I AM A COMPLETE IDIOT!

I recently received a request for 5 or 6 books, printed the label (with postage) and apparently mixed up my shipping lables and sent the books to the wrong person.  The person who received them by mistake PM'd me and let me know about the mis-mailing; she said she would send them to the correct requestor if I wanted. 

I told the person who receive them by mistake than I would give her a book credit to reimburse for costs and trouble when she confirmed they had been re-mailed. 

I then PM'd the original requestor and informed her that the books had been misdirected and were being re-mailed, asking her to acknowledge them when received (even if declared "lost in mail" by PBS.

Did I handle this properly?  I don't want to get in trouble with PBS!  I feel so stupid and incompetent. 

Has anyone ever done this before?  This is the first time it has happened to me, and I can't believe it happened with with 5 books!  I could never be a "boxer."  That would be a complete disaster. 

You are not alone!  I just did this with Ebay and everything is working out alright but HuH what a nightmare!  I think you have handled it alright.  We are all human!!!!

Claudia - No worries.  I have ALMOST done this when, sadly, I had only 2 books to mail.  I realized my mistake before sending the books and ripped off the packaging and started over.  So, you are not an idiot!

The only thing I would do differently than you is...direct the person to mark "received with a problem" and then "wrong book received" as the reason.  I know that you don't want that mark on your account, but it's really the most honest way to handle things.  If this is your first problem, it will be no issue with R&R - they look for repeat offenders!

It sounds like you did everything right.  I think for 5 books you should give the person you sent them at lest 2 credits.  To cover the postage and the inconvenience. 

Actually Lisa, if all parties agree to get the books into the right hands, you do not mark the book received until the correct book gets to you. If you receive the book and send it on, you SHOULD NOT mark the book as received until the book you ordered arrives. If you decide to keep the book and not send it on, then you mark received with a problem wrong book. 

Claudia - you handled the situation perfectly. Contacting the people, offering comp for the postage to send on, perfect.

I've done it! And in fact, it's been done to me!    And I can assure you, you are definitely not alone.  I'm a tour guide, and I see this A LOT!!!

So here's what is recommended - offer the people credits to cover them sending the books to the correct place.  The requestors can wait to mark the book received when they do actually receive their book(s).

Don't feel bad about this at all.  It's kinda a pain, but you're doing what you can to make sure the books get to the right place.  You will NOT get in trouble with PBS :)

Been there done that got the T-shirt. LOL Ask Sherry! <G>

I've done exactly the same thing.  The recipient was happy to take a credit to forward the book to the right party though, so it all worked out for me.

I am going through that now and have a question.  One person is telling me if it marked as "wrong booked received" I don't get a credit another person says I do get the credit, any one know for sure?

If the book is marked as received with a problem you still get a credit. It is up to you to work out a solution to it with the requester. Either send her her credit back or if the book was supposed to go to someone else, ask if she would send it on. Offer her a credit or to send postage for the forwarding.

I have to confess I've done that more than once.  Most of the members here are very understanding and willing to help you out by sending your "oops" books to the right person for you.  If you have credits available it would be nice to send one or more to the others involved. 

I avoid that problem by having the book right in front of me when I print out the sheet.  I then stick the two papers right inside the book-immediately-no mistakes that way!

That's what I usually do too, but I screwed up royally this time!  Had 6 books requested at once and mixed up labels.

The books were remailed and requestor got all my books except one, which the resender thinks her 9 year old may have run off with, so recipient is one book short.  I gave the woman who sent them on 2 book credits for her trouble and postage.

Now the shoe is on the other foot and a book I ordered was sent to the wrong person (I received the wrong book).  I know she already got credit since she used DC.  She pm'd me saying my book was being re-sent to me and asked me to remail the one I received without even offering a credit or payment for postage!  When I requested a credit she gave it to me but also gave me a snarky response saying it was too bad that my courtesy and charity were so lacking.  I sent the book on with DC and PM'd her the DC #. 

I'll try to make sure I don't order from her again.  I let her know that I would never take adantage of someone by asking them to correct MY mistake as their own expense.  No response from her.  I think I'm owed an apology.  I've half a mind to PM her the PBS librian's recommendations right from the help documents. 

Just had to vent about this one.  Some people are just so rude and inconsiderate!  When I messed up, I admitted it and gave credits up front without being asked.  Well, if nothing else, I'm sure she'll reap her Karmic debt some day. 

Add me to the list of mail messer-uppers.  The people I messed up on were very gracious.  I sent them each a credit and they then sent the books to each other.  PHEW!

WOW Claudia, just read your last post.  I can't believe people can be such poops!  Arrrrrrgh

I too am in the midst of this right now.  I received the wrong book.  I PM'd the sender and offered to send it on where it needed to go, and all I got back from her was, "Oops, yeah, I guess I mixed up my orders."  No word as to what to do with this imposter book, no offer of a credit, no nothing.  I wish people would just COMMUNICATE!  It's not the end of the world and I too am human and understand mistakes happen.  I just wanted a response to my PM to let me know what, if anything, you intended to do about this.

*sigh*

Finally got the correct book.  I also had re-mailed the incorrect one to the person who should have received it.    PM'd the original sender (who had messed up) the DC# to pass along to the person who should have received the book.  Never heard from the rude person who made the mistake again (perhaps she's ashamed of the rude pm she sent me berating my lack of courtesy and charity--in fixing HER mistake).  If not, she should be ashamed.

Stella--

Sounds like your person just assumes you will fix things.  I think you should PM her and request that she straigten it out by having the mismailed book sent to you and also request a credit to compensate for your mailing expenses to remail to the other party.  If she protests, I'd copy the instructions for this type of error from the PBS help site and pm them to her.  At the very least, she should have humbly apologized for her mistake.  If it had been me, you'd already have your credit and remailing instructions and the other book would be on its way to you.

Claudia

I've done it with just two books...it was awful!  I'm sorry you have to deal with this!

I did it.  I accidentally printed the same label twice and shipped two books to one person.  I pm's her and asked if she would send the second book to the original requestor.  I told her once the second requestor received the book, I would buddy her a credit.

Was that the right thing to do, or should I have buddied her a credit prior to her sending out the book?

I almost did this, I had two orders one the day after the other, I had already printed the first label,  I clicked on the same book the next day to print out the label for the other book, when the same addy came up I just thought the same person had ordered 2 books from me, thank goodness something made me double check, but then I messed up anyway! My printer was almost out of ink so when I would print the label only the outside portions were on the label and I was having to handwrite the address. I messed up the address, it took about 2 weeks for the book to come back to me (shouldn't the Post Office of caught that right away?) I PM'd her what had happened and resent the book (then I ran out and bought ink!)