First they shrank the 5-star to 3-5 star.
Then they delayed the booking portal for almost a year.
Finally, they just announced that the booking portal is finally working, over three months since their last promise (March 2010), and LONG since Tarun Trikha promised (November 2009).
And here's the shocker: they are now charging $150 for the trip, as "processing fee", instead of "free".
"There is a fixed charge of USD 150/per booking which goes towards the taxes + processing charges and as per the booking terms & conditions, has to be borne by the member."As consolation for all this bull**** they are putting members through, they are throwing in one extra night, and allow you to take along some extra poeple (up to 6), if you can squeeze them all into a single room. No mention whether they'll pay for the extra plane tickets though.
13 comments:
Kasey,
The charge of USD 150 is no shocker since TVI Express has always maintained that taxes and processing charges will be borne by the members in the package Terms & Conditions and members are happily availing these vouchers.
Anyway, a great luxurious vacation in a 3-5 star hotel/resort for a cost of mere USD 150!
What MORE can one expect for USD 150?
About the occupancy, they say that the maximum occupancy is of 6 people but that really depends upon the hotel and accommodation. No hotel would allow for an impossible occupancy unless there is enough space to do so.
The points raised by you not only ignore the true worth of TVI Express's magnifique product but also reflects some unnecessary negativity that holds no grounds.
@EmJay07 -- it had been free for over a year. All the promoters have said it was free. The so-called "terms and conditions" were NOT on the certificate itself, but HIDDEN on the redemption website. And even now, the fact that there is a $150 redemption charge is NOT explained on the front page of the website. That's deceptive advertising.
And more can one expect for $150? What's that $250 joining fee then? If it cost $150 to redeem the free offer, that only PROVES that $250 initial joining fee is solely for "qualifying" one for that $10000 payout, which only PROVES it is a pyramid scheme.
Sure, you can try to argue just one part of it, but you are ignoring the whole picture.
Kasey,
Go to the Home Page of TVI Express website, place your cursor at where it says "6 Nights/7 Days Vacation in a 3-5 Star Property *", it reads "Excluding taxes and processing charges"
What have you got to say about it? Do you really think you have read through their website carefully.
At all the times, TVI Express leaders and support teams have mentioned that the taxes and processing have to be borne by the member. I don't know which so-called leaders you are refering to.
But even then, who should you believe the most? Company itself or your anonymous leaders?
FYKI, as mentioned on the TVI Express website as well, USD 250 is the one time start up fee which not only gives you access to an amazing life changing opportunity but also much more. Check the website and enlighten yourself.
You ignored two facts:
1) That hidden note was added only recently
2) That explanation of offer had been modified MANY times before, with no 'changelog' available. Clearly, you've been taken in by the scam, because you're basing your argument on the latest version, not the previous versions.
Sure it says "subject to tax and processing charges" NOW, but it did not say so before, and by NOT mentioning the amount of the fee, it is STILL misleading. Not illegal, merely misleading.
Yes, I read through the whole website, more times than you can count. I know when certain pages actually changed.
The $250 is paid to qualify you for the board payout, which makes it a pyramid scheme.
I know all about the compensation package. I have listened to conference calls where TVI members ask Tarun Trikha, advisory board member, questions. I'll bet I know more about TVI Express than you do. Perhaps YOU should go enlighten yourself instead.
@Kasey,
"I know all about the compensation package. I have listened to conference calls where TVI members ask Tarun Trikha, advisory board member, questions. I'll bet I know more about TVI Express than you do. Perhaps YOU should go enlighten yourself instead. "
Well I don't usually measure things against mere perceptions. However, since you talk too much about psychology and perceptions (where facts are more relevant) and are very perceptive, let me give you a piece of my perception about your statements:- "I know more than you do", "I'm perhaps smarter than the spectrum TVI Express aims at", "I know all about the compensation package" "Yes, I read through the whole website, more times than you can count."
Apparently, when you can't talk about facts (or don't have any valid facts), you get to this "I'm better" and "I know-it-all" attitude
No offence taken, I just pity that.
You need to stop throwing this know-it-all attitude and look more at the facts and if you do have counterpoints (solid true facts which are not just based on your perception and psychology guide), then furnish them right here. We also want to have a glance of what you have.
You mentioned that I ignored that the hidden note was added recently. Can you tell me how recently was it added?
Tell you what, I've been following the growth of this company and since beginning, I have seen that star comment about taxes and so have many distributors across the world. You have not even mentioned about it in your previous blogs ..you simply said:
"And here's the shocker: they are now charging $150 for the trip, as "processing fee", instead of "free"."
The aforementioned statement of yours indicates that you never knew about this note. Rather you thought it was inclusive of taxes as you say "free". Then, how can you ever say it was added recently??
