Is there any way other than searching through the Bazaar or joining box of books to find deals? I have pretty specific taste, so I never really find the books I like in other peoples deals. A few days ago someone contacted me asking for several of my books and looking for a deal, and I was happy to oblige because I got 3 credits all in one shot. I didn't offer any deal but he found me somehow, I think just by stumbling upon my bookshelf through the forums here.

But is there any other way of doing this?

I have had luck visiting the various genre boards like paranormal, etc.

Start hanging out in the boards.  Build a reminder list and put a link to it in your signature. I see a lot of people do this with a little blurb saying "here's my reminder list-pm if you have more than one and an want to make a deal" or something like that.

Also you can search the boxer shelves without being a boxer. Then if you see someone on there with more than one book you'd you could PM them and ask if they are willing to do a deal.  Make it a reasonable deal and be prepared to be turned down sometimes. Some people don't like being asked for a deal.

boxer shelves?

Maybe I'm weird but I think a book for a credit is an excellent deal.  I do understand what you are saying but I would never think to look for something more than the standard trade.

Maybe I'm weird...

You're not weird, LeeAnne.  I tend to do as you do.  I did have someone ask me for a large book deal - 20 books for 13 credits.  I took it because it was remarkably cheap to mail them, and it was a quick 13 credits.  I rarely ask for a deal.  But I may start when I find an entire trilogy on someone's shelf.  I usually prefer 3 books for 2 credits. 

Ruth

That's the deal I did, Ruth - 3 books for 2 credits, and I was really happy with it. The guy was putting together some big collection, and he needed 6 of my books, so he requested four from me and I threw in the other two he told me in PM that he wanted for free. Like you said, it was extremely cheap for me to send 6 books to one guy - I think it only cost me around 4 bucks or something? And I got 4 credits out of the deal all at once. That's why I look for deals - because I've been proposed with a deal offer myself and I was very pleased with the result, as I'm sure he was too since he got two books free. If both parties are happy with the deal, why not?

Todd - there is no reason for not doing it if both parties are agreeable.  It benefits both.  It's just a matter of finding the right members to do it!

Ruth

And look at someone's bookshelf by the posting date.  Many folks are much more likely to do a deal on books that have sat for months. 

Exactly what Ruth said--if both parties are amenable, no problem. I have a note on top of my bookshelf expressly stating that I *don't* do deals, and yet I still get the occasional PM from someone asking if I will do a 2 for 1 or whatever. Drives me insane--I put the note there specifically so I wouldn't keep getting those PMs. LOL

I don't do deals just because I'm in no big hurry for my books to be selected, I've got plenty of credits and I like the whole 1 book for 1 credit concept. I paid one credit for those books, so I want a credit back. Giving them away doesn't make financial sense to me, even if it does cost very little to add an extra book to send a package--it's still a book that I could've gotten a credit for eventually. The reason I have plenty of credits is books do get chosen eventually. The one book on my shelf that I thought would never get picked (it had been there since I joined in August 2005 and I had left it there just because I'm a stubborn Swede, LOL) actually got ordered a few weeks ago. Now my entire original bookshelf is gone. :-D

Cheryl

I hardly ever offer deals mostly because the one time I did-it was more trouble then it was worth.  I don't think I'll ever run a deal in the book bazaar again.   I've never had a book sit more than 6months and that was a heavily posted book-I think when I posted mine it was #290-something.  I frequently post highly posted books and they do get ordered-usually by someone using the Order More From Member feature when I post a WL book.

But it wouldn't bother me to get the occassional PM asking if I'd do a deal. It would all depend on how it was worded and the deal request. If you PM me asking me to do 3 for 1 or 4 for 1-I'm going to be annoyed and offended.  But if you PM'd me asking me for 3 for 2 and the books were of the more heavily posted kind-then I would probably say yes just to move them out of the house.  I might not do it for books that are not heavily posted and I know will probably get requested pretty soon.

I'm fine with being asked about deals, but I consider it rude unless both parties benefit.  IE, if it only involves one credit all it means is I spend more in shipping! I don't get grumpy about Z:1 PMs, I just decline them and sigh.

I think your best bets are going to be the Books you are Looking for thread in the book bazaar, or when you go to order a book you can "Order more from Member" (I think that's what it says) before you finalize the order. That will show you their shelf & who it is--if there are multiple books you are interested in send them a PM and ask.

Cheryl,

I like what you wrote about books being chosen eventually.

I know for me, I have wondered if it was hopeless to post certain books and maybe deals would have to be in my future.  I haven't been here long enough to have a largely posted book go off my shelf.  So, its good news to hear that FIFO really works with just a little patience.

I think the best deal is the 3 for 2 credit or the 5 for3 (really lots of those titles in FIFO).   I rarely ask.  And the only deals I've ever advertised were in my signature line where unpostables were offered.  Someday my shelf will be bigger than it currently is and I'll still wait for FIFO to work.  It really does.  Lots of people get tired of waiting for titles and buy them.  Having a limited to 200 WL is beneficial to the FIFO system in that way.

Ruth