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Topic: Question about a RWAP . . .

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cmukitcat avatar
Subject: Question about a RWAP . . .
Date Posted: 8/11/2009 9:17 PM ET
Member Since: 12/18/2008
Posts: 166
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I just received a book today and decided to check it out. Well, the first few chapters have several things underlined that I found in a quick flip through. And the table of contents and reviews are heavily written upon with check marks, circles, question marks and underlines. It does look like it was used for an english class or something since there are several ellipses circled in those first few pages. It is a novel so I was not expecting it to have any writing since I did not receive a PM about it being used as a textbook but I feel that that is probably what the sender will say it was.

My question comes in on how to best approach this situation. I would love some help on how to best word the RWAP message or if I should just accept it and let it go and not repost. I was hoping to be able to repost it because I'm not 100% sure I'll even enjoy this book. Any help would be great. I just want to make sure that I don't offend the sender.

Thanks in advance for the help! You all are so great.

pjs2780 avatar
Date Posted: 8/11/2009 9:28 PM ET
Member Since: 8/1/2009
Posts: 301
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Pasted below is directly from the help docs, so if you didn't get a PM letting you know the condition and you didn't agree to have the book shipped that way, it's a problem.  I think you just let them know that you're so glad that they liked the book enough to mark it up and you're hoping to like it too, but it's not what you were expecting since there was no communication beforehand so you're afraid it will detract from your enjoyment.  As such, RWAP.

  • No writing or highlighting or underlining on text pages
    • a signature or note on the flyleaf or inside front or back cover is OKAY
    • an author's signature on the title page is OKAY
    • writing or highlighting or underlining on the text pages is NOT OKAY
      • Exception: if it is a textbook or workbook, these are expected to have highlighting/underlining/writing
        • if you post a textbook/workbook, the condition must be described to the requestor in a Personal Message
        • AND the described condition MUST BE AGREED TO in a reply PM before the book is sent
        • This is the one of the ONLY two cases in which a PM exchange about a book is required before the book can be sent(the other is for cookbooks--see below).

    		•
    Cattriona avatar
    Member of the Month medalFriend of PBS-Gold medal
    Date Posted: 8/11/2009 9:29 PM ET
    Member Since: 7/7/2007
    Posts: 4,815
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    KrisAnn--

    Members cannot swap books with underlining, highlighting, etc. without getting your permission first, which it sounds like they did not get.

    You should mark it RWAP, "Damaged by Sender".  Asking for your credit back or not is up to you.  Sometimes it can be helpful, if you have the ability, to take digital photos of the damage, post it on a free photo site (like Flikr or Photobucket) and include a link to the photo in your letter to the sender.

    There are plenty of threads about wording RWAP messages, but be polite and be clear -- state the damage, cite the PBS guidelines, and request your credit back if that's what you want.

    You could say something like:

    Dear Joe--

    Thank you for sending The Most Wonderful Book, I've been looking forward to reading it.  Unfortunately, I found it has some underlining and writing in several chapters.  Per the PBS Condition Guidelines, this makes the book unpostable, as they stipulate,  "No writing or highlighting or underlining on text pages."

    I know we're all human and accidents happen, so I have no hard feelings. I would like my credit returned, please, per PBS Gudelines, so I may order a clean copy.  As soon as it is returned I will mark the transaction "Resolved".

    Kind regards,

    blah blah blah

    Cheers,

    Catt

     

     
    cmukitcat avatar
    Date Posted: 8/11/2009 9:35 PM ET
    Member Since: 12/18/2008
    Posts: 166
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    Thank you both. I really like the way you worded that Catt so I borrowed it. I always feel awful about having to mark a book RWAP but I have a really hard time reading books with highlighting, underlining, or writing. It just kills my ADD or something. Anyway, thanks so much for the help, both of you. I do need to figure out how to do the picture thing, since I haven't had to do that before. Have a good night!
    ruthy avatar
    Friend of PBS-Silver medal
    Date Posted: 8/11/2009 11:46 PM ET
    Member Since: 12/9/2007
    Posts: 9,601
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    KrisAnn, I'm glad you are going to mark it RWAP.  Please do ask for your credit to be returned so that you "can mark it problem resolved".  Since if they don't it is a second black mark against them, it may prompt them to return your credit.  This is the "teeth" of the quality conditions that members are expected to follow and to enforce.   Some people are willing to comply once the penalty is mentioned.  The sooner we get these members to comply with the quality conditions the better we (and they) are - after all don't they want quality used books?  I'm sorry that this happened to you.

    Ruth
    demiducky25 avatar
    Standard Member medalFriend of PBS-Silver medalPBS Blog Contributor medal
    Date Posted: 8/12/2009 9:37 AM ET
    Member Since: 6/26/2008
    Posts: 456
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    KrisAnn- I'm sorry to hear that you received an unsatisfactory book.  I know that when I send textbooks, I flip through them and send a warning just in case there's some underlining that I missed.  Since these are typically actual textbooks and not novels used as textbooks, I've always received a positive OK to send PM back before I pack it up to ship.  But like everyone said, since there was no PM in advance to get your approval, then you are totally fine to mark it RWAP

    I hear you about being reluctant to mark it RWAP.  Yesterday I received my third or fourth stained book in less than a month and I'm debating if I should mark it RWAP since I don't want it going against me as marking RWAP on too many books so close together.  It just feels like people aren't reading the rules anymore...sigh.
    Cattriona avatar
    Member of the Month medalFriend of PBS-Gold medal
    Date Posted: 8/12/2009 11:19 AM ET
    Member Since: 7/7/2007
    Posts: 4,815
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    Brenna--

    You should always mark RWPs as such; I had 7 RWPs in a 6 week period once, and I'm still here, so it shouldn't affect your account :-)

    Cheers,

    Catt
    demiducky25 avatar
    Standard Member medalFriend of PBS-Silver medalPBS Blog Contributor medal
    Date Posted: 8/13/2009 11:09 PM ET
    Member Since: 6/26/2008
    Posts: 456
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    Cattriona- I ended up marking it RWAP.  Here's to hoping this ends my recent streak of stained books!

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