Hi everybody.  Pretty new to this.  I was just wondering though, do many of you purchase delivery confirmation from PBS when sending books?  It's my first time doing this and i'm sending out two books tomorrow to other members and was wondering whether i should choose this option.  Anybody send out books and not receive credit for them?  Anyways, would love to hear from you guys.  Thanks!

Welcome to PBS!

When I first joined I did use it but I realized pretty quickly that it was not necessary (IMO).

I still do use it for any multi-book orders or game books.

I've sent more than 700 out now (probably 670 of them without DC)  and I just had my first book go lost in the mail a few weeks ago. (thus, I lost a credit on that one). The other 699 were all marked received.

I receive about 25-30% of books with DC, though ... a lot of people like to use it because it helps to support PBS, and also you do not have to worry about getting your credit (if you are inclined to worry or fret about things like that, then DC is the way to go). If you are more laid back and not inclined to closely monitor your account ... you may not feel that DC is necessary.

I don't use it because of the cost. If I had purchased DC for all 700 of those books that I have mailed it would have cost me an additional $322 to use this site. One lost book is not worth anywhere near that much $.

I always use DC. I've only had one book go lost in the mail, and that's what cause me to start using it. If you mail a book out and it goes lost, unless you used DC, you lose the credit you would have received for it. A lot of people don't use DC and don't have a problems. It's really whatever you prefer. It does cost extra, but for me knowing I get my credit no matter what, it's worth it to me :)

Thanks for the quick replies Sara and Jolene.  Since i'm starting out i'll probably forego DC for these first two and see what comes of it.  Thanks also for the welcome Sara, i like the idea that if i do decide to purchase DC i would be supporting PBS in a small way.  Anyways, this sounds like a great place. 

Over 300 books mailed - 3 or 4 gone lost in the mail.  No - I don't buy DC because it doesn't make financial sense for me.

I do use DC if I'm sending to a place that I know the books will take a long time to get there.  I use it on books going to HI, AK, PR, GU, and APOs.  Media rate takes forever when the book is traveling over water.  I will either use DC or change the book label to first class, depending on how heavy the book is.

I will use it if I'm sending several books together.  I had one order that was for five books.  It is definitely worth the price on multiple book orders.  There is just one charge for all the books.

I know some folks use the printed postage and DC every time because they can't get to a post office.  With the DC and printed postage we do not have to worry about the 13 oz rule.  We have members who would never be able to get to the post office.  This lets folks who really need access to books be members.  Whether it is because the member is in a rural area, homebound, taking care of small children, or near a post office that is always crowded.  Come December and long post office lines, I'm much more likely to use printed postage.

ETA  I've sent and received a total of over 700 books.  One took 4 months to arrive.  Three have gone lost.   The cost of using DC as "insurance" would not be worth it for me.  The cost of avoiding the post office?  Yes! 

I don't because fees for DC quickly add up to more than the cost of a lost book, credit and postage.  The PBS DC on 10 books is about $4.60.  You could buy 2 credits for that in the book bazaar.  Or a whole lot of books at the thrift store.  The fee does help PBS but there are other ways to help support the site. I do use the PBS DC on game books (because DC is required) and bulk orders.  I"ve only had 1 book go lost out of the 1,000+ I've sent between 3 trading sites.

I often use it so that I can just drop books in a blue box rather than dealing with the PO. If I can make it to the PO, I don't bother unless its a multiple book order.

I rarely use the DC feature;  however,  I love the printable postage feature.  I usually go to the PO which is only 5 minutes away from me;  but I use the printable postage when I know I will be busy for a few days and am able to just put the book in my mailbox rather than making a trip.  The fees associated with it are worth it to me for those times.  I rarely have a book going "lost".

I've never used it and have yet for one to go lost (knock on wood!).

I started using it recently when I also started using printable postage because I like to help support the site in some small way, my local branch of the PO closed so it's more difficult for me to mail books at the counter, and because I like receiving my credit right away - chances are I use it as soon as I mark a book mailed to request another book.  Otherwise, I tend to be sitting around biting my nails hoping someone marks a book received before another book comes up from my WL.  But that's just me.

I use it most of the time. I've had 3 books go lost that I sent - all First Class without DC. It may not be financially better, but I like to minimize stress of wondering where a book is and that little fee helps support the site.

