I guess my favorite genres of books are just really popular. I have plenty of credits (from books I've sent out) and plenty of books on my wishlist, but I have only received 3 books because for most books on my wishlist I'm #100+ in the waiting list. Is that normal for PBS?

I finally went out and bought a certain book because I was #500+ on that list. Now I've finished it and I would like to share this very popular book. It probably sounds selfish, but I'm leery about adding it here and paying to ship such a large, heavy book when it seems it will be a VERY long time before I get an equal amount of books back.

Are you all just more patient and/or wealthy than I am?  ;-)  Or how do you continue to spend the money to ship books out without getting much in return?

Oh I am not wealthy lol Nor am I very patient. *shrug* I will sit on the waiting list though for some of my books. I did decide to buy the Twilight Saga and The Host because of the waiting lists and I was dying to read them. However, I am waiting for a lot of my superwish (dog training theory etc) books because I know they just don't come up often. If I run across them I'll buy but until I *need* them, I can wait.

As far as the continuing "without getting much in return", I guess that is where we disagree. I feel like I have gotten so much more in return! I have made some great friends here. I have gotten some hard to find books (got one in the mail yesterday in fact) and in joining swaps, I have gotten so much more! So I don't feel like I have been cheated in anyway. Medial Mail rate is very reasonable for everything I have sent.

It'll come back to you :) It really doesnt take that long. :)

First of all, welcome to PBS. I was a little frustrated at first, as well, but there are ways to make sure you get the most of your credits. Not too long ago, I got 6 books for 2 credits out of the Book Bazaar. There are always deals going on there. I suppose if I was just using PBS for wishlisted books, I wouldn't find it very useful. The way I look at it: It costs me about 2.31 to send a book that would otherwise collect dust and earn the wrath of my husband (he is a clutter-busting neat freak :-p). I use that credit to order another book, which I would have otherwise paid $20 or more at Borders. No matter how slow the books come, it still saves me money. Hang in there. I am #241 on my wishlisted book, so long lines aren't uncommon.

After a while, you'll accumulate so many books you don't mind waiting for the wishlisted ones! Plus, sometimes they really do move fast, as people read them and post them, so it may not take that long at all!

It takes a little while, I think.  However, once you start getting your WL books they may come in faster than you can earn credits for them.

When I was new in April/May, I was sending out like crazy and not getting any books back.  My DH was seriously questioning my sanity for signing up for pbs, when I'm the money-oriented person in our family.

By the end of August I'd bought credits 3 times because I kept running out and needing more for WL books.

I looked at your wishlist, and you like paranormal - check out the Games Forum - there are often paranormal games starting up.  You might get lucky and snag one in a game!

There are a lot of people here that like paranormals. We're all over in the games forum trading our books there.

You can join a paranormal virtual box, a normal paranormal box, a elephant swap for paranormal books in the system, or an elephant swap for wishlisted paranormal books. Jump right in. Everyone over there is really helpful.

Wouldn't it be better for encouraging new folks if the paranormals went into the system instead of into the games? 

When I first started... I didn't post hardback because they were more expensive to mail.  However, over time I have posted more and more until now I post it even if it weighs as much as small elephant. 

Sure.. it might be $1 more in postage... but..over time... the lighter books I send out with lower postage average out to be reasonable.

The bottom line... do what feels comfortable to you.  If you are hesitant to send out a larger book, then don't.  Later if things change you can always post it.

I have also had good luck with offering a special offer when I get an order.  I offer 3 books for 2 credits.   Which means if they order one more they can get a book off my shelf for free.  I would say about 1/3 of the folks take me up on that offer.  It helps me save on postage and gives them a free book.

Hang in there for a few more months to get a better feel.  You would look back later and say "OH MY GOSH... where did all these books come from!!"  Trust me :  )

Thanks everyone. I know I'm impatient! I will definitely check out the games. Thanks for the tips!

Aubrey, I have the Accidental Demon Slayer on my TBR list.  If you add me as a buddy I'll read it next and then post to your WL. : )  I understand how hard it is to wait, but I've found for a lot of my WL paranormals the lines move fairly quickly.  People tend to read them and re-post.  Sometimes I'll buy an extra if I know its WL'd.  One to read and post later, one to post right away. 

I was having that problem with manga books, all that I posted were quickly snatched up, but I wasn't receiving any in return.  Now that I've been a member for a while, it has evened out.  I have gotten many of my WL'd manga books.  The games have also helped, they are also a good way to get some of the books for which there is a long WL line.

