Is it o.k. to PM someone and ask if they are runnning any deals at the time? I asked someone the other day if they were running any deals as there were 2 of their books I was interested in and they said you can't do that on here. I thought it was o.k. to at least ask.  I have asked a couple others in the past and they haven't had a problem with it and many have responded very nicely that they are. Even if they are not they politely tell me "not at this time". I just want to make sure it is o.k.

Thanks for any responses

Charity

Yes it is definitely ok! Feel free. That person is just WRONG. I usually say OK to it if someone asks within reason and have had many wonderful people accept my offers/requests for deals too. Go for it!

ETA: I think the only no-no would be if someone denied the request, sending them a nasty response. But from your email, you sound like a very nice person and I can't imagine that! Maybe the person you asked had that happen to them once or twice. But no, deals are a huge part of PBS!

If you don't ask you won't know.  And if you're prepared to take NO as an answer than I don't see a problem. 

I have asked for deals and gotten them.  But if they say no, that's fine too.

Also, yesterday, I posted about 20 books a military friend had given me, some of them WL and none in which I am interested in reading.  When the requests came in, I accepted and then sent a PM saying I was offering a 3/2 deal if they were interested in any other books on my shelf.  And as  result I got several more requests and expect more over the weekend.  

Nothing wrong with asking and you certainly can send a polite PM to ask if they're running a deal.  If the other person does not use the PBS forums, they probably don't even know what you're talking about though.

Thanks all for your responses. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing a no-no here. I have a feeling this person had never heard of a 2-1 so I explained to them what it was but they said it wasn't allowed on here. Thanks again for your answers all. You are really a big help!

They are wrong.  They may just not want to do it and saying that is the easiest thing for them to do.

Ruth

From this thread in the Book Bazaar:

"If a member asks you for a deal and you haven't offered one, this is not considered rude; it is also not considered rude to refuse. This kind of thing should be handled politely, without hard feelings on either side."

Cheers,

Catt

Charity, I had someone tell me that once also.  I did the same thing you did....came right here to be sure I hadn't done anything wrong, and then went on my merry way.  I offer a deal to everybody who orders off my shelf, and I ask for a deal on every order if I see multiples on someone's shelf that I want.  I guess I feel like as long as I am balancing the asking and offering, it's all fair!

.

Was this person an active forum user?  If not then they probably didn't know it was allowed.  Just don't ask them again. 

It is allowed as long as you ask politely and don't harass them if they say no. 

No harm in asking.  Some people are just anti-PM anything so I would just shrug it off.

I always ask about deals, I also let them know that I am willing to give them the same deal they give me. I have had only one person that was really really rude. Her response was "I am not giving you a deal now or in the furture I don't have the time to deal with this sort of thing. : WOW !!!!  I very nicely pm'd her back and   said " I thank you very much for taking the time to consider I am glad you refused because I don't have time to deal with people like you right now"

About a week later I recieved a pm from her saying how sorry she was and she had found some books of mine and that she would like to get a deal.  I was thinking yeah in your dreams lady.  I did respond by saying I was not doing deals now or in the future.

If it's someone who doesn't read the forums, they may think it is against the rules.  There's a pretty firm emphasis that 1 book = 1 credit, and that you're not allowed to ask for more credits for a hardcover book or an expensive book or a wish-list book.  So someone may get the idea that any deals are prohibited.  I know I had this idea when I first joined, until delving deeper into the rules and reading the forums.

I mentioned a book about some topic that escapes me right now.  I got a PM about that book and becasue it was written in and could be atext book, I got the person a 2 for 1 deal-that book was a freebie, but she ordered another book for a credit...it has been awhile so if you reconnize yourself, don't yell at me or anything!

I always check the person's bookshelf header and profile.  I sort of assume that folks without those are probably not the type to have deals.  Basically not hanging out on the site as often. 

And you can check to see how long the book has been on their bookshelf.  See Resort by Date.  That will give me an idea on how willing they will be to offer a deal for a book,  The longer a book has been sitting, the more likely I'll offer a deal.  Or ask for one.