When you travel to Mexico, you will be given many opportunities to attend a timeshare presentation. You don’t even have to look for these offers, they will come find you. Timeshare sales are a big business in Mexican resort towns. We have sat through a few timeshare presentations in Mexico and we want to use our experience to help you. The following article features our experiences surviving timeshare presentations specifically in Los Cabos. The advice shared in this article is meant to be light-hearted, yet informative enough to help you determine if you want to avoid timeshares or use them to your advantage. To be honest, I don’t enjoy these presentations, but we have learned a few pointers about the process that you might find useful.

Should I Sign Up for a Timeshare Presentation?

Are timeshares worth doing? Eh…yes and no. It just depends on the way you like to vacation. My husband is super thrifty, so the idea of being able to do activities for little to no money is worth it for him. Not so much worth it for me.

Let’s talk about the pros and cons.

PROS:

• Free Breakfast. Your timeshare presentation begins with a free buffet breakfast and sometimes includes cocktails like pina coladas or margaritas. Sounds good so far, right?
• Tour a nice property. We love the Solmar group of resorts in Cabo (Grand Sol Mar, Playa Grande, Rancho San Lucas) and have toured all three properties while in various stages of construction. These are some of the nicer properties in Cabo and as such you can get better deals because their “marketing budget” is bigger. (ie, they can spend more on bribes to get you to tour and hopefully buy into their resort). The tour is actually an enjoyable part of the presentation because you get to see the model suites which are always decorated beautifully. For me it has the same appeal as touring a model home or Street of Dreams home where you can walk through and get ideas for your own home.
• Freebies. As mentioned earlier, resorts are prepared to bribe you to come tour their property. In fact, part of their marketing budget is set up just for this purpose. Don’t feel bad for earning a freebie or two and not purchasing a timeshare. This is all a numbers game and they understand that it takes a certain amount of no’s before they find their ideal client who will actually say yes to purchasing a timeshare. Below is a list of the activities we have personally experienced for FREE just for listening to timeshare presentations:
  • Whale watching tour (Caborey and Buccaneer Queen)
  • Parasailing
  • Swimming with dolphins (Cabo Adventures)
  • Margarita cruise
  • Cirque du Soleil show (Joya in Cancun)
  • Snorkel
  • Dinner cruise (Caborey) *Our favorite by far. We have done this one at least 5 times!

CONS:

• Time away from Vacation. Minimum of 90 minutes of time you will be spending, not in a lounge chair or in the pool, but in a conference room listening to a high-pressure sales presentation. So far in the presentations we have participated in, only one has actually been 90 minutes long. The rest have all gone over. This is why it’s important not to engage with too many extra questions.
• Wake up early. Waking up early to be somewhere at a scheduled time goes completely against the whole idea of a relaxing vacation. Can I get an Amen?!!
• Haggling. Don’t like to haggle, this may not be for you. You will be faced with tempting offers. You need to be confident and strong if you don’t actually intend to purchase a time share.

 

 

What to expect during your visit to Mexico:

Time share promoters are everywhere!

Airport

As you walk towards the airport exit you will walk past a line of people offering to help you get a ride to your hotel. These people have signs for different tour agencies or shuttle companies and will try to get your attention as you walk by. (Hopefully you already have a pre-arranged shuttle to your hotel or to your car rental office). They may or may not also be timeshare promoters. Just walk past this group of people. Don’t engage except maybe a quick “no gracias.”

Shuttle

If your resort offers a free airport shuttle, you might encounter a time share promoter disguised as a tour company promoter on your shuttle (truthfully this only happened in Cancun). This person will tell you all there is to do in the area to get you excited about your vacation. They are likely very charismatic, but once you engage you will likely be presented with an opportunity to tour a local resort. Feel free to ask all kinds of questions about the different activities you are interested in. You are under no obligation to take it any further than just gathering information.

Car Rental

In the past we have been approached at the car rental agency by someone we thought was an employee of the rental agency. Our last two trips to Cabo, we used either AMC or Cactus Car rentals and did not encounter a timeshare promoter at the rental office, but just be aware, this is a possibility.

Resort

Once you check in at the front desk, you will be escorted to a hospitality desk by a hospitality hostess. We’ve stayed at 6 different resorts in Mexico and this is always the routine. You will be told that she is here to offer you “a welcome package.” Sometimes they offer you a “welcome drink” or want you to sign up for the “welcome breakfast.” They may also call it a “resort tour.” If you are already an owner it might be called a “member’s meeting.” These are all code for one thing…timeshare presentation.

The hospitality host/hostess can be very persuasive. She might plead with you to sign up because all the hosts are competing to see who gets the most sign-ups. This may lead you to want to help her win! Don’t let this sway your decision to sign up. The host/hostess may make it seem like you are missing all the fun if you don’t accept their generous offers. They will sweeten the deal with things like coupons for 15% off drinks or on-site restaurants. They may even try to impress you with 50% off of your activities. To be honest, these are not great deals at all when you consider the REAL deals that are out there.

