Hello ...

I'm curious as to what to do in this case. One of the books on my wish list came available on 12/7, so I requested it. The member never answered the emails from PBS so the system eventually cancelled the request and put my name back on the wish list. 

The same person posted the same book again and I requested it on 12/18.  He did the same thing and again the request was cancelled (I got the cancellation email today).

The next email in my box was from PBS saying the book was available -- from the same guy!  (You saw that coming, didn't you?) Since I would still like the book, I went ahead and requested it again although at this point it's like a game I'm playing.

What gives? Is this a glitch in the system or is this person posting the book but refusing to send it to me?

Any ideas?

Barbara

It sounds like someone who is not taking PBS seriously.  He posts the book then doesn't bother with it-then  he comes back after it's timed out and reposts the book and then forgets about it etc.., in the mean time no on else had posted it and so it's you who keeps getting the WL offer.

I would PM this guy and let him know that you are going to report him to PBS if he keeps doing it. Although really all these time outs should put a red-flag on his account and get him closed by PBS or at least a warnign from PBS.  But he might be just active enough that the system isn't flagging him. 

If it happens again-I would report it to PBS.  Maybe they can send an automated warnign that his account will be suspended if he keeps ignoring book requests. 

Thanks for both your suggestions! I was sure it coudn't be "normal" for this to happen and I hated to make an official complaint until I knew something was amiss....

Barbara

I had one sender who kept doing the same thing as well. I think we went through her posting the book four times and canceling it. I think she was trying to post to someone's wishlist and just kepy posting it into the system.

This happened to me recently. It was posted. Times out. Posted again. Marked mailed. Went "lost". Posted again. No response to PMs. I contacted PBS. They temporarily suspended her account until they could discuss it with her.  She eventually did send the book, and all was well.

edited to add more info.

I'd definitely PM the other member and ask them what the problem is.  Are they new and just don't know what to do?  Or are they trying to post it to someone directly and don't know how?  If you don't get a response, then I'd contact PBS.

A few months ago I was offered a book that was on my Wish List, which I accepted. Two days later, the sender canceled it, then reposted it. Of course, I reaccepted it. The sender then sent me a PM saying that the book was spoken for and could I please remove myself from the Wish List so the other person could have the book.

Of course, I said no. If they want to send a book to a particular person, they need to work that out with the person to want to send it to, not demand that someone else give up their spot on the Wish List. I did eventually get a copy of the book, though it wasn't from that sender.

I had a similar thing happen this past summer.  A WL book came up and since I had it on auto request, all I had to do was wait for the member to mail. This was an active member who posted several more books while I was waiting for the one I'd requested to be mailed, so it wasn't like this person posted and forgot about his account.  Finally it timed out and I went back to my place on the WL...this was easy as I was the only one wishing.  At the beginning of January the book came up again. Lo and behold, it was posted by the same member.  I'm not sure what happened the first time he posted, but this time the request was accepted, mailed and received.  I was dying to ask what happened the first time around, but decided that it wasn't worth pursuing.

The sender then sent me a PM saying that the book was spoken for and could I please remove myself from the Wish List so the other person could have the book.

First off, that member obviously did know how to post directly to someone's WL.  Secondly, what an @sshat for asking that regardless!!

Wow! I wonder if that poster would take a book off of their WL for that reason?!

What was your response?

The sender then sent me a PM saying that the book was spoken for and could I please remove myself from the Wish List so the other person could have the book.

It's probably someone who doesn't know how to post a book to someone's WL, or doesn't really understand the FIFO system for that matter.  The person they want to get the book would have to be next in line for it anyway.  Not that it's a reasonable request or anything; they just may not realize that, or know that if you cancelled you'd lose your place in line, & the request would go to the next person in line.  Some people are just unclear on who needs to cancel the transaction in specific cases & why.

Finally it timed out and I went back to my place on the WL...this was easy as I was the only one wishing. At the beginning of January the book came up again. Lo and behold, it was posted by the same member. I'm not sure what happened the first time he posted, but this time the request was accepted, mailed and received. I was dying to ask what happened the first time around, but decided that it wasn't worth pursuing.

Been there, done that too.  I presumed that they realized they didn't have the postage money & reposted it when they did.

OMG! I I'm not alone. This happened to me 5 times last year, same books, same person. Finally, I sent a PM to PBS(she kept sending me PM's that she would send it out and never did). 5 times the request timed out.  they suspended her.

the problem with this behavior is that it temporarily removes one from the WL (as your wish is being fulfilled), so a sincere poster could come along and post the book and you wouldn't get it.

^ months later, I got the book from someone else.

As, to removing myself from the WL, no way ever!