Is itbecause PBS really has a limited amount of credits available?

I asked this once and got an answer that was like blah blah blah, taxes, blah blah....  lol  So I can't recall the whole thing - and I can't find the thread (wouldn't be surprised if it'd been pulled, though)!  Basically, IIRC, it's sorta like this: PBS is a business and among their assets are "credits".  Credits to you and I exist as a number on a computer screen, so it's hard to imagine them as much more than that - but they are.  When PBS's taxes are filed, all credits (their assets) have to be accounted for AND backed by actual $$.  So, the more they "create", the more actual money they have to have to cover them.  Despite the fact that they have no physical existence and that them seem created out of thin air, yes - there's a limit.  Known only to R&R and their accountants, I'm sure.  :-)

I returned mine as a gesture of appreciation for this great site--it's become a source of entertainment and friendship to me as well as a great way to get books.  If anyone gives away free merchandise, they either have to pay for that merchandise (or maybe they already have it lying around, but even so, it has value.)   If at the beginning of a site like this you offer a bunch of free books to people, you have to cover those books--maybe supplying them yourself?  Now there are so many thousands of books changing hands you don't think of it that way, but the free books going out still have a value and reduce the books available for "one for one" trades that people make (hopefully!) after getting their free books.  

Phyllis - Just to add on to my earlier post, just yesterday, I received a book in bad condition (stained and mailed using scotch tape so that the wrapper had come undone by the time it got to me) and that member has a public profile and has mailed over 80 books.  He/she should know better!  You just never can tell.

Glad you liked the book recommendation.

Lisa

I agree with you, Cindy M. (must be our common names!).  While I have mailed 149 books (actually more than that considering the deals I have offered), I have received only 57.  Since I use our county library system a lot, I can get most of my reading material there, plus I have about 100 books in my TBR pile.  I really enjoy the "hunt" for books at thrift stores, yard sales and library sales.  I dash home and check the "wishlist"...what a delight when I have discovered a book that someone wants so I can post it and mail it to them.  I don't see why anyone else would care how many credits we are "hoarding" or what we are doing with them.

I am an accountant, well schooling to be one anyway and work in accounting, that should have been my first thought. That really does make a lot of sense. Thanks!

I would "hoard" credits too, if I could...  but I always seem to find new books to spend them on as soon as I get them.  People with a large amount of excess credits are LUCKY and shouldn't be castigated or criticized in any way...  to me, that's just wrong and I can't believe you came across some people that did that to you!!!????!!!!!

Credit hoarding?  Some of the members here need to get a life.  So what if you hoard? Is it dangerous, does it violate ethical standards, is it illegal, does it hurt the environment?  No, no, no, and no.

Like you, I donate some credits to PBS, I give others away, and sell more to fund the postage for mailing more books. Oh yeah, I also request books! Plus having a fat cushion in my account gives me warm fuzzies. Much less fattening than ice cream.

Hoard away!

Personally I always check profiles.  If the person has at least ten sends and/or receives then I don't worry about it.  But if the person hides their profile or is new, then I play it safe and use the PBS DC. 

I'd never not sent a book based on a person hiding their profile as I understand that some individuals are very private and can still be great PBSers.  But I guess I do figure there is a bigger risk in sending, therefore I balance out that risk.

I love using my profile to list the books I've read as it's on the web so regardless where I am I can check back.  I haven't utilized the other features for PBS (such as TBR Pile and ratings) as much as I'd like.  But time is a factor for me.

Overall I love PBS and have found that 99% of my transactions go through without any problems.  Oh and I especially love the transaction maps.  I can't wait until I've sent to every state.  Already have Puerto Rico and Hawaii!  It's funny but the majority of the states I've sent to multiple times are on the east coast.  Sometimes I wonder if the system is rigged to work that way...or maybe it's the population to square foot ratio.  Whatever it is I love it when I get a new state :)

Tina

You really can't go by the DC being scanned as the indicator of when the book was really delivered.  It seems that many post offices scan the book in the post office prior to it actually being delivered.  Carol Ann

and basically being accused of being a credit hoarder

Mind boggling.  Every time I see something like this, I am mind-boggled all over again.  You wouldn't want to be caught up hoarding that which is *yours*,   Lori.  I mean, what ARE you thinking?  ;-)

I guess I'm a credit hoarder, too.  More than some, less than others.  I'm not going to bother justifying what I do w/ them, though, because, frankly, no one should CARE.  I put books in and I take books out...how evenly I do that shouldn't even be on anyone else's radar.  Seriously!

Hmm. I've sent out 3x's as many books as I've received. I've sold about 60 credits in the last 2months. No one's every questioned me about it and I have everything posted.  I was shocked when I joined at how many WL books I had.  Several of them audios at 2 credits a piece.  I've pretty much only ordered WL books that were offered because I have so many unread books already and a move coming up.  One of these days I'll go on a credit spending spree.  I still have about 30 WL books that I'll hopefully be posting this month. So my sent/received ratio is about to get even wider. 

Lori - add me to the "wow" group as well. I knew there were some petty people on here but that by far boggles my mind!

As for the profiles, I don't think it matters. I've had great luck on this site and it's irrelivent as to whether they've had a profile or not. I just check their shelf to make sure they've added books in the last month - that's my only check.

I also haven't noticed newer members have fewer profiles than more established members. I think it's about even really but it could just be the PBS'ers I've come into contact with.

Can you be a REVERSE credit hoarder?  If so I own up to it! 

I mailed 80 books and received 201---Thank goodness for those Credit Sellers!!!

I guess I'm going to be a credit hoarder next year, b/c my TBR is so huge that I have decided that other than books which come up from my wish list, I'm only going to order 1 book for every 10 books I send out. By the time my 1200+ TBR pile has come down a few hundred, my sent/received numbers are going to be very skewed.

Sheila right now I'm like you - I've received around 200 more than I've sent out. And I'm still in the top 50 senders list!

I would bet the #1 sender on the top 50 list gets harassed about credit hoarding a lot - she has sent out more than 2000 books than she has received!!!

WOW from me too Lori!

You have made good points about having/not having a profile.  All very good points.  I just like to read the profile...where do you live..got kids....pets.  Whatever, i just think it is fun to know a little bit about you.

Can you be a REVERSE credit hoarder?  If so I own up to it! 

Ok, Sheila, that literally made me LOL!!  ;-)

Sheila S:  If you receive a lot more books than you send out, then you are accused of being a dealer, LOL.  You just can't win.

Add me to the wow group.  It always amazes me how some people seem to think everything is their business.  I wish I had a credit surplus like that!  I've gifted a few to fellow members and to R&R, but would love to be able to give more!

Back to the original question, I enjoy the profiles.  I like to learn a little about the people you "see" in the forums and games, but don't think they should be required...

Wow! I did not know this credit thing was such a big deal, I too wish I could be a credit hoarder,  as soon as I get a credit I run over to the Book Bazar and try to find a 3 for 1 deal as I read so fast, so I have really recieved many more books then I have actually sent.  Now I feel bad for not donating 3 credits back into the system

I never thought about someone being concerned about how many I have sent as far as being reliable, I changed it to hidden the other day, but I am going to change it back, I would hate for someone to have to spend extra on DC shipping to me.

On the profile I am slow at this computer thing so I may not of been able to figure it out,  I know I tried to do one of the little picture things you guys do by my name but that was a bust:(