I've just received another unpostable book that was included in a deal. Usually, the damaged one turns out to be the freebie, so I don't really have any say about that. This time the obviously damaged book is the one I ordered, and the other books were the freebies. I didn't ask for my credit back, since I did get some freebies, but it still irritates me, because it's very clear that this is unpostable. There is so much water damage, it looks like the book fell into a bathtub, and the spine is broken away from the rest of the book in two places. The pages will be falling out soon. I did RWAP and list the damage, but I didn't ask for my credit back. I'm wondering if this happens to anyone else, and what you do.

You definitely did the right thing by marking it RWAP.  Thanks Teresa.  It helps protect the next member down the line.

I would do the same as you.  Every book I list on my bookshelf is postable.  I might very well throw in some unpostables as freebies if the other member is cool with it, but I make the condition of the books clear before any agreement is reached.  Any book that gets a credit should be postable regardless of any personal deal that's made.  The only way this works is if everybody follows the rules.  You did.  Ya done good, IMO. 

Thanks for the input. I feel better now about RWAP it. I just got a long, nasty email from the sender, so now I need to know if there's a way to mark him as someone I never want to trade with again.

The whole situation is unfortunate, because I've traded with him before and didn't have any problems. He has a lot of books in the genre I read, too. So it's a lose/lose for both of us.

Yes, books requested from a posted bookshelf should always be postable.

Having said that, (and I have both offered deals and requested deals) ... if I receive postable books in the amount of credits that I spent, whether or not they were the freebies, I may or may not mark the "requested" books RWAP (depends of the egregiousness of the unpostability), and it is not likely that I would request credits back (as long as I have postable books in the amount of credits spent). I would definitely send a PM to the sender, though.

That's my take on it, although you will get others.

And, no there is no way to block him automatically. You will just have to stick a post it note next to your computer and check to see who is mailing to you for every book you order, if you want to bother with that.

If the email is nasty, you can report him to PBS by clicking on the "Contact Us" button at the bottom of the page. PBS takes rudeness to users by other users very seriously. And, who knows, he may be sending unpostables and/or nasty messages to more than just you.

I think they should make it possible to block someone. I've got that question in to PBS right now. He's being a total jerk, but I only replied once and told him I wouldn't continue to argue, so I'm ignoring his last email. Thanks for the input. It helped!

I'd do what Sara does - if the credits = the number of postable books, I'd let it go.  I would, however, send a PM telling them that xxx book was unpostable and was on their shelf, so they should probably double check those because the next person might not be so nice.

This brings up a situation I had with a book last year which should have stopped with the sender. I realize many of us will end up as the last 'legitimate' receiver of a book - if we send it on in the condition it was in when we got it it's pretty much in unpostable condition by then.

I RWAP'd it and the sender was furious - fell back on that old "but it's readable" excuse, completely ignoring the fact that it was not postable: spine cracked in 3 places, pages loose, front cover bent with some rips. She never did refund my credit, but I had a post-it on my computer with her name for future reference.

A book was requested from me (FIFO) and what are the odds that it would be that particular member who requested it. The transaction went through just fine but I was concerned that there would be a problem. You don't know how people will react. All my Shelf books were bought new, most never read, but if someone wants to rock the boat they will try.

You did the right thing !    I have deals all the time but all my books are postable..  I want to be able to repost any books I receive also.

When some people do deals such as  Order 2 books or whatever and get a unpostable for free.??   To me that's not a deal , you cant repost.

Thanks for all of the input. I questioned whether I did the right thing, but now I know I did. I've gotten many questionable books that I could understand the faults could be missed, and I let those go. This one was so obviously water damaged and broken, that I just don't see how anyone could not notice it. Since he had this posted on his bookshelf, and he insists it was "just fine" when he sent it, I'm sure he probably has others posted that shouldn't be. I don't like to upset people, but I feel the line has to be drawn somewhere.
 

insists it was "just fine" when he sent it

Yes, we all know there are book elves all along the book route that take great pleasure in damaging books once they're all wrapped up and en route.

