I have mailed out three books that have been recieved.  I have 3 enroute to me (4 more days and they can be declared lost)  I'm reading the Stephanie Plum series and really didn't think I'd be waiting so long to get the books.  Is this the usual wait time?  It's a little...ok really frustrating :)

The wait time is very sporadic.  The media mail books are the lowest priority and if the other postage fills up the bin.. they have to wait.  That being said... I have gotten some book quicker than expected.  I think in general... I see 10 days as being the norm... but quicker and MUCH slower happens too.  It is odd that 3 of yours are so close to being "lost"... but stranger things have happened.  One of my very first ordered books went Lost...but this is not the normal thing.  Don't give up.. this site has been a bundle of fun :  )

i find the site totally worth it.  i've been able to get quite a few books that have been on my 'find used' list for a long time - at least one that's been on that list for four years.  mostly the books have shown up within a couple of weeks of being mailed.  there have been a few that show up near immediately because they were light enough to be mailed first class, or they were shipped from within the same state, and i've had a couple of transactions that took longer.  it may depend on where the books are coming from (or to) - AK and HI will probably take longer.  i've got one that shipped 3 weeks ago that hasn't been heard from again, but hopefully it'll show up soon.

plus reading the forums i'm getting new ideas for other things to read.  :)

Yes it is worth being here! Sometimes there are books that take longer than others or some transactions may not be as peachy as others but I find the better times far outweigh the negative and I have traded wonderful books here and met such special people,one of which has become a close friend of mine : ) I love it here!

I find it fun to get books for family in addition to me and hubby.  My mom wanted Jane Austen books and had a great time looking over my shoulder while we searched and picked them out... her comment was "What Fun!"

I usually get most of mine in a week to 10 days.  Depends how fast people are with mailing them and where they're coming from.   For example, books from Hawaii often take a month or more.  It's absolutely worth it to me!  It's like the world's greatest online used book store. 

If I have books taking a very long time, I usually pm the sender and follow up regarding when the book was mailed.  Once in a while you'll have a glitch.  For example, one person told me her husband had taken the books to the P.O.  When she double checked, however, the book had slid under the car seat; she found it and mailed to me FC, apologizing all over herself.  I've also had a couple of isolated incidents of books being mailed to the wrong requestor (which we eventually straightened out), but overall 90% of the books reach me on a timely basis without issue. 

Also - I've had a few books "go lost" only to turn up a few days later.  So, if your books go lost, don't worry!  It would be HIGHLY unusual for 3 books to never show. 

Average time for me is about 10-14 days.  There are, of course, the variants to that.  Once I had a book take over 2 months to get to me.  The sender and I could not figure out why the book going from NY to DE took so long.  The packaging was clean, so it didn't look like it got "lost" under something.

There are also senders who send (really) late and don't tell you...

This site is absolutely worth every dollar I spent on postage!!!!  I've gotten so many books here and not have to worry about missing the due date (like the library) and paying fines. 

I receive my books typically within 2 weeks and noticed that it is quicker mailing from west to east.  Also, I'm lucky to be near a 7-day PO and if I mail on the weekends, when there are less 1st class mail, my media mail items seem to arrive quicker.   Every single book I've mailed (using credits) have arrived but a few that were coming to me never made it.    With BOB, that is another story, I've had about 7 bad transactions but I think it was due to the other trader and not the USPS. 

Ya Sheila it is worth it...I so far have had only 1 book never get to me but the sender sent me another in its place...As with anything you order especially when it comes to books there is always a longer wait time..Ive ordered books from like Ebay and Amazon and the wait time averages the same as on here..Dont throw in the towel yet..Itsfun getting and sending books to other people...I would go to your post office and see if the books are up there..

Jessica

Oh yes, most definitely worth it!  Postage is cheaper than buying books new.  I don't have a used bookstore anywhere in the area so PBS has been quite the $$ saver for getting books to read.

It has been worth it for me. It has taken as short a time as 2 days and as long as 17 days for me to receive books. I hate waiting also,but the anticipation is so delicious. I have been able to get books that I couldn't find after months of searching in the local used book store. Just as wonderful is the finding out about authors that are new to me and finding book series that I never knew about.

