I've been waiting for a book since July that's about to go "lost" - is that the correct wording to use?

This is the transaction history:

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USPS estimates arrival before 8/10/2009 | Date of system action: 8/11/2009 12:00 AM ET

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I know that there's till a few more days to go until the "date of system action." but is there anything that I should do at the moment?  I noticed that the sender marked book mailed a moment after they marked the label printed, so I'm hoping they didn't forget to mail it or something. 

Nothing you can or should be doing yet.  You could PM the person to ask about it, but I personally would wait until the book is actually marked as "lost" by the system.  Media Mail is not a high priority postage class, and USPS can take their time delivering this type of mail. 

Books don't actually go missing/lost permanently very often.  So, just continue to be patient and hopefully this will show up for you soon!

I have one that is going to go lost on the same day.  I generally just let them go lost, but in this case I sent a PM asking them to confirm the ship date.  Here's why.  It's a WL book, the type with a very rapidly moving WL (Julia Quinn's new PB) and I could easily be offered another copy between when the system marks it lost at 12:00AM and when I get back online Monday.  If the book was mailed on time, fine.  It's probably lost, I'll order the next copy and just take my chances.  However, if something happened and the sender couldn't mail on time, then it probably isn't lost.  I don't want two copies of a book I won't be able to give away in six weeks.  If the book was mailed late, I can put in an RC asking to be skipped for this book until my "lost" copy shows up.  Again, ordinarily, I would just let it go lost.  But in a situation like this, I don't think a PM is out of line.

If it was me, I would go ahead and PM the sender now. I wait until close to the "lost" date to PM, and you are pretty close now.

I PM'd a sender a few months ago, because I was waiting for 2 books, and the "lost" date was only 3 days away. I never got an answer to my PM .... but 2 days later the books arrived. (from 50 miles away). I am positive that they were mailed the day I sent my PM.  Don't know why she waited so long ..... probably hadn't read the books yet herself or something ...

Anyway, a friendly, polite PM is never out of place, and I always do it in advance of the book going lost, so that I can get some insight into whether or not I should re-order, or just wait a few more weeks.

You didn't say anything about geography, but just so you know, if your books are coming from Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, etc ... they may take longer than the allotted 4 weeks, it is fairly common that they may go lost for a while until they arrive ...so if that is the case with your books, it is somthing to be aware of, interms of mailing time.

Some folks say PM and others say they hate to get them and won't reply!

It's vacation time so it's really hard to judge what's happening with people.  I have one coming from Texas that's going to go lost about the same time as you're.  The amazing thing is that I've received two books from Texas that were ordered after the one about to go lost.  What to do, what to do?  I've considered PMing and decided I'm just going to let the system take care of it.  Thankfully it's not a WL book so I don't have that worry. I'm with Meghan that I'd rather not have two of these books though.

My update - two e-mails from PBS asking me if I've received this book.  Supposed to be here in two days from Texas.  We'll see.

I guess I'll just wait until Monday after the mail comes in to PM the sender.  I'm in Texas, and the book is coming from New Jersey, so while I did expect it to take a while, I didn't expect this long of a wait, considering I've had books from that area delivered within four to five days.

Sara, ah - that's kind of crazy about those books of yours.  Not that I'm saying my sender hasn't mailed the book or critizing anyone, but do people sometimes mark them mailed and not mail them?  I don't see what the point would be...they're not getting a credit.

It is interesting that so many books are so delayed about the same time?

I have two books, one mark mailed from Nevada 15 Jul and one marked mailed 20 Jul from CA, both have not been seen and will time out next week.

Is there a postal pattern emerging here?

Sara, ah - that's kind of crazy about those books of yours.  Not that I'm saying my sender hasn't mailed the book or critizing anyone, but do people sometimes mark them mailed and not mail them?  I don't see what the point would be...they're not getting a credit

Ah, but she did get the credits right away, because she used PBS postage. She got 2 credits to use right away for less than $3 in postage costs.

