I just had to cancel a book I was just about to send out because it just received some damage (liquid was spilled on it from my kids). I was wondering I contact the member when I can't find them in the member directory. I also saw no way of contacting them before I canceled it along with no option of why I was cancelling.

So I would like to say that if Walter K. from SC. happens to read this (since he is the one who requsted Appaloosa by Robert B Parker) - I'm sorry I had to cancel the oder but I don't think you would like a damaged book.  I'm extremely sorry and if you would like another book, please let me know.

Alos, if anyone can please let me know of another way of contact members I would appreciate it.

Janet M

You can get their pm link from your Transaction Archive :)

Alos, if anyone can please let me know of another way of contact members I would appreciate it.

While it would be nice to let them know, I don't think it's that important. After you canceled the order would have moved on to the next person in lineif another book was available, and they may not even be aware this transaction was canceled. There are a lot of members and a lot of books, and I think that having a book get canceled is just one of those things we have to expect once in a while.

It's not something I would take personally, and figure if they could have sent it, they would have. And you don't have to offer another book. I think people understand.

I also saw no way of contacting them before I canceled it along with no option of why I was cancelling.

If you didn't accept the order, you may not have been able to contact the member, as I don't think there's a contact on the request screen. (?)

But once you accept an order, even after printing the label and mailing there's a [PM] button on the transaction. It's up at the to, right. That would allow you to PM first, then cancel.

I feel bad because I had accepted the order and was to mail it in the next couple of days. I was in the process of printing the mailing label when the book was damaged. If it wasn't for those reasons, I wouldn't worry about it.  I do realize and understand that accidents do happen, but I also understand that it's frustrating when a book has been accepted and to be sent and then cancelled at the last minute.

Thanks

I was able to PM him. Thanks for suggesting the Transaction Archives. I had forgotten about that!!

If it were me, I would like to know. Most of my books are hard to find, and unless the book were really badly damaged I would buddy a credit in this situation.

I once posted a WL book that a friend gave me--I had not read it.  I go to pack it up, and re-inspect it.  Of course, I find 7 words--one sentence--that is underlined.  I check every page of the book after finding that, and lo and behold, that's the only underlining.  I sent a PM to the requestor, explained the problem, and gave her the option of either having me cancel (returning her to the top of the WL), or offering to send her the book along with a free book of her choice off my shelf, so that she would get her WL book but would also have a postable book to repost for credit.  She selected a book off my shelf, and I sent both.  

As a side note, I gave her a deadline to reply, saying that if I didn't hear from her by the date I had agreed to mail the book that I would cancel the order. 

Thank you for the advice. As I mentioned above, I messaged him to let him know what happened. The book isn't severly damaged, just a few pages at the very front along with the one corner of the cover along with a small corner of several of the back pages. It doesn't effect any of the text or reading of the pages. None of the pages are "warped" so to say. Just stained.

I haven't heard back from him but I think offering a credit is a good idea since I checked and seems to be the only title for this book that was posted. It didn't appear to be on WL though.

Once again, I appreciate all the great advice. I'm still pretty new to PBS and I'll take whatever advice I can get.