I just opened a book I got today, sealed in bubblewrap, paper and about 2 rolls of packing tape. I was thinking, "Wow someone want's no problem with this book." Well, after finally getting the book out of the packagaging, ...wait...here it comes......IT'S WATER DAMAGED! And by my tone, it is not the first, or second, or even third one. Yes, it is the FOURTH one recieved water damaged. Two of the others slipped by, because I marked them recieved before giving the books a thurough inspection. As a matter of fact I'd say almost half of the books I have recieved, there should not have been posted (stains and highlightling) And I'm not that picky about how the books look, if I plan on keeping them. Heck, I'm a little rough on my books, but I don't post them!  I understand a lttle wear, they are used books. But I just want to know why there are posting guidelines if no one follows them? I thought about having a RC, just to refer to the giudelines, but from the way people talked on here, my resquest would get denied everytime. Yea, I now know why! 

Sorry you have such a bad run of books. It seems like the frequency of bad books has increased lately, especially water damaged ones. But there are still thousands of members that only ship postable books. Hopefully you can start getting some from them. I also think the site should be a little more in-the-face of members on posting guidelines. Many members do not come into the forums to see the discussions and they just figure its a used book site, what's the difference. Some are also used to other book sites that let them swap the junk. I don't know how they punish the offenders more, without opening up the door for people who like to cry foul so they don't have to give up a credit for the book.

I'm sorry you've had such problems, only being here for a short while.  I'm sure it will get better.  I've only received about a dozen damaged books in 2 years and over 300 books received. 

I have a condition on my account restating the club guidelines.  I've only been declined once, and from the message I received, I'd really rather not get books from that person anyway.  I've also gotten a couple of PMs asking if I was okay with particular flaws (within the guidelines), because a few people were a little worried by the condition.  But I just reassured them that the book would be just fine, and those trades went just fine. :)

I might hex myself, but in over two years of swapping I  have receive exactly one book that  was not postable-and the person wanted to know if I wasnted my credit back.......and I said no, that is ok...if I want a good copy later on I can  get it

Same problem here. Just got two books from the same person - both water damaged. Clearly, they weren't looked at before they were posted or mailed out. One contained a photograph of a woman and her baby!

Thanks guys, I was thinking about leaving PBS because of it. But then I thought, "Why should I leave?" I haven't done anything wrong. I will stay and help weed out the bad members who don't know how to read...the guidelines that is. I know eventually if they get enough RWPs, PBS closes their accounts, so that makes me feel better. And I know there are a LOT of good members out there.

I think it's really, really important to report problems like that, but there has to be a little common sense on both sides.  I've heard horror stories of people reporting former library books as RWAP because they didn't know they are allowed in the system.  Obviously the answer on either side of the issue is to read and be familiar with the PBS posting guidelines.  I can't imagine using a service like this without being familiar with the rules, but the site itself is so user friendly, it's not impossible for people to skip that part and possibly trade for years without being familiar with them.  They may even send out problem books, but if they don't get reported, it's likely they'll keep  thinking it's acceptable to do that.  I received a book in my early days here that someone had taken scissors to and cut a large square out of the cover - practically the entire cover image -  and dummy that I was at the time, I didn't report it.  I also spoke to a buddy yesterday who was having an exchange with someone who had sent her 2 books with broken and exposed spines.  She reported those books RWAP, and inboxed this person who basically ignored her for almost a month.  Then my friend came up for a WL offer, and it was coming from this same person, who contacted her and asked her to cancel, as she was a "difficult" person to work with in regard to book condition.  I almost fell out of my chair laughing...  It seems this person was unaware of the posting guidelines, and what she later characterized as PBS's "strict" condition requirements.:P  She initially suggested my friend should have more of an open mind about the condition of used books - lol.  I think, after much wrangling and explaining, she finally offered to refund the credits my friend was out for 2 unpostable books.  All of that aside, I still think it's a 2 way street, and everyone needs to know and be sure they fully comprehend the posting guidelines.  And when in doubt, ask questions.

I have long thought that people should take a brief quiz about the posting guidelines or something like that when they first join!  I think that most people who send bad books have just never bothered to read the rules.  But listen, I've recieved over 100 books so far at PBS and maybe 5 or 6 of them were truly unpostable.  So, I think you've just had some bad luck lately, but don't leave!  The community needs good members like you to counterbalance the bad ones!