And now since I pointed it out, you call it my ignorance that I'm ignoring its absence in the past which is irrelevant and not even true?
What are you talking about here? Psychology? Ha? Don't tell me about psychology. I know enough to understand things. Psychology doesn't say that you must demean others for you are (or in your case you think you are) superior.
@Emjay07 -- perhaps you should try to actually debate me instead of trying to psychoanalyze me. In other words, why don't you just take your own "advice"?
As for "taxes and processing fees" "caveat", there is no such thing mentioned on the certificate itself. Here's a picture of the certificate as proof:
http://gg.a.5d6d.com/userdirs/0/7/linqiu/attachments/month_0908/09082220213b1d2fba6b7f4402.png
It says very clearly on the certificate that you only need to pay hotel taxes. There never was a mention of processing fee, ever since TVI Express started. Now, in June 2010, 15 months after they launched, they decided to actually CHARGE MONEY because they are running into a deficit handling all these orders?
If it's not a scam, it's a badly run operation. EITHER WAY, it's bad for any one who join.
And furthermore, the redemption terms and conditions are hidden in the website, can only be read AFTER you join, and constantly revised with no changelog. If you don't join, you don't see the redemption terms and conditions.
That's akin to a "shrinkwrapped contract". "By opening this package, you agree all of the following..." That is illegal in itself. You can't read the contract without opening the package. Same here: you can't read the redemption terms and conditions without joining.
Tell you what, why don't you post a copy of the redemption terms and conditions, since you are obviously a member? Do all the people out there a service and spread some truth, rather than nitpicking my arguments.
And one last thing: care to guess how many people have allegedly redeemed their trip before this $150 USD thing took effect?
As of May 2010, "thousands". I didn't say it, TVI Express member website said it, in an e-mail allegedly from Tarun Trikha. That's AFTER TVI Express already claimed a million members across the globe. This is confirmed by TVI Express announcement in March 2010 as well.
Even if you take "thousands" to be 10000, that's 1% redemption rate. That's not a product. That's a gimmick.
@ Kasey,
Trust me, I have better things to do than to psychoanalyze you; however, I can see how one reacts if given the dose of
their own medicine. It's only laughable as it should be. Anyway, that's not the point.
Besides, I don't wish to "debate" you or "argue" with you since as I mentioned in my previous post, TVI Express has always
maintained this taxes and processing charges policy and well mentioned it on their main website which even a non-member can
read.
Just that, it's only not good when bloggers like you post whatever without doing their due diligence while making an
unreasonable judgement about something legitimate.
If taxes and processing charges is the concern, it has been on the main website (visible to everyone) while you didn't even
know about it and posting your untrue blogs.
Secondly, even if (by your word or as per your sources), the number of people who availed the vacation package was in
thousands, then it's commendable for a company doing such even in their development phase. Besides, in a particular
company for a particular product for a particular time span, you cannot judge the real percentage of people redeeming
certificates and you can't even say it would be 100% in all cases. How can you be so judgement about the percentage? It
depends upon the members and it's up to them to redeem whenever.
And yes, saying 2000, 3000 or "10,000" for "thousands" which could even mean "hundred thousand" or even more..(Im not
saying that) is very perceptive of you to call it a gimmick.
Besides, now that they have finally launched, people like you do nothing but pick on things like "Certificate Design" and
all kinds of irrelevant stuff.
"TVI Express have always maintained this taxes and processing charges policy and well mentioned it on their main website"
And your proof of this is what? You got no proof to back up your claim "always maintained", just as you claim I got no proof. At best, you're "kettle calling the pot black". Again, take your own advice.
"even if the number of people who availed the vacation package was in
thousands, then it's commendable for a company doing such even in their development phase."
If they cannot handle giving out that many trips, they should not have signed up that many members. Giving out trips to 1% of their members, as per their own announcements, and use that trip to justify their legitimacy, is a gimmick. They had 17 months to fix the system. Now they finally had an automated system, which should REDUCE overhead, they decided to charge money for redeeming the trips. That's not commendable. That's despicable.
"Besides, in a particular company for a particular product for a particular time span, you cannot judge the real percentage of people redeeming certificates and you can't even say it would be 100% in all cases."
Even 75% would be "reasonable". Heck, even 50% would be "we're trying". But the only numbers they admitted to is like 1%. That's laughable.
"Besides, now that they have finally launched, people like you do nothing but pick on things like "Certificate Design" and all kinds of irrelevant stuff."
Irrelevant? You don't think TVI Express should have hired an artist to do their own design instead of stealing from someone else? What about ethics? Did you just state that ethics is irrelevant? You are clearly implying it.
