For you other Old Farts (you know who you are!)....

I haven't ordered anything in months, but placed a few over the last couple days.  Is it me or is it now taking longer for people to respond to book requests, in general?  Also, are you seeing more books timing out?

Ive only had one (recently) that went through multiple requests. It was 3 request two timed out.

It's not just you. I recently listed five books, all were wishlisted, all ended up not being claimed. Also, quite a few of the last few books I've requested have ended up on my wishlist as the other person never responded. It's pretty depressing.

I don't order much anymore either--mostly just wishlisted books that come up. However, I did just order a couple of 'next in series' books that I needed and they were both responded to within a day or so. Hard to say if there's any sort of trend with just a couple of examples though. LOL

Cheryl

Yes, L, I agree.  I originally requested a book on 10/23 - it was the only one in the system - and on 10/28 (right before it timed out) I got an email saying she had already given the book away.  It went to my wish list and was posted on 10/28 (late night), I accepted and it is still sitting there "waiting for member".    Why post a wish list book and then not come back and see if it's requested?  I did check and it's not the same person but they are both newbies.

I realize that not everyone is as addicted as we are but I'm too impatient I guess.....

Not just you...

Other odd things I'm noticing recently:

-Getting requests from people who have empty bookshelves. I guess they posted the 10 books to join, sent or removed them and they're just buying credits when WLs come up??? I always peek at requester's shelves to see if there's anything I'd like.

-Many requests from new-ish members with conditions requesting only brand-new books. I don't automatically cancel requests with conditions, if I can 100% meet the condition I send the book. I also don't care if someone sells a book they get from here, but I cancel these requests as I'm not going to deal with a fight over returning a credit.

-Posting WL books that go through 4-5 people without being claimed.

-I get notice of a WL book getting posted, I request it, it then times out or I get a PM saying they can't send it or don't have it. I check the person's account and it's on hold or the bookshelf is empty.

-I've recently received about 3 large BOB offers from new boxers who are requesting 8-10 of my newer trade paperbacks or hardcovers and when I check their shelves they have about 10 books on their shelves that are all old Grishams or other books that have hundreds of copies posted.

I haven't had any problems either way. 

I guess I'd qualify as a PBS Old Fart. I haven't had any problems with the books I've requested lately, but it does seem like I've had more of my wishlist books timing out without ever being accepted.

Well I'm not really an "old-fart" as I just joined in August. But I have had a very busy account and I never expected to be sending out so many books.  There have been a lot of new members lately because of PBS being mentioned in some articles and on news shows.  I think people join and then don't realize they will have to check the account so much.  I work at home so it's no biggy for me to come on a few times a day just to see what' going on in PBS land.  I also think that people post books and don't realize they are WL books. They post them and don't check for a few days, not thinking that the book would go so quickly.  I know I've been surprised by some of the books I've posted that were WL.  (Who would guess that a 12yr old paperback romance would have 80+ people waiting for it?) I also think that people get a little excited and add book to their WL thinking they'll probably never get offered them.  I am guilty of this. I put some on my WL that I figured I'd never see and aren't all that anxious to get either.  I moved a bunch to my reminder list.   

I've not had any problems with ordering lately, but in the last few months I've posted a couple of wishlisted books that were never ordered.  I don't specifically remember that happening before but can't say for sure.  On the whole I've been very happy with my transactions and with my contact with other club members.

Love the idea of being a PBS old fart, too.

I'm sure that with a lot of new members some are bound to have joined on a whim and not take the club too seriously.  On the other hand, it looks like many of the new folks are great and will soon be as addicted as we are!

I don't know that I qualify for the old part, but I'm sure I'm a fart from time to time.  I have noticed it's taking folks a little longer to respond.  I don't know if they're out doing holiday things, or if money is going to holiday things instead of books.  Not much longer, but not johnny on the spot like usual.

Well, as the site is around longer, there will be more "dead" accounts that haven't been cleared out yet.

And the holidays are coming, which often slows things down.

I haven't noticed much, but I haven't posted any new books in quite a while.  The WL books posted to me have been sent within a reasonable time frame--not instantly, but they've all arrived without going lost.

No problems here.  Seems to be the regular mix of quick & slow.

Lately, a lot of my requests have been  "waiting for member ", far longer than they used too. Also, a lot of requests have gone through 3 members before I get a response.

Box of Books responses are also slow. As a matter of interest, how long should you leave a bob offer before you get fed up of waiting for an accept or decline?

Yes, things have been slower lately....lots of timing outs due to no responses and I think there were some bad apples that joined after the Yahoo mention.  I had my first ever books go lost (2 wl that I've been waiting eons on) and I know of two other members alone who had wl books go lost from the exact same member...we all "lost" them on the same day, too.

I haven't noticed any difference one way or another.

I'm having a LOT of problems when I request a book.  For the past month or so members haven't been responding in a timely manner.  One book I've been wanting has come up three times and I have yet to receive it. Twice I cancelled the request after a week passed and the listing member still hadn't responded (I thought requests were supposed to be automatically canceled after 5 days of no response?)  I'm still waiting for the third member to respond and am getting ready to cancel again. (They can't all be from the same member because I reorder the book before I cancel my previous request).

Right now there are 4 books I requested on 10/26 that have still not been responded to.  I'm getting really aggravated.

Joanne, are you looking at your transaction archive on these requests?  If the system is passing your request on to a new member after 5 days you may be cancelling orders from people who have only had your request for a couple of days.

I'm not an old fart by any stretch; in fact, I'm fairly new.  However, I thought I'd chime in and say that I've not had a problem yet either way.  In fact, I've met some pretty awesome people and received some wonderful books as well as having sent some out myself.  I'm loving it!  (and I hope no one minds that I jumped in with my experience despite the fact that I'm pretty new!)

Well, I haven't requested a whole lot of books in the last couple of months, but the few I have requested have had timely responses.

My problem is the wishlist books that I have posted in the last couple of months.  Many times they have gone through 3 people before being accepted.  Oh well, I guess I'm doing my part since the book will be removed from their wishlist. 

I will freely admit I'm responding slower lately to requests.  They don't time out but I'm not leaping right on them and shipping them out that day or the next either.  I had some bad experiences with this site over the past few months and just am not as gung ho about the whole thing any longer I guess.  That sounds bad I know as I have also had average and good experiences as well over the past 1+ years or however long I have been a member.  I did post another batch this week and am shipping them out as most have been requested, but really my enthusiasm for the site as a whole, sending and receiving, has been lower lately. 

After getting a rash of books torn, dirty and water stained I finally gave in and put conditions stating I wanted them to meet PBS guidelines.  So tonight I get a nastygram turndown of a wishlisted book I ordered stating that person doesn't accept special requests or some trash (I say trash because it was worded really rudely, not politely).  I admit - it is definitely their choice and their book if they don't want to send it.  But I'm really feeling darned if I do and darned if I don't regarding those conditions.  I have had less water damaged books since putting conditions that I won't accept them (hey, they shouldn't be sent anyway!) but also getting turned down from members refusing to send with anyone with conditions.  I guess I'm just a little burned out on PBS lately, and it definitely impacts both how many books I post here and how quick I am to respond to requests or to order books myself.  I'm more and more likely to just box up my books and take them to Goodwill or the library for donation.  I cleared out half my shelf a couple weeks ago and shipped them to Goodwill. 

Just my perspective.

Tanya