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Topic: Question about searching for a book

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fireman57 - ,
Subject: Question about searching for a book
Date Posted: 1/29/2012 10:54 AM ET
Member Since: 4/15/2008
Posts: 76
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When I find a book I want through the search feature, is there a way to see if the same person has another book I want before requesting the first book? I know I can browse their bookshelf after I make a request, but would like to do that before I make the request, if they have at least one of the books I want.

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Date Posted: 1/29/2012 10:58 AM ET
Member Since: 3/4/2007
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Unless you already know the member's name, there's no way to know until after you request the first book.  However, you do have the hour buyer's remorse period, so you can place the order, check the shelf and then cancel the order if you don't want to order only the one book.  If you are looking for two or more specific books, the other option you have is to post in the Book Bazaar and ask if anyone has book a and b on their shelf.  You might get lucky and find someone who has the books you want and you might even find someone willing to make a deal.

Hope this helps.

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fireman57 - ,
Date Posted: 1/29/2012 11:09 AM ET
Member Since: 4/15/2008
Posts: 76
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Thanks, this is the info I was wanting. I appreciate the assistance!

tomtir avatar
Date Posted: 1/29/2012 11:28 AM ET
Member Since: 3/13/2009
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Actually when you first " ORDER THIS BOOK"  The next page shows two choices on the right hand side:

"ORDER MORE FROM MEMBER" and below thatis "PROCESS MY ORDER" . The order does not finalize until you click on that second button. Therefore you can click on the upper button and peruse their bookshelf at your leisure. Your order is not yet being processed.

After ordering any additional books, or none at all,  click on  "PREVIEW ORDER" on the right hand side. You are back on the previous page. At this point you have still not ordered. Sometimes, at this point,  I look at another members page to see if they have more books in the same series,

You can delete any versions at this point and they will not even know you looked.

But when you are ready press "PROCESS MY ORDER" and you have finally really ordered.

Cattriona avatar
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Date Posted: 1/29/2012 2:48 PM ET
Member Since: 7/7/2007
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Sometimes folks search the Boxer members to see who has multiple books by the same author, etc.  It isn't ideal, but it is one option.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/box_o_books/index.php

 

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Date Posted: 1/29/2012 3:14 PM ET
Member Since: 8/23/2007
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If I am looking for multiple books by the same author, I will open 2 windows and search for 1 book on one and another book on the other.  I'll hit the Order More button on both and see if either of them has more than one of them-I finish that order.  Doesn't always pay off but sometimes it does. 

 

robdee avatar
Date Posted: 1/30/2012 10:44 AM ET
Member Since: 7/12/2010
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The search Boxer method is a good one; another that sometimes pays off is look at any member reviews of the book you are interested in then check those member's shelfs.

-RD

ProstheticLips avatar
Subject: Problem with Order More?
Date Posted: 2/2/2012 10:19 PM ET
Member Since: 6/21/2008
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I was trying to do this exact thing this evening (found one book by a member, and was looking for more interesting books on their shelf), and found one.  When I went to Preview Order, it only showed the SECOND book (the additional one), but had removed my original requested book.

I am pretty sure I have ordered a second book from someone and not had this problem before.  Has anyone on this thread noticed this problem recently?  I am using Firefox and have not tried with another browser.

classicana avatar
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Date Posted: 2/3/2012 10:15 AM ET
Member Since: 2/12/2006
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My guess is that you clicked through to the main details page for the 2nd book. The system took you to that ISBN and you were no longer on the first person's shelf.  So when you ordered that 2nd book, you ordered it from the #1 position in line (FIFO).  You would have had to page back to the first 'bookshelf' to order it from the same person as the first book you chose.  

If you search the bookshelf of the person you ordered the 2nd book from, you probably won't find the first book.
eta; meant to add that after doing this a time or two, I now right-click on the linked title and open in  another tab or window.



Last Edited on: 2/3/12 10:22 AM ET - Total times edited: 1
thameslink avatar
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Date Posted: 2/3/2012 11:03 AM ET
Member Since: 2/13/2007
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Tom E. I have been having the exact same problem, using Firefox, with it removing the original book and just leaving me with the additional book requested, and it has been happening to me for the last month or so, sporatically -- it does not happen every single time, which makes it more frustrating. I sent in feedback to the Team yesterday but have not heard back yet. Had it happen three times yesterday and I know that I was still on the original members bookshelf.

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Date Posted: 2/3/2012 1:30 PM ET
Member Since: 6/21/2008
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Anna B:  No, I was still on the same person's bookshelf.  That's what was so weird, I could see the book that I had just "ordered" sitting on their shelf.

I was able to go back to the original person and order the first book, so they probably got 2 separate requests from me.  Hopefully they realized it was for the same person and will mail them together.

Also, I was looking for a different book (working my way through NPR's "top 100 Sci Fi books"), and so I added a second book, then re-added the first book.  When I looked at what I requested, it was just the two books I wanted.

classicana avatar
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Date Posted: 2/7/2012 9:53 AM ET
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Thanks, Tom.  Glad that Sally has sent in feedback! 

Answers might be a bit slower right now.  I'm sure the PBS Team is working at reduced staff (and there aren't that many anyway), while some are on the PBS Bahamas Cruise (4th - 9th).  

thameslink avatar
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Date Posted: 2/8/2012 8:55 AM ET
Member Since: 2/13/2007
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I have heard back from the Club about this problem that both Tom E. and myself have experienced:

Thanks for letting us know about this; we're sorry you are having this trouble.  No one else is reporting the problem; we will look into it. If this happens again, please report it right away by scrolling down to the bottom of the site and clicking Contact Us, then clicking "send us feedback" and sending a message in describing what happened.

If anyone else is experiencing it/has experienced it, please contact the club using the "send us feedback". I know it is just not Tom and I experiencing it because on another forum several months ago I read that others had experienced it, so please let the club know so that they can address it! Tom E., please send in feedback!