I had another member order a book from me and then contact me that she wanted me to give her a "deal".  She wanted six of my books but told me she would "buy" three and wanted me to send her the other three for free.  Does this happen often?  I can't figure out how that would benefit me at all.  I would have to pay shipping on six books but only get three credits.  Is there something I'm missing here?  Thanks!

sending out 1 book cost about 2.38 (lowest media mail rate)  Media mail then goes up slightly at each lb increment.  So you can send out multiple books for less per book.

If your books are heavily posted this is probably a good deal. 

But if you don't want to you don't have to.

You can save a lot of money shipping more than 1 book at a time. But, you are in no way required to give a deal and I, like Cindy says, won't give deals on books that will move off my shelf quicky anyway unless it is a pretty large order and I usually won't give as good as a 2 for 1. If you wanted to, you could counter and say that you won't do 6 for 3, but maybe for 4 or 5?? Depends on how bad you need/want credits.

Thanks for the replies.  I only use PBS for books I really want so I save my credits up.  So each book is worth another book to me and that's why I didn't understand giving away any of the "credits' on my bookshelf.  This member wanted some that are by a popular author so it shouldn't be too much problem getting rid of them.  I politely turned her down on her deal and I guess she went somewhere else for the book she wanted because she cancelled the request.

 "Is there something I'm missing here? "

I am assuming you were not hanging out in the Book Bizarre forum offering to make 2/1 deals. This member is either terribly confused in how deals are properly made, or she has quite a bit if chutzpah.

If you don't want to make that kind of deal, then cancel her order or allowe her to cancel after you tell her no thanks.  Personally, I'd decline the deal simply because it's terribly rude to place orders and then ask for deals like that and I wouldn't want to encourge that type of practice. Courtesy dictates she PM you before placing an order.  But that is 100% my opinion.

"I politely turned her down on her deal and I guess she went somewhere else for the book she wanted because she cancelled the request."

Oy, I should have read all the responses before posting.

Yeah, I had a feeling she'd cancel the order. She's a back alley dealer. Up to no good. She gets members all excited by placing an order and then asking for a deal. I mean, who wants an order cancelled, right?

Now she's moving on to pull this stunt on someone else. Seriously, she needs a "talking to."  I don't know if she thinks she's clever or just supremely misinformed about how things work around here.

That is my opinion too. If order a book and then see another one on that members shelf I will PM them and see if they are running any deals at the time, but I wouldn't cancel the order. That is rude to me.  Normally I want the book anyways.  Many people on here are nice and email back (many do not) even with a counter offer. I have met very few on here that won't work with me. But it is all up to whether you want to do something as to whether you tell them no or not. Just do what you feel like. Hopefully you will get another request for your books:)

I'm with Charity on this.  I'll ask also but if the sending member says No, I wouldn't consider cancelling the original request.

I offer 3 for 2 on my bookshelf - if a member requests a book, I accept the request, PM them letting them know about the offer giving them 2 days to reply/request more books.  Many times people are delighted with an offer and accept.  Just this week, I mailed such an offer and sent a book that has over 1300 copies in the system - now I would've been a long time waiting for that to come to the top of the FIFO list. 

Also, I would reckon that most people just post a few books, put some on their WL and wait for requests don't really browse the site or forums fully so aren't aware of all the wonderful options and books that are available.  

I don't know if she thinks she's clever or just supremely misinformed about how things work around here. - Not that I agree with the practice, but asking for deals is allowed and considered not rude by the site admin. I've never seen them say that the ordering cannot come before the asking.

The asking for the deal was not rude-it was the cancelling of the request when the deal was declined that was rude.

Just an FYI though: some of those books by really popular authors-can be very heavily posted and take quite soem time to get requested.  Not that I'm saying you should do a deal or anything.  Just pointing out that it might be quite a while before they get requested.  (I've been lucky with getting rid of them through Box Of Books trades and shelf orders-I post a lot of WL books and people frequently use the Order More From Member button and add a heavily posted book).  So they do get ordered.  But they might not go quickly.  You can tell how many copies of a book are in the system by putting it on your Reminder List. 

(I didn't look at your shelf but someone else mentioned that not many people would pay a full credit for the little series romances because they can be found every where for super cheap-I've also been able to trade those through Box of Books)

Yeah, I hate when that happens...I would never even think to ask for a deal from someone's shelf, unless they had it listed in the blue header or if I had seen them running a deal in the Book Bazaar--which I wouldn't since I never go there. LOL

I even have a blue header at the top of my bookshelf stating that I DON'T do deals and still occasionally get people who ask.  I like the whole 1 book for 1 credit thing, and since I have plenty of credits, I have patience enough to wait out a for-credit request even for those books that are more heavily posted. If people do ask about deals, I just politely refuse, but it still annoys the heck out of me.

Cheryl

I have asked for a deal before on books that I would not want at the 1 credit = 1 book amount.  One time it resulted in them having a book I wanted that was not on their shelf, so it worked out great.

But I did ask before ordering, not after. 

I don't think it is rude to ask and I don't think it is rude to refuse. I am not even overly annoyed if they don't respond to my asking, I figure that means no. 

A lot of people are willing to do a deal even if they don't advertise it.