And the reason that I know she didn't mail them out until I PM'd her .... she re-printed the wrapper 2 weeks after she marked it mailed. So, I know that they sat around - not mailed - for at least 2 weeks after she marked them mailed. So, she had her credits and I guess she didn't care whether or not I ever got the books! I knew it shouldn't be taking that long to get to me, either, she only lives 50 miles away, and I've always gotten all my media mail from southern CA extremely quickly. (sometimes even the next day, but it's never been longer than 3 days from mailing to receiving, within southern CA.)

I know ... I couldn't really figure out what the advantage was, of not mailing them out. Best I could figure, she still needed to read them, so she printed the label, marked them mailed, and then let them sit in her house or something.

I'd PM since it's about to go lost.

I have my eye on a book enroute to me as well.  It's got another week or so before it goes lost so I'll wait until a couple of days before the actual timeout to PM.  Just frustrating.  I waited on the WL for 18 months for this book.  Sat at #1 for like 4 weeks until it finally got posted.  Then, it was marked mailed literally hours before the system would have canceled it.  I suspect that it was mailed late or not at all.  No way to know for sure until it actually arrives or not and I can see the postmark.

And the reason that I know she didn't mail them out until I PM'd her .... she re-printed the wrapper 2 weeks after she marked it mailed.

Just for info, if she used PBS postage, you cannot change the date on the label once printed.  You can reprint the label but it prints the original purchase date.  If she mailed them late, the post office would have had to place a new date stamp on them.  I know this because I have printed my label only to find I forgot to change the date to the next day and found I could not once it had been printed (You can change it before printing the first time but not after).

Did the date on your package match the mailed date in the system?  Or was it a different date?

If she went to the wrapper page after receiving your PM to check, it would mark it as having been reprinted, even if she just looked at the label.  Just for info.

The truth would be in the date on the package.  If it was the original (or within two days of), they most likely were sent when claimed.  If there is a sticker with a new date, then they were mailed at a later date.

My post office is a stickler that it MUST be mailed the date printed on the label.

I had a few books where the person indeed did not send them when they claimed.  The sticker with the postmark confirmed the mailing date.  When I receive those in the system, I select the date the postmark indicates the book was mailed AND I leave a comment in the block to PBS to let them know the received date is correct (that I didn't accidentally click the wrong date) so they know I confirmed the date and the sender did indeed ship the book well after they marked it mailed.

I believe if they send it several days past the date they mark it mailed they may get a reminder email from PBS to mail them within two days of marking them mailed (I believe).

However, I believe there are issues with southern CA and media mail.  Reading the forums there  are many members having problems with books coming from that area.  See the topice regarding Bell, California.

I have gone into the print wrapper again to get the complete address but I didn't print it...I now save a copy of the  PDF for reference. 

Also when printing the wrapper - I forget to change the date that selected when I print the wrapper - but I haven't had any trouble mailing.

Sometime back my local post office attached a note with the post office's phone number and the rural carrier delivered it.  I was to call and when I did I was told that if the date was not the actual mailing date, they would not accept it.  The mail man every day I have a book going out checks the date before taking the book with.  Go figure. (rural carrier and rural, small town post office/post master/mistress).  Mind you, my books always were being sent the very next mail date from the date printed.  I did not wait days, (except weekends) to mail.  So I was surprised by this, but this is how the scene played out for me.

Jubead, if you did not use PBS postage and DC on that book, check the book you reprinted the wrapper (I know you didn't print it, but that is what the button is labeled) and see if the details mark that you reprinted the wrapper, even though you didn't. (it does not seem to mark a reprint if the DC/PBS postage was used and the book has been scanned into the system - not sure which stops it and the label is viewed under the reprint button.)

I also keep each label saved in PDF until the book is marked received by the requestor.  Ready reference and a way for me to track shipped books.  I know I get my credit, but I also like to make sure the requestor has gotten it.  I save the label with the ISBN I listed it under, title, and date I mailed it.

I just sent a PM to someone that hasn't marked a book received.  Its got a week before it goes lost.   I didn't want her wondering about me and whether I sent it.  Maybe she isn't wondering but, if she was...I hope it helps.  Its a WL book.  If by chance she forgot to mark it received, it would help as well.  No harm done.  My intentions are good and my PM was friendly.   I updated her on what I did, not on what she may or may not have done.

