Why buy resale then add on direct?

[kaguilbeau]

Why would it not be a good idea to buy a small direct first?
I definitely want the AP discount. I do realize I would have to bank/borrow with a small point direct.

Just curious.

 

[Ben E N]

You can purchase an add on to an existing contracts with a minimum of 25 points, while new direct sale contracts start at 50. At high per point costs for direct sale, the savings when only buying 25 can be significant.
If you are only interested in owning 50 points total, then a direct sale contract makes sense for you, as small scale resale contracts do not offer much in terms of savings.

 

[kaguilbeau]

Thanks. I didn't realize the minimum point requirement was 50 if bought direct.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Also, you want to have them with the same Use Year (UY). If you buy direct first, you limit your options in resale quite considerably. Most people can do fine with any of about 3 UY if they have consistent travel habits; if they don't have consistent travel habits, any UY will do. This gives them many more resale contract options to consider.

If you are already tied to a UY, that means you end up looking only at those UY, or setting yourself up to manage contracts in multiple UY, and having issues combining points at either 11 or 7 months.

 

[kaguilbeau]

When you buy direct , do you still get to select a use year?

 

[disneynutz]

When you buy direct , do you still get to select a use year?

They will try to sell you the current one being offered. How and why they decided on which UY's and for how long is beyond me. I think that it was BLT that had February UY's for months.

Bill

 

[Ben E N]

I am sure If you insist on a certain use year, they wil either find the points for you, or out you on a waitlist the same as someone adding on.
If I had to bet, I would assume that they try to sell you the UY closest to the present month. This would allow them to clear out their present stocked up points, as these contracts are sold loaded. When they tried to sell me direct points in July, it was for a September UY. I did not know enough to ask for a different one at the time, though, so I don't know for sure.

 

[Somnia]

I just put in for a resale that has a use year of June. If I buy the 25 point add-on does my use year stay June?

 

[Ben E N]

Yes, but you can only add on for the June use year, with very few rare exceptions. You can usually go on a waitlist if the points are not immediately available.