Hah.. Funny enough! Your comments are farcical.. Kasey, I sure admire you for just one thing and that is your extra energy
which you sadly use to go on and on "irrelevantly" about one thing.
Now, why is it irrelevant?
Ok here it is, I pointed it out in previous posts about "taxes and processing charges" being on their website which you DIDN'T even know about before I pointed it out and were criticizing it for you thought it was absolutely "FREE". ?!?
Re-read your own blog and you will know who needs to bring in proofs!
"If they cannot handle giving out that many trips, they should not have signed up that many members. Giving out trips to 1% of their members, as per their own announcements, and use that trip to justify their legitimacy, is a gimmick. They had 17 months to fix the system. Now they finally had an automated system, which should REDUCE overhead, they decided to
charge money for redeeming the trips. That's not commendable. That's despicable. "
Your comment is again pointless. Why? See below:
1. ""If they cannot handle giving out that many trips, they should not have signed up that many members."
- If you have seen their announcements (which I doubt), they have announced from time to time that the portal is under
development and despite knowing the same, people joined them since not only they offer you a great business opportunity but also a Discount Travel Engine where most of the deals are discounted. 6N7D package is just one part of it and was under development and enough declaration was made by the company in this regard. And yes, it is legit. to do so.
But no, you won't ever quote the good things because you only know how to pick on something even if it means stooping down to lower levels like saying Certificate Designs has been stolen. If you see the two designs, shown by you on your site, one can say that they are similar but not the SAME! But who cares?
Pepsi and Coke bottle designs look pretty similar as well when it comes to the pattern they have been designed in.. so are these companies unethical since they stole each others' ideas? What would you say there? They are business rivals and often rivals make use of the good practices made by others... and that's a part of learning process. Is that bad or unethical according to you?
It's upto the consumer to decide and for a thinking mind to look at it positively!
2. "Giving out trips to 1% of their members, as per their own announcements, and use that trip to justify their legitimacy, is a gimmick."
Again, "1%" Please keep your perceptions aside. In none of their announcements, have they mentioned that they have given
trips to 1%?!
All I sense in your comments is absolute hostility. Hostility, if at all, is barely ever reasonable!
3. "Even 75% would be "reasonable". Heck, even 50% would be "we're trying". But the only numbers they admitted to is like
1%. That's laughable. "
Sure these numbers would be reasonable. But again, these are the numbers coming from your mind. Refer above to point # 2.
They never announced "1%"
It's your own perception for "thousands" which could have meant even 50% or above (which is reasonable as per your standards for a company in development phase.. but unlike you I'm not making any assumptions.. all Im trying to say is you can't fight over the numbers which are not FACTUAL and have been manufactured in your own mind..)
I don't mean to engage in some sort of squabble here and it's not one. However, I beleive in voicing out what doesn't seem appropriate to me.
Actually, you're not doing too bad in the comical department yourself, EmJay07.
You can't prove that those comments were there all along. Yet you still continue to harp about it. Why don't you prove that those disclaimers were there all along? It'd be the easiest way to prove me wrong, instead of engaging me in syntax war.
Oh, sure, the booking portal is not working, delayed for OVER A YEAR. You call that a sign of legitimacy? Actually it does the exact opposite. It means people don't care about the trip. They want the $10000. Thus, using the availability of the trip to justify the company's legitimacy would be a bogus argument.
Can you also explain why TVI Express would DELETE one of their announcements pleading for more time for the portal to work, in March 2010? If those announcement for outage is a sign of legitimacy, didn't the deletion just destroy part of that sign?
Of course they did not say they only redeemed 1% of the certificates out there. They said "thousands have enjoyed the accommodations". Ref: Feb 2010 announcement on TVI Express website. Even if you take thousands to be 10000, out of a million members, that's 1%. I am sure you have a calculator around, if those numbers are too large for your brain.
As TVI Express never announced exactly how many people have redeemed those trips, except in that vague statement, you got no evidence to refute my claim, except your own imagination.
Feel free to express yourself, but when you don't provide PROOF or at at least some COUNTER-PROOF to disprove what I wrote, all you got are OPINIONS, and as they say, opinions are like ***holes... everybody's got one. I, at least, have SOME evidence on my side. You got personal observations (i.e. opinions) and nothing else.
Oh, by the way, "thousands" was stated once on TVI Express website in February 2010, when they claim at least 600000 members, so that's 1.5%. In June, on an Indonesia TVI Express website, "thousands" was repeated again, in a letter allegedly from Tarun Trikha, TVI Express advisory board member. You do agree in June TVI Express had 1 million members, right?
If they said thousands in 2009, sure, it may even be 10% or 20%. But in February 2010? That's not even 2%. Do your own math and counter-research.
Post a Comment