Westgate Sales Tactics

[Otis]

I just wanted to share what something that I perceived to be an elaborate sales tactic I experienced last week at Westgate Lakes Orlando Resort. Maybe others have had the same or will find this if they try to do some Google research before they sign.

We already own a "half share" of Westgate, meaning we can use a whole unit in odd years or split up the halves of the lockout if we prefer.

It went like this: We arrived to use the resort for the first time and were told that we needed to meet with our rep for a "nice breakfast" just to sign some things. She told us that we had an "Open" status on something but she needed to find out what it was about. In the meantime she wanted to tell us all about their newer 4 BR units that are being developed and gave us a tour of the model unit. When we got back to the sales room she said she'd found that there was a form that had been mailed for us to sign that had not been returned. The form was to give up our option for the second half of our share. Further she found that they had our wrong address on file so that would explain why we had not received it. She was required to have the accounting manager to explain it to us so someone else joined us at the table to persuade us to please sign this form saying that we don't want the second half of our share (as required by Florida law she says). Meanwhile our rep was trying to interrupt to protect our right to get that 2nd half at a bargain price because Westgate would be forced to sell the new and improved unit at the 2006 price if only we would refuse to sign! It was funny to see them bickering in front of us (what I perceived to be an act), the accountant trying to hush up our rep who was trying so hard to stick up for us so we could snatch up this bargain for only 9 thousand!

It seemed too convenient yet cleverly acted out and so we suggested we would take no action until we talked about it overnight. They had various reasons we needed to take sign right now. In the end we walked away without committing either way.

I was just dying to post this so maybe somebody else would find this routine familiar at Westgate.

Our stay was overall not bad aside from that little waste of time.

ALSO - saw a man holding a sign over his head at the entrance saying "WESTGATE DECEIVED ME". Wondered what his story is.

[1950bing]

Seems as if timeshare sales people have'nt changeg in over 25 years.
Do they have a school for this or is this slime just passed on to each other ???

[timeos2]

Another version of the never-ending ploys to make incredibly overpriced sales of nearly worthless (at market value) timeshares. No one does it "better" - not a good thing - than the obnoxious Westgate organization. You were so wise to walk. Every once and awhile we see the novice post that "Westgate (fill in the blank) Resort 'isn't so bad' ". Not so. No matter where it is or what it may look like today eventually the ugly side of Westgate WILL take over and the owners will rue the day they ever signed on with any Westgate resort. Heed to all too readily available advice from hundreds of sites/sources that says "Avoid anything Westgate" to assure you have a good experience in timeshare. Next to "only buy resale" there is no better advice to be had.

[JLB]

Same story as ours which we started 20 years ago with Wastegate and Mr. Sleaze, and that we have been telling others for how many years now???

When I saw the topic my first thought turned out to be the OP's first thought, that if you can google you can find the truth about the lies. In fact, finding out stuff like how sleazy Wastegate is is so easy any more that I am beginning to have little empathy with those who do not, and get sucked in.

I guess I also have very little respect for those owners who haven't gotten ripped off (in their opinion), yet have heard from the hundreds/thousands who have, and encourage others to go ahead and get ripped off.

[tonyg]

To keep my status in the gate-hate club, I must say that Westgate has no ethics when it comes to sales practices and cares little or nothing for their owners. Somehow they manage to keep control of the resorts and intimidate those attempting to re-sell their weeks.

[defreitasm]

Originally Posted by timeos2

Another version of the never-ending ploys to make incredibly overpriced sales of nearly worthless (at market value) timeshares. No one does it "better" - not a good thing - than the obnoxious Westgate organization. You were so wise to walk. Every once and awhile we see the novice post that "Westgate (fill in the blank) Resort 'isn't so bad' ". Not so. No matter where it is or what it may look like today eventually the ugly side of Westgate WILL take over and the owners will rue the day they ever signed on with any Westgate resort. Heed to all too readily available advice from hundreds of sites/sources that says "Avoid anything Westgate" to assure you have a good experience in timeshare. Next to "only buy resale" there is no better advice to be had.

I own a Westgate Vacation Villas in Florida that I bought at the end of 2001 for 2750 as a resale from a guy on EBay who was flipping timeshares. I actually paid less because after transfer of ownership I found that the maintenance for 2002 had already been paid. I did my research on Westgate and found out about their sales tactics prior to staying there and have yet to sit through one of their so called mandatory maintenance Inspections. Upon arrival they generally try to get you to make an appointment for the sales pitch in disguise. I simply tell them to contact me later in the week and they either forget about it or call a few times, in which case I ignore the calls. I have stayed at my home resort at least 3 times and have always had a pleasant stay.

I have always gotten decent trades with the unit. It is week 16 which is a great week, but Orlando seems to be red all year. Yes Westgate is buy far very aggressive with the sales tactics. The resorts I have traded into never try Westgate's approach, but they all have some gimmick like offering discounts to shows or park tickets that they mention on check on. Either way, if you get roped into sitting though a presentation, just learn to say no. I learned early on only to buy resale even though at times my wife was almost convinced to buy another unit during a presentation.

My opinion is that the whole industry is a big scam including the exchange clubs which seem to hold onto more resorts as rentals these days rather than make them available for exchange.

[JLB]

That's one.

[defreitasm]

Originally Posted by JLB

That's one.

One what?