I have received a lot of water damaged books as well.  I know it's frustrating. :/

Could possibly some of the books that one considers as water damaged just be those newer books that are printed on the paper that seems to get "wavy"? Some I have received and sent have no water damage, but do have the "wavy" pages.

I've had a run of bad books lately.  One badly stained with something brown-I'm really hoping it's coffee or soda.  2 mangled by the post office so that they are unpostable.  1 that came in a pristine package but was broken at the spine and had pages coming loose-no credit returned.  And a few that were borderline, that I wouldn't have posted but technically meet the requirements.

I've been having trouble lately too, and I highly recommend taking pictures of the damage, uploading them to a photo site, and then linking to them in a PM asking for your credit back.  When I do this, I've been much more likely to get my credit back than if I don't.  I guess sometimes people have to see it to believe it.

I sure feel your pain, after having a bit of a run of bad luck myself. 

A lot of the posting guidelines are in the help docs where, I guess, people don't look before they post.  I know I wouldn't have known about them if I hadn't been reading the forums myself.  But water damage is *not* one of them.  That's totally "in your face" when you post a book. 

I hope you have better luck this week! 

I've been a member for almost a year, and to be honest I haven't received a bad book yet!

Two RWAP's here: One with highlighting in one chapter (I was keeping it anyway and it served my purposes), one that was in nearly mint condition but wrong binding. In neither case did I feel a need to ask for my credit back.

I hope things turn around for you soon!

okay - i really think you all jinx'd me - today i got a package and one of the 3 books had water damage on the top. I got them in the book bazaar - the water damaged one should have never been posted. so, it will be a garage sale book:)

what is up lately??

Also, when it comes to water damage, that sometimes happens en route.  Since water proof wrapping is not a PBS requirement, that's a situation where I just mark it damaged by USPS and know that I just can't repost.  Technically, it's not the sender's fault in that instance.  Still frustrating though.

these were put in a nice water proof mailer - but, i have wondered the samething - i started wrapping in ziplocks its neater and easier than saran wrap - we don't get along to well! LOL !

i have 2 more shipments that i think is lost - FIRST for me - the time is up 3/24 i get emails from pbs every other day asking if i have r'cd it yet - i am starting to get nervous!

I just got a book that looked perfect on the outside, completely new.  When I opened the book, the first two pages were completely seperated.  Everything else is fine!   My feeling is that the member knew the book was perfect when she put it away, and had no idea it had two pages 'out' because you simply cannot tell.  I really really don't think she posted it and sent it knowing about the pages, so for that reason, and because I am going to keep the book anyway, I just 'received' it.  I have very few bad experiences here, so maybe I am just a little laid back.

But you would think a person could see water damage.  That is generally at least partly visible at the margins.  I would definitely RWP any waterdamaged book.

To answer some comments. No the pages  weren't just wavy, they were water damaged. The had stains, old stains. And all of the "bad' books I got, none of the packaging was damaged or looked like it had gotten wet. The last book was sealed and I mean sealed in bubblewrap and tape. I PMed the sender, she replied back that she "would have to email her contact, to see if I can get my credit back."  I wonder why she has to go through a contact when she her self sent the book? At least she is trying to solve the problem. I hope.

I do look very carefully at books I think are water damaged to be certain it's not simply humidity. I did get one that was very wavy, posted a photo here, and the general consensus was that it was humidity.

The two books I just received are clearly water damaged, at least to me. You can feel a different in the texture of the paper between the smooth and wrinkled parts. In addition, when you tip the pages at an angle and look at it under a light (I'm sounding like CSI here), you can see where the stain stops.

Hi all!  I am new and just getting aquainted with this site.  If you rec a water damaged book and your credit is refunded to you have to pay shipping to send the book back?

No, Laura.  You're not required to return the book.  If they ask you to send it back, they have to give you another credit to reimburse you for shipping.

I've had some problems with this too.  I love the idea of taking a test before posting!  =0)

Thanks Lisa!  A test may be good!!  LOL!  I am trying to navigate this site so I do not make any mistakes!