I’ve been running into to may requesters who want perfect books. The books that I post do meat PBS requirements and some have never been read. But I’m running into people who require that books be perfect because all their books are. They don’t even want a crease in the spine, which happens most of the time when a book is read.

 

I’m finding this frustrating. I don’t even want to send out a book to people with high demands for fear that my book doesn’t meat their requirements. I’m also starting to feel uncomfortable posting books.

 

I feel most used books are not going to be perfect. Like others I don’t want pages falling out, major stains or writing, smelly books or brittle yellow pages.

 

But I don’t mind library stamps, no dust jacket, some yellowing if it is a very old book and has not been in print for years and this is the only way I can get it. Wear and tear on book covers. A book that might have someone who previous owned it name on a page or cover.

 

I haven’t had any complaints about the books I have sent out. I also note if there might be a small mark, no dust jacket or some wear and tear on the book cover, but I think that is more of a curtsey on my part than a requirement. But lately I’m finding myself saying no to people with high demands for a perfect book, because I’m paranoid my book won’t meet their standards. I also feel this is a used book site and the purpose is to exchange to read and not to build up one’s collection of perfect books. I feel if I want a perfect book I will buy one new.

 

 

 

 

 

Decline them if you cannot or do not want to meet their request conditions. It's your right to not swap with picky-pickys.

I get your frustration!  That being said, I actually am one of those people who likes books to be in really good condition!  And I actually only made rather stringent requestor conditions because even though there really does seem to be a consensus on what constitutes a fairly nice copy of a used book, the occasional person really does send you a stinker (sometimes literally!) and it's easy to get fed up.

Actually, I don't even want perfect books... just ones that I would feel comfortable re-posting, you know?  And when I get a book where I'm like, "Okay, I would NOT post this; if I did, I would PM the person and explain the condition, because some people really don't care...

That being said, just as this is happening to you, people who are wanting near-perfect books will probably also get tired of being rejected -- and possibly loosen their standards.  Since a person can pick whether or not to apply their requestor conditions or not, I've often decided to just NOT reply my requestor conditions, if it's a book I really, really want or especially, if it's a children's book.

I HAVE gotten a few e-mails from people criticizing my standards, saying they're subjective, etc. etc.  But I think there must have been a lot of complaints about books in sub-par conditions, since it was only recently that pbs did that "golden rule" thing where you have to click on "accept" for that.

My point is (sorry to take so long!) is that if I were you, I would PM the person with the conditions (you  might need to go ahead and say yes to being able to supply the book: I can't remember).

So then you can PM the person, and say, "I saw your requestor conditions, and I wanted to make sure you are satisfied with the book... my copy has a little tear on the cover, and a sticker on the back..." (or whatever)

I've found that when someone accepts my offer, and then PMs me about the exact conditions if they're in doubt, I almost always go ahead and order it.

I know that's kind of a pain!  But since we can't individually list the conditions of each book we're offering, I suppose that's how it has to happen.

Thank you for your flexibility, and I appreciate your frustration! :(  I think there are just a few people with really, really low standards that kind of wreck things and spur people to make really specific requestor conditions.  I know that there have been others who have posted on the forum about how they're posting fairly nice books but all the books they're getting are really, really beat up or falling apart, and the advice has always been to set requestor conditions...

I would just decline and move on.  I'm pretty stringently of the camp that believes PMing prior to sending just causes more problems.

I'm with caviglia: decline and move on.  This is a used book site: books being posted are anywhere from being read once, to ex library books or garage sale finds, ubs finds etc.  Some books will be in better conditon than others, but as long as they meet the posting guidelines they are in a fit state to be enjoyed by others.   I guess there always will be a few people who push it to the limit.  PMing to define RCs just opens up more issues I think.  I've found myself reading RCs and wanting to meet them, but if there's even a glimmer of doubt where perhaps the person will complain, I decline, and let them move on to finding the book from someone else. 

I usually just decline with a message to the requester that this is a used book site, and if they want a "like new" book they should go buy it. 

