I've searched help and this forum, but haven't quite found the nuance of my question, so here goes: I'm new around here and originally just grabbed a big stack of books to post willy-nilly, but not all of my to-be-offered books. MANY of them went into the mail quickly including the first of a hardback series (I still have and hadn't at the time posted the 2 - 4 books (also hardback) of the series). So I grabbed a new stack which included book 2 of the series and posted that. Now I've gotten better organized, I've realized I really should have kept those together (there are WLs for books 1, 2 & 4) and maybe offered a deal in that genre's forum...

So since someone's WL has been granted for book 2, is it fair/kosher/within-etiquette to offer them the non-posted books 3 & 4 for trade credits, even though there's a WL on 4? The WL is 3 for the HB edition, 10 for paperback...And the person who's getting Book 2 isn't on the WL for 4. Complicated? I'd like to offer them 3 & 4, but don't want to be a bad PBS'er that line jumps, but I would like to save on postage. Alternately, I might be interested in trading straight-up for a couple of books on their shelf . Thoughts? Comments? I promise not to take it personally! Thanks in advance, Michelle

I've done that.  Especially with people I know from the forums.  It's good to save money on postage.  And they can refuse if they don't want the others.

Ruth

It is your option to offer it.  It saves you alot of postage on those HBs.  If they accept, make sure they put the books on their WL, then post the book directly to their WL.  Go to their page to post the book. 

My personal theory is FIFO except when you can combine postage. 

Alternately, I might be interested in trading straight-up for a couple of books on their shelf .

As I understand the rules here, the only way to do this without using credits is for both of you to be Box-O-Books members.

There are a few creative ways that you can agree do this using credits. You can post the books to the other one's WL, being sure that you are still on their WL and not on the general description page for that book when you hit the "Post this book" button. If you are on the general description page, it will offer the book to the first person in line.

Or you can arrange the deal through PM and buddy each other the credits. Although this is easier, it also has no safeguards, so trust is needed. I would only do this with someone that I already know through the forums or past trades.

Saving on postage is a good thing! For series, or Teacher/Student text combos, I will usually post only one and offer the other(s) by PM to the requestor

Oh.  I didn't even notice that sentence.  Trading straight up isn't allowed.  You may order directly from their bookshelf.  But a deal that requires it or skips PBS is frowned on.  No security for one.  And PBS is somehow funded by us going through the site. 

but there is the box of books program! people who join )$8.00 a year) can swap with other boxers no points involved!

or- if you were a boxer-say you had a wl book offered to you and you are a boxer. so you check theit shelf and see they are a boxer too- sometimes you can do a box deal on top of the credit deal (and no- i would not ask for the credit book to be included in the box deal- you can, but i would not)

Thanks everyone for the responses - I was leaning towards the 'nope, don't do it' side of the decision and y'all confirmed it/educated me on the etiquette. But as it turns out the other member just needs this one book to finish the series collection in Hardback. So crisis averted & now I know where that gray-line is! Thanks again!

You can always post the first one and check to see if the others or on their WL and post those directly to someone to save on postage or PM them to see if they are interested in them. The no-no is offering WLed books in the Book Bazaar. the only place I have seen that accepted is in the WL threads in the genre forums.

Trading book-for-book can only be done if both members are in Box-o-Books. Technically WL books can't be traded there  because they never get to your shelf. If you post them they are automatically put on hold for the WL line. I have heard that some Boxers do make arrangements for trading WL books and PBS doesn't mess with them since they are using the paid service. The issue I would have is that you have to do it outside of the system and then you are not protected by the system if the other swapper doesn't hold up their end of the bargain or send you an unpostable book.

It's perfectly OK to offer to post a WL book directly to someone. Everytime I post a WL book, I check that person's WL to see if I have something else I can read and post to them. I ask first incase they are out of credits. 

If I have a series that's WL-I'll read them all and then post the 1st one-most of the time they have at least 1 more on their WL and I ask if I can post that one too.  In the Mystery/Thriller and Love/Romance boards there are threads where people post what WL books they have.  Sometimes I post there.  I post mainly to FIFO but if I have more than 1 from a series I might check there to save on postage.  I wouldn't be able to keep doing PBS if I couldn't combine postage on some books.

WL books can't really be done through BOB.  They never make it to your shelf. 

Why bother trading book-for-book anyway?  Isn't giving and receiving a credit the same thing?

No, trading book for book means that you negotiate with another member to trade their books for your books.  The credit thing is a funded transaction that doesn't allow books to be traded for books.  Some people don't have that many credits and don't mind reading books that are freely available and sitting on someone's shelf.  The trick is to find another Boxer who has the books you would like.

Ruth