Here's my situation (and, of the three books that I've marked RWAP in my year and a half here, it's the only one that wasn't quickly and nicely resolved). 

I received a book that looked as though something had chewed on one corner--not just the cover but on many pages in behind  this back cover.  I nicely pm'd why the book had a problem.  The sender whom I'm assuming, but can't find the facts, is new (and this is from looking at her bookshelf) very nicely replied that she would be glad to refund my credit but that I would need to send the book back to her.

I sent her the part from the Help documents explaining why I wasn't supposed to send the book back to her and explained this to her.  I have heard nothing since.  I actually just sent her another pm to tell her that I would like to be able to mark this transaction resolved or not resolved.  I will wait for a while to see if she responds.

My question is this:  Does pbs send an email to a member who has an unresolved problem (the sender of the book)?  Since they send one for everything else, I would hope that they do.  But, do they?  I've never sent a book that was RWAP, so I don't know.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

I am not sure as to the email - I have not had a problem swap that was marked unresolved.

You can send the book back if she opts to  send you another credit to cover postage and you are willing to send it back, but you are under no obligation of course. 

I would politely let her know that she needs to communicate because PBS does not tolerate non-communication on a swap.  It would be 2 marks against her if it is marked unresolved and she fails to communicate.  I would also put a time limit on the response -5 days and if I do not receive my credit or communications stops I will mark the transaction unresolved.  Then plug in this from the help docs:

"If a requestor sends you a Personal Message about a problem swap, you do need to reply, and to resolve the problem if there was one.  Because the requestor can provide follow-up on how the problem was handled, resolving the problem will greatly reduce the effect of a problem swap on your account record. Unresolved problems (or not Responding to PMs about a problem swap) will more seriously affect your account record, if a pattern of this accumulates on your account.  Remember that one problem swap will not harm your account, even if it is marked as unresolved by the requestor who gives follow-up on how you handled the problem."

I know this was more than you asked, but putting in my 2 cents.  Good Luck - I hope it works out.

Thanks, Jubead.  That's a great quote from the help docs.  If she doesn't respond to the pm that I sent her today (and I will give her a few days to do this), I'll copy and send that.  I did explain to her the reason that pbs gives (and myself also) for not sending the book back--duh, I'm already out a credit for a non-postable book and then I would be out approximately the cost of another credit for postage to return the book.

If I don't hear from her, I'll do exactly what you said.  Thanks for the help.

And, if she wants the book back you're under no obligation to return it.  As jubead said she should give you a credit to cover postage.

This is also from the Help Docs

Your PM should be polite but clear.  It should clearly ask for a response, and if you want a credit refund, this information should also be included in the PM.

• If the sender does not respond to your PM within 5 days, submit this information in follow-up from the transaction archive.  This will send an email to the sender, prompting him or her to log in and deal with this problem swap.  If the sender does not respond to that email within 2 days (a total of 1 week since your original PM), contact us.  Failure to respond in an active account is considered admission of fault.

• If the problem is resolved by the sender, submit that information in follow-up from your transaction archive.

If the problem is NOT resolved by the sender (and negotiations are finished), submit that information in follow-up from your transaction archive. 

I had one and when I told her I would mark it unresolved and it would be two black marks against her account she caved. :)

And if you PM someone about a problem swap -- asking for a response -- and don't hear back in one week, the PBS team will get involved, if you ask them to.  They don't try to figure out whether or not a book was damaged, but they'll step in if someone isn't communicating.

Thanks to all of you.  You've given me some very helpful information.