Scams vs. Consumer Accountability in resales

I have read a variety of post / threads on this site that deal with timeshare resale scams. Although I agree there are many scams out there, it amazes me the number of people who feel it is their right to a refund or relief due to an ill-advised financial decision they made. It speaks volumes to the inherent notion that many have that being held accountable to an action does not apply to them. Indeed if a timeshare resale company that offers (for a fee) advertising on a their website for your timeshare ...extracts that fee fraudulenty the consumer is owed a refund. But if a consumer is about to agree to pay a fee for a service it is that consumer's responsibility do so as an informed consumer, and in most cases I believe the average American consumer would rather consume first and then become informed. As someone who has worked in sales and retail over 25 years it is my humble opinion that too many consumers would rather spend the time griping after the fact than be informed beforehand.

I have had great success in bartering for and / or selling items on free sites such as craigslist...but lets be real here. Do you really think you will sell your Cabo San Lucas timeshare by posting it in the real estate section of craigslist in Lancaster, PA? I think not. And as most of the timeshare resale sites do not promise a sale for the charged advertising fee...only the exposure (worldwide / ie WWW.) I do not see what all the griping is about. Face the facts...you bought a luxury item at retail that in most cases diminishes in value very quickly and even more so in tough economic times. To complain about having to expend time, energy and money to sell that item is childish. And if you do not want to spend the money upfront there are a variety of sites that offer brokerage (in the traditional real estate manner) with payment of commission due at time of sale.

Many folks who post here do so without spending time vetting the facts (in such the same manner as they consume). In the spirit of civil conversation and debate I do hope the number of rants on this site diminishes.

So then why are Attorneys-Generals going after these upfront fee scammers?

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.

davidj464 wrote:

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.

If you ask for any type of upfront fee then you're a scam, period. You don't sell timeshares you sell advertising putting a timeshare listing on your site that few people will ever see for hundreds of upfront dollars.

You speak of consumer accountibility ..... your upfront fee industry is built on lies and deception telling prospective sellers that people or corporations are waiting in the wings to buy their timeshare when that's an outright lie .... what about YOUR ACCOUNTIBILITY as a human being ?????

Until you get a conscience (remember karma can be hell) and start charging your fees at closing then you'll always be referred to as a scammer.

davidj464 wrote:

And if you do not want to spend the money upfront there are a variety of sites that offer brokerage (in the traditional real estate manner) with payment of commission due at time of sale.

Yep, www.tsxmls.com !!!! The brokers listed on that site are legitimate and take their fees at closing unlike you, Jason ..... you can change your screen name but you can't hide who you are ..... it shows in your syntax.