posted 10-20-2003 10:46               

As a Westin owner, Do I have ANY advantage over a non-Westin II member when both of us are searching for the same vacation time at another Westin through II? Any light you may be able to shed on this subject would be appreciated. Thanks-Maz

posted 10-20-2003 10:53               

To directly answer your question, Starwood has not provided specific instructions as it relates to this issue. We'd be happy to answer any questions you may have and are pleased to do so in our call center.

Thank you for your understanding.

quote:

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Originally posted by Maz:
It has always been public knowledge that Marriott has the 21 day rule ....Why have we not heard of any similar policy regarding Starwood deposits? Has Starwood instructed II not to disclose any info regarding a similar policy? If so, why? Can you tell us ANYTHING about whether Starwood has a similar policy?

As a Westin owner, Do I have ANY advantage over a non-Westin II member when both of us are searching for the same vacation time at another Westin through II? Any light you may be able to shed on this subject would be appreciated. Thanks-Maz

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posted 10-20-2003 17:07               

quote:

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Originally posted by CraigU:
I don't think it is beneficial to post internal trading programs for consumption from the general public.
Thank you for your understanding.

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Thanks Craig...

You did say "I don't think it is beneficial to post internal trading programs for consumption from the general public."

Do you feel the same way about Marriotts 21 day rule being disclosed to the "general public"?
How has it *not* been benefitial to them (Marriott)? Just curious..Thanks again-Maz

posted 10-20-2003 19:47               

The point I was making was that owners outside of the group do not have the same advantage and some may see it as being unfair. I see no point in "rubbing salt in a wound".

The information has no value outside of the eligible group. Therefore, I think it can/should be conveyed on an individual basis.

If you search the threads, I have never outlined the specific hold criteria for Marriott weeks. My response on this thread is consistent with the way I would handle any resort/group specific program.

quote:

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Originally posted by Maz:
Thanks Craig...

You did say "I don't think it is beneficial to post internal trading programs for consumption from the general public."

Do you feel the same way about Marriotts 21 day rule being disclosed to the "general public"?
How has it *not* been benefitial to them (Marriott)? Just curious..Thanks again-Maz

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posted 10-20-2003 22:43               

I can see what you are saying although I have never agreed with the whole "keep everything a secret" thing that has always been so popular in the world of timeshare. When BMW publishes a brochure they dont consider listing their car's 0-60 speeds rubbing salt into the wounds of all the cars on the market that are slower. Its just being upfront and open about the facts so that the consumer can make an educated decision. Maybe if everyone was more open about things such as trading priority and preferences, people would have the information to make better purchase decisions therby eliminating those who have the wounds that salt could be poured into.

I will take your advice and call II and speak to a rep. I am hoping that they will A) Have the information I need and B) be honest in providing it.

Thanks for taking the time and attempting to answer this question. I know your hands are tied in many ways. Maz

posted 10-21-2003 08:19               

Honestly I don't think this is specific to "the world of timesharing".

An airline doesn't tell you what the person in the seat next to you paid. A car dealer doesn't tell you the price the last customer paid for the car or any incentives they may have received. Each of us receives different perks for the credit cards we have and we all may not be eligible for the same promotions.

None of these companies make posts on the internet highlighting the nuances of an individual offer; they target their promotions. I don't see this issue as being much different.

quote:

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Originally posted by Maz:
Thanks Craig...

I can see what you are saying although I have never agreed with the whole "keep everything a secret" thing that has always been so popular in the world of timeshare. When BMW publishes a brochure they dont consider listing their car's 0-60 speeds rubbing salt into the wounds of all the cars on the market that are slower. Its just being upfront and open about the facts so that the consumer can make an educated decision. Maybe if everyone was more open about things such as trading priority and preferences, people would have the information to make better purchase decisions therby eliminating those who have the wounds that salt could be poured into.

I will take your advice and call II and speak to a rep. I am hoping that they will A) Have the information I need and B) be honest in providing it.

Thanks for taking the time and attempting to answer this question. I know your hands are tied in many ways. Maz

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posted 10-21-2003 10:39               

quote:

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Originally posted by CraigU:
Maz:

Honestly I don't think this is specific to "the world of timesharing".

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Craig:

I agree..However...While companies in general dont disclose things like what other people paid, they always disclose those things which are material to the purchase. I have never heard of a car dealer that refused to disclose specs on its cars or an airline that wouldnt disclose stop-overs on a particualr flight etc...In the world of timeshare, trade power and internal preferences are kept secret to a large degree. These are huge material issues, not just what the next guy paid for the same thing. You could never get away with this in any other business. My wife and I love timesharing but there some aspects that could be better. Maz

posted 10-21-2003 11:51               

It should also be noted that we do provide the ingredients associated with trade power. They are outlined in our terms and conditions of individual membership under our comparable exchange methodology. The only thing we don't provide are the specific measurements. This "recipe" was developed at great cost to our company.

If you think about it, we are no different than any other consumer product. If you buy Coca Cola, for example, you know the ingredients but you don't know the exact quantity of each. The main difference is the timeshare product can be represented in many different ways which may create confusion. However, Interval International clearly discloses our processes and a high level understanding of the way the system works.

Honestly, I am not trying to be argumentative so I hope it doesn't come across that way. At times, I think people equate other aspects of the industry to the disclosure done by the exchange companies.

Personally I feel we do disclose how we calculate trading power. We explain our comparable exchange methodology and have also introduced a Travel Demand Index to assist with all aspects of travel planning. This has been refined in the new directory scheduled for delivery beginning next month.

I do not think we really disagree on the issue. I do think our perspectives may be different.

I hope this helps.

quote:

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Originally posted by Maz:
Craig:

I agree..However...While companies in general dont disclose things like what other people paid, they always disclose those things which are material to the purchase. I have never heard of a car dealer that refused to disclose specs on its cars or an airline that wouldnt disclose stop-overs on a particualr flight etc...In the world of timeshare, trade power and internal preferences are kept secret to a large degree. These are huge material issues, not just what the next guy paid for the same thing. You could never get away with this in any other business. My wife and I love timesharing but there some aspects that could be better. Maz

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Craig Urbine
Vice President
Member Services
Interval International

posted 10-21-2003 19:46               

Thanks Craig..I agree with what you have said and appreciate your taking the time to respond..I will continue to work on Westin..Thanks-Maz

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Westin St. John
Oregon Coastal
Sunterra-Scottsdale
Marriott Park City
SoCal
Fairfield Points
Trendwest Points
Punta Mita,Mx.(Non-Timeshare)