When those books come it's like Christmas. 

Are all 3 books coming from the same person?  If they're coming from Alaska, Hawaii or an APO/FPO address they could take longer. 

I got frustrated when I first joined and the sender on the very first request I made, sent me the wrong book. I'm like "oh-no" I made a big mistake doing this. But really it's been great and out of about 100 books that I've received only a handful were bad and they're still all readable. I've sent out over 200 books (I think) and haven't had one complaint. 

       Sheila A.

 Yes this site is so worth it . I have never had a problem with getting books back . It seems the further away to get them the quicker I receive them . But then again it can depend on when the member gets it mailed out . The more popular books seem to move faster , but i had one that i thought would never move and just today I mailed it out , so its hard to say . Hang in  there , you will get rid of them , or check the " Book bazaar" , woth looking at .

                                                  Dolores H

Hopefully they were not on this truck.

PO Truck Fire

Definately worth it.  Very unusual that you have 3 being delayed.  In 15 months everything I've send has arrived, and only a couple got lost on their way to me.  I've recently had very good shipping times, mostly within a week.  90% or more are arriving within 14 days, and only a few straggling along after that.  It also may depend on weight if you are shipping or requesting hardbacks. With the last rate change, so many of the smaller books are going first class and arriving in 2 or 3 days even. 

Really, quicker from west to east?  I couldn't live much more west and still be in continental US, so most of my books are being shipped westward.  Northward out of California is also very quick.

Mikeylou...has a point, there are a few members who send really late.  Most are really great tho.

One thing I've noticed over the months...

In the early months, my TBR (to be read) pile was small to non-existent.  I was pretty much hanging out by the mailbox anxiously awaiting each book to arrive because dang it I needed something to read!!!!

As things went on, I traded more books, I earned more credits, well, pretty soon my TBR pile started to grow.  And I've hit the point where I order books I'm going to want to read but I'm not necessarily diving into them 5 minutes after they arrive (you know who you are people!!!!)  I've got a bag full of possibilities.  I'm no longer a mailbox watcher...it's more like a "Oh yeah...good...I forgot I ordered that...great I want to read it" experience instead of a "where the heck is that book!!!!" situation.

Also, vs. the local used book store...I don't waste a trip.  Lots of times I want something specific, go look at the local UBS and they don't have it.  You rarely have that problem on PBS- you can usually go straight to something you are looking for like the next book in a series.

It's great.

Sara

I think this site is worth it.  Not only have I met some awesome people via PM's, but I was also able to get books that my husband and son have been wanting but were unable to find.  I'm also clearing out the books that I don't want and that are just taking up space because I don't have the heart to throw out any book unless it's in really bad condition.

This site is definitely worth it. I have had books have arrived as quickly as two days later to 45 days later. The book that arrived 45 days later showed the person had mailed the book within the two day window. When using Media Mail you just do not know when the book will arrive.

That's true!  In some areas, it has a very low priority.

So far, I've gotten my books quickly, and I can't complain about the price. ;)

Ok since I posted that, only 2 out of 7 books I've requested were lost in the post office great beyond.  That's pretty good!  I don't think any of mine that I've mailed have been lost.   Plus it's nice knowing that books I have are being recycled to someone else.  I think I'm addicted.  We just moved and I was looking at Goodwill or consignment shops for some shelves to put in the garage.  I spent more time in the books and left totally forgetting what in the world i came in there for!   (I made a list from the wishlist of books to watch for so i can post them!)

While I was packing, I packed "Three to Get Deadly"  so I bought another one.  Now I have two!  I keep on in the car and one at home.  I'll be done in no time!

I have over 600 books received and close to that many sent.  Yes, it's worth it. :)

Lately, books have been taking longer to get here (Oregon).  Not sure what's up - but a week used to be about average and now, I'd say it's closer to two weeks.  All of our mail flies into Sea-Tac and gets processed there - so it may be that the mail planes are flying less frequently or something.