Accept these offers at your own risk. Just know you can get better offers elsewhere. By declining these offers, you may receive “reminder calls.” Either ignore them entirely or be prepared to re-address the “welcome appointment” offer. A simple “I’m just not interested, thanks” usually does the trick, but you may have to just hang up.

Grocery Store

Not all grocery stores in Mexico have timeshare promoters, however the La Comer (formerly Mega) chains do. Right after you get through the check out line there will be some activity counters on your way to the exit. These are the guys who work on behalf of timeshare companies currently offering promotions. They sometimes work in the store helping customers find items. In our experience, they are very approachable and friendly.

Activity Kiosk

In Cabo these kiosks are located along the marina and randomly throughout the touristy parts of town. They are set up to sell tickets to tourists. Workers at these kiosks can sell activities at face value if you are just looking for a place to get tickets, but most of the time they are working with timeshares and might  present you with “special promotions” which is just another way of saying timeshare offers.

Okay, sign me up

If you decide that you ARE genuinely interested in touring the resort you are staying at, by all means do it. However, don’t accept the first offer of 15% off your drinks deal. Don’t accept the 50% off activities deal either. See what they are willing to do to sweeten the deal. Most of the time it’s not worth it to them to offer you a great deal because they don’t have to. You’re already staying at their property. Most off-site timeshare promoters can offer FREE activities…and these are the only deals you should entertain. You should also do your research (trip advisor) before hand to find out how others liked their experience at the presentation. Not all presentations are created equally and some resorts (ehem, I’m talking to you Grand Mayan/Vitanta group) are known for being overly aggressive.

If your resort can’t offer free activities then you will probably have better luck at the grocery store or an activities kiosk in town.

 

Surviving Timeshare Presentations

in Los Cabos:

The Timeshare Process in 8 Steps

1. Getting The Deal

This part is almost like playing a game. It involves strategy, bluffing, persistence and a fair amount of schmoozing. Here are some things to help your strategy when working with a timeshare promoter:

• Know the going rate of activities to maximize your bargaining power. In general, higher valued activities are priced at around $85-$150 USD. This includes things like the Caborey Dinner Cruise, Whale Watching Tours, Dolphins ect. These things are harder to bundle because promoters would rather provide you with lower valued activities that don’t cut into their commissions. Typically you can get a couple different activities per presentation. However, when we traveled with our kids we only got one activity because there were five people instead of the usual two. On our last trip we were able to get two tickets for whale watching on the Caborey AND two tickets for dinner cruises on the Caborey, plus $200 cash towards our car rental (see next point).
• If you rented a car, let them know. They are authorized to give you up to $200 in cash in addition to the free activities, as long as it fits into their per person budget.
• There is typically a lot of back and fourth before an agreement is made, so find someone who seems like they are willing to work with you.
• Assume that everything coming out of their mouth is a sales tactic.
• Don’t be afraid to walk away. Keep in mind they need you as much as you want your free tours. This is how they make a living, so if you walk away, they lose. They will do everything they can to make a deal.
• Have fun! This may seem weird, but we enjoy interacting with the promoters in Mexico. We get to know a little about them and they get to know a little about us. In the end we’re both helping eachother out. They are sincerely grateful by the end of the transaction. Our last guy Carlos asked to have his picture taken with us!

Be Aware

• A lot of them will try to trick you by writing down a reward that is similar but lower in value (ie. a margarita cruise instead of a dinner cruise) so he can keep more of the commission. Read what they write on the voucher. Many activities have different experience options at different ticket prices. Know the difference in packages. For example, one of the dolphin experiences offered is 30 minutes and you actually get to swim while holding on to a dolphin (highly recommend). The other dolphin experience is just 20 minutes and you don’t get to swim with them. Double check the experience name on the brochure and make sure it matches the voucher. If you agree on a dinner cruise, but the promoter writes down margarita cruise, point it out before you walk away.
• You will be asked for a deposit somewhere in the neighborhood of $100. This is just for accountability and it will be refunded after the presentation.

2. Getting to Your Timeshare Appointment

If you are doing a presentation at your resort, just head over to the meeting area. If your presentation is off-site and you are not renting a car, you will likely be picked up by a shuttle or taxi. Typically the timeshare promoter who gave you the offers will be there at the pick up. This is to insure that you follow through with your end of the deal. If you don’t show up, he won’t get paid. So it’s in his best interest to get you there.

If you rented a car, he will still come with you, but you will be driving and he will hop in the back, or sometimes you will follow his car. Resorts won’t allow promoters to meet you on-site, so generally the promoters will arrange a place just off the entrance to your resort. *Generally, by this point you will have already developed a rapport. For this reason, make sure you are comfortable with this person because you will be spending time driving together.

You will be asked to bring photo ID and a credit card. They will check both of these things when you arrive. This is to verify you are who you say you are and to qualify you as someone who has established credit. You will also hand over your voucher and the receptionist will go over your rewards. Again, make sure you check what the offers say on the voucher because this is the last time to make corrections.