If she doesn't respond because my PM wasn't what the guidelines state to do, that's fine.  I feel better. :)

Susan

Barbara - I will do that - I just never thought about it but now I save the pdf - so I don't have to go in to reprint and then if it is shown that I reprinted and I didn't ...if that makes sense.

I am now using PBS postage and DC - I have to start paying attention to the date.  I printed one last night and put it in the mail this morning.  I don't have  scale at the moment and PBS is not always accurate on the books so I have them just check postage until I get my scale.   she looked at it said yup or are fine and processed.  That happens everytime I go into that PO and all books are being dellivered...so far....don't want to jinx myself:)  I just have to be careful going forward.   I always print within  a day or two of mailing.

Well, my book was marked as lost at 12:00 AM this morning and I was offered another copy at 10:00 AM.  The sender said it might have been mailed a day or two late and that she would check her postie receipts, but I haven't heard back from her about that. I so hope I don't end up with two copies  :  ( 

The clock is ticking closer for the two that will vanish next Tuesday and the following Monday.  My Mother is waiting on one, it is a series and she is at that one....

Some sound advice here.  If you choose to send the pm, definately wait until the transaction is within a week of going 'lost'...say 3 to 5 days.

Well done Susan P.  As the sender, it's a nice touch to send a pm if USPS has delayed delivery.  The receiver knows the book was sent and that you care whether or not the book arrives.

An update!  I logged into My Account a little while ago and noticed that the details of the book weren't there.  I then went to my Transaction Archive page and saw that next to the title of the book, a little question mark in a blue box appeared saying "lost in mail."  After I checked my credit registry, I saw that they gave me back my credit for the book.  Yay! 

I'm sad that I didn't get the book, but maybe it's a good thing because I already have way too many books to read.  I wonder if the original sender will PM me?  I'll just leave it alone unless she does.

My first book was marked "LOST" this morning.  Sucks because I was really wanting this book.  The second from the same geographical area will reach it's DDD (Drop dead date) of being lost this weekend.

Are requestors penalized if an over abundance of books are not marked received?

Just curious because I have two books mailed within five days of each other and neither has made an appearance in my mailbox.  I truly have not received either (my Mom is chomping at the bit for one because it is next in the series she is reading, all the others arrived, but this one has not holding up her reading here) and the other was a computer book I was looking forward to getting.

It just seems odd two books would vanish about the same time, but that seems to be what has happened.  Curious if my account would get some sort of a flag for it....

I am fortunate, I live between two small towns.  One is a bit more forgiving than the other.... :)

The one that my house mail goes out is the unforgiving one, however.

Here is an update to my post.  The sender replied with "thanks for checking in......"  It turns out that she ordered the book for a friend and it went to the friends location.  This makes sense.  If the book isn't arriving on your door step, you may have put it out of your mind.  It was an excellent exchange and my book was marked received immediately.    

I'm with you Barbara. I had two books go lost today and have a few more about to go lost. I had a couple in the last couple of weeks go lost. I really don't know how it could be "our" fault. We want the books. What would we do to them and why would we do anything to them? I always mark my books as received as soon as I get them or at least later that day. I record everything about each book in a notebook and mark them off as soon as I inform PBS with all the info they want to know about each book received. The sender of one of my lost books pmed me today saying she's going to fill out a lost book form today at the post office. I hate books going lost.

Are requestors penalized if an over abundance of books are not marked received?

Penalized? i don't know about that.

But, yes, PBS will investigate if you have too many lost books. I don't know how many "too many" is .... my guess is, you would have to be above the average number of lost books per member, though. (Or maybe, they calculate the percentage of books ordered to books lost, and if you are above that ratio, they check into it.). The reason they would investigate is to determine if books are legitimately lost, or if you (the general you, not you sepcifically) are not marking books received, and getting your credit back illegally.

I doubt 2 lost books is any cause for concern.

Personally, I order alot of books. So, if they go by calculating the percentage of books ordered to books lost, then hopefully, I should be ok. I have received by far many more books than have gone lost. It's hard for me to wait the recommended two weeks after going lost to reorder the books. I have reordered lost books and do finally receive them and on time.