Hmmmm, I wrapped the book requested and included free unpostable one she asked for, but she claims both HCs arrived with broken spines with one missing the last page of book and the other with loose pages in the middle!  How can that type of damage happen while in the mail??

Neither book had any loose binding, missing page, or broken spine when I mailed them!   And because they were thin children's books (only 1/4 inch wide each), I put a thick piece of cardboard on either side of the "brick", then covered with a plastic bag to prevent water damage  before I wrapped them.   

I refunded her credit, but will never do another swap with her!

Odds are you won't ever get another request from her in a club this size.

Books can take a lot of abuse travelling through USPS going through sorting machines; getting large, heavy packages stacked/dropped on them; sitting in the bottom of a truck with tons of other mail on top of it. Out of all damage, to me spine damage seems to be one that could easily happen in transit, especially on used books where they might have already been weakened.

I had one book that I opened and checked 3 times because it was an old book I'd received from a smoker. The spine didn't even have any creases, but on the third time the spine cleaved and pages came loose. Had I looked twice and sent it that's what the receiver would have had happen the first time they opened it. After that I realized a book could leave a sender's hands looking perfectly fine and reach the receiver looking very bad resulting in a transaction where both sides think the other one is trying to rip them off. Put your faith in honesty from the other member and hope they will give you the same.

You are not under any obligation to refund credits, especially if you know that the books you sent out are postable.  The books may have been damaged by the PO, but if you buffered the books with cardboard and wrapped in plastic before wrapping, I doubt they were.  It may be that the receiver was trying to get something for nothing.

I know it's hard to say no sometimes, but you're under no obligation to return credits if you are sure they left your home in acceptable condition and feel that you wrapped them securely. Why should you suffer for the occasional abuse inflicted by some random postal worker or soulless machine?

I refunded a credit today for a member who said a book arrived with a half torn cover.  I know when I mailed it the book was in good condition.   I didn't want to get into a long PM debate with her.  It just seemed easier to return the credit and be done with it. 

I mailed 2 thin children's books once and they got damaged by the PO too.  I think that even with the extra cardboard, they are easier to bend than most books.  I refunded the credit, just because that is how I'd like someone to treat me.  Needless to say, my thin paperback, odd shaped children's books are going to the UBS instead of PBS for just that reason.

I request a lot of childrens books, thin and thick, I have never had a single one get damage like that and being bent a little by the mail carrier is a risk you take. I would not refund, it sounds like they were trying to get something for nothing

Old spines can very easily break in the mail. That said, if something seems fishy just don't return the credit.

I agree with the others who said they wouldn't refund. I check my books over carefully before sending and package them well, so someone requesting a credit back for unpostability problems would have to go a LONG way to convince me to return a credit. As long as you packaged the books well (and it sounds like you did) I don't believe you're responsible for damage that happens en route.

There are people out there who will try to get a credit back, thinking just asking you is going to shame you into returning the credit, but don't fall into that trap. Of course if you really *aren't* sure...then return the credit and move on.

Cheryl