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Topic: Question about mailing.

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readtomuch avatar
Subject: Question about mailing.
Date Posted: 7/24/2010 1:40 PM ET
Member Since: 2/19/2007
Posts: 1,610
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Some ordered a book and I have printed the wrapper already getting ready to mail it today. They just sent a PM asking if I could send it to a different address, addressed to someone else. I am kind of skeptical about doing this. Is this allowed would you do this?

FlouncePony avatar
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Date Posted: 7/24/2010 2:01 PM ET
Member Since: 12/31/2009
Posts: 3,995
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Yes it's allowed, f you choose to do it. If you already printed out DC or postage you may want to decline, because you'll lose it.

It happened to me. I chose to sned it to the friend for them, though I had to hand-write the new address since I already printed out the label. I was also not able to use the DC I had already printed.



Last Edited on: 7/24/10 2:03 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
melanied avatar
Standard Member medalMember of the Month medalBook Cover Image Group medalBook Data Correction Group medalTour Guide Leader medalBook Bazaar Coordinator medal
Date Posted: 7/24/2010 2:02 PM ET
Member Since: 8/16/2007
Posts: 15,234
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For me that would depend. If it was someone I knew from around the site and could tell it really was them asking, I'd do it no problem.

If it was a new account I would not. The system doesn't allow people to mail to alternate addresses until they have received books at the listed address for a reason and I wouldn't risk helping them circumvent that and then running into problems. I can't see the site helping out in a situation where the book wasn't mailed to the correct person or place.

If it was a long term member I didn't know and the names seemed related I might do it. A long term member asking for a book to be sent to a strange address and name could be the sign of a hacked account so I would be hesitant to mail somewhere else.



Last Edited on: 7/24/10 2:02 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 7/24/2010 2:06 PM ET
Member Since: 2/11/2007
Posts: 808
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How long was it between the time you accepted and the time of their request? Did they give you any reason (background)? If I had not actually packaged the book, I'd probably agree if they gave me the alternate info with the request; if not, I wouldn't put off mailing it for back-and-forth PM's to get that address, but would mail the book, and then reply, "Sorry, but it's been mailed to you already."

FlouncePony avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 7/24/2010 2:07 PM ET
Member Since: 12/31/2009
Posts: 3,995
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Here's the answer from the help docs:

If you need to change the mailing address for a book, and the sender has already printed the address:

  • click on the request and send a Personal Message to the sender, asking if the book has been mailed yet.
  • If the book has not been mailed, you can provide your new address in a PM
    • there is no guarantee that the sender will see this PM before she or he mails
    • even if the sender reads your PM and ships to the address provided in the PM, the "Details" on the request will have the address that was downloaded from the request by the sender.  A PM conversation about an alternate address will not change the address that has been attached to a request in the system.
    If the sender has already printed your address with Printed postage, she cannot use that postage to send to an alternate address (the printed postage wrapper cannot be altered).  
    • She will not be able to recover the printed postage, since the funds will already have been transmitted to USPS. 
    • She will need to mail to the address attached to the request , and you will need to arrange for the package to be forwarded from that address.
  • If the book has been mailed, you should make arrangements to collect the book from the previous address.
    • You can also contact your previous PO to arrange for forwarding.  This may mean that the book will arrive postage-due, since Media Mail does not routinely include forwarding service.

It is the requestor's responsibility to provide a correct, dependable address to senders.

  • If you make an error and provide the wrong address, you should correct this as soon as possible, using one of the methods above.
  • If the book you requested is returned to the sender because of an incorrect address, the sender is not obligated to re-send the book to you.
  • If a requestor uses a nonworking address to request too many books, or makes this mistake too many times, this can jeopardize PBS membership.