates, package expiration dates and any other hidden fees (like those pesky resort fees).
For Hilton, I had to verbally confirm my income was above a certain threshold and attest that I hadn’t participated in another Hilton-based timeshare presentation over the past six months.
Once I purchased the package, Hilton gave me 12 months to use it. After my reservation in Las Vegas was booked, Hilton assigned a set date and time for the timeshare presentation. If you miss it, the company can charge the full cash rate for the stay and revoke any perks offered.
Also be aware that you won't earn hotel points or elite night credits with the host brand for the promotional stay.
Know what to expect at the sales pitch
The pitch usually starts with an introduction to your salesperson and a general video or presentation about the company’s timeshare program. You’ll then be whisked away to an office, where the salesperson asks about your finances and travel habits. You’ll be introduced to a rubric of costs to stay at different tiers of properties — costs that may fluctuate seasonally or during periods of high demand.
Many timeshare companies, even Disney , have transitioned to a points-based system, where you buy points used to make reservations after you’re an “owner,” but be aware these points are independent of the chain’s loyalty program.
Once the salesperson estimates the cost required to live your best timeshare life, they’ll take you on a tour of a model property. You’ll then return to the office and be introduced to the “closer” — the person who ran the numbers and tries to pressure you into signing.
The sales professionals will tug at your emotions with aspirational travel fantasies while making you feel like family. Remember, they are incentivized by commissions to make you buy a timeshare through signing a contract that can last the rest of your life.
Timing the pitch using my phone allowed me to politely tell the salesperson their time was up once the required duration under the promotion elapsed (usually 90 to 120 minutes).
Be in the 'no'
Timeshares are big business, with $10.6 billion in domestic sales in 2023, according to a 2024 study by the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), a trade association for the timeshare industry. For comparison, that’s similar to the annual revenue of Major League Baseball in 2023.
Hospitality companies wouldn’t offer these lucrative promotions unless enough people were buying what they’re selling.
Jason Gamel, president and CEO of ARDA, says that approximately 2 in 10 people decide to buy after a sales presentation. And that purchase, of course, comes with a financial commitment. The average purchase transaction was $24,170 in 2023, according to the ARDA study, with average annual interest rates near 15%.
This amount covers the initial cost to join the timeshare and the financing of the balance but does not include ongoing costs such as membership dues, maintenance fees or other required resort operation expenses.
If you’re not in the market for a timeshare, no sales pitch should persuade you to get one. Before the pitch, think (or talk) through the process of saying “no,” and if you have a spouse who'll be attending, include them in the conversation.
Later, if you change your mind and decide to sign a contract, a state’s rescission laws could allow the contract to be canceled within a certain window after signing — usually between five and 10 business days.
“I think that’s important because it does help people evaluate whether they’re making the right decision for them, and it gives them a very easy way to say no after everything is said and done," says Gamel.
Simply pack up and go
Despite skepticism from my travel-hacking cohorts, timeshare promotions allow me to save money on travel now and earn rewards to use for free travel in the future. The process won’t be for everyone, but if you’re willing to sacrifice a couple of hours and know the power of saying “no,” it could do the same for you.
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What to Expect at a Timeshare Presentation
The timeshare industry is renowned for its unique approach to vacation ownership and its distinctive sales strategies. To gain deeper insight into this sector, I recently attended a timeshare presentation in Hawaii. This endeavor aimed to achieve dual objectives: understanding the intricacies of timeshare sales from a firsthand perspective and securing a significant discount on our hotel stay. This article provides an in-depth recount of the experience, offering valuable insights for those interested in the timeshare industry, whether as prospective buyers or industry professionals.
The Presentation Experience
Our journey to the presentation site was less than conventional. After a vigorous hike to a scenic waterfall, we arrived at the timeshare presentation looking disheveled and tired. However, the salesperson greeted us with professionalism and enthusiasm. He promptly offered refreshments and engaged in light conversation to set a friendly tone before launching into the sales pitch.
The presentation began with an overview of the timeshare concept. The salesperson highlighted the benefits of timeshare ownership, including access to a variety of resorts, potential cost savings on vacations, and the flexibility of rotating units. Visual aids showcased different resort properties, aiming to entice us with their luxury and appeal. Despite the salesperson’s engaging approach, my background as a real estate professional led me to scrutinize the value proposition closely.
