I recently received a book that was in unpostable condition.  There was writing ALL throughout the book (notes, underlining, circled text, full sentences in all the margins, even flowers doodled everywhere!)  I marked it RWAP and PM'd the sender, asking for my credit back.

She responded saying I should have included my dislike for writing in books in my original request, since the outside of the book was in good condition.  She also asked if I would be sending the book back to her.  I was just annoyed by getting the book in that condition, since it would be kind of hard to gain my own perspective of the book with someone else's thoughts scribbled everywhere in it....sigh.

Anyway, my question is, do I have to send the book back to the sender to get my credit back?  I would not want to have to spend extra postage money because of her mistake.  This is the first RWAP book I receieved so I wasn't sure exactly what I had to do.

Any advice would be appreciated...thanks guys!

You absolutely do NOT have to send the book back to her.  The book is clearly not postable  under PBS guidelines and her attitude suggests that she either doesn't know that or doesn't care.  Go to the help center and copy/paste the posting guidelines.  Send them to her along with a request that she refund your credit by a specific date.  Keep your request calm, just give her the rules and your request for a refund, nothing more.  If she refuses, make sure your mark the transaction as not being satisfactorily resolved.

From the Help Center

Overall Condition:

• No damage at all from water or other liquid
• Not soiled
• No stains (exception for cookbooks--see below)
• No mold
• no highlighting, underlining or writing on text pages (exception for textbooks --see below)
• a signature or note on the flyleaf or inside front or back cover is OKAY
• an author's signature on the title page is OKAY
• writing or highlighting on the text pages is NOT OKAY
  • Exception: if it is a textbook or workbook, these are expected to have highlighting/underlining/writing
    • if you post a textbook/workbook, the condition must be described to the requestor in a Personal Message
    • AND the described condition MUST BE AGREED TO before the book is sent
    • This is the one of the ONLY two cases in which a PM exchange about a book is required before the book can be sent

From the help center.......

The vast majority of swaps take place without a problem at PBS.  But of course nothing is perfect!  If you receive a book with an "official" problem as listed below, you should mark it received with a problem to note this on the sender's record and contact the sender for your credit refund. 

You are not obligated to return the problem item at your expense, but if the sender gives you an extra credit or postage to do so, of course you may. 

I love that.  "It's not my fault because you didn't specify that you wanted a book that met PBS guidelines."  That's priceless.  And yes, I'm extremely grumpy today, but exercising *amazing* self control, even if you can't tell.  ;-) 

I've had a few problem transactions where the sender wanted the book back, and with only one exception they've buddied me the credit for the return postage, as well as returning my credit for the "bad trade" -- usually apologizing profusely for the problem. 

I only had one guy who was a real jerk.  He told me he wanted the book back and when I asked him if he would like to send me the postage or give me a credit for the postage, I never heard from him again.  Though it was a nice book, it was *not* the one I ordered and *not* the one he posted.  I marked that transaction as "not resolved" and didn't feel a bit guilty about it. 

I just went through something similar.  I received a ARC and when I marked it RWAP and pm'd them asking for my credit back, they said they would be happy to do so after they received it back (mailed at my expense).  I quoted from the help files, requested either the postage to my pay pal acct or an extra credit and was met with silence.

Eventually I marked it not resolved and traded the ARC away in the Bazaar with another book order.  Annoys me to no end when people think the rules do not apply to them.

I think it's more of they don't bother to read the rules to begin with.

Give me the Sender's address, so I can mail them the hair I just pulled out reading the response they gave you!

 If I were you I'd copy-paste the PM conversation and send it to TPTB...this kind of swapper deserves a little attention.

They must have been absent they day they taught reading at school!