This is a new problem I've never seen before...a WL book offered, accepted and sent. It arrives, and it is the wrong book -- correct author, different title -- so I RWAPed it. Member responds that she has my book and will mail it the next day, but it never arrives. Because she used PBS postage originally I kept getting the system generated emails saying that the PO delivered my book (the wrong book) and to mark it received. Won't mark it received until I get the right book, right? So it "went lost" today and I went to my transaction archive to mark it "unresolved" only to discover that it shows as a successful transaction and PBS has automatically given the sender a credit! And I have lost my place in the WL. I immediately contacted PBS asking this to be corrected but with it being a holiday weekend I know I won't hear for a few days, but I am annoyed...I am not an inactive account, here daily, the transaction was RWAPed, and they still give her my credit?!

Just curious, has this happened to others? Is it a glitch? Or is this what happens when someone uses PBS postage on a problem transaction?

I wouldn't so much care if PBS gave the sender a credit, because isn't that what using the PBS postage "insures" for?  BUT I darn sure would want MY credit back and my place in the FIFO restored.

I had an issue back in May while on vacation. My account was on hold while I was away but I got a chance to check my email and it said something about needing to mark a book received and they weren't sure if I let my account go inactive. I was on vacation hold so I was a little irritated that a book mailed in April with PBS postage that was not scanned anywhere needed to be marked received. At that point I was gone two weeks so how does that make my account seem inactive? The message said if I didn't login by such and such a date it would be marked as received. Normally I don't bother checking email on vacation as I want to get away from everything and with my account on vacation hold, I thought I was good to go. I had marked all the other books on the way to me received but something didn't seem right with this one as it should have arrived before I left. That book was still never scanned anywhere and never arrived to me so I assume it wasn't mailed.

I'm not sure if these are glitches or what but you should have gotten your place in the wishlist line back as well as the credit.

When we RWAP a book, normally the sender does get credit, and the requestor can ask the sender to refund the credit.

If we RWAP "wrong version/wrong book", the book is not marked received (so sender doesn't get credit) because often the sender can still send the right book. The requestor will mark it received when the right book arrives.

So if a RWAPd book is never marked received, when the system action date rolls around, the server tries to decide whether to mark it lost or not.

If there is no scan, and the requestor has logged in recently, the server will mark the book "lost."

If the sender used PBS postage, and there's a delivery scan, or if the requestor hasn't been logging in, the server will mark it "received".

In a large majority of cases, this works out to be the correct choice. Most books sent with PBS postage and scanned delivered actually are delivered.

In this case, I'm guessing that the first (wrong) book was scanned as delivered. The server didn't know it was a wrong book (even though you RWAPped it), and so the server marked it "received" rather than "lost". To correct that, send in Feedback to the Admin Team -- they can correct it by hand.

Thanks Patty for the thorough explanation! I have already sent in feedback so I'm sure PBS will correct the situation, but the part that bothers me is that if I hadn't been paying attention I would have been out a credit for a book I didn't receive as well as losing my #1 position in the WL line...the sending member admitted to being new and not knowing what she was doing...sigh...

I had the same  thing happen with receving a wrong title. I contacted PBS directly after receiving the same 'USPS shows the book was deliverd, mark it received' email. I had of course already marked it a RWAP and offered the wrong title explanation. The sender cintacted me and said the correct title would be sent. In this instance I did actually receive the correct title after some time so the issue was eventually solved. The sender, a long term member, even gifted me a credit for the inconvenience

If you kept the PM from the sender PBS should be able to clear it up and including reinstating you in your correct position in the queue. Even without the PMs, you have a long record at PBS so I imagine it can be straightened out but in the meantime it's a nuisance.

If the book ordered was not received why did you mark it as received "with issue". Wouldn't it have been better to let the sender know and if the correct title not received just let it time out. No drama.

Mary, I marked it "with issue" as you put it, as that is the correct protocol when you receive the wrong book. Usually it is a case of the member mixing up two orders but in this case, just sending the wrong book. It gives the sending member the opportunity and time to correct their mistake...and since it was a WL book, I wanted the book and not sit in limbo until it went lost, which is what happened anyways since the other member did not make good on her promise to send the correct book. There was no drama, a PM was sent to the member alerting her to her mistake. 

Certainly not a PBS expert but think if I do not get the book I requested I will not mark it as received!!!

PBS corrected this error promptly today...credit back and back at #1.

Very glad to hear it was resolved!

I guess that means the sender lost a credit? and now we wait to see if the right book is sent?

No, the correct book was never sent. She used PBS postage so she got her credit...not sure how they handle it when the member sends the wrong book, but I suspect with PBS postage credit assurance she gets to keep her credit.

I wonder if since the member used postage for the request maybe postage can't be bought for the same request again.

I think that might be true Charles. I don't think she realized when she said she'd mail the correct book the next day that she would have to pay again, as well as send me a credit if she wanted me to return the wrong book to her.

i do wish new members would take the time to investigate the Help Center when joining so they understand how the club works...this new member didn't have a clue.

"Certainly not a PBS expert but think if I do not get the book I requested I will not mark it as received!!!"

That wouldn't change the process the server goes through to decide whether to mark the book "received" or "lost". Also, marking it "received with a problem: wrong book" generates an email to the sender that explains how to resolve the problem.

It's true, if someone sends you a wrong book using PBS Postage, it's a good idea to check up later to be sure it wasn't marked received.