RELAX PEOPLE. This is allowed. I need a book fast, and I'm happy to pay someone to get it out fast and first-class mail, rather than media. It's not jumping the line (I don't need a wishlisted book).

If you happen to have a book on SEO - search engine optimization - particularly a Dummies book or something for beginners, and are ABLE TO MAIL IT THIS THURSDAY OR FRIDAY, please let me know. Books on Google Adwords and Adsense too. I will request it from you and then buddy you an extra credit. It has to be mailed first class, not media. I'm in California, and my only request is no smokers. If the book came to you from PBS or a used book store, that's totally fine. I'm OK with unpostables too as long as they don't smell, have glop on them, aren't missing pages, soaked in water... you get the idea. :-)

Thank you very much for your consideration!

Copied from help docs:

Offering to "pay" more than "PBS price" for a book is not permitted. 

Why?

• If the book is Wishlisted, offering more than the PBS "price" for the book may allow members to leapfrog over others in the Wish List for the book. This obviously is not fair.
• Even if the book is not Wish Listed, a "free market" system could lead to "bidding" for a book, and auctions are NOT permitted on PBS.

• One reason is that auctions are subject to state laws, and as PBS members belong to various states, this could be illegal.
• The other reason is that we want all members to have a fair chance to get books on PBS.  Pitting those who have lots of credits to spare against those who don't have a lot of credits at the time goes against the very spirit of PBS--the fair sharing of books. Everybody equal.

Heather,

Maybe you could offer to get another small book off the person's shelf.  That would give them 2 credits in a totally legal way.

Sorry Sharon, you're incorrect. There's been plenty of times when people who needed a book faster than media mail rate were permitted to pay for it. After all, sending something media rate is cheaper than first class, and why should the sender have to pay more.

ETA: I added the "faster than media mail rate" part. This isn't about auctions or bidding. Sorry you missed that part. It's simply that someone needs a book quickly.

I see your point, Heather. The second credit is being offered to compensate for additional postage, not as an incentive to mail to you, therefore you are not paying extra for the book, you are just reimbursing postage costs. Good luck finding your books!

This is ok in this specific instance.

Though it may have been better for Heather to word her post that she was offering the extra credit for the upgrade in postage instead of wording it that it was 2 credits for 1 book, the key here is that she is (1) not requesting a Wish List book and (2) she is offering the extra credit to compensate for upgrading the postage.

People should not attempt this with Wish List books. People should not attempt to use this idea in reverse and try to GET extra credits for sending faster. This specific instance of offering for an upgrade in postage on an available book is ok.