 I do a lot of deals in the bazaar, sending and receiving (think I may have even received a deal from teresa b). I'll often send out over ten books for 2 credits or so, just to be rid of books that are taking up space so I can understand the thinking of "you received 10 books for x credits, why would you rwap it" But even in a deal you need to be fair with people. Don't send a damaged book as unpostable. 

I received a request last night 8 books for 2 credits, great! When I looked today, one of the books was in awful shape "damaged", so I sent a pm offering to replace it with another book  instead of being snooty about it and thinking "well she's getting 8 books anyway, what's one bad book that is still readable"?

Communication is the key. A lot of these problems could be avoided if people would just pm each other. 

Let me add that you shouldn't feel bad about rwaping someone. I used to feel differently when I first joined the site but I've received so many books (actual requests, not deals) where the book is falling apart. Not worn or slight imperfections but literally pages are separated from the book. 

In fact most of the books I mentioned in my previous post (including the damaged one which is basically in four different parts now) were all ordered from another members bookshelf. 

Thanks, Doug. I agree with you 100%. It only takes a few seconds to PM someone. Had he told me it was an unpostable, I would have had the option of taking it as is or choosing another one.

BTW...I think I do remember sending some books your way. I'll probably be running another deal soon, so hope to hear from you! :)

I have been having a big issue with receiving books that are what I consider "poor" shape (spine broken in numerous places, food/drinks spilled on books, extremely creased/slanted spines. I am not picky about box of books swaps because it is a new box to read just for the cost of postage, but I am upset when I buy a book with a credit that costs almost $4 and receive a book in poor condition Especially when I can go on ebay and get a box where I pay $1.50-$2 a book and get the same books in better condition. I really wish P BS had a condition chart where we could select the book with the condition we want rather than just getting the next in the que. I started using "requestor conditions" on the books that I use a credit to buy (not for BOB swaps), but I have still gotten several books that don't meet my requestor conditions. The sender usually gets rude and defensive and says they don't see the problem. I am specific on my requestor conditions and I thought saying no ex-library books, no smoker household books, no broken spines, no slanted or extremely creased spines was overkill because although ex-library books and smoker books are allowed,  books that fall in the other categories to me aren't "in generally good condition". I hate having to contact the sender saying hey I am not happy with the book's condition, but on the flip side, I feel if the senders book doesn't meet my requester conditions then it should have never been sent thus preventing all the trouble of having a book sent that doesn't meet the requestor conditions for both the sender and receiver. I have only had a sender contact me maybe twice by PM and ask me if I still wanted to book after they described its condition. But I would much rather have the sender PM me if they are unsure before sending the book than to deal with the hassle of receiving books that I don't want and wouldn't repost myself. I just had this issue with 4 books that I requested using 4 credits. None of the 4 books met my requestor conditions and I felt all four were in poor shape (ones that I would have paid no more than $0.50-$0.75 each at a garage sale if I even bought them), but I messaged the sender and told her specifically what about the books didn't meet my requestor conditions and I politely offered instead of requesting all my credits back to split it and only request 2 credits back. She did ship books and pay shipping so I don't think it is fair to request all the credits back, but in all fairness, I felt the books clearly didn't meet my requestor conditions and I shouldn't be stuck with books that are in poor condition. I hope I handled the situation appropriately, but I think I may have upset the sender which wasn't my intention but I am tired of receiving books that clearly I shouldn't have been sent. I have considered leaving PBS over the high number of books that I have received lately that I consider unpostable. It seems for ever 2-3 good books I get, I am sent an unpostable. I am glad I am not the only one dealing with books that doesn't meet requestor conditions and/or shouldn't be listed on the site per listing guidelines.

There is no need to feel guilt for the RWAP.  If the book doesn't meet the requirements for postability or the conditions set by the requester, (RC) then it shouldn't be sent.  The rules don't say, these are the rules 'less you just really think it should be ok.  Like I said, this only works if EVERYBODY follows the rules.  If you follow and they don't, that's on them.

"Any book that gets a credit should be postable regardless of any personal deal that's made. "

This statement may mislead some. No book that is unpostable can be posted into the system but people can offer books in the Book Bazaar that are unpostable and ask for a credit.  But it needs to be clearly communicated that it is unpostable.  As someone stated, communication is key.