One key observation was the distinction between timeshare ownership and traditional real estate investments. While the latter typically appreciates in value, timeshare properties are known to depreciate over time. The notion of owning a unit for one week per year, with the associated costs, seemed more like prepaid rent than actual property ownership. This critical perspective highlighted the importance of understanding the fundamental differences between timeshare and real estate investments.
Handling Objections
As the presentation progressed, my discomfort from the hike became a more pressing concern. Despite the salesperson’s persistent efforts to address my reservations, including detailed explanations of upfront costs and potential savings, my focus remained on concluding the meeting. The presentation, initially intended to last 90 to 120 minutes, felt increasingly irrelevant given my physical state and fatigue. When it became evident that we were not interested in proceeding with the purchase, the salesperson’s demeanor changed abruptly. His previously warm and accommodating attitude gave way to a more curt and impatient stance. This shift was a stark reminder of the impact of client responses on sales interactions. The salesperson’s frustration was palpable, and his abrupt behavior underscored the challenges of managing client rejections gracefully.
Professional Reflection
This experience served as a profound lesson in customer relationship management. The salesperson’s transition from cordiality to abruptness highlighted a critical aspect of effective salesmanship: the necessity of maintaining professionalism regardless of the client’s decision. In the real estate industry, I prioritize building and preserving positive relationships with clients, even when a transaction does not materialize. This approach fosters trust and respect, essential components of long-term success. The contrast between the salesperson’s behavior and my own professional ethos underscored the importance of upholding a positive demeanor and respect in all client interactions. Regardless of the outcome, a professional and courteous approach helps in maintaining a positive reputation and encouraging future opportunities.
Attending the timeshare presentation offered valuable insights into both the opportunities and challenges within the timeshare industry. While timeshare ownership can present appealing benefits for some, it is crucial for both buyers and sales professionals to approach the experience with a clear understanding of expectations and a commitment to professionalism. The experience underscored the importance of respectful and engaging interactions, highlighting that success in the timeshare industry, as in any sales sector, is built on a foundation of mutual respect and effective relationship management.
Your Partner in the Timeshare Exit Journey: Why Choose leavetimeshare.com
Feeling overwhelmed with the timeshare exit process?
Don’t worry, we at leavetimeshare.com are here to assist you every step of the way.
Navigating through the complexities of timeshare contracts, finding legitimate exit options, and avoiding potential scams can be daunting. But with our industry knowledge and experience, we can help simplify this journey for you. Our aim at leavetimeshare.com is not only to provide you a lifeline out of your timeshare obligations, but also to educate you throughout the process. We empower you with knowledge, so you can make informed decisions.
Why Should You Choose leavetimeshare.com?
Trustworthy Guidance : People know us for our honesty and integrity in an industry that can sometimes be quite murky. We pledge to provide accurate, reliable information and expert guidance. Tailored Solutions : We understand that every timeshare owner’s situation is unique. Therefore, we tailor our approach to fit your specific circumstances, offering personalized exit strategies. Consumer Advocacy : We’re more than just a timeshare exit service. We’re advocates for you, the consumer. Our mission is to protect you from unfair sales practices and misleading information. Commitment to Education : We strive to keep you informed about the timeshare industry, potential pitfalls, and best practices for exiting your timeshare. Our in-depth blog series is a testament to our commitment.
So why go it alone?
Allow us to accompany you on this journey, providing expert advice, a helping hand, and most importantly, peace of mind. Visit leavetimeshare.com today and take the first step toward a hassle-free timeshare exit.
You’re not just a client, you’re family.
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COMMENTS
Jan 11, 2024 · Considering room rates here often hover around $500 per night, you can save a bundle by sitting through a timeshare presentation. For example, five nights in September 2021 at the Ocean Tower at ...
Aug 19, 2023 · 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 ...
Sep 5, 2022 · While each timeshare company might have slight variations in how they run their presentations, I’ve been to enough to know that all will likely follow the same basic pattern. Here are 10 things to expect at a timeshare presentation to prepare you for your first timeshare experience. 10 Things To Expect at a Timeshare Presentation 1.
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.
Jun 26, 2024 · Timeshares are big business, with $10.6 billion in domestic sales in 2023, according to a 2024 study by the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), a trade association for the timeshare ...
The presentation began with an overview of the timeshare concept. The salesperson highlighted the benefits of timeshare ownership, including access to a variety of resorts, potential cost savings on vacations, and the flexibility of rotating units. Visual aids showcased different resort properties, aiming to entice us with their luxury and appeal.