Hi --

Not sure if this is a case of me being too picky, or what.  I just received a paperback book (via Box-o-Books) and the condition is very acceptable, the title is correct, BUT there is an orange circle (about the size of an oreo cookie) on the bottom left-hand corner that says, "Wal-Mart 2 for $1.00."

If the circle was an actual sitcker, then I could take it off, but it's printed on the cover, as part of the cover.

I certainly don't have as part of my Requestor Conditions that the cover can't have large sale stickers making up a part of the cover... I hardly see books with such a feature, first of all. 

However, if I had known the cover was like this, I would not have selected it. 

I think the way I would have handled it if it was a book I wanted to list would be to PM the person and say, "By the way.... is this okay with you?"

I did leave the person positive feedback -- they deserved that, I'm sure: nothing was really violated.

I feel like I want the sender to know I'm disappointed in the book, but again, I'm not sure if I'm being too picky.  Would there be any reason to PM the person?  I don't really think this situation garners a replacement book... maybe in my Requestor Conditions (which I apply to Box-o-Books) I should add that if the cover has a "permanent" price sticker on it or something like that, I don't want the book? I think part of my problem is I don't know how to word this in my Requestor Conditions; also, I don't won't to have like, fifty, Requestor Conditions, you know?  The books aren't meant to be perfect, after all...

Kate 

IMHO...this says it all ....."but it's printed on the cover, as part of the cover."

If the sender would have torn off that part of the cover before sending..well...that would upset me much more.  Can't do much about a price "sticker" that is actually the make-up of the cover. 

The problem is with the publisher, not the sender. Just my .02

Yeah, I don't know why the publisher would do this... I know they're trying to get the buyer's attention and maybe doing things this way is easier and cheaper than dealing with normal stickers, but I feel like they're shooting themselves in the foot.  Getting two books for a dollar is a nice deal, but the "catch" is each book has a permanent mark that SAYS it costs two for a dollar!  Not exactly a person's top choice for a gift selection, eh?  :)

It's postable, but if you object to big orange circle stickers, you should probably add a condition for it.

But if you think about it, the covers don't have to match when you are posting a book.

It's not the sender's fault- I see no reason to bother them about this.

Sara

There's nothing anyone can do if the "sticker" is part of the original printed cover, so letting the person who sent you the book know that you're disappointed serves no purpose.  Frankly, if someone sent me a PM fussing about the cover art, I'd be pretty ticked off.  We are  not responsible for doing more than ensuring the book is in postable condition; no one can change the way a book cover is printed except the publisher, so maybe you should send a complaint to them.

I would totally agree here. The other member does not have to PM the requestor to ask if something is okay, if the book is in postable condition by PBS standards. This has come up with dustjackets for hardback books. They are not required to post the book, but yet people want a PM stating the book doesn't have a dustjacket. If something is that much of a problem I would include it with RC's. JMO

Jenn

I don't much care for these covers myself, but I have bought a few at Wal-Mart, and that's pretty much always because they're significantly cheaper than buying the books from Borders or some other source.  Target has this habit too of putting the humungous sale stickers on their books, and while they aren't meant to be "permanent", next to library stickers, they are some of the most stubborn stickers I have ever tried to remove.  I presume Wal-Mart has their own store editions printed that way to save money - probably on the cost of sale stickers and the man hours used to put them on the books.  The problems with that, of course, being that many people don't want them (you aren't alone in that:P), they usually have the same ISBN#'s as the other mass-market editions, and with so much used book reselling and swapping - this is a swapper's site after all - on the net these days, unless you explicitly stipulate that you don't want them, you will probably get them from time to time.  I'm sure this even happens with half.com & Amazon used book purchases.  Many people might include that in their descriptions, just the same as some swappers here (who tend to go above and beyond the PBS requirements and reasonable expectations of receivers) might drop you an inbox with this information.  It might be nice, but it's not something you can count on.  RCs are just the best way to go if the risk of receiving something PBS considers acceptable, but you don't, is one you'd rather not take.

I would add it to your RC, but not bother the sender about this.  There is not thing that they can do if the "sticker" was part of the printed cover, the covers don't have to match the picture provided by PBS and as long as it met PBS guidelines, there is nothing more that the sender needs to do.  Since it wasn't part of your RCs initially, I would personally be annoyed/ticked if I got a PM about a book like this that meets all guidelines.  It isn't thier fault.

I really appreciate the feedback, you guys!  Because ticking off the person who sent me the book was the exact thing I wanted to avoid... that's why it's so great I can come here and get feedback before I mess things up for myself! :) I believe I WILL change my requestor conditions.

Kate

PS: Kim H.: I'm glad you feel the same way about the "stickers"!

Stickers are my major pet peeve:P  Permanent stickers?  Blech!  The first time I saw it I had to wonder who thought this one up.  It's like some sort of bizarre medieval torture for books.  Like defacing them with stickers & goo wasn't bad enough.  Oh no, let's print them that way..:P  I think you're on the right track with the RCs.  I know that's a tough call, and there's always the chance you'll have requests declined just because some people get antsy about ANY RCs at all.  I'd just try to make it as short and succinct as possible - although I'm not sure everyone is going to know what a "permanent sticker" is.  But I can't think of what else you'd call it either:P

It really is a stupid idea.  I am willing to wager that the numbnut that thought it up wasn't a reader!!

I would also say do not ask people to PM you to ask or describe the cover of the book before sending it out.  Even if you put your nickname in the RCS.  I decline anything that asks for a pm before mailing. Either my book meets your RCS or it doesn't.  But I think an RC simply stating that you don't want books with big stickers on the cover even if it's printed as part of the cover.

I don't get why people refuse to PM folks. I certainly don't mind doing it. We are part of a community here and I am willing to spend a few moments in correspondence with my fellow PBSers.

I don't either, Tracy.  As much as it's not a requirement, and as much as there's that situation where the Sender waiting on a PM before mailing a book out might worry about the transaction timing out first, I've always found it to be an excellent thing to communicate about swaps.  Even when not using RC's, from time to time I'll PM a Sender or Requester  with a question or info about a book and it's always helped to make sure the transaction comes to the best possible result for both of us.  Even if it doesn't really change anything about the transaction, it's still people making contact with each other.  I mean, I guess some people prefer to be left to themselves, and some have their "principles" and that's definitely their prerogative.  I usually put reluctance on such communication down to "to each his own", like the people who don't want thanked for for books because it "obligates" them to respond with "you're welcome".

I've seen quite a few books that have the 'permanent' price sticker on the front cover.  It doesn't bother me at all.  Pat

I think it is alot worse when you are the person assigned to add labels and stickers to the library books. It was my job for around 2 years to do this and I never got over the feeling I was ruining the books *sighs* Now Ive a new area to work in and only have to ruin the books when there is alot of backlog..LOL  I have said sorry to a few books for having to put labels and stamps in them..SHHHH!

Dearest Pam,

You are NOT part of the problem... no worries!  Stickers that are stuck on can almost always be peeled off, even if a person has to put some elbow grease into getting any "stick" residue off left behind...

No, I'm talking about when the sticker isn't so much a sticker as something that was printed on the cover, and now there's nothing anybody can do about it!  It's pre-ruined, so to speak.