I took someone up on an offer of 2 for 1. I ordered one book and chose another book off her shelf. The book I ordered is in great condition, but my 2nd book, is clearly unpostable. With a decent amount of water damage, plus a huge stain on the outside of the pages, looks almost like it could have been food at one time (ewww).

Anyway, I got one good book equaling the one credit I paid, so I don't think I could or should ask for my credit back, and since the actual ordered book in the system is okay, I can't mark it RWAP.  However, this is not an "iffy" postability question, and this is not a new member, so I don't feel like it's okay that this book was posted for swap.

Should I just PM and say something about this book being unpostable, be more careful in the future, how do you say that without sounding condescending? Especially when this person has been a swapper a couple years longer than me,..

Yeah, in this case, I think you swallow it and pass the damaged book on as a freebie.  Since you only paid one credit and received a "good" book for it, you're really not out anything.  Others may have differing opinions but that's my two cents worth!

you know, I don't mind since I did recieve 1 good book, but it's a principal thing, ya know? I wouldn't post somthing like that, so I just can't wrap my mind around others doing so.

if it was originally posted on the members shelf and not from a list of unpostables that they had, then i personally would ask for my credit back since the book should never have been posted in the first place

When doing the receiving process, I would also note it in the section that goes to PBS when you mark it received. I'd put that a free book (from their posted shelf) sent with the order was clearly unpostable and then list the things wrong. That way it gets into their transaction history incase there is a problem with them.

Beth, I would PM the sender, let her know the 2nd book you received is damaged and if you like, ask her if you can choose another book from her bookshelf to replace it.

I personally wouldn't feel comfortable asking for my credit back. I'd probably just note it in the section where PBS asks if there's anything else they should know. I agree that there isn't any good way to PM telling her it was damaged and should never have been posted to swap in the first place.

I probably wouldn't ask for a credit back but I might mark it RWP and put that the sender offered a deal and you asked for a freebie off their shelf as offered and the book that was posted to their shelf was clearly unpostalbe. Which means they are posting and possibly sending out unpostable books.

Or at the least mark it okay but put in the comments section about the 2nd book.  THen it'll at least be there for PBS to see if they have any complaints about this person.

I believe a message on the title page like that is not considered "within the text"?

I would mark it received (not RWAP) and then PM something like this -

"Thank you for sending me ______ [ordered book]. It's in great condition. You probably didn't notice this, but the second book, ______, was stained/water damaged and definitely unpostable. Of course I didn't mark RWP since it was a freebie for me, but it was posted on your PBS shelf, so you might want to doublecheck your books just in case. If someone else had ordered that book for credit they probably would have been pretty upset! Thanks again for _____. I'm looking forward to reading it."

I really think you should call them on it. You can do it in a nice, nonconfrontational way that implies it was an accident - hey i'm kindly giving you a heads up on a potential problem you didn't notice! rather than "how could you send me this crap??" It still sends the message that you noticed (and didn't really appreciate) the condition of the book.

I like Kate's suggested PM--it's very well worded and explains clearly what the issue is.

This is one of the reasons I don't go for deals--I've seen too many posts about people holding deals who think that because the book is free, it doesn't need to be postable. WRONG, unless you are advertising it as "order one book, get an unpostable book free." If it was on your shelf, it should be in postable condition. I wouldn't ask for my credit back, but I would let them know nicely that the free book was gross.

Cheryl