so I had 3 books marked "lost" today by PBS (two days earlier than they said they would intervene). I PM'd the senders saying not to worry that since the hurricane on the east coast our mail has been taking longer than usual. Which has been try for all our mail and packages. I know we get it from JFK NY port or Newark,NJ. If I never recieve the books, did I screw myself by sending the PM? not that I am expecting anything to be wrong with them but with military mail you never know!!

I doubt that PBS expects you to be a prophet! If you didn't say "I've received the packages," then I don't think there's any way that PBS can hold a prediction against you.

Do I understand correctly? You just told the senders that the packages are still likely to arrive since recently mail has been taking longer to arrive, and they should not worry? I can't imagine that anyone could hold this against you.

If PBS marked them lost in the mail, then you received your credits back from ordering the books.

If they arrive, you can and should mark them received from your Transaction Archive. If they don't arrive, then you would just let the transaction stand as a lost book transaction.

If they were Wish List books, you might consider placing them on hold on your Wish List for a week or two, to give your package time to arrive. That way, you won't get a second offer while you are still waiting for the package.

Sending a PM like the one you sent is just fine, it just lets the sender know that you are still waiting for the books. That's perfectly OK, and doesn't affect anything else.

Thanks for the responses. Guess I've been reading too many topics on requestor/sender pm's and proving this or that.

When I've had books go lost (as a receiver), I usually PM to let the sender know that I will mark it received as soon as I get it. So I don't think you did anything wrong. If I have a book about to go lost as a sender (I think that's only happened once or twice that I can recall), I also PM to let the receiver know I sent it and hope it will arrive soon.

The couple of times I've had a book coming to me go lost in the mail, I've always PMd the sender to let them know that I truly didn't receive it and to ask if they had any kind of DC on the book.  Neither sender ever even PMd me back and neither book ever showed up.

I agree Kristina, IMO your pm's were thoughtful (and probably appreciated).

I have had both situations, books late or "lost" coming and going, and have pm'd in both situations.

It once took a book 6 weeks!!!! to arrive from someone in MY state!.  Turned out to be PO error.

In another case, the sender had  put wrong address on package.

In several cases, bad weather in the sending area delayed my books and PBS timed them out,but I gave sender credit once the book  arrived.

In all cases, PMs cleared up any misunderstandings, and facilitated arrival of the books.