Five Reasons To Say NO To Attending A Timeshare Presentation

Arguably there is only one real reason to say no to attending a timeshare presentation: there is quite simply nothing to be gained from attending one, unless you are the company organising it, of course. To learn why this is true though, it is worth discussing some of the reasons why anybody attends timeshare presentations, and why it is never a good idea.

1. There Are Better Ways To Learn About Timesharing

One of the most common reasons people attend a timeshare presentation is in an attempt, perhaps ironically, to educate themselves and learn more about timesharing in an attempt to avoid being conned, scammed or simply ripped off when buying a timeshare.

There are far better and safer ways to learn more about timesharing and how to buy or sell a timeshare than by attending a timeshare presentation though. In fact just about any way of learning about timesharing that does not involve literally stepping into ‘the unknown’ is better. Arguably though, the best way to learn more about timesharing is to speak to avoid timeshare sales people and instead seek speak with a broad spectrum of genuine owners through various online channels.

2. There’s More Cons Than Pros

Whether timeshare presentations are more frequently organised by ‘con artists’ than professionals working within the timeshare industry is debatable; what is undeniable meanwhile is that the timeshare industry itself is one with a disproportionate number of scammers lurking within it. Couple this unsavoury reality with the fact that presentation events are a popular means by which scammers operate in numerous industries and it places genuine and potential timeshare purchasers who attend presentation events in an ‘at risk’ category.

Hence, avoiding the temptation to attend a timeshare presentation event is not just likely to save you a lot of potentially wasted time, money and effort, but as well lower your risk of becoming one of the thousands upon thousands of ‘timeshare victims’ who even in 2016 are being reported regularly via the British press.

3. Avoid Walking Into A Trap

The ‘traps’ associated with timeshare presentations are not only or exclusively those set up by scammers operating within the timeshare industry. Equally, presentations are often not the only or even the first way by which sales people operate. In fact, it is often through having been cold called or receiving ‘junk mail’ that people first hear about timeshare presentation events happening near to where they live and decide to ‘go along’.

Whilst appealing to consumers’ natural curiosity is no crime, it is none the less important as a consumer to be conscious and aware that by the time you find yourself at a timeshare presentation you have often already ‘bought into’ an idea. That is, through having ‘gone along’ with the idea to the point at which you are being literally lectured by timeshare sales people at a presentation event, its sales people are almost sure to make at least one, but more likely far more sales.

Then, the question is will you snap out of it or get snapped up? After all, you might think you are there of your own volition and choice and challenging the sales people there to offer you a deal too good to miss, but this is all too often an illusion; meanwhile, the sales people through having lured you thus far are readying the paperwork.

4. Don’t Look, But…

Building on the previous point, one of the common ways by which timeshare sales people ensure presentation events yield a good turnout of would-be buyers and that a high proportion of those who attend are ‘the sort’ of consumer likely to be the most easily persuaded to ‘invest’ there and then is through advertising presentation events via cold calling, junk mail and spam emails.

Most simply, those who can be tempted by ploys like cold calls and junk mail into attending presentations are far more likely to be more gullible to ‘too good to be true deals’, more impulsive as consumers and less cautious about investing their money. Hence, such consumers are the ideal customers for selling things such as timeshares which are harder to sell in 2016 than ever before, ironically because the industry is so saturated in horror stories and fraud.

So, the next time you receive a cold call sales person who tells you they are not ringing to sell you anything but rather informing people about an up and coming presentation event, hang up. Equally, the next time you have junk mail thrust through you letter box don’t look, but do bin it and make the decision to make your own decisions. After all, if you don’t take control of your impulses as a consumer, someone else most definitely will.

5. It is Never Too Late To Take Control

Finally, even if you have ended up attending a timeshare presentation event and even worse purchasing a timeshare whilst there, it is important to know that it is never too late to take (or take back) control. In fact, thousands of people every year fall prey to unethical timeshare sales techniques such as attending presentations only to be pressured into signing on the dotted line.

There are so many cases in which this has happened that the UK Government has subsequently put in place legal changes in an attempt to protect consumers from losing their savings, and their minds. Hence, today all timeshares sold within the UK are so affixed with a ’14 day cooling off period’ in which a buyer is able to retract their offer without incurring financial loss.

Further, and because the law surrounding the purchase and sales of timeshares is never simple, a number of organisations such as ourselves have also been set up to help those who have found themselves in exactly this position to escape it. The fact that the law has had to reposition itself to help so many otherwise duped into purchasing timeshares, not to mention the hundreds of thousands scammed when attempting to buy or sell a timeshare, and so many independent legal experts are dedicating their careers to timeshare related cases specifically is perhaps all the reason that is needed to warn people against attending any events set up by timeshare companies and businesses to serve their own agendas rather than meet the desires of those who attend.

For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk