I'm a bit annoyed right now and I'd like to know if anyone agrees with me.

I have been waiting for a book, it is two days from its lost in the mail date, and I PM'd the sender yesterday just to let her know what was going on. Just as a courtesy to say I thought it had been lost in the mail and I got this reply.... 

I hear you. I'm still waiting for a box of books I swapped for on July 26th! I had to practically chase the swapper down to find out if she ever sent them out. After 3 weeks she finally said she was busy and didn't have time to look. She sent me 3 messages similar to that. Meanwhile she recieved my whole box of books which was sent promptly. Just a few days ago she said it was just sent out. I think that's so rude. I'll definitely never swap with her again and won't give her good feedback, but if I hadn't "chased her down" I never would have heard from her I'm sure. I wish PBS would put time limits on swapping boxes as they do on individual books.

*Taking a deep breath* Thanks for letting me vent too, lol.

LOL! I probably PM way too often! I'm using PayPal shipping lately, and it automatically comes with DC. So I PM the recipient with the DC number when I've dropped it in the mail. They probably think I'm insane...

I love the PM button, probably too much.  When I am going out of town and a book hasn't arrived, I PM the person so they don't wonder if the book has arrived.  If I'm doing a deal, I PM them to let them know it was sent.  If someone sends me an extra book, or does a deal with me, I PM them a personal thank you for their generousity.  If a book just hasn't shown up, I PM so they don't think I've gotten the book and just forgot.  And etc, and etc.  I love my PM button and I most definatly would have PM'd you!

I ALWAYS PM when anything "funky" is going on.  I had a book get damaged and then returned to sender.  She promptly PM'ed me, and reshipped it.  I was so grateful for her message.  It's just the decent thing to do.  I also let people know of any damage I spot on the books I'm sending.  (A few scribbles, bent pages, etc.)  I give them the chance to cancel before I ship it and get complaints.  Worked well so far!

She definitely should have sent you a PM as soon as the package was returned.

I don't know whatt it is lately but it seems people are really lacking common sense. :/

I'd have PM'ed you, too. I wish people would PM if they were having trouble meeting the shipping date, too, instead of:

a.) letting the request time-out after they've already accepted it and printed the slip and said they were going to mail it on x day

b.) saying they've mailed it, when really, they aren't planning to mail it for another week

The ones who don't PM when an issue arises are (probably) the ones who don't open the electric bill because they can't afford to pay it, and hope it will go away. :P (sorry, mom works for electric co, and I hear all about her customers' sob stories)

OK, so I stole this thread and vented, too. Sorry!

I sent a PM to let someone know I didn't get to mail the book when I said because we had a sick kitty and lost her, I still had two days grace period to mark it mailed and still sent a PM. There are rude and uncaring people out there and I seem to find them all. You should have gotten a note letting you know they got it back damaged.

Thanks all and I'm glad I was able to provide a vent space for others too.

As for PM's so far (I've been a member just over a month and half) I've always sent a "Thanks I got it" email as well as offering a deal when I noticed books that had been requested were damaged and offering a freebie that wasn't otherwise postable. So I guess that means I'm a PM -aholic? ;)

I'm still waiting to receive a BOB that was marked as mailed on 6/26/07....however, the sender is no longer a member.  The BOB I mailed to her was mailed on delivered on 6/28/07 but was never marked as received.  So I feel a little "ventful" too.

Since this person is no longer a member, I can't PM her.  Tonight I got the bright idea of printing out the wrapper again  to get her address and I plan to write this homeschooling mom, former PBS boxer and ask where my books are....I seriously doubt that she ever mailed them.  She only lives an hour away from me - this was the closest swap I have ever done (though since I didn't get any books for the two I sent her, I guess you can't really call it a swap  :-(

Peggy,

If you have the time, and feel up to it, send her a snail mail and tell her you'll be in her neighborhood the following week on an errand and if she would leave the books on her porch (and make sure you include the list of books) that you'd be thrilled to pick them up and complete the transaction.  Also include your email address and tell her to email you if she'd prefer just to put them in the mail.  

That would be great to hear how that comes out!

I know, it's probably a loss, but I would possibly consider doing that, depending on if I've had my coffee or not.  lol 

I hear ya! She should have PM'd you. I'm learning here that for whatever reason some people are really loath to use the PM feature. And there are also some  who get prickly if you do use it.

I'm probably one of those that send too many PM's but so far only one has had a fit and one never responded. On the forums I hear people complain about others who PM. Oh well. I'm going to continue to inquire about something when I feel the needs be.

A book I sent was about to go lost and I'd heard nothing from the receiver. Since I'd sent it first class I PM'd her just to touch bases. I got my head bit off. She told me all about the fact that IF she had received it she would have marked it received and that there was NO reason for anyone to PM anyone else based on how the system here on PBS was set off.

OK, this is true BUT to me it's just common courtesy to check on something that is remiss. Or in your case, she should have told you.  

Susan, I did the same thing when one of my books went lost in the mail--I waited a few days since it was going from AZ all the way to NY, and then PM'ed to ask if it had by any chance been received. Thankfully, she was very pleasant about the situation.

I have to say, I'm also a PM-aholic. I PM a thanks for every book I receive, I PM a "you're welcome" for every thanks I receive, if I couldn't get a book out by when I said I could, I PM--I definitely agree with most everyone on this board in saying that at the very least it would have been polite of the person to PM you and let you know what was going on.

I felt so bad when I had put two books out in the mail for the mail carrier to pick up and she couldn't be bothered to see if there was any mail that needed to be picked up.  I quickly pm'd the requestors and explained the situation so that they didn't worry when their book arrived a day later then expected.  They both were happy to know, one going as far as to say that a couple days wouldn't matter, and where happy to know that this is what happened.