If you order a book and then cancel it before a member accepts the order does that affect your account?

Well, once in a while, no. If you do it constantly, maybe.

Also, there is a 1 hour delay between placing an order, and the order appearing to the other person. Thsi time period is for the purpose of changing your mind and cancelling orders. 

Another question in the same vein.....If you accept a book order, and then realize upon closer inspection that there is something that makes the book unpostable, does it affect your account, or the other persons account if the transaction is cancelled?  I feel terrible, and gave the other person the option to cancel (wishlisted) or to choose another postable book from my shelf that I can send WITH the unpostable wishlisted book.  I'm guessing if it's a common occurence that it starts affecting things.

Tara,  If a WL'd book you posted is unpostable, then you should cancel the order.  The requester should NOT cancel the order because then they will lose their place in the WL line.  But if YOU cancel, that requester will remain first in line for the net available copy of the book.  

Ardith! Thank you so much for that info.  I will pm the other person right now and make sure they are also aware.

I've had to cancel 3 or 4 now for that reason. As long as you don't make a habit of posting then cancelling WL books you should be fine.  If you are constantly doing that then you might get a warning from PBS to only post books you intend to send.  But it happens to all of us occasssionally.

Well, it's certainly better to cancel an order BEFORE you send it than to go ahead and send it anyway and get a RWAP on your record!! I've cancelled very few, but I have done some...usually not a WL book, but a book that's on my shelf. Occasionally my kids will borrow my books, which is why I always go through them carefully before accepting an order--I have had to cancel a couple because of stains or water damage that wasn't there when I originally posted the book. (Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr     Darned kids anyway!)

Cheryl