If you’ve ever had to sit through a timeshare presentation, you’ll know exactly what they’re like: a gauntlet of high-pressure sales tactics which can run for hours and hours.
They can be a fairly stressful experience to go through and if you’re actually interested in buying a timeshare, it can be difficult to cut through some of the sales tactics, so here at the Timeshare Consumer Association, we’ve shared five tricks of the trade which you should have your eye out for.
Free gifts
One of the most well-known ploys of the timeshare trade is the offering of free gifts such as free hotels stays, meals or vouchers.
There will often also be lots of little extras at the presentation itself such as perhaps a complimentary breakfast, bottles of water or bubbly and a play area for the kids.
The logic here is that when you receive something, you feel a responsibility to give something back, and will feel obligated to at least sit and listen to what the salesperson has to say.
While some people will attend timeshare presentations purely for the gift and will claim not to be interested in purchasing at all, the fact is that once you’re in the room, you’re in the hands of the salespeople, and you’d be surprised how easily they can start to twist your arm.
Forced commitment
The ultimate aim of any timeshare presentation is to get you to sign on the dotted line as soon as possible.
The sooner you commit to purchasing a timeshare, the sooner you’ll pass your cooling off period and you’ll be locked into a contract.
For this reason, we always recommend that even if you think you’re sure you want to purchase a timeshare, go away for at least 24 hours and sleep on it before making your decision.
Your decision making can easily become clouded in the salesy environment of a presentation, so it’s best to best take a step back.
Also, bear in mind that they’ll be trying to get a committal out of you even earlier in the process, with some salespeople asking you to sign a contract saying you’ll stay for the whole presentation or even asking for a deposit to make sure you can’t leave!
The many faces of the timeshare salesperson
It’s important to remember that from beginning to end, timeshare salespeople are playing a role, and it’s all engineered toward making that sale.
For example, at the outset, you’ll probably find that the salespeople will be extremely friendly, trying to form some kind of common ground with you, perhaps over your holiday so far or family things, just to get you to lower your guard a little.
But don’t be surprised to see the tone shift later on in the presentation. You often see the salespeople become increasingly desperate, often going as far as to make claims such as that they could lose their job if they don’t close the sale, but this is all part of the act.
While we’re not saying all timeshare salespeople aren’t genuine, it certainly does pay to be sceptical and try not to be taken in by any sob stories or matey behaviour.
For more information on the lengths that timeshare salespeople will go to, to make a sale, check out this article from Consumer Affairs.
Overwhelming numbers
A big part of the timeshare salesperson’s tactics is to throw a lot of statistics and numbers at you.
The first important thing to remember is to never believe anything a salesperson tells you about your timeshare being a good investment or increasing in value over time.
This is almost definitely not true and you should only ever purchase a timeshare as a lifestyle investment, not a financial one.
The facts and figures that get thrown at you during a timeshare presentation can be a little overwhelming, so don’t be afraid to question anything that seems a little bit off, or too good to be true and perhaps even whip out your phone and do a few calculations of your own!
‘Exclusive’ offers
A technique used throughout all forms of sales is offering special ‘limited time only’ deals, and it’s something we see every day in supermarkets and shops.
It’s no different in timeshare sales, where you’ll often see salespeople claim that there are only a few units left at their resort or that they can only offer you a special price if you sign up there and then.
This ties into what we said earlier about them trying to get you to commit as soon as possible and these claims are often false.
Again, don’t be afraid to take a day or two to think before rushing into a decision, they’ll still be as desperate to sell to you a couple of days down the line!
All in all, it just pays to be a little bit wary when in a timeshare sales presentation and just be aware that everything, even down to the free biscuits, is designed to get you to buy.
Try to be polite but firm and always think and think again before making any commitments and you won’t go too far wrong.
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