I have a request for a cookbook on my Bookshelf - the requestor has conditions regarding a HC having a DJ in reasonably good condition, but the condition doesn't apply to paperbacks or HC that were published without a DJ.

If someone replies that they can't meet the requestor's conditions and can't mail the book does this count against the 'seller', who is me? I know for a fact that this cookbook did NOT come with a dust jacket but after my recent RWAP experience I can just imagine an argument from the requestor when they get the book and there's no dust jacket. I can't prove that the book came that way; I just know the books from Leisure Arts my mother bought didn't have them. As someone who doesn't have any conditions on requests, I think I can understand why someone would have conditions - but I don't want to face another bad transaction. Any opinions or suggestions?

If the requestor wants hardbacks with dust jackets, to me that means the kind of pictureless, cloth cover book with the title and author's name embossed on the spine.  Most of my hardback cookbooks did not come with dust jackets and are full color kinda shiny, smooth,  wipe-able bound books.  Hope that helps. 

Why don't you PM the requesting member (I think you can do this?) and see what they say?  I wouldn't think someone would be mad about receiving a cookbook without a dust jacket.... a novel, maybe, but not a cookbook. 

Michelle

You can turn down RCs for any reason you want to.  RCs are often subjective, and a lot of people would rather be safe than sorry.  You can just write "may not meet conditions" as the reason for turning down the request- it won't count against you.

That said, I would probably send the book if it was me.  Not many cookbooks come with a dust jacket anyway- if I was ordering a cookbook, I would not expect one.  You could always accept the request and then PM the requester and explain that it did not come with a dust jacket- if they still want the book, then you have documentation that it is OK with them that there is no jacket.  But that's up to you.  If you're uncomfortable, just decline the request.  If there are more of the book in the system, the request will be passed to the next in the FIFO line.

Hi Pamela  - the Leisure Arts books have the picture cover that you can wipe down, so I'm hoping she knows that. They have a slew of book in their series so hopefully she has some already and knows about the lack of dust jacket. I'll give it a shot and see what happens. Thanks, Pamela.

Hi Michelle & Lesley,

I think I will accept the request and as you suggested, I'll PM the lady and tell her about the dust jacket. I did that once before when I had a Regency that was autographed to me and I wanted the requestor to know just in case she wanted the book without a signature.

Guess I'm just feeling antsy this weekend. I'm a lover, not a fighter and I hate confrontation. Thanks so much, ladies. This has been a big help. I mailed out 4 books yesterday and now have 3 more to wrap and mail on Tuesday.

You are supposed to PM people about cookbooks anyway.  Because they can get stained or written in during use you are required to PM them about the books condition. THis only applies to cookbooks and textbooks-although textbooks are only allowed to have writing/highlighting.  So PM her with the condition and mention that it never had a dust jacket.  Choose the last possible mail by date. Give her a date and time to respond. Say something like "If I don't hear form you by noon on x date then I'm mailing the book to you".  Give her a few days to respond since not everyone has internet access everyday.  PBS will have a record of the PM if she doesn't respond. So they'll know that you followed the rules and PM'd about the cookbooks condition. 

Wow, I didn't know that we had to PM about a cookbook's condition. I'll have to reread the rules.

My mom collected cookbooks but they were only a collection, not something she used for cooking so they're all in new condition. I just wish she hadn't collected them (not that I didn't enable her on Mother's Day, her b.d. and Christmas) - now I have to figure out how to dispose of them in a way she'd be happy about. They're too good to just throw away or put into the recycling.

I'm guessing you only have to pm *if* the cookbook has some stains or writing, not just *because* it's a cookbook.

The original post said:

If someone replies that they can't meet the requestor's conditions and can't mail the book does this count against the 'seller', who is me?

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 If we refuse a request due to requestors conditions, it counts against us somehow? How?

Usually the dust jacket condition applies to books that were originally released with a dust jacket...which some HB's don't have. 

When I found myself in this situation, I accepted the request then PM'd the requestor & let her know the multi-color hardcover book never had a dust jacket.  She approved me sending it and was happy with her new book.

If we refuse a request due to requestors conditions, it counts against us somehow?

no, turning a request down due to not meeting RCs does not count against you.

It was my understanding that what counts against us is if you have a habit of accepting, then canceling.  And it has to be repeatedly.  When I have a question about a RC, I'll accept, leave extra time, and PM the person.  And if there is a problem, the sender must cancel to prevent the receiver going to the bottom of the WL.  But once you deny a RC, I think they can never get your copy.   And the PM is evidence for you if there is a problem reported.

But having a clear RC and turning it off when you know it doesn't fit the requested book seems to be a much better idea.  And there is a forum under PBS questions where folks help you edit your RC.  As it needs to be both very clear and not offensive.

I have turned down lots of books based on the no smoking requestors conditions and my books just moved on to the next wisher.  It seems that there is no penalty for a turn down based on requestor's conditions.

Okay, thanks. I thought maybe I misunderstood.

I have turned down a couple books with real strict RC's.

No, you can turn down RCs with impunity:P  I always try to look at them & carefully consider what they are, so I turn down very few, but some people just refuse all of them out of hand.

