I'm new and trying to do the right things.  The first book I received was wonderfully packaged.  I am waiting on 12 others (got started fast).  I've already had one "wait time" of 5+ days before a book request could be reposted.  That seems a little long to me . . . Someone has posted about checking on "received with a problem" notices that some members might have . . . where?

Thanks,

Paula, Atlanta

The received with problem is used after you receive a book if needed. Hopefully you will not need it but a few members including myself sometimes, not often, received water damaged books, or basically books not meeting PBS conditions. This is the time to use this button.

Paula, when a request times out, it often means that the member you have requested the book from has abandoned their account. Every time a request times out, the book is removed from that member's shelf. If this happens enough with the same member, their account will be closed.

However, "received with a problem" is only an available option AFTER you have gotten a book from someone, and is only to be used if for some reason the book does not meet PBS posting requirements (you mark it damaged by sender) or if the book is damaged in transit (in which case you mark it as damaged by PO). And make sure if you intend to mark a book "received with a problem" that the problem is indeed a problem by PBS standards. Some things someone might personally consider a problem, such as receiving an ex-library book, a Book Crossing book, or a hardcover without a dust jacket, are NOT considered problems by this site and should not be marked "received with a problem."

Welcome to PBS by the way! If you've already ordered that many books, looks like you're already getting as addicted as the rest of us!

Thanks for these thoughts.  My remaining question is whether or not I can identify a member who has often received those "problem" notes from books she or he has sent.  Can I do this at all?  Do I have any choice if I want to order a book that is being offered by more than one member?

Thanks again,

Paula

Paula -- no, the reason you can't see the problem notes is because you have no choice. This is a First-In-First-Out system. Your request will always go to the first person who posted the book you're ordering. 

Susan,

Your method of looking at the last date posted is not always a good way to judge whether a person is reliable.

I have 290 books listed, have mailed 343 books, received 140, and respond to requests within a day. But I haven't posted many books for a while that weren't wish listed, so I only have 10 books that were posted this month. I've run out of storage space, so it will be a little while before I post a bunch of books at once.

By your method, I would look like an unreliable poster. My shelf is up-to-date, just the WL books are gone already.

Yesterday I had two books requested (and they are in the mail already) that were posted in April 2006 and September 2006, respectively. They weren't Grisham books, but were fiction that someone finally wanted.

So please be careful about making generalized statements.

 "I then look to see when the last time they posted a book was. If they haven't posted a book within the last 6 weeks :

Susan;  I take exception to this remark!!   I'm sorry to say, in my humble opinion, you are so wrong.  Everyone DOES NOT post books all the time!!!!  Some that have large bookshelves, do not add more books for months or more.  I myself just put up 3 new books tonight, last month I added about 20 books, but that was very unusual.....my friend gave me some.  If not for that, I haven't posted books for months at a time.  I've gone much longer than 6 weeks!!     Just because someone does not post books DOES NOT MEAN THAT  THEY ARE NOT ACTIVE HERE!!!   I am very active here as a Tour Guide.  Your pessimistic attitude does not sit well with me. 

I'm really sorry if I sound harsh. I don't mean to offend.

 Edited to add:  I post WL books immediately; about 5 lately, which do not show up on my shelf. 

I mailed out over 100 books in one month.  Then I didn't add any to my shelf for several months unless it was wishlisted.   I'd hate to think that others were judging me JUST by the fact I hadn't posted books in some time.  Welcome Paula to PBS.   Yes, it can be frustrating to wait on another member.   However, that is the way the system is set up and has been working WELL for the majority of members for a long time.   Have patience with the few members who might be slow to respond.  Not everyone is on their computer all the time like MOST of us who respond in the forums.  lol   I hope you PBS experience is a postive one.

Paula,

You always have the option of making friends on the forums and ordering directly from their shelves.  Usually the people posting are pretty active and reliable.  The downside to this is that it is hard to find a particular book that you are wanting that way.

I am one of the ones who does not post books on a regular basis to my shelf unless it's a wish list book.  I try and read wish list books first as I know those will be sure credits.  So by looking at my shelf I don't have many showing recently posted.  I am very active here.  I'm here all the time browsing so when a book is requested from me it's accepted usually the same day and mailed out a day or two later.

I sometimes for a month or two without posting any new books.  I have my bookshelf stores in two plastic containers and when I run out of room to store books, I have to wait till some are requested.   And I am always here...ok not always, but darn near!