Judith, I'm just curious. What is the name of the book that has over 1300 copies in the system? That is huge! I have never seen a book have more than 700 copies before.

There's also a difference between "allowed" and "rude"

Everything the deal-asker did is allowed -- nothing to be reporting to tptb about -- but she can still be considered rude.

I agree... asking before ordering is the way to go... I've found that most people are more than willing to deal on their books... especially if they're a more heavily posted item.  (Yes, even if they don't "advertise" it... don't forget- a lot of members don't use the forums, & are unfamiliar with "deals" or sending books out in groups, but are thrilled with the idea once it's explained to them.  Several haven't even read over most of the "Help Documents" either.)   I don't make a habit out of it, but if I happen to run across a few books I'm looking for when a member comes up through FIFO or something, I may ask.

And just a little tidbit... I've found that for the most part, sending 2 MMP (around 350-400 pages) at the same time costs the same as sending just one (unless it's a thin little cozy or something.)  I don't mind doing it on my more heavily posted items... it helps me clear off my bookshelf of things I've already read... I hate reshelving a book once I'm done with it!  Getting a credit for every single item I send out isn't really an issue for me... as long as the postage is "covered."

I can't imagine how much postage $$ I would be spending if I hadn't sent out several of my books in groups like that instead of 1 at a time...  :)

(ETA: I've only had 1 member who didn't want to make a "deal" on her books when asked, and we both left it with a smile... it doesn't have to end up with someone getting "offended"!  It could also be the wording used when the deal is requested that causes someone to take offense...)

"asking for deals is allowed and considered not rude by the site admin."

According to the letter of PBS law her practice of post-order dealing is okay only because there is nothing on record right now that says  or about it. However, according to the spirit of PBS, post order dealing is indeed rude to most members as we'll see.

I've never seen them say that the ordering cannot come before the asking."

Again, letter of the law permits it. PBS social decorum says otherwise. It's up to each of us to decide what's appropriate until TPTB have a say on it. If they don't ever address it, oh well. I won't participate in any post order dealing. Tacky, tacky, tacky.

"The asking for the deal was not rude-it was the cancelling of the request when the deal was declined that was rude."

Yes, Mary, you nail it!

I am not offended by people asking for deals (although I do have it in my header). But I put it in my header AFTER I started getting PMs asking for deals out of the blue.

Also, I don't care if they order first and them PM or do it the other way. What difference does it really make? I don't see the difference between not placing an order at all and cancelling an order. Either way, you're not sending books out.

Is it just that you (editorial) get excited that you have a book order and then are disappointed when its cancelled?

"I don't care if they order first and them PM or do it the other way. What difference does it really make?

You answer your own rhetorical question below.

"Is it just that you (editorial) get excited that you have a book order and then are disappointed when its cancelled?"

The cynic in me believes that the person purposely orders first to get you excited that you even have an order and therefore you'll be less likely to decline their deal request.

It's a clever psychological maneuver, really.

OK, but to me the disappointment is pretty much the same either way. That is why I don't care which way they do it ... and I don't think one way is rude and the other not.

PM, says they might order books but doesn't === order books, change mind

Either way, those fleeting credits that I might have had in my eager little hands are gone, gone, gone ... 

Although, I will add, from a requesting perspective, if I was going to ASK for a deal, I would probably PM first instead of ordering first, because (cynical me), I would not want the sender to decline to do a deal and then print/ship my books anyway.  So, I suspect the reason most people do it this way has nothing to do with politeness, IMO ...

Someone asked about heavily posted books.  I had all 3 of Nora Roberts In The Garden series books on my shelf. When I posted them each of them over 1,000 copies in the system.  I think  2 of them had around 1300 posted. I just have 1 left now as someone asked for the other 2 in a BOB trade-which is where I got them.  I would never had paid a full credit for each book since I know her books are very heavily posted.  Not that they don't get ordered but mine were posted for several months before I got the BOB offer on 2. 

ETA: if you go up to Community and then Top 50 there' s a list of hte most heavily posted books on PBS. 

The same thing just happened to me for the first time and I was actually very offended.  These were pretty popular books that I just posted in the system.  It is my understanding that the system works 1 book = 1 credit.  I could see how some of the less desirable or high-copy books may be considered for something like this but I thought it was very rude to place the order and then request a "great deal." 

I really wanted to tell her that this was paperback swap, not paperback giveaway.  I was nice but told her no so she will probably cancel, which is fine with me.  I'll have no trouble getting rid of those books.  Yes, I realize that I can bundle the books and get a cheaper shipping rate but I firmly believe that this is rightfully the giver's windfall... not the receivers.  I have never asked for a deal from someone before.  HOW RUDE!

PBS says that it is perfectly fine to ask for a deal, just as it is perfectly fine to decline to do a deal. There is really no rudeness on either side, unless one of the people adds it.

I love deals - from both sides. I'm not looking for a "windfall" as a seller or a receiver - I want my extras gone and for many of them, fifo will take a long, long time, as it will for most of the books I receive in deals. I have dealt with some people repeatedly from both ends. Seeing how many people think it is "rude" is a little surprising, but the Bazaar and deal topics in the genre forums are fairly busy.