I am getting very tired of receiving old books (1950s,1960s) without an ISBN posted under the ISBN of  a much newer ISBN (listed as 1999 or newer). This happens to me way too often. I used to suck it up, but now I mark them all received wrong as I should, but it is up to the sender to be honorable and return my credit, which they do two-thirds of the time. The rest just ignore the request. It takes time and energy , plus I always feel bad, as if I'm punishing them.  Sigh!   Ann

I'm sorry you've had a string of bad luck. On the plus side, assuming that the books meet PBS condition requirements, you can post them here. You can draw attention to them in your signature file and on the Bazaar. (I once posted "I have too many non-ISBN's on my shelf" and got a few orders that way.

Hi Ann!  Very sorry about your trouble.  You might want to PM the people if you haven't already because i'm not quite 100% positive that the feedback about getting books like that go to the sender.  Just an idea, good luck!

~Keri

Yes, Ann, it IS sad that people are too lazy to post their books correctly--and that is THEIR fault, not yours.  Just keep on asking for your credit back and re-post them the correct way.  You aren't punishing them--but educating them.  You can always quote the Help Center in your PM and direct them to ask a Tour Guide if they don't agree.  Some people think a "book is a book" and could care less about the year, edition, etc., but there is a distinction.  Depending on the book, sometimes I don't care, but other times it matters to me.  Bottom line--books should be listed properly.

You could also put in your book conditions that you only want it if the ISBN # matches.  I know it seems obvious because that's PBS rules but as you know people don't follow them. Those older books are ok to post but they should be posted w/o an ISBN. 

Mary, this is true that she could do that.  However, there have been many threads where people are denied a book simply b/c they have conditions at all....there are some people out there to deny a request to anyone with ANY conditions, whether that applies to them or not.  

How frustrating for you.  That is a definite no-no on their part.  I can see the temptation to post with the "good" ISBN, but it just flat out isnt the same book.  I generally place them on my "free with an order list" because I am too lazy to fill out all the info needed for non-ISBN books... and also.. its not like my old books are really hotties anyway :  ).    You should keep on PMing them when it happens because they are definitely in the wrong.  If they make YOU feel like the bad person here, don't take it to heart, they are the one who made the mistake, not you.

I wish you could get refunded a credit automatically in situations like this.  Things that are not subjective, but that clearly don't meet the guidelines.  Just a thought.

I am getting very tired of receiving old books (1950s,1960s) without an ISBN posted under the ISBN of  a much newer ISBN (listed as 1999 or newer). 

I have a question -- does the ISBN on the book itself match the ISBN that the book was posted under (you can see this in the details under your transaction archive).

Lori they wouldnt have ISBNs if they are printings from the publication year or close to. ISBNs werent created till the 70's

I keep forgetting that. Thanks Chris :)

NP

Thank you everyone for your sympathies and support. I DO like the idea of automatically getting the credit when it is clearly misposted (wrong book). Since you didn't receive the ordered book, it is the same result as the book getting lost. Yet, you run the risk of losing out on a credit. If I have to pay two credits to get the book I want, Amazon starts to look like the better deal.  I don't usually post, but definately needed to bubble over today. Thanks again. Ann

This is probably not the case with this book but some older books have the ISBN only on one of the inside publishing pages not on the back. 

You're right about that, Mary.  Usually they are books published in the early 1970s, which were when ISBNs were new and there didn't seem to be a standard place to put the # on the book.  Sometimes on those oldies the ISBN can be found on the spine of the book or even on the upper right hand corner of the front cover.  Whenever I see a # like that I try to match it to an ISBN inside the book (publication page), because sometimes those oldies have random #s on them, too.  If I can't match it to something that clearly says "ISBN" I just post without an ISBN because I don't want to take a chance and disappoint someone.

Can you tell I'm a lover of old books??