I got this RC today (havn't accepted or not)  and sorry if it belongs to you... but any opinions out there on accepting or not?  It's just so much info and so I think -  will my book ever be good enough for them? 

Please: -

 - Double check ISBN # as most of the time I want a specific edition. If the cover picture is different from what I have requested, that is ok, as long as the ISBN is the same. 

 - Due to allergies, I cannot receive books from a smoking environment, or that smell like smoke. 

 - If I request a hardback book, and it is missing its dustcover, please send me a (PM) personal message first, so that I have the option to choose.

 - If it is a school or homeschool workbook, please make sure there is no writing in it.

Please PM me if in doubt about any of the requestor conditions. (To do this, accept the request, regardless of the requestor conditions, and then PM me - thanks)

The only one that might give me pause is about PMing over hardcovers without dust jackets. That might be a pain. But, otherwise these RCs don't sound that bad.

Edited for typos and to add something.

Last Edited on: 6/22/09 7:32 PM ET - Total times edited: 2

I am more than happy to check ISBN number.  If it matches----->CHECK

I live in a non-smoking home so that's not an issue------> CHECK

Writing in any book, workbook or otherwise is not an issue as I don't mail anything w/ writing on it-----> CHECK

The only hoop I am not jumping through is PMing anyone. But the only issue you'd have to PM this person is if your hardback is missing its DJ.

But I don't post HC books w/out their DJs so .....>CHECK

I am 99% sure I could send them their book.

How 'bout you?

I don't smoke, and would give the book a really good sniff once to see if I can detect any smoke-ish odor at all. If no, I'd decide it's ok.

I very rarely trade HC's, but if it were missing a dustcover I'd likely decline rather than PM; moreover, I'd be leery of trading with a cover with any tears/holes whatsoever with this person.

The "no writing" RC and ISBN ones are pretty clearcut: either you can or can't comply.

I don't think there are folks out there on the smoking issue looking for "gotchas" on books, but have received ones with significant odor. If you can't honestly detect any, I'd send it. Should they RWAP, I'd respond along the lines of "I made a good faith effort to send a book that met your no smoking condition, because I honestly couldn't detect any smell whatsoever."

It's just so much info and so I think -  will my book ever be good enough for them?  Its easy to see if your book is good enough for them; there are 4 pretty simple, almost yes or no, questions, answer them approriately and your book is good enough for them. The only one that isn't a yes or no question is the dust jacket one, does your book have one? then they will be happy. Doesn't have one? well then it is your choice to accept and PM them about it, or deny the request and move on.

I personally would decline. Since I have a very poor sense of smell, I can not say my book will not smell like smoke to the recipient.. I would accept an RC that is phrased "from a smoking environment" if I bought the book new, or "currently from a smoking environment" if I bought the book used, since no one smokes in my household.

 - If I request a hardback book, and it is missing its dustcover, please send me a (PM) personal message first, so that I have the option to choose.

I'm also a little annoyed by this request, but if my hardcover does not have a dust jacekt, I would probably PM the requestor because it's a straightforward question. I would also add something like "If I don't hear from you by [the date you picked you would mail book by], I am sending the book anyway because technically all you asked for is a PM." This saves yourself the dilemma of sending or not sending if you don't hear from the requestor.

My annoyance stems from the RC author's indecision and subsequent inconvenicing of another person. I am not bothered that anyone has particular conditions, but my personal opinion is that (s)he knows the title/ISBN of what (s)he is ordering. If (s)he really doesn't care about having the dust jacket for this particular title, (s)he could be considerate and edit this part of the RC when requesting this title, instead of placing the burden on another person to PM and be waited on. Here's some recent discussion about RCs. I've also cut and pasted the relevant part of the help docs when RCs ask for PMs.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/forum/topic.php?t=166006

http://www.paperbackswap.com/forum/topic.php?t=169120

From the Help Documents:

If you know you are a nonsmoker, and the book meets the other conditions, I'd accept.  UNLESS it's a hardcover without DJ.  Rather than PM I would just deny.