I've sent 845 books, and only one of them went lost. If I'd have bought DC for all of them, I would have spend hundreds of dollars just in DC over the years. Way too much to cover a few lost books. If you send a lot of books, you'd have to lose a lot of them to even break even on the deal.

So, no, I don't use it. I don't worry about the books not getting there. If a few more go lost, I've more than paid for the loss by not buying DC over time.

I do because I use PBS postage so I can send from work.  I do not mind paying the extra for it. Less hassel for me and I get my credit for doing the right thing and not having to wait weeks for a marked recieved.  I do not send huge amounts of books.

I like using it, you get your credit right away, and you don't have to worry about the person you sent to marking it received.  What I like most is that I don't have to worry about did it getting there.

There is another feature that I like to use, the printable postage.  When you use it, you just have to wrap up the book(s), and drop them off at the post office.  No standing in line.  Especially nice when you don't want to stand in line at the post office.  My bookshelf is small, I don't mail out as many books as some members do.  I like helping support the site by using both the printable postage & DC.

Nope...don't use it.

-RD

I always use it for games, multiple book orders, and 'outside the system' credit swaps (when I swap an unpostable for a credit) since it lets the member know in advance that the book IS truly enroute and makes it so neither party really worries about it.

For individual books, sometimes I use it and sometimes I don't. I always did when I was in Alaska, because of the time it took books to reach their destinations. Now, the transit time is much faster, so I don't need to do it, and so it really depends on if I feel the need to get a credit faster.

I've never had a book go lost in the mail. I have had them rarely be delayed in the person marking them received for a week or so because the person was on vacation (according to the message they sent when marking them). I also have one in my account right now that was mailed on the 4th with DC, scanned delivered on the 10th, and hasn't been marked received yet because the person hasn't been online since prior to that (according to their account). But, I already got the credit in this case, so it's no big deal. But, I just went and looked to verify my point that yes, members do mark books received and failing to do so is virtually unheard of here, and most members do so promptly and without delay, but sometimes there are delays for other causes, or members that aren't as prompt about it. That way, you're prepared.

One of the first shipments I made went lost... so maybe that soured me on mailing without pbs dc, so-oo

I like using it, you get your credit right away, and you don't have to worry about the person you sent to marking it received.  What I like most is that I don't have to worry about did it getting there.  +1

However- now that I have some credits banked and not praying that I don't lose out on any wl books- I have been thinking of only using it only for multiple orders...  I do like helping the club, but postage money is tight.  So I actually sent the last single out without it... but I was still nervous about it getting there and getting my credit.

I have used it on about 99.9% of the books I have sent...I forgot to click the right button on a couple of books. I use it as a way to supposrt the site. Ilso don't like to stand in line at the PO, so I can just chuck it in the blue box.

I'm going to vote with those who like supporting the site.  I use the printable postage and its so much more convinient to print, wrap, drop off than to have to pay for postage every time.  I don't even notice the bit extra.

As several others have said, I use the PBS postage/DC but only for convenience sake so I can drop my books in a blue box regardless of what size they are. I have sent over 1500 books in my time here, probably half without DC, and had only a very few not get to where they were sent. I've ordered about as many, and again, most get here just fine. Whether you want to spend the money for the DC is up to you. I do buy my postage here at PBS even though it's a bit more expensive than other online sources, because it does support the site, which is otherwise free to use.

Welcome, you will love it here!! :)

Cheryl

I use it sometimes.  If I find that the address is a PO Box, I'll use DC because sometimes people who have PO boxes dont check their mail every day.

If it's something that I think might be going through "Bell, CA" I use it.

I also use it for books going to certain states like HI, AK, APO/DPO/FPO or Guam or VI or PR.

Otherwise I don't because for me it's not cost effective.  Pat

I never use it, but I do sometimes get orders for 5+ books and I probably should for those! I don't think I have ever had a book go lost that I sent on this site. I have had a few go lost on the way to me, but I suspect most were never even mailed.

I have a teeny tiny one-employee P.O. with no street delivery, so I have to go there every day to get my mail and there is never a line. If I lived somewhere with a BUSY P.O. (I have many times in the past) I would be much more likely to pay the extra cost for postage and DC from the site, just to avoid lines at the PO.