I'm seeing this more and more frequently. I post a wish listed book and a person puts "like new" or "in good condition" in their RC's

I always decline these types of requests because I never know if my book meets their standards. I would never post a book on here that did not meet PBS standards.

I suspect many people have been burned before so they put that in their RC's, however, I'm not going to take a chance on getting a RWAP.

Anyone else seeing more of these types of RC's lately? I've been a member for almost two years and have never noticed so many conditions on books until the last month or so.

I have gotten a bunch of these as well.  To be honest - I decline them just about everytime (the only time I didnt was for a book I had gotten just last month and never read).  I am also worried that "like new" to them won't be the same as "like new" to me.  I always follow the guidelines and stick to the golden rule when posting books.

I've been seeing more and more RCS restating the guidelines. While I find it annoying because I only send out postable books-I apreciate the fact these RCS are probably born out of the frustration of receiving too many unpostable books.

I do turn down the "like-new" type ones.  I have a book request right now for a book and the RC is asking for a book in good conditon.  I'm going to accept it.  It's worded in such a way that I can tell it's just a person who has received a lot of bad books.  It's just basically a "please make sure you book is in good condition with no stains, loose pages etc.., "  Now if it said something like "I only send out books in like new conditon and I expect the same thing" then I would decline that because it just  sounds picky.  Or if there's a long list of no this and no that.

ETA: I bought this particular book new and read it once and it's in excellent conditon. So on the off chance she complains-she will not be getting a credit back from me. 

To be honest, I haven't seen a lot of RC's lately.  For one that says "like new" unless I'm the original owner, I would turn it down. 

"Like New" .... PFFT

My personal snark, RCs for 'Giftable' books...

I almost always turn down "like new".  Face it, once it gets through media mail, it rarely is "like new", even if it started out that way.  I think a RC is not the place to vent on past trades.  It always makes me hesitate when I read RCs that sound like venting with the posting guidelines.

I think I've only seen the like new RC in two of my 60 some trades. I accepted both times because I felt the books were objectively like new. If there would be any doubt that a book might be considered as less than like new, I would turn it down. I just happened to get that RC with two like new books.

In general, though, I rarely see RCs. I've had maybe 10 (and I think that's stretching it a bit) in all the books that have been requested from me.

I don't find "like-new" to be hard to interpret. It's pretty much common sense.

"no smell of mildew" on the other hand ... I think all books smell, so I have a hard time with that one.

I always accept RCs (if they apply to the book in question) and I have never had a problem doing so. I even got the RC about "not exposed to bedbugs"  (yes, I accepted). No problems.

I think it is silly to believe that people with RCs, are, in general, somehow pickier than other people. I myself request some books with RCS, and most without. I am not picky about most books. Some books I want in a certain condition. That does not make me a difficult person to deal with or pickier than everyone else on the planet, or cherrypicking the best books out of PBS. I truly don't understand why RCs bother people so much.

"Like new" or "giftable" is too subjective for me and I turn them down.  I'm not willing to take a RWAP because their idea of condition is stricter than mine.  I only post books that meet the PBS guidelines and that should be good enough.  If it's not, then they don't need my book.  Period.

I do not stipulate "like new" on my RC but can understand why some would. While most of my transactions with PBS have been great, I recently received a book that is a 2009 release with a lot more wear than I would have expected. I did not complain about it--after all it is a used book. I believe the problem may be that some people have never learned how to read a book properly--especially a paperback. We have all seen the person who folds back the entire cover and pages read until the book is a complete disaster when that person has finished. "Gently read" might be better wording than "like new". Just my opinion :)

I have never received a "like new" RC.  In fact less than 10% of the books I've mailed out even had RCs.  I can understand the reluctance to send out a book when there is a "like new" RC - both from the "subjective" viewpoint and the "it's a used book" viewpoint.  Overall, if I believe my book meets their RC, I send it because a credit is a credit.  I've mailed out several books that were in like-new condition (but the RC didn't request that). 

I turn down "like new". Too subjective, not worth the risk of a RWAP.

I'm seeing a LOT more RCs lately, but I very rarely get a "like new" RC.  If the person used the term "like new" I would turn the order down, because I would be afraid they were using the terminology from some particular book site--that there was an official definition of "like new" that they had in mind.  Since I don't know what that is, I wouldn't know if my book fit.  If, on the other hand, if they describe what they want, (such as no bent covers, minimal spine creases) then I would send my book if it fit the specific description.

