Hi, I'm just cuious what happens if someone never marks a book received. I shipped a book out first class over 2 weeks ago. Everyone else received their books and marked them so within 3 days. I sent the member a PM and she hasn't been on to read it. It got me thinking what if someone never marks a book received. Do you just lose your credit? I always log on asap and note when I receive a book and I also usually send mine out very quickly. Seems I've been stuck with a lot of slow pokes lately lol. Slow at shipping and accepting my requests and slow at posting when they get it!!!

It will ultimately be marked "Lost in the Mail" and you will lose your credit -- one of the reasons why using Delivery Confirmation through PBS is popular, because that guarantees that you will get your credit, once the book is scanned.

But remember, the receiving member could be out of town and won't mark it received until they return.

I know that I sometimes don't get in right away to mark it received. I travel a lot so sometimes it could be up to a week before I mark it. I try to keep on top of things but just the way it goes. You never know. Maybe something came up:)

If a member hasn't logged on for a few weeks when the book goes "lost", the system will mark the book received.  When it gets close to the time that the book's going to go lost, send a PM where you say you hope the book arrives, and clearly request a response.  If you then don't hear back in a week, you can contact the PBS Team and they'll look into it.

When the book goes lost, you get your credit back. I just had two go lost last week.

From the Help Center:

www.paperbackswap.com/help/help_item.php?id=313

A book I requested is lost in the mail. What now?

The requestor will get credit back, and the book will go onto the Wish List (if there are no available copies in the system) or the Reminder List (if there are other copies available to request).  If the book was a Wish List book when it was requested before, the requestor will go back to #1 in line for the book.

• However, this does not mean that the book is definitely lost.  Sometimes it is merely delayed en route.
• If the book arrives after it has been declared Lost, the requestor must mark it received from the Transaction Archive.
  • At this time, the credit will be taken back and given to the sender for sending the book.

ETA: stupid editor won't let me do the link right. hopefully you can find it in the HC if you look up the word: Lost

Sherry is right - if you are the requestor you will get your credit back.

But Terri (OP), if you were the sender, if the bookgoes lost you will only get your credit back if you used DC (delivery confirmation) when you sent the book.

If they haven't logged in to PBS in awhile though it should mark it received for you.  Especially if they have unopen PMS and if they've had any WL offer or book requests time out.

They could have it set up to send them an email when they get a PM.  You can read the PM in the email.  So it's possible that they read the PM that way and haven't responded because they don't have the book yet. (Yes a PM would be the polite thing but it wouldn't occur to everyone)  I had a book take a month to go 1st class from MD to CT which is only about a 9hr drive.  If it accidentally got sent in the wrong direction it could take longer than normal. 

Please don't PM people about a book you've sent until it's pretty close to going lost.  Like within a day or two.  A couple of weeks is not unusual transit time.

I once had someone PMing me every day about a book they'd sent like a week earlier, giving me the DC number and asking me to please mark it received when I got it.  I didn't respond to the PMs giving me the DC number.  It was the one reminding me to mark it received that I did finally respond to and asked them to quit PMing me about a book in transit.  I'm on PBS every day, I know what to do when I receive a book, and they were flat out annoying me worrying over the book.

The person could be out of town or the book could be misdelivered or it's just taking a long time to get there.  The majority of the time, the book will arrive at its destination.

Thanks for the comments -

Ginger I don't find anything wrong with PM'ing someone. It's been weeks. I was polite and I clearly wasn't harassing her by sending just one email. I'm sure its annoying if someone sends you an email per day or several but I just wrote once.