I think that the only way you might be able to judge a bookshelf (I've seen this one a few times)...is where there are 9 books posted, (the inital 9 needed to get the 3 free credits) and three books received (the books ordered with the first three credits) ( and also the books were posted several months earlier).  Usually when I see a shelf like that I don't end up ever getting the book accepted from the person, but I always let the time run out on it so that then that book will be removed from the shelf (so no one else has to go through the same thing) and then it moves on to the next person or goes on my wish list.

But there are always exceptions.   One time I saw a shelf like this and the very next day that person accepted.  So you really can't tell....you can probably make some good guesses, but there are ALWAYS exceptions.

ok, just my 2 cents  :-)

I agree that you can't tell by posting date if a member is a "problem" sender or not.  I sometimes go months without adding books to my shelf.  But I have mailed out 587 books - of those 1 was marked "damaged by usps" and 1 went lost.  

There really is no way to tell by looking at someone's bookshelf if they are a problem sender or not.  I will say that I have received over 400 books from this site and out of those maybe 4 I received didn't meet posting guidelines.  I use FIFO for most of my orders too. 

I with those who do not post books regularly. I have 3 shelves in my bedroom for books I post on PBS and BM and when I get enough room to add another box of books I bring one up from the basement.  I send out so many books between the two sites that the employees at the post office know me by name.

I'm another who doesn't post regularly.  I read a lot of different types of books that I don't necessarily post -- some are keepers, some are readable but not postable books that I dispose of in other ways, some are from the library, and some are books that I ultimately post on PBS (many of which are WLed).  However, I am usually on PBS at least once a day and send out several books every month and I will get your books to you in a timely fashion.

Oh my gosh!  I've received and sent books to people who, it would appear by looking at their bookshelf, haven't added a book since 2006! It's quite possible they post a lot of wishlisted or popular books which roll off the shelf right away; therefore, the books they have waiting are not necessarily the most recently posted.

You simply can't judge a book by it's cover!

Yes, I agree about not judging people because they have not posted lately.  I post all the time and my books fly out of here.  If only I could keep the incoming books the same way.  I did just clean my shelf out yesterday and post new ones.  I have limited shelf space and don't keep any book listed here for more that 4 months.

I think people go on vacation, never thinking to put their shelf on vacation.  I ordered on book a month and half ago.  Went through my members not answering their e-mails and finally one replied and is sending it out. I assume everyone was away.  Not everyone is online frequentl, also.

Wow, Susan, then you will most likely never get a book from me, because I usually hoard them up for 2-3 months and then post them all at once, except WL books, which won't be there when you look. I know lots of people that don't post much other than WL books so that isn't going to get you many books, I'd think hahahaha

I'm new here, so I hope I'm replying in the right place.   I'm not a collector of books,  I just like to read.  I've posted about 25 books so far, and have had several requests, which I've mailed within a couple of days.    I don't buy many books, and I'm not in a city so second-hand stores aren't easily available to me.   I borrow many books from the library, which obviously I can't post.   That means that the number of books I have to draw on is limited.   At the beginning, of course,  there were more, because I was just going through my shelves. 

But once the more popular books are gone, the others I've posted will probably sit for some time before somebody requests them; and since I don't have huge numbers of books to post, I will probably be one of the people who don't post often or regularly.   I'd hate to think others would consider me unreliable for this reason.

Hope no one is judging me by looking at my shelf and making wild guesses too! I have exactly 9 books posted and the last date showing there is 10/6/2009. But here are my stats: Member since October 2005, 304 books received, 3 of which were RWAP. 244 books mailed in credit swaps, 0 RWAP. 2 lost in the mail that I sent, 3 lost in the mail that I ordered. 39 Box of Books swaps. I have been a Tour Guide since February 2008. I mail within the allowed time, wrap in plastic (which is recycled and never contained food), always say Thank You in a PM.

I post mostly WL books lately, because I have been blessed to receive so many in the last few months.

If you ordered from me and cancelled the order because you looked at my shelf, you missed out on some good books, but that is probably a good thing.

Yikes.  What dark corner did this thread get revived from?  Susan was only a member for a couple of months herself when she said that back in 2007, and since she orders from me occasionally & I don't post new books but every couple of months or more, I'd say it's a good guess she's changed her mind over the last two years:P

Wow.  This is an old thread.

Welcome to PBS, Katherine!