In the rare event that I get one of those and have a book that looks like it's never been opened, much less read, I would probably accept.  I figure those people have credits and they'd like to actually get some books with them occasionally:P  But I've bought brand new books that had visible shelf wear before they were ever read, and I don't think I'd feel comfortable with sending one of them, even if it was something I had changed my mind about wanting to read & just decided to swap without reading.

Yes, I turned down a RC worded like that a few weeks ago.  All of my books are in excellent condition but I am afraid to send out a book to a requestor who demands a like new book.  I would be afraid they would find the slightest little thing to complain about in the book sent.

"I think it is silly to believe that people with RCs, are, in general, somehow pickier than other people."

I don't think it's silly. It isn't any sillier than those who have RCs. But I know you didn't mean it like that. But I do think that some people who have RCs are pickier than others. If they are requesting a book in "like new" condition then I would have to say they are pickier than someone who just wants a used book that meets the conditions of PBS. Are they entitled to have conditions? You bet they are but I am just as entitled to feel a bit of hesitancy in accepting their conditions.

Some people are just harder on books. I would never list a book after my DH finished with it. He is a very slow reader and by the time he finishes a book, it looks like it has been through the wars. He always uses a book mark but the poor thing has just been dragged hither and yon and it ages years in the 3 months or so that it seems to take him to finish it.

susan/vt

I'm not seeing any more of them in recent weeks/months--they seem to run in streaks. It'll be weeks without any RC at all and then it seems like every other book has some sort of RC on it. I take each RC on its own merit. I post books sometimes that I bought new and am posting. If the RC was attached to those books, I'll go ahead and send them.  I'd rather get one with "like new" in the RC than something that just restates posting guidelines. Those are the ones that chap my butt.

Cheryl

I've received a few requests for like new books, and if the book on my shelf fits that description, I send it. If not, I don't. It's never been a problem.

On the opposite side of book requests, I'm kind of leery when someone posts about having giftable books. I mean, it makes me wonder about their other books. I happen to think all the books on my shelf would make nice gifts.

I've seen a bunch of these "like new" RC's as well.  

I've also had a couple of "I keep all my books so I want them to be like new" .  I always think, " what are you doing here if you aren't trading books?"  and immediately decline them.  I'm here to share and I'm disinclined to send books to people who don't.

 I've also had a couple of "I keep all my books so I want them to be like new" .  I always think, " what are you doing here if you aren't trading books?"  and immediately decline them.  I'm here to share and I'm disinclined to send books to people who don't.

I don't have an RC, but I guess you wouldn't want to trade with me. I keep about 95% of the books I get here and probably about 85% of the books I obtain elsewhere. Just because people want to keep their books doesn't mean you shouldn't trade with them. They could also be getting books to trade from family and friends. I've probably received around 100 books from family and friends since I joined PBS because they know I will trade them. So more than half of what I trade here isn't even my books that I'm "sharing."

I've seen more RCs lately as well, both as to "like new" and those that seem to restate the PBS conditions for postability  - although one stated that it was a reposting of the guidelines but also threw in "no wrinkled pages."  I understand those probably stem from less than satisfactory trades - which I've also seen a slight increase in, although by no means enough to consider adding a RC to my requests.   

I wonder how many books these people end up with.  I doubt they get wish-list books with an RC like that.  The way I look at it, if you want a new book, buy a new book.

I truly don't understand why RCs bother people so much.

I think the way they are worded probably contributes to some people's dislike of RCs.  Many I've seen do come off as demanding.  I use RCs myself, so I don't mind them at all, but some of them ruffle me a bit because they are borderline rude about asking.  Of course, there are members who will deny an RC no matter what it says too.  In my experience sometimes these members are offended by RCs because they are posting borderline books.  But that's of course not applicable to everyone who denys RCs every time. 

I also seem to get them in streaks.  I don't think I've ever had the "like new" but I have had giftable once.  It was a new book, so I didn't mind.  Most of the RCs I see are either for some kind of allergy (no smoke, pets, etc.) or simply restating postability conditions.

Edited for spelling. 

If you want a book to be "like new," then go buy a new copy.

It doesn't upset me to see an RC like that, but nor would I hesitate to decline one.

(The irony here is that most of the books I send out are indeed like new, having been bought new and read once.)