In the past I've received two copies of the same book & I still give the "cancelled book sender" the credit, because I'm sure something legit happened. But three books? it's way too much I received two books one had been cancelled & I gave them the credit a second not showing up on my transaction list but they used auto postage from here so I'm thinking they already got the credit??? and I have another book that is being sent from another location & different name.  I know we don't have to leave credit for cancelled books but I feel guilty about not leaving credit, or in the least rude to not let them know I received the book. Do the people who's books are being cancelled know they are cancelled? I just don't understand why they would still send them?

I have had a rash of new members who have not been completely clear on the concept that books must be mailed by the deadline, and have mailed their books after the transactions canceled/timed out.  New members are often not too familiar with PBS rules yet, and are anxious to not get in trouble for not sending books.  They do not realize the importance the site places on marking books as mailed.  They also often desire very much to earn more credits to order more books.  These tendencies cause members to send out books when the transactions have canceled.

It is so hard to have to tell them that they may not get credit for sending out a book under those circumstances.  Especially when they so obviously seem to want to participate and be good PBS members!

They know. It sends emails reminding them that the book needs to be marked mailed by a certain date and time.  It also says right on the account page that they will not get a credit unless they mark the book mailed by x date and time.  So there is no need to feel guilty if you don't give them a credit when you've received multiple copies.  All they had to do was mark it mailed.  Or they could have at least sent a PM saying-I forgot to mark it mailed but I sent the book. Then you might have a chance at cancelling the next order.

When I have a non-WL book time out like that-I keep an eye on it and immediately cancel the order when it goes to the next person.  Then I wait a bit before reordering.  So far I haven't ended up with 2 books but you never know.

If they complain, I'd copy it right from the Help center where it says you do not have to give credit if the first person neglected to mark their book mailed.  3 copies of one book is ridiculous when you only wanted one.  Hopefully by not giving credit to those that can't mark mailed, they learn they need to pay better attention to the emails PBS sends them.  Yes, things can and do happen but if they can't bother to PM and let you know what's going on, why give them the credit?

I'm with Sarah, it may be a lesson well learned for the new members to not give the credits for these books. Please dont feel badly about not giving a credit for multiple books, Darlean. 

As a Tour Guide, I have gotten many PMs about this lately too. I completely empathize with them wanting to do the right thing, but the system gives a lot of time to mail books, and by not getting a credit for a book they have not marked mailed may make them better members in the long run.Losing out on a credit now may help them to become better members.

I actually think it's a bit important to not give credits if someone has mailed a book too late or not followed the rules.  Because then people begin to expect the rules won't be followed, and then become accostumed to it and maybe upset when they are followed.

That said, if you feel strongly about giving someone a credit for a book, it might be a good idea to send them a note explaining that you're doing something  nice / generous / above the rules, so that they know that they got lucky this time and might not next time, if there is a next time.

I actually think it's a bit important to not give credits if someone has mailed a book too late or not followed the rules.

If you receive a book late, you are expected to mark it received through the Transaction Archive (according to PBS rules). The only time you don't have to do this is when you receive more than one copy of the book because the system reordered it for you after the book went lost.

Depending on how the sender did their postage and where the postmark gets stamped, it can be hard or impossible to actually determine if something was mailed late.

I hate having to mark a lost or late book received but, yeah, you have to do it if you don't have another copy on the way.  I once had a WL book go lost in the mail.  I went back to #1 on the list.  The "lost" book arrived about 2 weeks after it'd gone lost.  Very clear meter stamp from the PO showing when it was mailed--AFTER the book was declared lost.  Since I hadn't gotten a second copy of the book and there wasn't one enroute to me, I reluctantly marked it as received.

I did make sure to send in via feedback that the book was clearly mailed after it'd gone lost and I wasn't happy with giving the credit.  But, those are the rules if you don't have a second copy.