SFX - how is their inventory?

[Xcalibur]

Hi,

found out about SFX in the wyndham forum. did some research and found it unusual that you can't see their inventory. Unusual that they want the member to deposit a week to trade but then you don't get to see what you can trade it in for... am I missing something here? How large or extensive is their inventory?

how have you found using SFX? Do the diamond privileges actually provide anything of value?

thanks!

 

[rickandcindy23]

They are a boutique exchange company. You have to guess what they might have sitting in inventory and enter an ongoing search for it. And if you enter an ongoing search, they may or may not get back to you with any answer about your search. It's a strange operation. And your weeks could literally sit in the system as deposited and never get you a match. That is just truth.

Also, if you do deposit a week their calendar shows as red season, high quality and deman, etc., they may later tell you that your deposits are not really high demand or high season, so they cannot help you, unless you can take something within 60 days out because your deposits do not measure up to your expectations.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Mexico is very easy, and you are often not charged or are charged reduced resort fees that you have to pay when exchanging, so it is a better deal. San Francisco area is good. Hawaii is OK at times.

Other places are bit more challenging.

In all cases being flexible is better.

They do not get the volume of say RCI or II, only a tiny fraction, but they only take quality resorts.

I have had a membership for about a decade. I use it mostly for Mexico weeks, but occasionally for Canada, NYC, San Francisco, Hawaii and Jamaica.

 

[Xcalibur]

Mexico is very easy, and you are often not charged or are charged reduced resort fees that you have to pay when exchanging, so it is a better deal. San Francisco area is good. Hawaii is OK at times.

Other places are bit more challenging.

In all cases being flexible is better.

They do not get the volume of say RCI or II, only a tiny fraction, but they only take quality resorts.

I have had a membership for about a decade. I use it mostly for Mexico weeks, but occasionally for Canada, NYC, San Francisco, Hawaii and Jamaica.

So... it sounds like you can't see their current inventory like RCI then? seems weird to trade in a week and not know what you might get... if there is anything of value (to the user) at all...

 

[Sandy VDH]

So... it sounds like you can't see their current inventory like RCI then? seems weird to trade in a week and not know what you might get... if there is anything of value (to the user) at all...

Short term inventory you can see online, but not all inventory. It is best to call and ask. Or put an ongoing request it, which is what I did for my NYC week.

I look at it this way. My other choices are RCI or II. I did try Dial an Exchange, but gave up on them when RCI bought them.

I usually give SFX a deposit if I think I will have expiring points or too much carried over points. I am always looking for options.

 

[presley]

I do like being able to see stuff online and SFX generally doesn't put stuff out there. I have had good turnaround, though. Once I called for NYC and they got me something during that call (only had to call once).

More recently, I put a request in online for several weeks during the summer for southern California coast and they called me the next day with a match.

I deposit holiday weeks and summer weeks, though. I have read unhappy posts here by those who deposit other weeks. I no longer own timeshares, but when I did, I owned the high demand places. Lots of people have mediocre timeshares and aren't happy with their trade outcomes. If you decide to try it, only deposit your higher end timeshares during peak travel times.

 

[cerralee]

I am looking to go for Hawaii in March of this year. I had forgotten about SFX until an e-mail today jogged my memory. I don't want to deposit if there is no inventory. I have a Mexico (non all inclusive) one bedroom unit that is available to deposit. I have an upgraded membership and can choose any week I desire including Christmas and New Years. I have never had a problem getting my desired week. Since I don't have a deposit banked with them I can not see available inventory.
Does anyone have access to their inventory for March? Can you see any Oahu weeks? I don't want to spend a fortune on a Diamond membership or deposit a week without knowing what is out there.
I asked the customer service rep how their exchange works and she said week for week. I took it that what week I deposit does not matter, reading these posts, I am not so sure.

 

[mas]

[QUOTE="rickandcindy23, post: 2230439, member: 107"..." It's a strange operation. And your weeks could literally sit in the system as deposited and never get you a match. That is just truth.

Also, if you do deposit a week their calendar shows as red season, high quality and deman, etc., they may later tell you that your deposits are not really high demand or high season, so they cannot help you, unless you can take something within 60 days out because your deposits do not measure up to your expectations.[/QUOTE]

I agree. I looked at using them several years ago. I got part way into the exchange process and gave up as I didn't want to play their game.

