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Original Message:

Scams vs. Consumer Accountability in resales (by David J.):

Because like many industries there are bad apples. What gets lost in all the vile discussion is that there are companies out there with great track records offering the pay upfront advertising and brokerage options.

The same reasoning behind all the griping can be used for used car sales, contractors, furniture sales and a multitude of other industries. Take for example when I purchased a used 1991 Honda Accord in 1993. I researched what type of car I wanted, shopped around and purchased it from the pre-owned division at a Ford dealership. I drove that car for 15 years and retired it with 340,000 miles. No gripes. Had I bought a less reliable car from a less reliable dealer indeed I would not have had the same success...but would I have had a legitimate gripe given my decision as a consumer? No. This is where the timeshare resale business takes too much heat. If I own a Marriott Kauai unit I am going to have much greater success in reselling it on the open market than a bottom tier resort in some state in the midwest. The majority of the griping comes from those with too high an expectation of resale success for a timeshare that was more than likely purchased at too high a retail price and for which the owner now has buyer remorse. To lay blame and take up action against a timeshare resale advertising company for one's own lack of insight is rather silly. Just as it would be have been silly of me to expect the same success with a 1991 Dodge wagon as I had with my Honda Accord. Do a little bit or research people! Is it smart to lay down 500 bucks to advertise a timeshare unit worth at best 2000 dollars (at very best ...if even there is demand at all)? No it is not. And to blame a whole industry for one's shortsighted actions is appalling. If you have in writing from a timeshare resale advertising company a promise of success in a certain period of time...then indeed you should have recourse. If you plopped down your credit card with delusional expectations then you got exactly what you paid for.

This all circles back to my original topic of consumer accountability. This nation is in an economic tailspin due in part to greedy corporations and banks...but most certainly also due in part to many misguided and entitled minded consumers who pull a chair up to the feeding frenzy. As stated before...timeshares are a luxury item and if a consumer is in over his / her head in owning one it would be better time spent in taking action to smartly rectify the situation instead of blaming others.