This seems to be my week for weird PBS requests.  First I had a request for a book not on my bookshelf. 

Then this morning I got a request another book- let's call it book x.  I saw it come in on my Blackberry when I was out and about, and then shortly thereafter I saw an e-mail that I had a PBS pm. 

So I get home (I was at the post office mailing a couple of book orders:)), logged on, and accepted this new request for book x .  Then I went to check on the PM (I thought maybe it would be from the PBS team about the first odd happening!)

Anyway, here's what's weird.  The PM was from the person requesting book x.

It was basically a requestor condition- instructions not to send the book if it was from a smoking environ., they hate yellow pages, can't stand them, etc.

Now, how the heck did this person get my PM before I ever even accepted this request?  And then, of course, why on earth where they pming me things that belong in a RC.

I answered the e-mail with information about my copy of the book, and also asked them those same questions.  I instructed the requestor to cancel on their end if they weren't comfortable with things since I would lose my place in the FIFO if I did it. 

Isn't that weird?  I wonder if it's a glitch- the e-mail was written up exactly like a RC.  Wonder if the computer somehow sent it as a pm to me instead of it popping up with the request.  Odd, odd, odd.

Well, we'll see how it plays out!

If they ordered the book directly from your shelf, rather than FIFO, they would be able to PM you, right?  Still strange that they are PMing RCs, but that might answer the first question.

Well they could get your name by going to the order more from member button. Then looking you up to send a PM.   Maybe they get turned down a lot for RCS so they've decided to PM people instead. 

Actually, you can't PM someone before accepting their request, but for them to PM you is easy. I have two books in 'waiting for member' status right now, and they both have PM buttons available, in addition to the 'Order More from Member' buttons. So, obviously they just clicked the PM button. It is weird that they PMed you their RCs though. Are they a new member who might not know how to set up RCs the right way?

Ok- weird!  I swear that PM button didn't used to be there when it was still only in the "Waiting for Member" status- basically because it still isn't clear at that point who the final sender is going to be.  I bet that's what they did though.

As for why they pm'd me conditions instead having RCs I don't know.  It's a pain, because the sender has to rely on the requestor to cancel or lose their place in the FIFO.  It takes the no-fault decision that something doesn't fit the RCs out of the hands of the sender.  Not to mention I could have easily have printed out the address and popped it in the mail before ever looking at my pms since there would be no logical reason to think they were connected in any way. 

I've got some time,  but if I don't hear from them eventually I'm going to have to ask PBS to cancel the transaction.

Just a thought but...  What if it was someone who realized after requesting that their RC's weren't turned on?  They may have turned them off for some reason, forget they were off, made the request, then seen their RC's were off so they PM'd them to you?

The RECEIVER can PM the SENDER before the Sender accepts.....it is the Sender that cannot PM the Receiver before they accept.

so it is very possible that they knew how to PM you once they put in the order....however they need to set up RC's and not PM people about the book's condition