Researching timeshare industry

Hello,

I'm Peter. I'm doing research into the timeshare industry for a business school project. I'd love to talk with anyone here about their experiences, etc. but in the meantime I have a handful of questions.

A lot of these might seem obvious, but I'm just trying to be very careful.

I'm interested in the whole process. How did you find your timeshares, why did you choose which one(s) to buy, etc.? Once you own one, how do you use it? Do you use it yourself, rent it, exchange it?

What is your experience buying/selling timeshares? Renting? Exchanging?

What do you think of companies like RCI, II, etc.? How could they be improved? What are your biggest frustrations with them?

I've been reading about this industry for a while, but it's best to assume I know nothing. I just want to learn the ropes from people who have first-hand experience, with an eye towards building a business to help timeshare owners.

I created a survey, here: http://pcolston.wufoo.com/forms/timeshare-survey/

I'd love for people to take that. Alternatively, we can talk here, you can email me at peter.colston@gmail.com, or send me an IM at peterjcolston on AIM.

If you want to talk here, I'll start by asking two related questions:

• As a timeshare owner, if you could make one aspect of the timeshare industry 10x better, what would it be?
• As a timeshare owner, what is the most frustrating/painful aspect of the industry?

Thanks for your time.

Best,
Peter

Hi Peter,

I completed your survey and wish you well with your research. It sounds like a fun project.

Steve

Thanks For Doing The Research So We Won't Have To.

Click here for our (mostly) complete timeshare story.

pcolston said:

As a timeshare owner, if you could make one aspect of the timeshare industry 10x better, what would it be?

Click to expand...

Scrap the timeshare companies' traditional biz. model based on high-pressure, truth-stretching, arm-twisting, guilt-tripping, psychologically manipulative sales pitches. Switch to a biz. model based on WalMart for initial sales & based on CarMax for resales.

pcolston said:

As a timeshare owner, what is the most frustrating/painful aspect of the industry?

Click to expand...

Skyrocketing maintenance fees at poorly managed timeshare resorts.

Be sure to write up your survey results & research findings & provide us an Internet link to the finished product.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

I also finished survey. I wish you share your collected information with timeshare owners in TUG.

Alan,

That was an awesome blog post. I'm going to follow up in a DM.

yumdrey said:

I also finished survey. I wish you share your collected information with timeshare owners in TUG.

Click to expand...

Will do, once I sort through them! I'm going to summarize and anonymize them, though, because most people said they didn't want their specific information shared.

If you were going to start a new business in the timeshare industry, what do you think would make the biggest impact?

pcolston said:

If you were going to start a new business in the timeshare industry, what do you think would make the biggest impact?

Click to expand...

A combination of Owners Locker with a grocery delivery service. The goal: make my arrival to any timeshare similar to the arrival at an upscale destination club. I want "all my stuff" already there and ready to enjoy.

Peter,
Completed the survey, good luck!

Good luck. Be sure to tell us what you learn.