As someone who worked as a timeshare sales and marketing representative, I have seen both sides of the timeshare equation. On one side, you have the consumer, excited by the idea of owning a vacation spot they can enjoy annually. On the other side, you have the timeshare industry, driven by sales, often employing high-pressure tactics to close deals. This brings up the subject of the cooling off period BEFORE signing a contract.
Consumers, often with little time to think through their decision, are coerced into purchasing on the spot. The allure? Attractive offers like free gifts, price reductions, or other incentives that make the deal seem too good to pass up. However, the sad truth is that what’s promised during the sales presentation is different from what’s in the actual contract.
In this blog, I’ll explain why the timeshare industry will never allow for a cooling-off period before signing. I’ll also share my personal experience working in the industry, why the lack of trust between consumers and timeshare companies continues to grow, and what could be done to turn things around.
The High-Pressure Sales Environment
If you’ve ever attended a timeshare presentation, you know it’s an intense experience. Consumers are treated to a well-crafted sales pitch designed to make them feel like they’re missing out if they don’t act immediately. The strategy is simple—get people to buy before they leave the room.
Why? Because if you walk out without signing the dotted line, you’ll most likely never return. The timeshare industry banks on impulse decisions. This is why they offer extra perks like a weekend stay, a fancy dinner, or a limited-time offer that feels impossible to refuse.
But here’s the problem: many consumers realize after the fact that they’ve been sold something different from what they were told. Promises about flexibility, availability, or even the cost of maintenance fees often don’t hold up once they start reading the fine print. By then, it’s too late.
The Absence of a Cooling-Off Period
Now, this is where the idea of a cooling-off period comes in. It is a set time after the purchase where a consumer can reconsider their decision. They can also cancel the contract and receive a full refund with no penalties. Most high-pressure sales industries have a mandatory cooling-off period to protect consumers from buyer’s remorse or misleading sales tactics.
But why doesn’t the timeshare industry offer this?
The answer is simple: a cooling-off period would devastate the timeshare business model. The phrase “out of sight, out of mind” perfectly captures what happens in the timeshare world. If consumers had time to leave the high-pressure sales environment, talk to another person or simply sleep on it, the majority would likely opt out of the deal.
The timeshare industry thrives on impulse. A cooling-off period would give buyers time to reflect and do research, which would result in far fewer sales. This is why many timeshare companies fight hard against any regulatory push for such consumer protections.
My Experience in Timeshare Sales
Having spent years in the industry, I’ve seen firsthand how these high-pressure tactics work. I was fortunate to build a successful career by selling with integrity. However, I made it my mission to be transparent with my guests, making sure they understood exactly what a timeshare could—and couldn’t—offer. I didn’t over-promise, and I didn’t lie.
But this approach was not always welcomed by management. Many timeshare companies operate in a culture of dishonesty, where the emphasis is always placed on closing the sale TODAY. And if a salesperson isn’t hitting their targets, the pressure to lie becomes almost unbearable. Promises are made that can’t be kept—whether about the availability of the property, the ease of exchanging weeks, or the true cost of ownership.
I eventually lost my jobs at two resorts because I refused to lie to customers. They called it “not being a team player.” In reality, I was simply unwilling to mislead people into making a financial commitment they might regret. Unfortunately, the timeshare industry always rewards those who bend the truth and punishes those who don’t.
Why Consumers Don’t Trust the Timeshare Industry
It’s no surprise that consumers are increasingly distrustful of the timeshare industry. Too many have had negative experiences—misleading sales presentations, hidden fees, limited availability, and contracts that are nearly impossible to exit.
This mistrust has led to an explosion in timeshare exit companies. Too many are just as unscrupulous as the timeshare developers themselves. Consumers, desperate to get out of a bad deal, often end up paying thousands of dollars to these exit firms, only to find themselves in an even worse financial position.
The timeshare industry has brought this mess upon itself by refusing to operate with transparency and integrity. Instead of building long-term relationships with satisfied customers, they focus on short-term gains through high-pressure sales. And when things go wrong, they rely on lawyers and lobbyists to protect their interests, not the interests of the consumer.
How Legislators Protect the Industry, Not the Consumer
One of the most frustrating aspects of the timeshare industry is how it continues to survive despite its shady practices. The reason? Powerful lobbyists and lawmakers who pass legislation that protects developers, not consumers.
Rather than forcing the industry to clean up its act, many lawmakers have been complicit in helping timeshare companies stay afloat. They’ve passed laws that make it harder for consumers to cancel contracts and easier for developers to get away with misleading sales tactics.
In my opinion, this represents nothing more than cowardice and bullying. Timeshare developers and legislators alike know that the industry would collapse if consumers were given more power to protect themselves. They lie because they can’t sell honestly—and lawmakers allow it to continue.
What the Industry Needs to Do to Survive
Despite everything I’ve said, I still believe in the potential of timeshares. When sold and operated with integrity, they can offer a great vacation experience for the right consumer. But for the industry to survive long-term, it needs to change its ways.
Here’s what needs to happen:
- Keep Promises: The easiest way to rebuild trust with consumers is to deliver on what was promised during the sales presentation. Whether it’s availability, flexibility, or pricing—if it was promised, it should be in writing.
- Focus on Customer Service: Great customer service can turn an average product into something people rave about. If timeshare companies treated their customers with respect and worked to resolve issues quickly, they would see a massive improvement in their reputation.
- Offer a Clear Exit Strategy: One of the biggest pain points for timeshare owners is the lack of a clear and fair way to exit their contract. If the industry developed a reasonable exit plan for owners who no longer wanted or could afford their timeshare, they would build long-term goodwill.
- Embrace a Cooling-Off Period: While it may hurt short-term sales, offering a cooling-off period would demonstrate confidence in the product. If the timeshare is truly worth it, people will return after having time to think it over.
- Be Honest About Costs: Maintenance fees and special assessments are one of the biggest complaints from timeshare owners. If companies were upfront about how these fees can increase over time, they would avoid a lot of dissatisfaction down the road.
A Better Path Forward
I still love the concept of timeshare ownership when it’s done right. With the right resort, an honest sales team, and a contract that is fair and transparent, timeshares can be a wonderful option for many people.
In fact, if I were given the opportunity to run my own sales team at a decent resort, I’m confident I could show the industry how it’s done. Honesty, transparency, and a commitment to customer service would go a long way in rebuilding trust with consumers. And I believe that’s exactly what the industry needs to thrive.
The timeshare industry has the potential to save itself, but it has to start by respecting its customers. If it does, people will recommend timeshares to their friends and family, businesses will see value in them for their employees and clients, and the industry will have a bright future.
But until then, the timeshare world will continue to be plagued by mistrust, dishonesty, and a never-ending struggle to stay afloat.