I would decline and move on as well. I'm also with Caviglia that in most cases sending a PM just complicates things.  PBS is supposed to be fun not work.  I also accept the fact that sometimes I will be the one who has to take a book out of PBS circulation.  Doesn't mean it wasn't postable, techinically, but every book eventually gets to it's last person as apostable book and sometimes that person is you or me.  I turn down any RCS asking for a like new, mint condition book. Especially if they go on and on about the nice books they send out. 

Now if someone ordered a book from saying it was for a children'ts library or a gift then I if my book was in excellent conditon I might accept.  But at the same time I'm thinking: if I'm looking for a book for a gift for someone-I'm getting it new unless it's out of print. 

I would decline and move on as well. 

Glad to see I’m not the only one who feels this frustration. I PM when the requester doesn’t have conditions and tell them if there is a mark, not dust jacket or something else, but I’m finding myself declining requesters with high standards even if my book more than likely will pass. I agree that if I PM them it would just complicate things more and this is suppose to be fun and not work. So I do decline and move on. And I liked what someone said about saying that this is a used book site.

 

I also like what Mary L. wrote, “  I also accept the fact that sometimes I will be the one who has to take a book out of PBS circulation.  Doesn't mean it wasn't postable, techinically, but every book eventually gets to it's last person as apostable book and sometimes that person is you or me.�

 

I would decline if there was any question.

I adamently would NOT accept then PM.  Why?  Because if they reply "No, that doesn't meet my RCs" then I am the one who needs to cancel the request.  That removes my book from the library, and when I repost it goes to the end of the FIFO line!

If the RC is not clear enough for me to decide from reading it, I decline.  I am not losing my spot because someone might not actually mean what they said, or because they aren't clear.

As I keep saying I do decline when the RCs are to demanding, so no one loses their place.  But many people put nothing and then complain.

Face it, lots of folks seem to vent about previous bad trades in their RC.  And it is not the place to do that.  The tone of a RC makes a difference to me.  A politely worded request makes me react very different than a demand. 

I wish folks would vent either in the comment box or on the forums.  Not in a PM.  Not in a RC.

Decline...I do!  Actually received an RC for 'giftable' conditon lol!  I sometimes donate PBS books to a children's libarary, but when only new will do a person really should buy a new book.

I thought about quitting because I began this because I enjoy giving , sharing and reading.

I don't really need any of the books here, I just thought this would be nice and I have some very good books, (which I could just hold onto)

Being a smoker, (which I am not proud of and do not care to discuss or be ashamed to strangers) I learned I should post that on my header of my book shelf.

I had just bought "The Shack" and read it pretty quickly, it wasn't something I felt I needed to hold onto. I posted it, and it was on a wish list, the wisher had RC's, well her RC was confusing so I said " the book did not meet requestors demands" when asked why I did not send.

So now the book is not posted, i reposted the book , ok the same wish list person requests it, I pm her  and its been two days no reply.

The book is in very good shape, its just that I smoke. So I wrapped and put postage on this morning , I am sending it to her, I will not refund her credit unless she mails the book back. LOL but seriously I do hope she will be happy with the book.

As for if the pages are not falling out, I want it! Books are for reading!!!

Kelly, when a member orders a book from you they cannot see your header of your bookshelf. The system does not take a member to a specific bookshelf when a book is ordered. This is a FIFO system.

That is why members use RC's. If you send out a book that smells like smoke to a member that has an RC requesting books from a non-smoking environment, you are  violating the rules.

Other members have pointed this out to you, along with the advice to read the rules.......members are not required to send a book back if their RC is ignored.  If the book did not meet the requestor demands the first time, then it does not meet demands at all!  The member who ordered has every right to get the credit returned.

You cannot make up your own rules.

I wasn' t implying that I would send a book that someone had RC about smell, or smoking, but if I have done my best to let them know and they don't object , what am I supposed to do? So what are you saying? 

Nothing is what you are saying,. thank you. So why don't you read what I said before you make inane comments. okay

I am not making up rules Missy, alright. But noone is going to walk all over me, or discrimate against me.

 

thank you very much, please don't reply to me anymore, I am ignoring you because you obviously don't read before you respond.

Kelly--I interpreted your post just as Tori did.    You were rambling and it was hard to follow.  You wrote about the fact that you smoke, that the book did not meet the RC, but that you are sending it the second time it was requested by the same person regardless of the RC.  And that you will not refund the credit if the receiver complains.    If this is not the case, the fault is not with Tori's reading ability, but with the way you wrote it.

