I had a member request a book with RCs of no smoking and no spraying with perfume. I do neither so I accepted. Member is now RWAP claiming it smells of perfume and their allergies can not take it. Never had a complaint of a perfume smell and I have never sprayed with a perfume. I have shipped many times to people with RC conditions about smell and never had a complaint. In my place would you just give the credit back and move on? I don't see how I can possibly argue that I never sprayed with perfume if someone wants to claim to them it smells like perfume. If it had a perfume smell when I received I certainly didn't notice. I guess in future if a person asks for anything beyond a non-smoking I will have to consider declining because this just gets too subjective, to me it just smells like a book. Never had a book requested from me marked RWAP before. 

Since I have a no-tobacco smell RC myself, I let people know, who request books from me with that RC, I have the same RC. So, no books come into my house with that tobacco stink. Due to a severe allergy to tobacco odor, I've been an anti-tobacco activist for over 50 years. Everyone else finally caught up with me.

No perfume smell is somewhat harder to define. If you know for certain the book didn't have that odor, don't allow the RWAP. Sad to say, while some people do have problems with perfume, and I'm one, I'm fairly certain a few members here place an undefinable RC on their requests to get free books. In the future, think about some undefinable requests and perhaps deny them. I do. If you do allow the RWAP, let the PBS staff know about the problem. If they check and see that member is using RWAP for a lot of books, they'll take action.

Just like in other areas of life, i.e. scamming practices, these few members count on you wanting to avoid the stress of arguing and giving them back their credit.

If you know you didn't spray it with perfume, i would NOT refund credit. if you have a good trading record, this little blip will not effect your account with PBS.

As much as i hate to say it, some people will do anything to get their credit back.. I find it odd that someone would even have that request as an RC. How many people spray perfume on a book?

I don't see how I can possibly argue that I never sprayed with perfume if someone wants to claim to them it smells like perfume.

how can they argue that you did spray it?

if it were me, i just wouldn't respond to them and i definately would not refund the credit.

I would say no refund.

Perfume comes in so many varieties. How do we know which one is a problem? or are all smells bad. 

If her RC was literally asking that you not spray it with perfume (not specifically stating 'no smells', which is one of those subjective RCs that many will outright refuse anyway) and you didn't spray it then you are fine to not refund their credit. Just say, "Sorry, I didn't spray it with anything and I checked but didn't notice any perfume smell." Books easily acquire smells from all types of sources and some can be so subtle that not all folks will notice. She may just need to reword her RC if she needs books to be odorless.

How many people spray perfume on a book?

Actually, I have received two or three books which were sprayed with perfume, in an attempt to hide the tobacco odor on the book. In one case I marked it RWAP. In another case I left it on the back porch for a few weeks to remove the odor of the perfume and tobacco. It was a book I really wanted.

And then I remember the book which arrived with a perfume sachet. It reeked so much I could smell it when I pulled the package out of the mailbox. Turns out the member was also trying to recruit people to sell the sachets, in the same way Shaklee sellers try to get people 'under' them so they get a share of the sales. I let the member know this was a no-no for both PBS and the Postal Service. And I reported it to PBS too..

You are not required to give a credit back if you do not think that you are wrong. That is why PBS let's the sender decide to give a credit back or not.

I have shipped many times to people with RC conditions about smell and never had a complaint.

Yep, that's cause most people are normal

In my place would you just give the credit back and move on?

No, send a polite response, "Sorry you are not happy with the book but I do not use perfume and when I checked the books carefully I did not notice any perfume smells."

I don't see how I can possibly argue that I never sprayed with perfume if someone wants to claim to them it smells like perfume. 

See above.

If it had a perfume smell when I received I certainly didn't notice. I guess in future if a person asks for anything beyond a non-smoking I will have to consider declining because this just gets too subjective, to me it just smells like a book.

Well, that would be a shame, you've had a number of perfectly normal experiences with RCs, so why let one crazy person spoil it for everyone else?

Never had a book requested from me marked RWAP before. 

I have, not a big deal. PBS does not care unless it's a pattern of bad behavior.

Since you know that it didn't have perfume odor, I wouldn't refund the credit. Who knows what happened to the package once you dropped it at the PO. It could've very easily been sitting next to a package that was bathed in perfume. Someone could've sent a bottle of perfume to someone and it broke. The mail carrier could've been spraying perfume in the vehicle.

Forgot to add: Is the requester sure it's your book, and not someone else's?

I too have the no smoke odor RC due to bad allergy since I was 4 years old.

yep, what Thomas said about someone trying to mask tobacco smell has happened to me........

BUT, I'm sure I have ordered a book from you Nicole and NOT had any smells in it!

Thanks so much for all your input, it was a huge help! 

Sara- you're right. I am going to continue doing what I have always done and if I think my book falls within an RC, I am going to send it because I don't want others to miss out. 

LOL Thanks Jeanne! 

Nicole, I've had a couple of requests from people with similar RCs. The 'no smoke' RC is never a problem as I have the same RC. With RCs about other smells I usually accept the request and PM the requestor telling him/her that I don't use any perfumes or scents, I clean with vinegar not chemicals, and even use white vinegar as a fabric softener.  Then I ask the requester to cancel the request if this is not enough effort to fulfill the RC and to PM me with his/her decision. Taking the time to PM has worked well. No requests have been cancelled after this interchange of information, I've also had no RWAPs on the issues of scents. I did have one book marked RWAP, the requestor claimed it smelled of mildew. ALthough there was no RC the requestor was so obnoxious I refunded the credit just to be done with it, sometimes it's easier that way.

Ditto what Jeanne said - I've had books from Nikki and never any perfume smell, and believe me, I'd know it right away! 

Nikki..

Just tell her you didn't put perfume on the book. I have received books from you..never had a smell.

look at all these good character references (actually, good swapper) that we have given Nicole.......she would win in court!