4. The Warm-up Act

The friendly warm-up guy. Sometimes you will get the friendly warm up girl, but most times it will be a guy. He will be charming and seem genuinely interested in you. His job is to offer you breakfast and get to know things about you. He will ask how many kids you have (family vacation angle), schmooze, flatter you and tell you you look like Demi More (this actually happened). The conversation is enjoyable. Friendly warm up guy is always smiling, but know he is low key sizing you up. Now he will tour the property with you. Everything you say and show interest in on the tour is a way to gauge your purchase potential.

After the tour you will go back to a conference room for the pitch. He will ask you if you like what you saw on the tour. Be honest, but not overly enthusiastic. If you show too much interest he will work harder to sell you on your dream. At this point he will ask other specific questions like how much you typically spend on vacation. These questions are designed to peg you into a payment plan somewhere else down the line.

Options, Offers and More

He will now discuss the differences in timeshare options and may refer to their program as a vacation ownership. You will hear several compelling benefits to becoming an owner versus paying out of pocket for each vacation. This is where the friendly warm-up guy will get out a big notepad and start throwing numbers down. He will begin scribbling away at some pre-planned math calculations as he breaks down the various options. I don’t even think all of the numbers are legible, but he will continue to write them down with a bold confidence you may never see again. Sometimes for fun he punches numbers into a calculator before writing them down, but either way it’s pretty clear he knows his stuff.

Once you turn down the offer(s) you will move on to stage two. You will know you are heading to this stage because he will signal his “manager” to come over. He will then shake your hand and disappear into thin air. You will feel bad because you were getting along so well and you don’t really want to talk to anyone else, but alas, here you are. Hold onto your britches because the ride is just getting started!

5. The Hard Sell

The seemingly much more serious manager guy. You will now be offered an alcoholic beverage. If there is even a 1% chance that you will be tempted to purchase a timeshare, do not drink the alcohol. Serious manager guy will give you quick hello, but make no bones about it, this guy is not here to make friends. He doesn’t give a crap about you and that’s okay. His job is to present you with a deep discount on the price that was just given to you. He is a straight talker and wants nothing more than to persuade you into purchasing a timeshare.

The Dos and Don’ts of the Hard Sell (could also apply to any of the other stages)

DON’T

• Don’t engage or ask questions. The more you talk, the longer this part of the presentation is going to be.
• Do not fall for leading questions, like “could you picture yourself vacationing here every year? What about every two years?” Or “On a scale of 1-10 how likely are you to vacation here again?” These questions need to be answered delicately, with the least amount of interest possible without sounding like a jerk.
• Don’t be rude. At some point you might be tempted to lose your cool. Don’t. Just be stoic and matter of fact.

DO

• Just sit there, listen and nod your head.
• Plan the reason for your ‘no’ responses ahead of time.
• Research which timeshares are low pressure to avoid a bad experience. Most of our experiences have been very reasonable.
• Think about how much fun you will have once you get out of there.

6. The Closer

Investor contractor guy. He genuinely seems confused that you turned down all the offers so far but has somehow been authorized to give you an even bigger discount. He is trained to refute all your objections, so come prepared with some good ones. Luckily, the last time we did a presentation, we mentioned we had two kids in college. There’s not much more they can say when you mention college. Also, we just didn’t care for the location. It was off the beaten path and so, we honestly were being truthful when we said we weren’t interested. These are the kinds of things that they can’t refute. —>You can’t afford it and or  you don’t like it. Even if you do like it, because you definitely will. Cabo has some amazing properties! Lastly, you will sign a paper saying you refused their offers, passing up the opportunity of a lifetime.

7. The Final Offer

The retired guy. Just when you think you are all done making new friends, you will be sent to the retired guy. This portion is usually with someone who is retired and does this as a side hustle. He is non threatening and his job is to offer you a rock bottom offer for shorter time frame. (ie, if the original offer was for a 1 bedroom unit, once a year, he might offer you a studio every other year for a much lower price) This price will be affordable, but you still have to say no, man.

8. The Pay Out

The nice receptionist. This person works in a tiny office with maybe one or two other people. It might appear by the activities posters on the wall that you are in a travel agency, but you are actually at your final destination in this ordeal. Yes, what this means is that you have indeed survived a timeshare presentation! You will now schedule your activities and receive your vouchers. Congratulate yourselves and give each other a side glance of relief. Hallelujah, you can now get on with your vacation!

Congratulations! If you got through this long article, you definitely have what it takes to survive a timeshare presentation! It’s worth noting that not everything in this article happens every time. But I wanted to include as many details as possible so you can go into your vacation knowing the best way to navigate through this process.

Have you ever survived a timeshare presentation? What did you think of it? Are there any tips you would add to this list?
Best of luck to anyone out there considering a timeshare presentation! You got this!

PS Check out this  No Gracias T-Shirt! No need to mince words…Just wear this shirt proudly!