Is this allowed here? I could not find mention of this practice in the Help section.

Personally, I don't see a problem with it as long as people do it correctly (e.g. - remove a book from one site BEFORE accepting it on the other site, so as to avoid double-requests), but apparently most people prefer to play the odds and let the people requesting bear the brunt of their mistakes.

Has this been addressed officially?

it would be hard to police people posting on other sites and here and saying they could or couldn't do it.

however if they have too many cancels, etc then they will probably be looked at closely. 

I personally post on 3 sites and will post here first before the other sites to see if anyone requests the book

As long as people don't generate unfillable requests (which is completely feasible with careful management), I have zero problems with it. I don't do it myself because I don't want to take the time to ensure I wouldn't screw up.

I'd suggest that those who don't want to take the time to do it right, shouldn't do it at all (also just wondering if there's an official rule of any sort). I agree it would be difficult if not impossible to police - but that's a different ball of wax. Most people will abide by rules they voluntarily agree to without the use of force.. ;-)

I sent in a suggestion through feedback about this.  I had a book on auto request and then got a cancel PM saying "so sorry you missed out on this by ten minutes, I just traded it on (insert other site here)"  I was totally peeved. 

The message I received back said that they were considering adding it to the help center, but that there was not much they could do about it. 

I think it's fine as long as it doesn't involve WL books and you remove books from the other sites as soon as it's requested on one.  If you don't have the time to keep up with them and update quickly then you should stick to one.  I signed up for Bookmooch but never posted anything. I was so busy with PBS, I decided there's no way I want to deal with managing another book site.  I can always donate them or sell them to the UBS if they aren't moving here and I'm tired of looking at them.

I know that in the online auctioning world, crossposting is a big no-no.  You have 1 item, you make 1 listing and see where that takes you.  I do participate on another trading site; however, I keep each inventory completely separate as it can be difficult to worry about an item posted in several different forums.

I've recently posted my shelf over at another site (won't name it, suffice to say many here belong to it too) and I've been luck enough to get rid of 5 of my books and get 3 books off my WL from them.  Of course I imediately took those titles off the corresponding list here.  I was hesitant about doing it, but frankly with the upcoming WL changes I am looking at other outlets for receiving WL books.  As for as posting WL books PBS will always be my first choice for that.

I think it's fine as long as you maintain your inventory correctly and don't accept a request from one site until you've deleted that book off your shelf at the other sites.

I don't do it because I don't have time to follow more than one trading site at a time.

I do have a membership at that other site too, but I keep completely different inventory.  If it's posted here, it's not posted there and vice versa.  I know I would be the one to screw it up by not taking it off the other site quickly enough, and that's not fair to the requestors. 

I don't have a problem with it, except for WL books. If someone posts a WL book here, it is a "stuck" book. It cannot be removed from availability. So it's really not wise to post a WL book here if you want to offer it somewhere else as well.

Personally, I don't have enough volume to bother with more than one site, so I don't use other sites.

I don't have an issue with it as long as inventory is properly maintained.

I'd have a huge problem if I was told that I couldn't post my books at another site. That's like Charmin telling me I can't buy Cottonelle.

I have the same books (at least mostly) posted on 2 sites.  I always post on PBS first because of the way the WL works.  Anything that comes up on WL Hold I obviously wouldn't post on the other site.  Only once have I got caught with a book being requested from both sites and that was when I was running a special.  I just accepted the request that I saw first and then apologized to the person on the other site and offered them any other 2 books to make up for that one not being available.  They were super nice about it, responding that "these things happen" and saying there was no need to give them an extra book to make up for it.

I think the key to keeping your inventories cleaned up is frequent checking for requests.  It would be a nightmare for someone who only checked email or checked the site for requests every few days.

LOL Marcy!   I think we are just asked not to advertise or promote other sites, or any encourage PBS members to request books from our shelves anywhere but here.  And frankly as I said I just got three WL from there one I was waiting at #1 for months the others I had anywhere from a moderate to long wait for I already have, am reading and will be posting here!  So where's the bad in that. 

And for the record You can buy cottonelle, but stay away from the Scott tissue!!!!!!!!!!!

-_O

I post my books on two sites, although there are some books that I save only for here and some that aren't postable here that are on the other site.  The books that I'm posting to both sites I post here first, and make certain it isn't WL'd before I post on other site.  I'm careful to remove any books that are requested on one site from the other site as well.

Still, even with careful monitoring, there's been an occasion or two where a book that sat in limbo for MONTHS was requested on both sites within minutes of each other and I was in the sad position of having to cancel a request for someone.  I hate when someone cancels on me and I don't like being the person who has to turn down a request by someone who had their hopes up about receiving a book. 

It's the possibility faced whenever same book is posted in two places, but I still condone the practice because I've been able to extend the range of books I'm able to swap for, and books I've gotten on the other site that are unavailable here, I've been able to repost here to make them available to PBS members.

As with so many things, the devil's in the details - it all seems to depend on how you do it...

I confess that now after looking again at this other site, I'm considering using it (carefully!!) as an adjunct to PBS, as both my WL and bookshelf seem to have entered the "long-term" stage of existence..  I sure wouldn't ever want to give up PBS's FIFO system however!

I don't think there is a problem with it as long as the person has the time & access to keep both up.

AND when posting they make SURE it isn't on WL hold before posting it elsewhere.  A WL book should NEVER come back "already swapped elsewhere". 

I typically post a book to PBS, and then a few days later post it over there.

A couple things that I've noticed for those of you thinking about using two sites... I use XXXXXX XXXXXX and this is my experience with them.

Yes, you do get more credits per HB books, which is nice. You can also ask for more credits for heavy or "special" books too.

The WL over there is not FIFO, and you almost always have to be a member of a trade group to get any of the newer titles.

I've noticed a lot more sci fi / paranormal books over there than I see here.

There site is very very slow, and I have read in the forums that until the owner finds more funds, nothing will change. This means the search function is pretty much useless. I check the "books listed since last log in" to see if anything interesting has been posted.

Finally, even if you get more credits for your books, if you can't find books you want to order, then it doesn't really do you much good. I suggest you attempt to use the search function and see what is to your liking before you post books that are a sure credit here at PBS. (Which is why I have 0 books posted over there now. I need to spend down the credits I do have, and I'm finding myself ordering crap I don't really want to read anyway just to use up the credits.)