I received a book with a stain that affected most of the pages of a book in the top righthand corner.  I asked for my credit back and received it.  I marked the situation as resolved.  that ws last week.  Today I get a request from the sender of that book for the book to be sent back - no offer of a credit to reimburse the postage costs.  I responded this way:

Hi,

  I will return your book if you will reimburese the postage I will pay by giving me a credit.  We cannot post a book for credit within the FIFO system for a credit if it doesn't meet the PBS guidelines for such and this book, unfortunately, does not. We "state" that the books meets PBS guidelines before we send it.  To exchange an "unpostable" book for credit on PBS you need to put it in a thread on Book Bazaar or a genre forum (within a damaged book available thread) stating its condition and flaws so that whoever does want it and is willing to pay a credit for it will be aware of the unpostable nature and its flaws ahead of time and they have to "Buddy" the credit to you not order it from within PBS.  It cannot be posted within the PBS FIFO system for credit.  Please read the requirements for these  situations in the guidelines and a clarification from TPTB.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/help_item.php?id=205
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Pages:

    * No torn or chewed/gnawed pages
          o yes, that does say "chewed/gnawed".  That means no pet-chewed (or human-chewed) books.
    * No loose or missing text pages
    * Cover not water damaged (there may be no water damage to any part of the book)
    * No writing or highlighting or underlining on text pages
          o a signature or note on the flyleaf or inside front or back cover is OKAY
          o an author's signature on the title page is OKAY
          o writing or highlighting on the text pages is NOT OKAY
                + Exception: if it is a textbook or workbook, these are expected to have highlighting/underlining/writing
                      # if you post a textbook/workbook, the condition must be described to the requestor in a Personal Message
                      # AND the described condition MUST BE AGREED TO before the book is sent
                      # This is the one of the ONLY two cases in which a PM exchange about a book is required before the book can be sent(the other is for cookbooks--see below).

    *

@@@@   No staining   @@@@
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http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/help_index.php#officialproblems
Returning a book at sender's request -

You are not obligated to return the problem item at your expense, but if the sender gives you an extra credit or postage to do so, of course you may.

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 You need to list any future books that do not meet the PBS FIFO guidelines in the BB or genre forums with their conditions so that everyone will know what they are getting.



You returned my credit for paying for a book with "official" problems after posting it and saying it was postable when you listed it.  I will lose the equivalent of the credit by returning the book at my expense.  I'll be out a credit and the book and you will be made whole while I suffered for ordering your book.  Therefore I see PBS's suggestion of asking for a credit for the postage as a fair one, and that's what I elect to do.

Please understand that I do not intend to be mean or unfair.  I am only following the suggestions and guidelines and rules as set out by PBS.

If you have any questions about this or about how to handle these transactions please go to the Questions About PBS forum or ask your assigned Tour Guide.

Should I have waited longer to mark the problem as "resolved"?   Is this how I should have responded?  I need constructive help.

Thanks, everyone!!

Ruth

Should I have waited longer to mark the problem as "resolved"?  

No, it was resolved!  The original credit was returned.  If he/she wants the book back, then an additional credit must be sent first.  Without it, you are essentially paying for a damaged book yourself!

I think you did the right thing by marking it resolved when you got the credit.  If you don't minding sending it back and she wants to cover postage, that's okay too.  Hopefully, she'll read the explanation you sent, and either offer a credit or change her mind about wanting the book. 

Since you got the credit back, though and still have the book, you seem to have all the power in situation now, so I don't think you were too hasty in marking it resolved :)

Thanks for the support.  I'm not looking for a power struggle with this member.  But something she said in her PM to me kinda riled me up and I hope I didn't sound rude or unkind or greedy.  She said (after 7 days ) :

"I paid for the book to be sent to you. Under the circumstances, I paid to send you a book; granted, it was damaged, and that was resolved with my returning the credit. I would appreciate it if you would send it back to me; it seems fair."
 

She posted this before returning the credit:

So I just wanted to get another opinion since I don't really want to be rude or high-handed. 

Ruth

You did fine Ruth.  It was resolved when you marked it that way.

As to her later request that you send the book, I'd keep it short and sweet if there is any further interaction - something like "I'd be glad to send the book back if you post me the credit to do so" but I'm guessing you won't hear from her again.  But if you do hear from her, don't let her guilt you into returning the book without that credit (and require it up front).  You are following the site guidelines, she isn't - no matter what seems 'fair' to her.

And I really don't think you are being high-handed or rude, in any way at all.

M.E.

Thank you for the support and replies.  One time I did let someone get to me and sent the book back - never was re-imbursed for postage even though it was promised.  That taught me not to do it again.

Ruth

Ruth,

I had one that wanted an ARC sent back until I sent her the guidelines about sending me the postage or a credit.  Then it quickly went to keep it.  I can't do anything with this sucker.  I've got it posted in a couple of places and it's not grabbing anyone's attention.  So I have an unpostable book that I can't give away.  Wel,, I  suppose if I went to the book bazaar and said free book I'd have more than one nibble...lol

You did good by marking it resolved, it was.  She's doing bad by asking for the book back.  As I read in the forums once why do you want an unpostable book back?  So you can repost and hope you get someone who doesn't know any better maybe?

Geri

Ruth, if you haven't written back yet, I'd just send her the excerpt from the help docs that says the credit she's out in sending you the damaged book is the incentive for not posting books that don't meet the PBS guidelines.  I'm not looking at them right now to quote it, but you probably know the one I'm talking about.  Unfortunately somebody has to lose in these situations, and PBS clearly states that they think that should be the person who - whether accidentally or intentionally - posted a book that didn't meet the guidelines.  There simply is no way to finish those transactions off with a "clean slate" that both parties can walk away from without losing something.  She posted the unpostable book, and you, in good faith, ordered a book which you were perfectly entitled to expect to receive in acceptable condition.  Her being out a credit & postage money is what PBS calls "incentive" to make sure she doesn't do that, and when she does, she should have to suffer the consequences for it just like everyone else.  I'd say something to that effect, although I'd try to be as gentle about it as possible, but nevertheless, that's simply how it works; her mistake, loss of her credit.  If she now wants that book, which is currently yours, by the way, she'll have to spend a credit to get it.

Here's the place where help talks about incentive: http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/help_index.php

If you click "A requestor says there is a problem with a book I sent" near the bottom-right It says:

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.

I haven't heard back from her on this.  It's just as well.  This is the main reason I would hate for any type of "rating" of members here. 

Thanks for all the suggestions and support.  I feel better.  I just didn't want to be a "patsy" again and I didn't want to be rude, either.

Ruth