Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Discussion Forums - Hidden Gems Hidden Gems

Topic: How long?

Club rule - Please, if you cannot be courteous and respectful, do not post in this forum.
  Unlock Forum posting with Annual Membership.
jwg68 avatar
Subject: How long?
Date Posted: 3/12/2008 5:36 PM ET
Member Since: 2/16/2008
Posts: 80
Back To Top

How long was it before someone requested one of your books?

I have been on here a month now and had zero request. I don't have many book listed, but was just wondering how long some of you had to wait.

Generic Profile avatar
Subject: How Long?
Date Posted: 3/12/2008 5:44 PM ET
Member Since: 10/16/2007
Posts: 4
Back To Top

I've been in a bit of a slump with my book list too.  I've had quite a few transactions in the past, though.  I wonder if old listings get stale.  I know I always check out the daily posts and often order from there & wonder if others do the same.  Any opinions out there?

dogsnbooks avatar
Date Posted: 3/12/2008 7:01 PM ET
Member Since: 2/29/2008
Posts: 20
Back To Top

When I posted mine, 6 of them were on people's wish list and they were all requested within a few days. 

Diane

mintyfreshkittn avatar
Date Posted: 3/12/2008 7:23 PM ET
Member Since: 3/15/2006
Posts: 606
Back To Top

When I first listed them, I had a bunch of requests at a time. Then it died down. Now that I'm a boxer, I always have a box to send out. I actually have to restock cuz I'm down to 38 books

lisarichards avatar
Date Posted: 3/12/2008 8:26 PM ET
Member Since: 1/4/2008
Posts: 389
Back To Top

Hang in there, Justin!  If you can get more books at a library sale or from friends or family maybe you can increase your chances just by expanding the types of books you have on your shelf.  It's sort of a crap shoot!  LOL!

It might help to put a little line in your signature saying that you have lots of "mystery/thrillers" , or whatever on your shelf.  That will act as advertising every time you post on the forums.  Your shelf looks as interesting as most folks.  The people who have tons of books on their shelves may have been here longer and had time to build it up.  Don't give up!

jwg68 avatar
Date Posted: 3/13/2008 9:00 PM ET
Member Since: 2/16/2008
Posts: 80
Back To Top

Thanks for the good words. maybe someone will pick one of mine soon so I can get some of the books I want.

AimeeB avatar
Date Posted: 3/13/2008 9:17 PM ET
Member Since: 7/24/2007
Posts: 2,825
Back To Top

If you add the books from your bookshef to your reminder list, you will be able to see how many are in the system. Just be patient and try to remember that people don't usually pick a specific bookshelf to order from, it isn't personal, the orders are based on a first in first out system. =)

I hope things pick up for you soon!

jwg68 avatar
Date Posted: 3/13/2008 9:23 PM ET
Member Since: 2/16/2008
Posts: 80
Back To Top

Thanks for that info, I did not know what the reminder list was for.

achadamaia avatar
Member of the Month medalPBS Blog Contributor medal
Date Posted: 3/13/2008 9:43 PM ET
Member Since: 3/31/2006
Posts: 28,608
Back To Top

I got one request my first month and not much for the first 3 months.  I found that a once I got my shelf around 80-100 books the orders came in faster.  I also found that once my shelf included a mixture of books, no matter the size, I was more likely to get orders.

Welcome to the group and hang in there!

javagal avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 3/16/2008 11:42 PM ET
Member Since: 10/19/2005
Posts: 385
Back To Top

Justin-

I often shop for books at the thrift store or FOL sale with swapping in mind. and keep my bookshelf at around 50 books.   I've been a member since 2005 and have mailed out about 125 books.   I've developed a pretty good eye for books that are swappable and am normally sending something out every week.

Patience and soon the books will be moving!

L avatar
L. G. (L)
Date Posted: 3/17/2008 1:29 AM ET
Member Since: 9/5/2005
Posts: 12,412
Back To Top

One thing that would help is if you either look up book descriptions and images for the books you have listed  that don't have them, and then edit the data for the books to add them, or to write a review for each of your books.  People tend not to order books that don't have descriptions and/or images.

Posting more books will also help.  Good luck! :)

Generic Profile avatar
Subject: Invest...
Date Posted: 5/4/2008 9:00 AM ET
Member Since: 2/26/2007
Posts: 19
Back To Top

Justin, I looked at your shelf and the books you have would seem to be very swappable. However, you need more. The best thing you could do is go to garage sales, library sales, etc and do the "five books for a dollar" kind of thing. Build up your shelf so that you have around fifty books and then you'll see an order every week or so.

Also, if you have CD's you don't want you could join the CD swap club, works the same, and then transfer those credits over to this site. I did that with about thirty of my husbands CD's, the books were overflowing my mailbox!

Good luck!

 

 

 

 

BrownEyesBlue avatar
Date Posted: 5/4/2008 1:20 PM ET
Member Since: 8/22/2007
Posts: 629
Back To Top

I think having a lot of books on your bookshelf helps. I joined PBS in August of 2007. I had boxes and boxes of books because I'd hardly ever gotten rid of a book until the last few years when I gave them to a girl I worked with. But she was laid off and I no longer had her to give them too so I joined PBS. Since the beginning I've had over 200 books on my bookshelf. I've currently got 7 file boxes full of boxes that I have listed. Some of the books are old, they were mine from junior high and from my parents house. People requesting my books has been pretty steady although I have had a few slow periods. Since I joined I've mailed out 137 books. For myself books that aren't postable, I offer them totally free to anyone who wants them, (no deals, no nothing) just PM me and I'll send them out.

ThreeCats avatar
Member of the Month medal
Date Posted: 5/4/2008 2:01 PM ET
Member Since: 2/2/2006
Posts: 2,246
Back To Top

When my wife joined - she joined before I did - she posted several dozen books and as it turned out, nearly all of them were on wishlists. We nearly broke the budget with postage sending out books the first few weeks she was a member. Then things settled down, and as long as she had a couple dozen books on the shelf made up of books she picked up at garage sales and books she had received via PBS, she had a nice steady string of orders.

It takes a little while to get up and running. Once you've been at it awhile, your To Be Read stack will become a small mountain, and as you keep turning books over, re-posting the ones you've received and read, you'll have plenty of credits.

Les

Fulltimer avatar
Date Posted: 5/4/2008 8:53 PM ET
Member Since: 5/9/2006
Posts: 1,760
Back To Top

I find series books go pretty fast. I had seven go out to one person a couple of weeks ago. I always check the reminder list before posting a book. No sense in hoping someone is going to order a book from you when there are hundreds listed. I also try to repost my wish list books as soon as I read them because you know those are in demand. Obviously the more books you have the better your chances of having someone order one from you

I have some books that have been on my bookshelf since I started in 2006. There are a lot more books listed now but also a lot more people to order them.

Elaine

 

 

Generic Profile avatar
Member of the Month medalFriend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 5/4/2008 9:51 PM ET
Member Since: 8/23/2007
Posts: 26,510
Back To Top

I had a lot of books to post when I first joined.  I had 20 or so WL books and then about 10 WL audio books.  Then I had quite a few requests from my shelf.  So I guess I was pretty lucky.  I ended up selling some credits to cover postage.

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 5/6/2008 12:52 PM ET
Member Since: 5/4/2008
Posts: 364
Back To Top

I joined this past Sunday and have already mailed out 5 books.  I might depend on the books you have posted.