FIXED weeks????? Is that new????

[jerseyduke]

It beats me why DVD doesn't put more effort into advertising the Fixed Week option. It doesn't cost DVD anything extra to sell a Fixed Week deed versus a traditional week deed. In fact, both the Guide and Disney could possibly gain a bit more by selling a Fixed Week deed. Case in point: Someone plans on staying at VPB the first week in December in a Standard View studio. The point chart shows that week costs 118 points, so they buy a VPB deed for 118 or 120 points. But a Fixed Week deed for that same week costs 130 points. The Guide would make commissions on an extra 10 or 12 points if the buyer decided to get a Fixed Week.

Disney gains because if the owner actually uses the Fixed Week, the extra 12 points contained in that deed goes unused by the owner, which means that somewhere in the DVC system 12 points will fall back to Disney. Twelve points doesn't sound like a lot, but if all Fixed Week owners used their Fixed Week (highly unlikely) and DVD sold the maximum of 35% at PVB (even more highly unlikely), it could result in an extra 140,000 points each year floating around the DVC system that will eventually fall back to Disney.

I'd hate to think DVD Guides aren't discussing Fixed Weeks because, well, we never sold Fixed Weeks before so why should we start now?

BINGO!

Extra breakage income! If 9 fixed weeks get sold, that is a week DVC gets to rent that room out for cash!

My guide did not mention it for my VGF purchase, I wish he had

 

[gdrj]

I have to wonder if maybe the fixed week thing (in part) is being used as a "perk" for buying direct instead of the more economical choice of resale.
thoughts?

Could be but only for the smaller percentage of buyers who want fixed weeks.

I don't understand why DVD doesn't promote the Fixed Week option more. The DVC Quick Reference Guide (Username: Welcome; Password: Home) has the PVB point chart and a price chart, and even a brochure touting the features of the resort. But there is no mention of the Fixed Week option, much less the Fixed Week price chart erionm posted in this thread. Even the DVC website or the Members' website has scant information about Fixed Weeks.

The Fixed Week option isn't for everyone, but there is a segment of the membership that can find it quite attractive because it fits into their vacation lifestyle.

With 65% of resort not fixed week maybe they want to focus on majority and also for new buyers not muddy the water. Keep it simple and expand information as needed.

I just added on at the Poly this past weekend. Fixed week option was not offered to me. Maybe because I didn't buy enough points but it didn't even come up. Not sure if it's being offered there at all.

As others have said it is being offered. Possibly based on your conversation with guide on how you vacation or when you visit it didn't make sense to go down that road. Adding info and confusing client is a sure way to add doubt in buyers head and to lose a sale. If during your conversation you said something about always wanting XMAS week, they would have come back with that "sales" solution.

 

[jerseyduke]

As others have said it is being offered. Possibly based on your conversation with guide on how you vacation or when you visit it didn't make sense to go down that road. Adding info and confusing client is a sure way to add doubt in buyers head and to lose a sale. If during your conversation you said something about always wanting XMAS week, they would have come back with that "sales" solution.

When i bought VGF i indeed mentioned December to my guide. No mention of Fixed weeks.

Knowing what I know now, not buying a fixed week was a big boo boo on my part. Then again I did not even know they existed.

 

[tjkraz]

I don't understand why DVD doesn't promote the Fixed Week option more.

Mainly because it confuses buyers. MOST people are novices with regard to their timeshare knowledge. The flexibility of a point-based system is easy to explain, both in relation to one's Home resort and the variety of other destinations offered.

Guaranteed Weeks offers a level of complexity that's irrelevant to 99% of buyers. It muddies the waters. Last thing a salesperson wants to hear is "hmmmm....I need to think about that and get back to you."

 

[foreUT]

Yes it is being offered at the Poly, many guides haven't taken the time to learn about the product so they don't offer it and/or your guide didn't bring it up due to the amount of points that you were interested in.
Bill

Couldn't agree with you more. I was told all sorts of incorrect information about purchasing a FW, before my Guide called Quality Assurance and was told he was wrong.

It beats me why DVD doesn't put more effort into advertising the Fixed Week option. It doesn't cost DVD anything extra to sell a Fixed Week deed versus a traditional week deed. In fact, both the Guide and Disney could possibly gain a bit more by selling a Fixed Week deed. Case in point: Someone plans on staying at VPB the first week in December in a Standard View studio. The point chart shows that week costs 118 points, so they buy a VPB deed for 118 or 120 points. But a Fixed Week deed for that same week costs 130 points. The Guide would make commissions on an extra 10 or 12 points if the buyer decided to get a Fixed Week.

Disney gains because if the owner actually uses the Fixed Week, the extra 12 points contained in that deed goes unused by the owner, which means that somewhere in the DVC system 12 points will fall back to Disney. Twelve points doesn't sound like a lot, but if all Fixed Week owners used their Fixed Week (highly unlikely) and DVD sold the maximum of 35% at PVB (even more highly unlikely), it could result in an extra 140,000 points each year floating around the DVC system that will eventually fall back to Disney.

I'd hate to think DVD Guides aren't discussing Fixed Weeks because, well, we never sold Fixed Weeks before so why should we start now?

I don't understand, either, unless this a perk they would prefer to keep for new members. How many of the possible Poly fanatics (aka "New Members") go the same time every year and would want the same weeks that current Members would also want?