Does this mean that the recipient gets 5 books and I only get 1 credit??? Can someone please explain how I do this and if I've got the definition correct!!! Thanks!

Yes, if you offer a 5/1 deal, the other person would order one book, and then PM you (and/or post in the forum if it is a BB post) with the other 4 books that would be free.

Usually when you offer a deal, you would want to offer one that would at least cover your mailing costs. So, 5/1 might be perfectly fine for kid's books, but not really for adult paperbacks.

You just make a post in the Book Bazaar (read the rules in the red sticky thread at the top) and make your offer. You should say in your post how you want to be contacted (PM and/or more posts). People will order books for however many credits your deal is for, and then will ask for the rest free.

That is my understanding. 

Usually, in an X-for-1, people ask you to order one book from their shelf, which gets them the credit, then PM them and post into the thread (so others know what is taken) with the "freebies" which are the X-1 books you want to get in addition to the one that you ordered.

I've seen other variations in the book bazaar that get a few more points, like 5 for 2, in which case you choose 2 books from the shelf and them PM/post with the 3 freebies.

Then, once the freebies are requested, people remove them from their bookshelf so that no one else requests them.

I hope that helps!

Jana--

That is generally the idea, yes. Check the Book Bazaar and you'll see all sorts of deals available, and can get a feel for how they tend to work.

Cheers,

Catt

I have a 3/2 deal at the moment but prefer the person to request the 3 books and then I'll give them back a credit.

That way, I don't forget to remove the book from my bookshelf, or risk disappointing people requesting a book that is already gone.  It also keeps the book in the PBS system as regards tracking/passport stamps if someone then posts it again 

I understand that some people might be reluctant to order and then get the credit back, but we have to trust that swappers here act in good faith and come through on their offers. 

I took advantage of a deal where the the poster wanted me to request all the books for the same reason Judith specified.  But I didnt have enough credits, so she buddied them to me in order to do it.  I thought that was very kind of her and I would not hesitate to order this way from her in the future.

Then, once the freebies are requested, people remove them from their bookshelf so that no one else requests them.   I got burnt doing this.  I now wait until requested books are ordered before I remove the freebies from my shelf.

Jana you are kinda new here (welcome!) and I don't want you to think you have to go to a 5/1 deal to be successful.  You have some good books on your shelf. Look around and add a few more, ask a friend if they have any to get rid of, etc.

As far as a deal, when I first started someone suggested I do 3 books for 2 credits and I started with that.  Or 5/3 also.  It depends on how badly you need the credits right now.  There are Book Bazaar deals for incredible amounts like 10/1 but sometimes those shelves are things that I just dont want even at that "price".   

On the specific how to part of your question - if my deal is 4/2 I have them order 2 books the regular way and pm me with the names of the freebies.    Hope this helps.

If someone PM'd you asking you do to a 5 for 1 deal: don't feel like you have to accept. You can if you want to but 5 fo1 is kind of a bad deal for hte sender. Unless you are desperate to get them out of the house and they are light books.  But don't feel like you have to accept when someone asks you to give them a deal.