I read it the same way as Marsha and Tori. And no one is ganging up on you either.  You are a new member and we are just pointing out some of the rules of PBS. Many people join and don't read the rules.  Heck many long time members never read the rules and then get mad when someone complains that the broke one. 

Many members don't realize that people don't necessarily see the warnings put in signatures, profiles and bookshelf headers.  They just order a book from the system.  So having a note in your signature or profile about smokign or having cats or something does't mean someone with a smoke RC or cat RC won't order a book from you if you happen to be next in line for FIFO. And yes I know you know that-but I didn't know that before when I posted my comment about people possibly not seeing the warning in your signature.  It was just helpful advice.

I would also decline confusing RCs.  If her RCS asked for a book from a non-smoking environement and you smoke you should not have sent the book.  Even if you PM'd about it first. Many people don't have daily computer access. They rely on when they can get to a library or a friends computer. They put their WL books on autorequest.  She may not have even seen the PM.

I would have cancelled it again. And unfortunately you might have ended up in a loop with them requesting the book over and over again.  I would then decline the RCS again and ask them to remove the RCS or stop requesting the book.

thank you very much, please don't reply to me anymore, I am ignoring you because you obviously don't read before you respond.

I am not making up rules Missy, alright.

This is a Public Forum and I was responding to your post that I did read. You very clearly stated that  you will not refund a credit without getting the book mailed back (rule violation) and will send a book even though you are not following the RC's (rule violation)

if I have done my best to let them know and they don't object , what am I supposed to do?

But they do object.........that's what a RC is, a statement of what is not acceptable to that member.

So feel free to click the IGNORE button so you will not have to read my posts. I am only trying to remind you that this site does operate within certain guidelines. If you chose to ignore those rules, your membership is in jeopardy.

You can't just send a book out that you aren't sure meets their RCs Kelly. I wouldn't be so rude to all of these long time members who are trying to explain that what you did is against the rules either.

If it doesn't meet their RCs they will be within their right to mark it RWAP, which will be a black mark on your account. You can refuse to return the credit, that is within your right, but that will be another black mark against your account for not resolving the problem you caused when you willfully sent them a book that did not meet their RCs.

Also:

"Remember that the requestor is not required to send the book back at his or her expense.   There is more information about this below.  The sender of a problem book does risk losing credit, book and postage; this is the incentive NOT to send problem books."

- From the help documents. I suggest you read them. You agreed to follow the rules when you joined, and such things are not up for debate.

I had just bought "The Shack" and read it pretty quickly, it wasn't something I felt I needed to hold onto. I posted it, and it was on a wish list, the wisher had RC's, well her RC was confusing so I said " the book did not meet requestors demands" when asked why I did not send.

So now the book is not posted, i reposted the book , ok the same wish list person requests it, I pm her  and its been two days no reply.

The book is in very good shape, its just that I smoke. So I wrapped and put postage on this morning , I am sending it to her, I will not refund her credit unless she mails the book back. LOL but seriously I do hope she will be happy with the book.

Kelly, it sounds like you did not properly deny this RC. If you mark that the book [Does not meet requester conditions] your book remains posted and is offered to the next person in line. The only time your book would need to be reposted is if you said your book met the conditions and then cancelled the order.

Once you mark that the book meets requester conditions, YOU are at fault if you mail a book that goes against them. Accepting and PMing does not get you off the hook if the book clearly violated the RCs. If you don't understand them, the best thing to do is mark that the book does not meet the conditions. Telling someone in a PM (or stating it in your siggy) that you will not return the credit without getting the book back does not cancel their right stated in the rules of the site to get their credit back without having to do so. 

I do hope, that despite many posts by you snubbing the site posting rules, that what you are sending is postable here. The site is quite enjoyable for those who follow the rules. The people who don't want to follow the rules won't enjoy the site

**Edited by PBS Team**

We remind our members of the policy on appropriate use of the Discussion Forums.

Wow.... Hope you enjoyed your membership Kelly. Bye-bye now....

Well, well.  I spotted that troll over the weekend, but she's exceeded my expectations...