A recent Bluegreen Vacations lawsuit was amended to include 16 co-plaintiffs. The lawsuit accuses the timeshare company of misleading sales tactics, statutory violations, and fraud. The lawsuit stemmed from an incident when the plaintiffs visited a Bass Pro Shop and made a decision to purchase a timeshare. Plaintiffs say they did not know the extent of the purchase until they were forced to sign an agreement, and they believe the company purposefully misled them.
Bluegreen Vacations
In April, Bluegreen Vacations and Bass Pro Shops had a dispute. Bass Pro sued Bluegreen for allegedly refusing to pay it $10 million in commissions. Bass Pro said the company didn’t pay them for “sampler packages” or timeshare contracts that its customers defaulted on.
Since then, the company’s shares have gone through a wild ride. First, BBX Capital announced plans to buy a 10% stake in Bluegreen. Then, Bass Pro Shop ended its lucrative partnership with Bluegreen, which threatened to lead to a court battle. However, the two companies have agreed to a settlement. Bass Pro will reinstate its marketing partnership, and Bluegreen will pay the cost.
Bass Pro
The recent scandal involving Bluegreen Vacations has put the company at the center of controversy. The company was banned from 69 Bass Pro Shops stores for its high-pressure and offensive sales tactics. In response, Bass Pro Shops has filed a lawsuit against the company. The lawsuit states that the company abused the opportunity to sell timeshares by offering discounts and promotional items to customers.
Despite the recent developments, Bass Pro is firmly back in the marketing game. The two companies have a marketing agreement stating that Bluegreen must provide staffing and cover expenses of its retail kiosks in Bass Pro Shops. Bass Pro has accused Bluegreen of engaging in “high-pressure salesmanship.” Bluegreen has argued that the arrangement accounted for only 14 percent of its timeshare sales in 2018.
Pricing
Bluegreen Vacations, a timeshare vacation provider, has been accused of misleading customers. The company’s sales representatives allegedly failed to disclose the right of rescission and engaged in fraudulent sales practices. The company was accused of misleading consumers by using “hypothetical and deceptive” techniques. Some customers even claimed that salespeople manipulated them into buying timeshares, although others argued that the company purposefully deceived them.
The company has reacted to the allegations by suing the company. While the lawsuit is not over, it is a sign of trouble for Bluegreen. The company is already facing lawsuits by Bass Pro Shop and Bass Pro, which are both in the vacation business.
Complaints
Bass Pro Shops have banned Bluegreen Vacations from 69 locations after receiving complaints about their salesmanship and high-pressure tactics. The complaint also alleges that the company intentionally manipulated consumers into purchasing timeshares, which are not what they said they were. The company is suing Bluegreen over these allegations.
Bass Pro also has the right to terminate Bluegreen’s access to its marketing channels. Moreover, Bluegreen intends to seek damages of $300 million from Bass Pro, alleging willful misconduct and a lack of good faith.
Suit against Bluegreen
A lawsuit filed against Bluegreen Vacations claims that the company failed to pay commissions on timeshare sales. The timeshare company allows vacationers to split time at several of its resorts and offers an interim “sampler package” that allows customers to try out the properties before making a final decision. Bass Pro alleges that Bluegreen has violated its contract with customers by clawing back commission money years after the original sale. Bass Pro argues that this practice will negatively affect customer experience.
The suit was filed against Bluegreen by former and current military members. They claim that the company has been deceiving them through misleading marketing tactics, a violation of federal timeshare law, and failure to disclose the owner’s right to rescission. Bluegreen has denied the allegations, but it has continued to defend the company’s business practices.
