Am I asking too much for books that I receive to fit the swappable book criteria? 

I just received a book that has water damage on the bottom of the book...I RWAP and the sender basically said if I didn't like the way it looked I should buy it new and repost this one...but I can't repost it is not swappable based on the rules...basically this person is not going to refund my credit! 

Just before this I received a book with black crayon scribbled in it, a coffee cup stain on the cover and a torn page and again got the excuse if I wanted a new book I should have bought it on amazon...and the person did not refund my credit. 

Is it really asking too much to receive books that fufill the criteria of a book in good condition?  I am really thinking this whole thing is not for me especially if I am getting so many books that have issues and now am stuck with books I can't swap grrrr.

No, you're not asking too much. I've found that my problem books come in waves. I won't get any for a while, then I get a string of them. Hopefully, yours will end soon.

Unfortunately we have members that can't be bothered to follow the rules. The good news is that the majority of people around are not that way! Keep marking those as problem swaps and marking the follow up as Unresolved when they won't return the credit so that they get double black marks against them. They will eventually get weeded out of the club.

If they admit to sending it in that condition then send TPTB a note about it.. They seem to take action if the sender admits to breaking the rules. 

I feel your pain, I just RWAP'd onetoday for water damage and the sender refused to refund my credit.  But I will say that it is rare here, and the majority of books I get here are often perfect.

No, Amber. You are definitely NOT asking too much. I'm sorry you've had such bad luck lately.

Just keeping RWAPing those transactions and if they don't return your credit, please mark the transaction unresolved. This will be a double mark in the sender's account and if they do this on a regular basis, they will be weeded out of the club.

Good luck in the future!

What happens if the person refuses to refund your credit? Are you out one credit or does PBS cover you if that happens?

You are out the credit.

PBS can't cover you since they can't see the book and only has your word and that of the sender to consider.   There is not way they can determine who is right and who is wrong.

Definitely not asking too much.  I would make sure to continue to mark each bad book as RWAP and then further mark it as unresolved when the people don't make amends as this will help TPTB flag accounts for repeat offenders.  Very sorry that you're getting such crappy books and even crappier responses. :(

Also, I've started keeping a "do not trade" list of people I've had bad swaps with.  I know it's  unlkely in FIFO to get a trade with the same person again,  but I feel "better safe than sorry".

I think there's only one situation where you would legitimately receive a book you can't repost:  when a book finally reaches the end of its postable life, after the added wear and tear of still another reading.   I'm thinking of thick, often-requested, much-travelled paperbacks.  So far, I've only had once such instance.  I didn't feel cheated.  Books don't last forever, and it doesn't make sense that the end-of-the-line scenario would only happen to other people! 

Books don't last forever, and it doesn't make sense that the end-of-the-line scenario would only happen to other people!

Wise words! I do think that is the case quite often. I have received books that I would have said were at the end of their lifetime maybe two readers before me but we all have different comfort levels with wear and I have no problem retiring a worn book and then offering it for free as an unpostable.

Jeanne, I thought the same thing too, about the chances of swapping again with a member I wasnt pleased with.

I had a member do a late mailing on me once, (and she was local in my town, address less than 2 miles from my house.)   I vowed never to accept another swap from her.

Months later, I had a FIFO book posted to my wishlist, and guess who it was!  What are the chances?  LOL   if Id canceled the request, I would have lost my place in the wishlist line.

So the chances are slim, but it can and does happen.    

Having gotten one a few weeks ago, I hit the RWAP botton and was delighted to see that PBS now sends a note to the sender speakig "for me" and telling sender there was a problem and what sender needs to do about it. I got an almost immediate short reply from sender, and my credit back, no argument, no BS. With PBS being the "bad messenger" it seems to eliminate tendency of a sender to want to argue, and it saves me the time of having to write a long polite note in which  I had to include the  rules about book condition.

So you might be pleasantly surprised at how the system helps you get the credit back. Have you done so yet?

and +1 what xengab said:

If they admit to sending it in that condition then send TPTB a note about it.. They seem to take action if the sender admits to breaking the rules.

All sender's use the I got it this way and was fine with it you should too...with the most current calling me a liar (thanks)...but no credits back and both have been marked unresolved...it just sucks.  I guess I do expect too much when I want to receive a book that fits the criteria for good condition.  Thank goodness the book I just received today is in good condition gives me back a little hope.

Thankfully, the good news is that good swaps far out weigh the problem swaps. Ride out this wave of bad luck and you'll be rewarded with like-new books somewhere down the road; that's what always seems to happen to me.

I have had terrible luck with people sending me water damaged books. I RWAP every time and maybe half the time I get my credit back. Maybe we should start a list of bad swappers.

I have gotten a few books that "might" had been in "Good" condition..  As long as the whole book is there and it don't smell I will read it but I will NOT listed it in the swap again..  I just lay them to the side and send them to someone that has asked for one of my bookshelf books that are in the same vein...  If I'm looking for a book to keep in my "Keeper" bookself I always buy new..  Now must of my books I send out are in almost new to new condition and I always check out the person asking for one of my books to make sure he or she will like the condition of my books..

Sorry you have been having trouble with books and maybe your next one will be a "keeper"..

Later Gator,

Linda

I agree with you Linda.  But I do have to say that I am so very non-confrontational that I have yet to RWAP even when there has been obvious problems.  I tend to suck it up and read the book and not repost it. truth be told everyone of them Id rather have reposted than kept.