 

[easyrider]

My experience with sfx is ok. I did have one exchange that was a really nice unit until I opened the window and noticed our view was the roof of the next building.

I did deposit another week into sfx and I think it will be pure luck on my part if I get anything good out of it.

Bill

 

[chemteach]

My take on SFX is - STAY AWAY!!! I deposited spring break Westin Palm Springs units, and never got anything great. But I plan way in advance - so RCI and II work great for me. Maybe SFX works better when you are closer to the dates of travel.

 

[klpca]

I've had decent luck with SFX for getting Hawaii, NYC, and San Francisco. We travel almost exclusively during shoulder seasons though, so perhaps that's why my experience has been ok. I like them because they will extend an expiring deposit for free. With my husband's past health issues this has been an important benefit to us.

 

[SmithOp]

Does anyone have access to their inventory for March? Can you see any Oahu weeks? I don't want to spend a fortune on a Diamond membership or deposit a week without knowing what is out there.

We can’t see any more than you, thats how SFX works, you deposit and hope they have something. They only put 60 days worth online, so you can see what they have that hasn’t been taken yet. Further out they keep offline for their staff to match requests. Just look in Resort Escapes.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[geist1223]

We keep hearing from SFX about trading our Grand Mayan. We bought it about 10 years ago and cancelled it the very next day. We have told them several times we do not own Grand Mayan.

 

[easyrider]

It seems like here are plenty of vida inventory available every where. I thought sfx was going to be the one and only regarding vida. Maybe it is the $30 a day per person fee that is making it harder for vida to only have one exchange company.

Bill

 

[Seaport104]

They are a boutique exchange company. You have to guess what they might have sitting in inventory and enter an ongoing search for it. And if you enter an ongoing search, they may or may not get back to you with any answer about your search. It's a strange operation. And your weeks could literally sit in the system as deposited and never get you a match. That is just truth.

Also, if you do deposit a week their calendar shows as red season, high quality and deman, etc., they may later tell you that your deposits are not really high demand or high season, so they cannot help you, unless you can take something within 60 days out because your deposits do not measure up to your expectations.

Exactly my experience with SFX. I even paid for their diamond membership a couple of years ago and will not be renewing it.

 

[regatta333]

What is the matter with their website? I have not been able to get to it for the past several days?

 

[SmithOp]

What is the matter with their website? I have not been able to get to it for the past several days?

You might have a local issue, I just logged in no problem. Try cleaning the crud from your browser, clean cache then type in sfxresorts dot com instead of using bookmark.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[talkamotta]

I have used them several times over the last 10 years. I have had good luck except twice then I had to pick from their existinginventory. I use my Westgate week, it doesn't get good tpu value for mfs. It's another thing I have to keep an eye on. Sometimes that gets a little overwhelming.

 

[NiteMaire]

I am looking to go for Hawaii in March of this year. I had forgotten about SFX until an e-mail today jogged my memory. I don't want to deposit if there is no inventory...Does anyone have access to their inventory for March? Can you see any Oahu weeks? I don't want to spend a fortune on a Diamond membership or deposit a week without knowing what is out there.
I asked the customer service rep how their exchange works and she said week for week. I took it that what week I deposit does not matter, reading these posts, I am not so sure.

I think you're out of luck for March of this year. Their online exchange search is atrocious. You have to call and ask to get the real answer.

Diamond members get "preference" (my word) for trades. If you read their site carefully, you can find it when they describe benefits of being Diamond. I posted the wording on a different thread about SFX. If I can find it, I'll edit this post and add it. I've also asked several CSRs and they say being Diamond matters. Also, the type of unit/week you deposit matters. I also verified this with CSRs.
Edit - here's the post I referenced: https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php...de-happy-exchanger.272608/page-2#post-2151972

I have a request in for next Jan in Hawaii. While no guarantee can be made, I've been told I have a good chance of getting match. I'm a Diamond member, have a "valuable" week deposited (the week I deposited has already been snagged), and put in my request 12 months out. I purchased a 3-year Diamond membership at a discounted rate. Last year, I was able to get a Hilton Kohala Suites unit on the Big Island in August. I needed a specific week; RCI and II didn't have it, but SFX did.