I received an ARC and emailed the sender about it along with the PBS explanation about posting ARC's.  The sender was very nice and apparently didn't know the rule and promptly returned my credit.  I am now feeling guilty because the sender was so nice and even included an extra book along with the one I ordered.  Should I have let this one go or was I right to notify the sender?

You should have notified the sender, and they now know the rules. I likely wouldn't have requested my credit back, but you are definitely within your rights to do so as the book was unpostable.

You are always right to notify the sender. Unfortunately, a lot of new members do not take the time to review the postability requirements and the only way they learn is when they send out an unpostable book and get a RWAP.

ARC's aren't postable, so you did the correct thing.  You can't repost it, so you were within your right to get your credit back.   Just because the sender didn't know the rule doesn't make it acceptable.  You know what they say, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."

I didn't request the credit back but received it anyway.  Another reason I feel bad!

Don't feel badly, Laura.  It's actually kind of refreshing to hear about a sender who was so gracious about her boo-boo. 

You absolutely did the right thing.  It sounds like the sender just hadn't read all the rules and was gracious enough to return your credit.

Don't let it bother you.

MaryF

I agree you did the right thing and saved this member from sending another book like this.. Next reciever might not be as nice in their manner.

They chose to return the credit (which is the rules) so don't get worked up over it.  Experience was learned by you and the sender.

Letting things go serves NO purpose, being polite in your RWAP stating the problem and posting whatever the rules are is the best way to handle things. If a member sends a book that is an RWAP one time, they will do it again if they are not told it's against the rules..If you don't know it's wrong you don't change your thinking :)

Don't feel badly, Laura -- you've done your civic PBS duty.  If it was an honest mistake, it won't hurt her.

Per the Help Center:

"That is why marking a problem book "received with a problem" is very important: if a sender's account shows a pattern of problems, the sender's membership will be jeopardized.  One problem swap will not do this - a pattern of problem sending will; thus it is critical for problems to be recorded in order for poor senders not to be able to "fly under the radar" and keep sending problem books."

Thank you for helping the rest of us not get unpostable items.  

Please don't feel bad. You did the right thing. And you educated her, too, so that's a bonus...hopefully she won't do it again. I am constantly amazed, considering PBS revolves around books and reading, how few people actually READ THE RULES before they start participating.

If no one RWAPs books and asks for their credit back, people just keep thinking they can post unpostable books with no repercussions--then when someone does RWAP a book for being water damaged, torn, written in, an ARC, etc. they get accused by the sender of being "picky" because they've sent other books in that condition and no one said anything.

If you want to abolish your guilt (which is unfounded! LOL) you can always take that credit and buddy it to a new person on the forums who seems to be having a hard time, or someone who had a bad encounter when they marked a book RWAP or something...make their day and share the love. :)

Cheryl

If you really feel bad, you can always send the credit back. People have done this, and the RWAP still stays in the system just in record. So the person still learns what books aren't postable and you don't feel bad about marking it as an issue. :p

"...and they now know the rules..."  +1

I've also had members return credits unrequested.   A thoughtful gesture, but sometimes a delima   ...a nice thank you?

You did the right thing, and like Heidi said, buddy her the credit back if you want.

-RD