I had a book on my wishlist on auto request and it was showing up on my main page.  OK!!

I just received an email saying that it was canceled due to my RC.  This is my RC:

HARDCOVERS ONLY!!

I am only willing to receive Hardcovers with the dust cover.   Thank you!!

The W/L book was a paperback.  HUH?  Oh well.  I have since changed my RC to read "RC FOR HARDCOVERS ONLY".  Hopefully, that doesn't confuse someone.  But, then again, it was probably someone that just doesn't accept anything with an RC.

Thanks for listening!! :)

Just FYI, your original RC would have confused me too.  I read it as you wanted hardcovers only (and very emphaticlly), and then only if they had dust jackets, not that what followed was an RC that only applied to hardcovers.

If you'll accept some advice, try changing your RC to say "This condition only applies to hardcover books, not to paperbacks."

If I only wanted a hardcover I wouldn't order a paperback to begin with.  I'm sorry but my common sense would tell me that, if your ordering a paperback in the first place, this RC doesn't matter.  But,  that's just me.  Obviously, others don't so it that way which is why I have changed it so that there's no more confusion.  It just seems to me that some take things too literal.  Granted, that may be because they have gotten burned and I can understand that. 

The reason I did bold Hardcovers Only was because I wanted them to know that the RC was for HC only and I wanted to make it as simple and short as possible for those that just glance at RC's.  But, live and learn.  Right?  Hopefully the change will help.

Thanks!

Edited for horrible spelling! :)  I also wanted to add that the above may sound snarky but it wasn't meant to be.  It's just the best way I could figure out how to say what I wanted.  I do appreciate the advice.

Your requester conditions would make me think that you only wanted hardcovers, and perhaps if you ordered a paperback you didn't read the the book description.  For me it's the punctuation.  "HARDCOVERS ONLY!!" is different that "HARDCOVERS ONLY:" or "Conditions for Hardcovers only:"

Yeah, I would have looked at that first line with the caps and underlining of HARDCOVERS ONLY!! and not read further...and then I would have wondered why you wishlisted a paperback if you only want hardcovers. LOL

Barbara wrote: If I only wanted a hardcover I wouldn't order a paperback to begin with.  I'm sorry but my common sense would tell me that, 

Barbara, haven't you yet discovered that there are a whole lot of people in the world who have no common sense? LOL There are people who totally would wishlist a paperback when they wanted a hardcover here--I've had  PM contact with a couple of them.

I myself would either apply the RCs only to hardcover books, or I would reword it to say:

If this is a paperback book, please accept the request and send it--I have no restrictions about paperbacks.

If this is a hardcover book, my condition is that it must have its dust jacket.

Cheryl

Barbara: I would have thought that too until someone ordered a hardcover from me then marked it RWP because they really wanted an audiobook.  It took several pms back and forth to convince that this was her fault not mine.

ETA: so I might have turned that down too thinking that you might have ordered the wrong book. I don't PM about RCS.

I'm with the others - I would have canceled the request too, assuming that you only wanted hardcovers and had ordered the paperback in error.

If I might make one more suggestion  - you might want to avoid using the acronym "RC" in your requestor condition.  A new person (or someone who doesn't read the forums) may not know what RC stands for. 

Instead, I suggest that you spell it out as "Requestor Condition".  (Or better, use Bernhard's suggestion above: "This condition only applies to hardcover books, not to paperbacks.")

As a Tour Guide, I've received several questions about this very issue, but from the other end.  As others have stated, there are members who do not understand how PBS works or are not familiar with how the Internet works.   Members have ordered a book by the title only, not realizing it was a paperback and being disappointed when it was received because they wanted a hardback copy.  So they wanted to put an RC on their requests, saying "Hardbacks Only", regardless of what they actually ordered.

Maybe something like:

"If the book I requested from you is paperback, thank you so much for sending it out.  If the book I requested from you is hardback, I ask that you include the dustjacket.  Thank you."

Phooey on clarity

I would have interpreted it the same way everyone else has. I don't think it's that people don't have common sense. It's common sense to think that what a person says is what they mean. No hardcovers means no hardcovers. Like someone else said though, a colon would have changed the meaning.

Wow. OK.  I'm a big enough person to admit I'm wrong.  But, you also have to admit that what is written is always understood by the writer.  I wrote it, I understood it and, unfortunately, figured others would.  I was wrong.  I see that now.  I've already changed the RC to be clearer and no more "screaming" in your face.

Kate, I'm sorry, too.  I shouldn't have taken what you said personally.  I completely understand how the written word can't really relay how you're trying to say something.  I have a tendancy to come off as being snarky when that's not what I truly wanted.

Anyway, I really do appreciate all of the suggestions and advice.  And, since people are giving advice, does this sound any better?  More clear of what I want?  I would turn my conditions on and off but I can't always be around my computer (although I do try to).

This condition only applies to hardcover books, not paperbacks.

When ordering a hardcover book, I am only willing to receive Hardcovers with the dust cover.   Thank you very much!!

Yes, Barbara that sounds MUCHO better!!!

Yep, I would have done a double take also and thought you'd accidently ordered the wrong book and really only wanted HARDCOVER books, and would have turned you down too.  Pat

Sounds perfect!

As a victim of a false-wrong book RWP against me: I would accept that last RC.  It's clear that you don't only want hardbacks but if you are requesting a hardback that you want the dust jacket.