I just got a request for a book.  The person who wanted the book wanted the book in excellent condition, i.e., like new condition and she/he wanted the cover art to match exactly the cover art shown for the book.   My book was in good to excellent condition, but the cover art did not match.    My question is:  when a person post a book it states on the book conditions that cover art does not have to match exactly, so how can someone put that on their acceptable book conditions request?  

I can understand the no smoking, no mold, etc. because of health conditons.  Even I have those conditions on my requestor conditions.   But to want used books in excellent condtion or like new condition and to have the cover art match is asking a little too much on a used paperback/book site.   This is not the first time this type of request has come up on some of my book orders. 

Does anyone else out there think so too?

naomi

I don't give a rip if the cover art matches. However, I'd decline this person's request and let them know in the comments.

I wonder if this is the same person that I declined because they wanted the book to "match exactly what is listed on such-and-such website" Too much hassle. everything matched but the cover art. I declined that one fast.

 They can request any obscure thing they would like but I have the right to decline that request and anyone who is asking me for "like new" books will be declined. This is a used book site.

My guess is that this member is going to have a long wait for their books if they want them all in perfect condition.

The only time I'm remotely picky in my conditions is with text or workbooks. I don't want them all marked up or highlighted.

your book doesn't meet the conditions so decline,  they may want the cover to match because it is part of a "set".  They may just have to wait longer

In defense of requestors with conditions:

Please!  No need to get so snarky.  Sheesh, the requestor has the right to put in whatever conditions they want.  And, you of course, have every right to turn them down if you don't think your book meets their exacting conditions.

I hate it when people in these forums rip apart someone for putting in requestor conditions, or make mean assumptions about a person just because they have conditions.  Hey, it is a feature of the site that I like/am in full agreement with.  Some books, I really want a nice copy because I plan to have book as a "keeper".  So I have some conditions - nothing very picky.  What's wrong with hoping/trying to get a nice copy for oneself?  I don't need perfection!  Hey, it isn't really hurting the site, because it increases book turnover - I'll be posting new books soon, even though I've removed some books from play.    When I put in my conditions, I fully realized that it may slow down my chance of obtaining some books quickly.

Some books I just want to read and pass on.  So, I'll let the poster know they can disregard my conditions when/if they follow my request conditions and PM me as I request.

But I've read some hurtful forum posts where some PBS members say they automatically turn down/cancel any request that contains conditions.  That's just so mean!  You can't really know why a person puts up conditions and since they are allowed by the site founders, people shouldn't be penalized.  I think it is fair for someone to read the conditions and then decide they can't accept the transaction, but I think it's so unfair of people that see a condition and regardless of what it is, turn down the requestor.

I'm not being snarky.   I did turn down this requestor because my book did not meet the cover art.  But that is twice this week I could have sent a perfectly decent book to a requestor and had to decline, because of the cover art. 

To me the conditions are great, I use them myself because of health reasons (thus no smoke or moldy smelling books) which I stated above.  My point is not the condition of the book, it's the fact that they want the cover art to match exactly as shown on the site.   To me that is being a little picky on a condition.   Especially when book conditions when adding a book to your shelf says that the cover art does not have to exactly match what is shown.  

I usually do not turn down a requestor's  conditions or PM them if I have a question.   But if requestors get to picky about their requests they will never get the books they want nor will they have the fun of trading books.    

I think that the reason why ppl want the cover to match is because they are collecting. There is a series from Anne Rice I know of that has three different cover. The books have been out about 20 years. But the ISBN has never changed. So someone now might want the most current cover art which is solid, red, white, and black. Whereas some of the older ones have art work on them.

A lot of times with novels they do not get new isbn for reissues of the book. Its the same book so why bother.

Can you customize your conditions so that they go for only certain authors or series, or to get a matched set of one series you have to have a blanket condition? I've never contemplated that.

I generally accept conditions if I can meet them, but have no qualms about not accepting if I don't feel I can meet them. 

You can set your conditions to anything you want - from 'no books that have been around smokers' to 'Please, books only read on Mars.' It doesn't matter if you - the sender - thinks they're odd or not, you just need to see if your book matches those conditions. (Not trying to sound snarky, I promise!)

I get that, what I'm asking is can you have conditions for only certain books, like if it is an Anne Rice (to use an earlier example) the cover art has to match, otherwise not have that condition?

I agree about the sender and the conditions - if they match, great, if not, no worries (no snark there either)

AFAIK, you can't do conditional conditions - if I understand correctly, you would want the conditions to appear only for Anne Rice books (or cookbooks, or biographies, or something). You can't even set it up to appear only for HBs - I can't count the number of posts I've read from requestors whose conditions had to do with a dustjacket and were complaining bitterly that they were turned down for conditions when the book they were requesting was a paperback.

No snark here, if my book meets your requested conditions I send it!

Yeah, me too. And actually, I don't have any conditions at all, I just got curious pondering it.  Thanks!

Anyone can ask for anything they want.  We can always decline.  That being said, I accept 99.999% of special requests - no skin off my nose, and I need the credits!