Just want to mention, even long lines CAN go quickly, I only had to wait a couple of months to receive a like-new copy of a book for which I was 600+ in the WL line...

Welcome aboard, Aubrey!

You're not alone; I don't think any of us is particularly patient when it comes to a book we really want to read.  I'm expecting a new release today that I was so anxious to read I purchased it, and have been to the front door at least a dozen times, wondering where the darned UPS guy is :-)

Wish lists can move amazingly fast.  I'm still waiting for some times I've been first in line for a year on; others I got my copy way faster than I ever expected, even when I was #400 in line.

Hang in there :-)

Cheers,

Catt

Welcome! The paranormals are heavily WLed, but most lines I've been in have moved fast. A couple of authors a usually keepers for people, but I have had good luck gettign them faster than I can read them. Check out the Forum for paranormals too.

Kayote asked: Wouldn't it be better for encouraging new folks if the paranormals went into the system instead of into the games?  I actually think it is the other way, it keeps them around because they find an allowed way to swap some of their WL books for other WL books without the wait. Not a lot of books get tied up in the games at one time so they will be having fun swapping a few in a game while posting in the rest of theirs to help the WL lines. Many books gotten in the games go into the FIFO system afterwards.

I checked out your WL and you probably won't wait too long. Those books are popular but they aren't obscure or hard to find so the lines move pretty steadily.  In fact, I myself posted about 5 of your WL books in the past month.  Sadly, I don't have anything else right now that I have in my TBR pile although I almost picked up one of the Kresley Cole books the other day . I WL a lot of Ellora's cave, erotica and paranormals and I get several a month.  A few months ago I bought a copy of Honk if You Love Real Men and I think the WL was almost 200.  When I just posted it yesterday it was down to 111.  So they do move.  I had 25+ WL offers in August and most of them had long lines when I started PBS.  I actually put my account on hold because I need to catch up on the WL reading stack.

Also when someone wins one of those WL books in a game they usually have it on their WL and then they can take their name off.  I myself don't usually do the games requiring a WL book. I like to post those and get a credit. But I do sometimes. 

Also if you have a lot of credits you can sell some to another member to cover postage.  Just advertise in the book bazaar how many credits you have and how much you want. The going rate seems to be $2.75-$3/credit. 

Also look at what's available in PBS. THere's a lot of paranormal books available.

<<Also look at what's available in PBS. THere's a lot of paranormal books available.>>

Good idea, Mary -- go to your home page and use that new "favorite genre" feature to show you books that are available ...

Cheers,
Catt

I love the Bazar myself.  SO easy to stack up you're TBR list with 2/1, 3/1, 5/1 offers.  When I see offers I skim their bookshelf to see if any books jump out at me as ones I liked/ authors I've liked, if they do I'll trust their judgement a bit & take some from the same genre.  Haven't been sorry yet! :)  I've seen a some people (myself included) offer up sets of books where some of them were WL'd, so you can kind of skip to the head of the line with that.  Also the different ISBN WL post might be helpful.

I've only used the WL a few times, but I guess the books I want aren't very popular because the farthest down the line I've been was 10.

Welcome to PBS Aubrey.  Give it time, some of the books move pretty fast.  For paranormals, check out the Paranormal Forum - there is a red sticky up top for Paranormal Wishlist books you can check to add to your own wishlist.  People will post the ISBN as soon as they are put out to help each other get higher up on the wishlist.  For your favorite authors, check their websites or use Amazon's advanced search to see upcoming releases with ISBNs as they are announced to help you be one of the earlier wishers to get them sooner.  There's a similar type post updated from time to time in the Love & Romance forum, too. 

The paranormals are in high demand but the lines move fairly steadily.  I've just sent you a buddy request and posted Witch Blood to you :)

Wow, I should whine more often! I got 2 books from my WL today.  ;-)

Thanks again everyone. I will try to figure out how to get involved with the games and also post more to my bookshelf. The good karma will pay off in the end!

You know posting on the forums helps. I know I check out the WL of people I see on here regularly.  Hang out on the Love & Romance forum. There are a lot of paranormal fans on there.  We even have a thread going called "Is This On Your WL" where people post when they have a couple books they're ready to post.  Yes we do post to FIFO as well but sometimes you just want to mail it out and don't want to wait for it to time out on several people before being accepted. Or if you have a few to post at once, it's nice to find someone you can post more than one to, to save on postage.