I just got an order that the requestor has asked me to ship first class as they want the book as a Christmas present. Is it OK for me to ask them to provide an extra credit for me to do so? If it were a small book, I wouldn't mind, but it's a large heavy hardcover and it's not going to qualify for first class and is too big to ship in the 4.95 priority flat rate small box. Which means I'm going to have to ship priority based on weight and distance and USPS postage calculator is showing 6.95 as the price which is twice what it would cost to ship media and twice the value of a credit.

PBS rules say 1 book, 1 credit, so I would say - no, you can't ask for an extra credit.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/help_item.php?id=305

PBS expects that you'll ship Media Mail

http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/help_item.php?id=11

If it was a book that was on my bookshelf, I'd inform the requestor that I was going to send it Media Mail and ask them to cancel by X time if they don't want the book.  I would probably use PBS DC when I mailed it Media Mail (if they didn't cancel).  I'd also tell the requestor to make an RC for any future requests requesting over and above shipping options.   If it's a wishlist book, you could cancel after telling the requestor about the need for  an RC.

Basically No, its not ok to ask . Also I do not think its allowed to ask for it to be sent a certain class of mail either.

I based my answer on not finding anything about in the help section.. If they change rules they need to update the help section..

I would turn down the order after that request.  I don't think it's reasonable for someone to ask you to ship it first class.   I would say sorry, but this isn't going to work.   I wouldn't do it.

Actually Bren, IIRC in the past TPTB have allowed this for additional postage reasons only.  Similar to sending a book to the wrong requester and transfering a credit for the additional postage of forwarding to the correct requester.  And as already mentioned, the cost of a credit is based on approximate postage costs for Media Mail.  Since PBS is built around Media Mail rates & restrictions, it's not out of line to request your requester cover the difference in postage costs since she requested a special service from you with additional costs.

Just be very clear that the credit is to cover the additional mailing costs incurred by upgrading the mail rate, not for the book itself.

Yes, it is allowed to ask ONCE THE REQUEST IS ALREADY IN PLACE AND THE REQUESTER IS ASKING FOR IT. You couldn't ask just because it was going to cost a lot to mail and you couldn't ask for it before you had a request (like in the Bazaar). But since the requester is already is getting the book and they are asking you to upgrade the postage, asking them to pay for that upgrade would be fine.

Totally reasonable.

As Melanie said, once the book is already requested, if the requestor contacts you and asks for upgraded postage, it's okay to ask them to pay for the postage upgrade with an extra credit.

The Team made an official ruling on this issue quite a while ago now.

The Team made an official ruling on this issue quite a while ago now.

It would be good if that ruling made it to the Help Center.  I searched several different ways and I didn't find anything to that effect.  Another option would be starting an "Official Rulings" sticky thread here.

and it's not going to qualify for first class and is too big to ship in the 4.95 priority flat rate small box

Would it fit in a Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope? I've mailed wider/taller books in those before, with some tape to reinforce the sides.

This is just a packaging idea, not meant to express any opinion on whether requesting an extra credit is warranted or not.

It would be good if that ruling made it to the Help Center.  I searched several different ways and I didn't find anything to that effect.  Another option would be starting an "Official Rulings" sticky thread here. 

I know. It's a pain. I wish more of the official determinations that the Team makes in response to specific member feedback questions would be incorporated into the Help Center as well (very few ever are actually added there). It'd make the Tour Guide's jobs much easier. As it is, you often basically have to search for their comments, and copies of their messages, in the forums. And, if you don't use the right search terms, you can never find them. So, we have to just try to remember as many as we can.

I've said more than once in the past that they should be 'collected' somewhere, if they aren't going to be put in the Help Center.

An "Official Rulings" sticky . . . I like it 

I would say since they asked you to use a more expensive shipping method then it's OK to ask for a 2nd credit to do what they asked.  It would not be ok if you PM'd them and said " I want to mail this faster then media mail and you should give me an extra credit". 

Since they want you to incure extra costs, I'd say it would then be okay for you to ask for those costs to be covered.

But I also think they should have made the offer to pay the extra postage when they PM'd you about it.

I'm not sure I'd take the order. Not making the offer put you in a bad position which isn't polite, but with mail this time of year slow, there's no real way to guarentee that even with First Class shipping the book will get there by Christmas.

And if it doesn't, will they then make a complaint about it?

You could PM them and say, "I would be willing to upgrade the postage to first class if you would be willing to pay for the increase in postage. How would you like to do this?" and then let them figure it out.

Oh and give them dollar amounts of the difference between media mail and first class so you are right to the penny.

I asked the USPS people about gettitng something their by christmas and they told me that only Priority OR higher would get their in time.  So you might need to factor that in if you are asking for differences in cost.  (I had to send a package to my cousin in San Fran and figured its better to just drive up and drop it off!..LOL)