I think they made it now so that if you get denied because or RCS you can turn them off and request the same copy again. It used to be that it wouldn't let you do that.

I hate to admit it, but I came across an RC a while back that was so rude, I almost clicked the "Does not meet requestors conditions" button just because it was so offensive.  I didn't, but it was a close thing.  The thing is, I do understand frustration and the need for RC's, but there are ways to get a message across without sounding so "in your face".  Especially given that the potential sender hasn't done a thing to deserve it.  It just comes across like an unwarranted implication or assumption that the sender's going to try to cheat the requestor, and it's very off-putting.  

To be honest, the only reason I didn't turn that one book down was because I was afraid it would count against me and somehow come back to bite me in the tail.  Thankfully though, out of the 120 books I've sent, I've never had to turn one down because of RC's.  Also, out of numerous RC's, only two struck me as overly picky considering the fact that we're trading used books and only one of those was over the top as far as attitude.  All the others have been reasonable, understandable, and exceedingly polite. 

I personally don't have any RC's. I figure those in the guidelines are sufficient for my needs.  Sure, I've gotten burned a couple of times but thankfully, it's a very small percentage and most were books that were borderline unpostable that I just decided to take out of credit circulation.  It's just not worth passing along a borderline book to me.  I'd rather give it away as an unpostable. 

I think they made it now so that if you get denied because or RCS you can turn them off and request the same copy again. It used to be that it wouldn't let you do that.

I think this is very true.  I  posted a rare copy of a book by an author that is widely read by a few of us (I hope that makes sense).  I paid a fortune for it at amazon because it is so hard to find and posted it when I was done.  Two wishers wanted it but both do not accept smoking books, former library books, cat books,  dog books, no dust jacket books or any variation of these conditions.

When I declined, one of the women wishers turned off the RC and got the book.  I have a wood stove and friends who visit are not required to leave the house to smoke.  I have a cat and 3 dogs.  The book did not have a dust jacket.  It was a former library copy.  This book was rare and had everything going against it.  OTHERWISE, it was in perfect condition, so she got a great book in the end.

I have only turned down RCS maybe 3 times. Once was for no pets and I have 2 big hairy dogs (and a hairy husband).   Twice I have turned down RCS for sounding too picky.   I'm sorry but if I post an OOP/HTF 15yr old WL paperback with 80+ people looking for it and the 1st RC comes up as "I only want books in like-new mint condition"-sorry, not taking that chance. I had another like that with a laundry lists of things they didn't want.  Too picky.  If you want brand new books buy brand new. 

I can understand the no ex-library/no bookcrossing-must have a dust jacket-no smoking-no pets ones. But the "I only want new/mint books" just ticks me off. It's a used book site. 

Both times I declined I just put "All my books meet PBS posting guidelines and these RCS are just too picky". Both were for WL books so why take the chance that someone will ding you for a dog earred page or something stupid. 

You are not penalized for turning down a book because of RC.  Your book is still #1 in FIFO, so the next person who requests the book will get your copy.  However, if you accept the RC and PM the person and then decide not to send the book, you will need to cancel the transaction.  Which means that book will no longer be on your bookshelf and you will have to repost it, and therefore be at the bottom of the FIFO.  While that isn't really a 'penalty', it is disappointing if there are a lot of copies in the system.

I haven't gotten an RC in a while though.  Is there a way now to PM the requestor before accepting? 

No.  There is no way (yet) to PM before accepting.  So the choice would be to either accept and then PM or to decline.  You can find out how many copies of a book are in the system by putting the book on your reminder list. 

I strongly urge folks to carefully edit their RC.   Do not sound nasty to the sender.  While I would want smokers to decline to me, I don't want everyone else to decline because of my tone. 

One of the problems is when there is a RC and the auto request is turned on.  So folks don't have the chance to turn off a RC that does not apply;  such as a DJ wanted on all HCs RC does not apply to PBs. 

I am so torn about RC's.  I agree with EVERYTHING that Mary L. says about USED books and picky people.  And yet, I will admit that I SO appreciate when I get a beautiful, clean, unbent, new-seeming copy of a book and feel some irritation when I get a hardback without a dust jacket.   BUT, I have decided to bite myself, so to speak, because I refuse to have an RC.  I totally get when there are alergies involved, but darn it, these are used books!

Is there a way now to PM the requestor before accepting?

i don't think so, but some people who want you to mail them before accepting will put their username in their RC's so you can find them in the member directory and PM them without having to accept first.

I think they would save a lot of complaints if they would just put a PM button on request like they do when  a WL offer is pending.  Then more people would PM about the RC and then just decline if no response was given by the last day of acceptance.  I would be willing to do that.  But I wont' accept and then PM.  If your RCS aren't clear enough for me to  determine if my book meets them then you I'm not negotiating and your RCS need to be rewritten.  I don't need the credit that badly and I'd rather wait for the next person.

What gets me is the people who put RCS on saying something like "must have dust jacket" or "no smoking home" then come on the boards and complain "but I would have accepted that book w/smoking or no dust jacket".  Well if the no DJ and smoking is ok then why have the RCS?