yet another timeshare presentation, hawaii edition part 1

the first time i went to hawaii back in 2011, i was introduced to the world of timeshare presentations. i was a newbie at those, but i knew the one fundamental key: do not buy. i just remembered my dad buying one back in the 1990s, and i think he still regrets it.

the first time i went, i think i jumped for the opportunity of getting a $100 prepaid credit card with lunch included. they didn't tell me that you could get more. they didn't tell me that you could get more expensive experiences instead of a prepaid credit card. i didn't know that you could short circuit things so that you leave sooner rather than enduring the whole two hour presentation. during my second trip to hawaii, i was offered a $200 pre-paid amex for attending another session. that time, i told the presenter up front that i wasn't interested and that i was only here because of the gift. i was in and out of there within 45 minutes.

so fast forward to this trip, i was playing united's "halfway to hawaii" game when i saw that you could get this free tote from hilton if you went to their kiosk at the ala moana center. and that's when i was offered another chance to do a presentation for $150 with hilton grand vacations. this post is done in parts:

• part 1: how to get the timeshare presentation
• part 2: what happens in the actual timeshare presentation.

how to book a timeshare presentation:

1. find a reason to go to the kiosk. in this case, i needed to pick up the free tote bag. at the ala moana center, all of their kiosks have the word "information" on them as well. it's really information about the timeshare properties, but it's not unreasonable to expect that they'd have information about the mall too (e.g., "where is the washroom?"). so when you see a kiosk, innocently ask whether this is for a timeshare presentation as well.
2. ask what chain it is for and compliment the hotel: "oh, i saw ____ as i the shuttle was driving by and it looks so nice!" they cater to tourists, and so once, i had my camera hanging from my neck to be extra convincing.
3. they'll try to sell you on a timeshare presentation. they'll offer a gift. if it's not cash or something that you don't want (e.g., i was offered a hawaiian luau party for two -- no thanks), then a disappointed "oh" followed by an open ended pause, mixed with a little bit of a dismay on your face. that usually does the job. "or, we also have another promotion where if you go tomorrow, we can give you $150 in amex gift cards," he told me, picking up quite quickly that i had no interest in a big party with random strangers and lots of alcohol. "normally, it's $100, but for tomorrow only, it's $150." sometimes, you can push harder for more stuff, but honestly i didn't want to be too greedy.
4. they make you sign a bunch of forms agreeing to things:
• you're over the age of majority
• you're above a certain income level ($75,000/year for this one). they didn't verify.
• if you're married, then your spouse needs to come. they didn't say anything about common-law so i left it as ambiguous: "no, i'm not married."
• you're willing to sit through a 2-hr presentation
• you have not done one from the same company (e.g., wyndham vs. hilton vs. marriott) within the last 12 months (for hilton) or 6 months (for wyndham). 
5. they book a time for you, and arrange transportation to the sales office. they will give you a carbon copy of your agreement form and appointment time. you show up at the appropriate time.

it's pretty simple to get these offers. remember that the guy at the mall kiosk is motivated to get you to the showroom; that's how he gets paid. so even if you've had a poor encounter from the actual timeshare salesman in the past, it will have no influence on how eager the mall kiosk guy will be towards you. when you have the agreement in writing, you're all set. this is the fun part. the next part is a bit harder on the ego, but can still be worth it. that post will be for later.


either way, i'm basking in the glow of my $150 amex gift cards for now ...