Is anyone else having issues with people using PBS to print the postage and then the people NOT sending the book or waiting WEEKS to send it? I have recently had this happen to me 3 times. Here is my question, one person told me if you used the PBS postage and it does not arrive I get my credit back, but they do not loose a credit, is that true?

I'm sure that anyone abusing the system in that way would be caught before too long. It would not be a very viable scam.

I do not think so either but I can not figure it out unless I just happened to run into some bad luck. You print the postage which you paid for, why not send it? I have had 3 people say ooops I forgot about this and  will get back to it (not just over the holidays eiter) thought maybe I was missing something.

The PBS postage is dated.  The post office gets VERY pissed if it is not used on the date selected.  It will often be returned, requiring them to pay the postage again.   You cannot change the date.  I can't see how this would be a good idea.

But the PBS DC is not dated.  The member using it will not get their credit until it has been scanned.  In that case, be sure to note the late postage mailing date when you receive the book.  If it is over a certain time, they will get a warning email and it will go on their account record.

I think it's just a case of laziness. It's not really a scam to get credits, since the person has to pay full postage for each instant credit.

What I think happens in these cases is that the sender wants their credits right away so they mark their books mailed, then they just take their sweet old time getting to the post office. The world is full of selfish and inconsiderate people. Some of them are bound to find their way here.

I have had this happen in several instances and of course, they are always wishlist books! Yes, sometimes books do go through the postal system without ever being scanned, but when after the book goes lost and suddenly you are offered the same book by the same sender, well...I think you can figure out the rest.

This section from the Help Center might be of interest.

Why is Instant Credit disabled in my account?

Why is Instant Credit disabled in my account?

Instant Credit is a feature that accompanies PBS Printable Postage.  If your account is in good standing, then the books you mark mailed with Printable Postage will give credit immediately.  Only accounts with good records are eligible for Instant Credit.

Instant Credit will be disabled if there is a problem with your sending record, such as a high outgoing "loss" rate, a record of late mailing, or a history of sending unpostable items (damaged books, ARCs, etc.).

If you get an email telling you that Instant Credit has been disabled in your account, you will most likely already know why this is - we will have discussed your account problems with you. The email will also tell you that:

• While Instant Credit is disabled in your account, you can still use ALL of the other features here, including Printable Postage and PBS Delivery Confirmation with Quick Credit.  ONLY Instant Credit will not be available to you. 
• While Instant Credit is disabled in your account, marking a book mailed with Printable Postage will not give Instant Credit.  The shipment will earn either
  • Quick Credit when the package barcode is scanned by USPS and transmitted to our system or
  • regular credit when the book is marked received
• If Instant Credit is disabled, you will also not receive Guaranteed Credit - so if your package is not scanned (or it is mailed late) you are not entitled to credit.

In order for Instant Credit to be re-enabled in your account, you will need to improve your sending record. 

The parameters for this will vary according to the specific case.  The email will tell you when you can ask to have your account re-assessed.

• At least a month will need to have passed from the time IC was disabled, and
• You will need to send a certain number of packages in a row that are received promptly - the email will specify how many if that is the case.

When the requisite time has passed and the requisite number of packages IN A ROW have been RECEIVED PROMPTLY in your account, you can contact us using the feedback link at the top of the Contact Us page, and ask for re-assessment for eligibility to use Instant Credit.  We will then re-assess and let you know if we deem you eligible (or not eligible yet).

Thanks for that info, Hunter!!! It is good to know that PBS is on top of this potential problem.

I didn't know PBS did that.  Thank you.

New information to me also, thank you Hunter!

Also the package MUST be scanned in order for the sender to keep their credit, so if it is never sent, they lose the credit.

This is not true for PBS postage with Instant Credit. Only in rare cases, maybe where a sender admits to not mailing books or has shown such a bad pattern that the site believes its doubtful the book was mailed would an Instant Credit ever be taken away. Under normal circumstances, that credit is guaranteed, they are not removed due to lack of scans.  

you know I am probably blending circumstances in my mind.  I had an instant credit taken away at the DVD site, but it was a special cirumstance: The package I mailed was destroyed during hurricane Irene and the empty package returned to me, the site admin took away the credit, but I was totally okay with that.

I currently have the same problem. I ordered a book from someone, they printed the label on December 23, mailed it on the 23. Then again printed it on the 26th. However, I don't have the book yet, and the DC hasn't been scanned anywhere yet. I got a reminder last week from the system to mark the book received. After that, I PMed the sender asking if they'd be willing to check why it hasn't been scanned yet on their end, but never got a reply. So, I guess now I just wait for it to time out on the 19th and hopefully get my credit back.

Maybe I am misunderstanding all of this, but why would someone pay for instant postage and then not mail the book??  The postage cost more now then the credit is worth I would think.  You do get charged for the postage as soon as you print the label don't you??

Yes Bertie, postage with DC often costs more (or about the same as a credit).  So generally speaking, members are probably not going around purchasing postage and not mailing.

Thomas, it's not unusual to see blue boxed books arrive without an enroute scan, only the delivery scan.  Waiting can be frustrating, but there's not really any other solution.  And yes, if you do not receive the book (and mark it such) the system will automatically refund your credit, mark the book lost, move it to your transaction archive, and (if it's wishlisted) move it back on your Wishlist.  IIRC, if it's not wishlisted the system will move the book to your Reminder List??? 

If the book goes lost, PBS recommends you wait 2 weeks to re-order, JIC the book is merely delayed in the mail.  Books to and from Alaska, Hawaii, APO, and Puerto Rico often arrive the week after the system marks them lost...they frequently take just a few more days in transit than the lower 48.  If you re-order within 2 weeks and both arrive (and the first cannot be proven to be mailed late) then you would have to mark both received and use a credit for each book.

ETA - also keep in mind the time of year Thomas.  Some USPS locations still seem to be recovering from the holiday rush.  And although many areas of the US are enjoying a milder winter than usual (so far) some locations are experiencing disruptive winter conditions.  Didn't I see a news blurb about 15 inches of snow somewhere very recently?

This has happened to me several times.  However I think it's laziness more than anything else.  As people have said, the mailer has spent the money.

The problem I see is that the PO never stamps a "mailed" date on it.  Therefore there is no way to tell PBS that the book was mailed late.

I currently have the same problem. I ordered a book from someone, they printed the label on December 23, mailed it on the 23. Then again printed it on the 26th.

Sometimes a wrapper gets damaged and needs to be reprinted. I've had a couple of books that I mailed come back to me because the wrapper was badly damaged (but the book was still good). I just reprinted the wrappers and sent the books out again.

Also, if someone just wanted to check something on the wrapper, they would hit the reprint wrapper button to view it; it doesn't necessarily mean the wrapper was actually printed out again.

The reprint button is right next to the detail button.  I've hit the wrong one before.

I mailed 4 books on January 9th, all tradesize with PBS DC and counter postage.  Two of those were scanned at the Federal Way MM sorting center on January 10th, the other two have not been scanned again anywher (yet).  If not for the acceptance scan (b/c I purchased counter postage), these books would still be off the radar.  I'm seeing a developing pattern of fewer and fewer enroute scans, no idea if it's deliberate or inefficiency.

Denise--I've also noticed less and less en-route scans on books I sent out.  And it seems books are taking a little bit longer.  I always use PBS postage and just put my books in the blue box outside of my work.  Up until a few months ago, my books would almost always show as being scanned in Bell Gardens the next day.   Now they almost always take two or three days to register a Bell Gardens scan, if it gets scanned there at all.  I'm seeing more books without any en route scans at all.