Hi-

I sent a  book to another user and they have indicated a problem.   I have never run across this (in 7 years) and I'm not sure if this is an actual problem or not.  I can't find it in the help docs anywhere.  What should I do?  The ISBN is correct.   The type (paperback) is correct.  I didn't know there was a year requirement anywhere.   Here's the issue:

Problem: Wrong Book--Different Binding or Version

The member to whom you shipped your book 'For Love of Mother-Not (Pip and Flinx, Bk 5)' has sent you this personal message:

"The book I ordered was a newer version. The publication date was 2004 and this one is 1983. I prefer newer versions because they are easier to trade on paperback swap."

You did get credit from the system for sending the book. ***The requestor is asking you to refund credit for this book.***

My inclination is to not refund the credit unless of course I've messed something up.  Then I will gladly refund.  I don't have enough right now in reserve...

Thanks-

I sent a (nice) note saying that I thought it was a valid transaction and quoted the section in the posting part of the help docs.  Just to check I did a false posting to see what the PBS message is when you post a book.  Since all 4 requirements matched, it looks all good from this end.

Below is how your book listing will appear in the PBS library.
Do the Title, Author, ISBN and Book Type match your book EXACTLY?
Please note: book cover image shown does NOT need to match your book.
If title, author, ISBN and book type do not ALL match your book exactly, you must NOT use this listing, and you should create a custom listing for your book.



Thomas Gray, Philosopher Cat
Author: Philip J. Davis
ISBN-13: 9780156901000
ISBN-10: 0156901005
Book Type: Paperback

Well,  I guess I've got a problem swap on my record.  Here's her response:

It was not what I ordered. Don't bother returning credit.

So it actually was the book she ordered title, author, ISBN & type  -just not the publication date she wanted.  but I figure  I've sent out close to 850 books and this rwap is all documented I won't get an email from PBS.   If they do send emails out if an rwap is not resolved.  It is a little frustrating.  I prefer no problems at all which thankfully is the norm around here.  I have received 1 unpostable book and maybe 2 on their last legs -final post- out of 750 or so. 

AFAIK, the only time a particular edition might make a difference is when it is in the title field of the listing - (a made-up listing) .. How to Climb Mt. Everest (18th Edition).  If (for instance) the listing was for the 18th Annual Edition of a How to Climb Mt Everest manual and you had posted and sent them the 6th annual edition, they would have a legitimate complaint.  But if the year or edition is not specified then they should have had an RC for the one they wanted.

You definitely sent the right book and I'd like to take issue with her statement that "newer editions are easier to swap on PBS".  That might be true for a textbook or nonfiction book where updating may change the actual content of a book but for fiction I don't find that statement true at all.  I'm sure she'll be able to re-swap it.

ETA:  Actually it may be a problem in the PBS catalog.  If you look that title up, 2 books are listed each with a different ISBN.  One is 2004 and one is 1983.  HOWEVER if you click on the Amazon link on the one with a pub date of 2004, it actually says at the Amazon site that ISBN is associated with a publication date of 1987.  That particular edition may have been republished in 2004 with that ISBN but it doesn't really appear that way. I did see a 2002 printing on Amazon.  I can see why she thought she was getting a 2004 edition from the PBS page (esp since there was a choice of 1983 and 2004 editions) but Amazon definitely says that ISBN is 1987.  Maybe she would feel better if you told her to link to the Amazon page.

Please (kindly) reiterate to her that the book should not have been marked received with a problem - as you followed all the rules.  She needs to go into her transaction archive and provide follow up that it was marked as a problem in error.

Here is the help doc you can send her "there is a problem with a book I received" and it clearly states that publication dates do not have to match.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/help_item.php?id=529

Here is the help doc on providing follow up to problem swaps: http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/help_item.php?id=590

I would just let it go. She's in the wrong, you're in the right, she doesn't want her credit back. The end.

I just marked a transaction "problem resolved" in my transaction archive.  I had marked it RWAP but did not ask for my credit back.  Then you have to type the reason and submit. PBS sends that reason to the sender.  They pm'ed me and apologized. I actually  thought it was over but I noticed it on my archive with something like "has this been resolved"? So I cleared that up. 

I would send her the link Shannon gave and recommend that she set up a Requester Condition if she wants a particular pub date because there is NO way to ensure that on PBS as it is not required to match and she is breaking the rules by using that Problem swap marking because of a pub date. She is going to just keep doing this on request after request after request.

It won't hurt your account one bit since PBS can look at the PMs and see the requester is 100% wrong. I'd probably also send in Feedback just in case she is doing it all the time and members are refunding justly earned credits.

I would consider the matter closed. Sending more PM;s just seems like trying to have the last word. So, she is wrong, but, she thinks you are wrong. I'd say you have given this more consideration that it is worth already. One unresolved swap in 850 transactions is nothing.

One unresolved swap in 850 transactions is nothing.

Yep -that's the way I'm looking at it.  I did suggest when I sent the response to her that she write a requester condition about publication dates.  She's been a member since 2009.  One of the reasons I like this place so much is that people do post the older sci/fi paperbacks.  I'm glad I used the PBS postage for that transaction!