InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - Royal Ambassador referral

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience of buying a referral card from ebay? Is it safe to do so? Was going to pay by credit card so hope there would be some sort of protection from this.

Thanks

Probably OK - it is a bit too odd to rip people off over. I have sold them on ebay a few years ago with no issues.

Oddly, your biggest risk is it going missing on the way to the US, as mine did last year. No comeback possible - you can't expect an ebay seller to start negotiating with PC to get a replacement when he doesn't know you at all.

However, now you've mentioned you're looking for one, perhaps an FT'ers will come to your aid anyway!

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/intercontinental-hotels-priority-club-inter-continental-ambassador/1180396-ebay-royal-ambassador-experience-beware.html?highlight=ebay

Just check how much they're going for on ebay, $650 +

Is it worth it?

well, m friends buy on ebay for 700 USD never arrive
same of people say, dont buy, sae buy but for 1000 usd, then u will get it..
crazy.
if u travel a lot, or let say min 5-6 stays in IC its worth to buy:)

Caveat Emptor!

Probably OK - it is a bit too odd to rip people off over. I have sold them on ebay a few years ago with no issues.

Oddly, your biggest risk is it going missing on the way to the US, as mine did last year. No comeback possible - you can't expect an ebay seller to start negotiating with PC to get a replacement when he doesn't know you at all.

However, now you've mentioned you're looking for one, perhaps an FT'ers will come to your aid anyway!

Caveat venditor comes to mind as well, mind you. I sold one last year or early this year right at the end at its validity (stupidly assumed it would be valid right through my membership year, which it entirely wasn't) only to find the winning bidder was a new bidder from Japan.

I sent the cert direct to the processing centre, partly to save time and partly to help ensure it got there, but it was a little unnerving selling something valuable and inherently perishable (if he'd messed me around and not paid, or been difficult, it'd have been too late to resell)

Bottom line: Life contains crooks and thieves, and some have access to the Internet. eBay's feedback system tells half a story, but still allows for stolen accounts/bought feedback so you can't trust it 100%, and even then there's always bad luck that could bite you.

I bought a cert off eBay a long while back and it arrived (from Eire) quickly, and everything went fine. Suspect there are more happy stories than sad, but there is always a chance you'll get shafted and the only way to avoid it completely is not to try. Whether you do depends on your appetite for risk...

Amit...check your private message.

Amit...check your private message.

If Amit isn't interested I certainly am ;)

This forum is not to be used for trading or negotiating trades. The Coupon Connection is the only place this is to be done.

mxm135 :)

Is it safe to do so? Was going to pay by credit card so hope there would be some sort of protection from this. I just looked at an RA referral cert I received, it states 'not for barter or resale'

A credit card purchase of a cert is not going to give you any protection.
Caveat Emptor!
BINGO !

My wife and I going to IC Bali for our 20th Anniversary. I think I am going to take my chances on eBay. Any advice on how not to get scammed?

My wife and I going to IC Bali for our 20th Anniversary. I think I am going to take my chances on eBay. Any advice on how not to get scammed?

Congrats on your anniversary.

You haven't indicated your length of stay - or what you hope RA will actually give you. So, before you even read answers to the question you have asked - why not establish with IC Bali what they might offer you in your circumstances as a plain Ambassador - and if might be different if you joined when you arrived? You may find that all RA will give you is the mini-bar which may in practice be of limited value.

Congrats on your anniversary.

You haven't indicated your length of stay - or what you hope RA will actually give you. So, before you even read answers to the question you have asked - why not establish with IC Bali what they might offer you in your circumstances as a plain Ambassador - and if might be different if you joined when you arrived? You may find that all RA will give you is the mini-bar which may in practice be of limited value.

I found the Bali IC had a quite weak mini-bar. Got a decent upgrade, but this was a number of years ago. No free club or anything. I'm in Bali right now, and was looking at using my Bogo on this trip, but didn't find it a very good deal. Staying at the two Hyatts, instead.