Sorry, this is a bit of a vent. 

According to the Help Center: 

Binding:

• Must be intact, with no separation on the inside or outside of the book

Has anyone successfully marked RWAP and had the person return credit.  I'm beginning to wonder if I should bother or just mark it RWAP with no dialogue and be done.  The latest was incredibly rude and I simply can no longer tolerate some of the rudeness that comes from people here.  I know that this separation is mostly in newer books due to poor binding, but that doesn't make it right.

Thoughts?

Melissa--

I'm sorry you've had a negative experience.  Books which violate PBS Condition Guidelines must be marked RWP -- the system depends upon you doing so to weed out repeat offenders.  Asking for your credit back is options, but marking it RWP is not.

If you have access, it can help to take a photo of the damage (digital or web cam) and post it on a free photo site, then include the link in your RWP message.

Rule PMs are also not tolerated, and should be reported to the PBS folks using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of any PBS page.

Cheers,

Catt

Thanks Catt!  I'm not questioning marking the RWP, just whether I should bother even trying to talk to people or ask for a return of credits when only being met with hostility.  Just rubbed me the wrong way tonight and needed to get it out of my head.  Thanks for listening :)

I say yes you should ask for your credit back!  It's the same as if you bought something at Target and got it home and it was broken.  You would want your money back, right?  There will always be people who try to get away with not taking responsibility, and it's our job to weed those members out.  

Melissa, '

I would most definately ask for your credit back.  Otherwise, in my mind, how do you mark the transaction as unresolved when the situation is not resolved to your liking (ie not getting your credit back). You def won't get a credit back if you don't ask....and you just never know.  Its in your right to ask for it as you did not receive a book that is in postable condition. 

Sorry that you're dealing with hostility...it is something that I too would submit in feedback via the contact us link.  Unfortunately, the bad eggs stand out, heh?

Lauren

<<Thanks Catt!  I'm not questioning marking the RWP, just whether I should bother even trying to talk to people or ask for a return of credits when only being met with hostility. >>

Ah.  Well, yes, as others have said, ask for your credit back, be unfailingly calm and polite, and if they get nasty, contact the PBS team to see if they need a spanking :-) 

Cheers,

Catt

I think that when there is an upsurge in membership you get a lot of people who just don't read the rules.  And in every group of people there are those who are unfailingly selfish in their dealing with other people.  So as a long time member that you are you should recognize that while this happens on occasion - sometimes more than on occasion -  it will only benefit all of us in keeping the system working correctly if each and every member follows the rules and does RWAP and do the "I want my credit back because.....".  There's no other PBS policing but ourselves.  I've had some problems recently, and I did go through all the avenues I was supposed to.  I did get my credit back.  But the guy was so annoying about returning the book - promising to pay the postage back to me, I won't hold my breath - that I finally did return the book even though I told him twice that it is unpostable and he is breaking the rules if he reposts it.  It was becoming very annoying.  I hope the next person does call him on it, too, because otherwise he'll keep doing it.  I should probably have kept the book to be sure it was out of the system until he provided me with postage reimbursement.  But after a while it just gets to be too upsetting.  I've learned my lesson, though, and next time I will definitely stand my ground.

Ruth

I keep my PMs for damaged books fairly short, with a quote or two from the Help Center.  I'm friendly, describe the exact nature of the damage and the condition of the wrapper, and I never assume the person deliberately broke the rule.  Usually I ask for my credit back.  (With brand new members, sometimes I don't.)  I can't remember anyone not returning my credit -- and I haven't always had all these "badges" under my name :-) -- and only once or twice has the person seemed unfriendly.  I admit, I did lose a bit of sleep over one response, but she returned my credit.  So, yes, feel free to ask for your credit back.

I have received several books in the past 6 months that should not have been posted, but I only PM'd about one (the spine was cleaved in two places and the pages were beginning to loosen).  I didn't ask for a credit back, just mentioned that it was not postable, and rather than offer the credit back, the  member asked me to mark it as "lost".  I responded that that couldn't be done, but I would just not mark it as received, so I got my credit back eventually.  The most recent one was just last week.  There is some water damage to some of the pages in the middle, but I didn't see this till I started reading it, which was after I marked it as "okay" after a cursatory flip through.  *sigh*    I know it irks some people, but this is why I like to order from members I "know" from the forums.  I have yet to receive a "bad" book that way, but have gotten a number from Book Bazaar deals and "regular" orders. 

Thanks everyone for the responses.  I may have to use some of your verbage Jeri.  Surprisingly, this was one of the nicer messages I have sent, but received back notes that it was bought new and read ONCE and that I could repost it.  The book in question had 2 severe spine creases that were causing the insides to cleave between two separate groups of pages.  I think what really aggrevates me is that I wish that others would be as throrough in checking their books and as honest as I am.  In 1300+ books mailed out, I have never had one I sent marked as RWAP.  I have cancelled a few and sent them free because when packaging I saw that they were borderline and simply didn't want to take the chance.  *shrug*

Again, thanks everyone for listening and letting me get the irritation out of my head ;)

Hello! I just signed up today and I have my very first question. I have read through all of the rules and guidelines and when I did, I paid close attention to the Condition Guidelines. When I got to the part regarding bindings, this is what it said:

• Must be intact, with no separation on the inside or outside of the book
• If the book tends to open at a particular page, this is OKAY
• Small amount of fraying or denting at top or bottom is OKAY

However, rxrcds above said: "The book in question had 2 severe spine creases that were causing the insides to cleave between two separate groups of pages."

I have a couple of books on my bookshelf that have creased bindings, but they are not broken. There is no separation, but they do open to certain sections of the book.

I would hate for one of my first swaps to go badly so I was hoping for some clarification or guidance.

Thanks,

Courtney

Hi Courtney and Welcome to PBS.  Opening to the same page is OK as long as the binding is intact.  The book I am referencing had little gaps in the binding where the book had been severely creased (could actually see the spine/glue between the gaps).  Generally, I use the creases as a kinda warning to double check to make sure that the binding is intact there, usually heaving creasing can lead to binding issues.

Gotchya! Thanks for your help. I will definitely keep that in mind, then.