So i had a post on here a few days ago, asking if it is possible that you get a auto request that cancels out because it keeps waiting for member and they never click accept, so it finally timed out and when i look at my wish list it says 2 books accepted this week, when i was #2 on the list to receive the book, how does that happen.  I've been number 2 since November, how do I get skipped?

Someone that was on vacation went off vacation.

Or someone behind you had the item posted directly to them.  Many are posting in the WL multiples threads to save on shipping.

Or it was posted while yours was waiting for the other member to accept.  If wouldn't hold off on offering another copy to the next wisher incase yours timed out.  Any posted during that time would be passed on to people behind you. 

The only time I ever pay attention to my position in line is if I'm really low on credits and want to see how many I might be close to getting.  Or I'm buying books from Amazon and don't want to get one I'm near the top for here.

All it could say is 2 books posted, there's nothing to say those books were accepted. The book that timed out on you would be in that count. If another copy was posted while you were waiting for the poster to respond, that would give it 2 copies posted in the last week.

I had a WL book come up, I accepted.  The sender waited the full time to NOT reply, so I went back on the list for the book.  In the meantime 23 copies of the book were sent out, but I was still waiting at #1.  I did get the book a short time later, but still don't understand someone posting a book and then just letting it time out and not just declining.  Pat

I notice a lot of those are new members that just post some book titles to get their 2 free credits, then they skeedaddle.

That is what didn't make sense to me about why it was important to "spend" your first 2 credits.  It seems like it would be in the best interest of the community that to activate an account you actually have to contribute to the reading pool if you will, rather than scamming the first two free credits?

Receiving 2 books confirms that the address is valid, and that a new member will mark books received when they arrive.

I notice a lot of those are new members that just post some book titles to get their 2 free credits, then they skeedaddle. 

That happens a lot, and some of those non-response WL books also come from members who post them by accident (for whatever reason).  Since WL books cannot be deleted until they are requested, some members post by accident and then ignore the request until it goes away. 

I said it before, I'll say it again: I think the 2 free credits should not be given until the new member completes 2 outgoing transactions. The site is probably losing a lot of $$ handing out credits to all the new members that are just here to get 2 free books.

It'd probably cut down somewhat on all those non-responsive WL book posters too.

OK, but think about a new member joining, and wants to see if PBS actually works.

First, they post some books, then if none of them are Wish Listed, they wait and wait and wait until they have completed 2 orders to be able to order a book?

I think you would end up with a lot MORE abandoned accounts, not less of them.

Giving them 2 free credits goes a long way to helping new members understand that PBS is a real website, that the swapping method really works, and that it is not a scam (or that most members are not scammers). And that they can be enthusiastic about the site, instead of losing interest right away if they don't get any orders and can't order anything themselves.

Without free credits, there would be a lot less new members. A lot less.

I don't run across all these accounts that are not active, like some people seem to. I only get an occasional rollover. And, I'm a pretty active trader. (order/mail about 30 books per month). I'm not so sure that there are tons of accounts out there where people only joined specifically to get the free credits. I hardly ever even get a rollover when posting or ordering.

Yeah, it's nice to get freebies thrown at you the minute you walk in the door. It is not necessary to prove a website, or any business "actually works." Not handing out freebies, or requiring a person to earn them in some small way, is not going to cause most people to avoid the place or think it's a scam. It's a perfectly normal and acceptable way to do things.

Restaurants do not give free meals to new patrons to prove that their food is palatable.

If I told eBay I wanted my stuff shipped free because I have no proof that the person was really goint to send it, I doubt they'd agree.

We've all visited loads of stores and websites, and most of them don't feel it necessary to throw gifts at every browser just to get them to use the place. Or if they do, you'd have have to use the place first. Maybe with a first order, you can get free shipping or a free gift added to the order.

Free stuff is not going to make anyone loyal to a particular business, but they'll definitely show up to pick up the swag.

All of your examples are regarding a business model where someone is spending money to purchase a product directly. Not one where someone spends their own money to give someone else a product.

At PBS, you are asking new members to spend their own money to fulfill someone else's book order. With no proof that they will get anything in return. (Sure, they get a "credit". (If the other person marks the book received, which you might not be sure of when it is your first book being mailed out.) What is a credit worth anyway if you don't know the site?).

It's the complete opposite of eBay, which you would have to be living under a rock to not know is a legitimate business site on the internet. (PBS is hardly well known in any sense of the word). And people mailing goods on eBay, mail them out AFTER they have received not only payment, but postage too.

At a restaurant, I eat all the food before I pay.

At eBay, someone pays me before I mail anything out at all.

I think receiving free credits proves to new members that there are other people willing to spend their own money to send them books. It proves that the site really works.