Why oh why do people not wrap their books in plastic?

This is the third time I've gotten a water logged book.

So  there was a few things wrong with this book. I'm surprised it even rached my house truth be told..

The cover was different than the book requested, which isn't a big deal. The book arrived soaked, and grey, due to the fact that it was wrapped in news paper (my guess). The cover was torn and partially missing as was some of the newspaper it was wrapped in. Also more tape was used to tape my address to the newspaper that what was supposed to wrap the book with...

Mind you, I tend to buy credits more often then trade books, so this is nerving me..

Would it be wrong to change my conditions to "only accepting books wrapped in saran wrap due to unforseen weather conditions"?

People don't wrap books in plastic because it is not a requirement and some people prefer not to for environmental reasons.  You could change your conditions, but you may get senders who reject your requests. 

If you receive a book that was damaged because it was not wrapped properly, make sure to report it when you mark it received, and you can ask the sender for your credit back.  If it was damaged in transit by USPS, you're out of luck.  If you want books to arrive in perfect condition, buy them from Amazon, but you'll pay a lot more for them. 

I would absolutely put plastic wrap in your requester conditions if you want it to be wrapped.

My understanding is that newsprint isn't allowed as a wrapping.

As for the different cover, that is going to happen a lot I think. They are changing covers, especially paperbacks, all the time. I bet at least 1/3 of my shelf has different covers than the images because they are first print and the images are usually the most recent print.

Be kind in letting the sender know the problems, many of us newbies really are trying. Some of my first mailings went out without plastic. After reading some in the forums, I went out and bought a roll of the plastic wrap that sticks to itself so now the books I mail will be so waterproof they could be used as a floatation device. 

Melanie said : I went out and bought a roll of the plastic wrap that sticks to itself so now the books I mail will be so waterproof they could be used as a floatation device. 

Please make sure that it is not press-n-seal. This is not allowed because it may stick to the books.

Consider using an inner layer of plastic

• You can use Saran Wrap, or clean plastic grocery bags, or any kind of clean plastic material
• please do not use "Press and Seal". This product contains some type of glue that sticks to the books.

Betsy

:) :) Not Press and Seal, though if I hadn't seen that specifically listed as a no-no in the wrapping instructions, I would have used it, that stuff was made by gods. This new stuff sticks only to itself, nothing else, no residue.

Great to know. Can you share the name?

If you want books to arrive in perfect condition, buy them from Amazon, but you'll pay a lot more for them. 

Pattie, I don't think Alexandra was saying the books should be in perfect condition...but simply wrapping them in some sort of plastic can help...if nothing else, use a grocery sack.  That's recycling!!  LOL

I'm sorry to hear about your wet book.

Just so everyone knows, the book cover does not have to match the posted image.

From the Help Center

If the book cover image on a listing matches the author and title but doesn't happen to match YOUR copy of the book that has that ISBN:

• This image does not need to be replaced.
• Cover images do NOT have to match the book being listed, because sometimes publishers reprint using the same ISBN but a different cover art.
• ISBN, author, title and booktype must match when you post a book; cover image does not have to match.

I've gotten only one wet book in hundreds received, even in wet weather.  If you are regularly getting wet books, you may want to start with your PO or your mailbox first.  Carriers are not supposed to leave mail exposed to the elements.

What Karen said.  Plus, put a condition on your account requesting that books be wrapped in plastic.

I agree - put it in your conditions.   I would just put "plastic" NOT saran wrap!  Some people will reject it because they don't have plastic wrap when a plastic bag works just as well.   Just a thought.

When I first began with PBS, I didn't wrap books in plastic because - well, I live in the desert southwest with 5 to 8 or less inches of moisture per year. My thought was, "It'll be OK. My books I send will be fine, and books I receive won't get wet!" Lo and behold!  I DID receive a boook - wrapped in plastic - that must have been through a monsoon somewhere before here. It also was from a relatively dry part of the US. That made a believer of me. Though the packaging was "not too good" the book was fine. Now, all my books go with "plastic first." I think I'll start using grocery bags 'cause our stores recycle plastic bags. Then, when I receive, and perhaps others as well, the bags can be recycled. I have learned very, very much from these forums. All are informative and useful. Keep up the good work!    M'ann

I really really hate plastic wrap. I always end up getting it all stuck up in a mess rather than neatly around whatever I'm wrapping. I've gotten many books wrapped in plastic wrap, and I alway marvel over how neat and tidy they all look. 

I use Tyvec style envelopes.  If the book is smaller than the envelope, I usually tape it securely. They're really cheap on ebay, and I've never had any problems reported (I'm on my 3rd or 4th box of 50 right now).  I also haven't had any problems with any books sent to me this way.   Has anyone had any problem with these types of envelopes? 

The main reason I ask is because I don't buy plastic wrap, and if I got a request with a condition SPECIFICALLY asking for plastic wrap, I would feel like I have to decline.  I have seen people complain about possible smells and allergy triggers associated with used grocery bags, so I wouldn't use those if the condition specified plastic wrap or Saran Wrap.  I would use it if they just requested wrapping in some sort of plastic, I guess, but it wouldn't be pretty & I wonder if it would be necessary in addition to the Tyvec type envelope.

I don't expect the books to be brand new, but it would be nice if they weren't soaking wet. A lot of the books I order tend to be older paperbacks so obviously new isn't something I'm looking for. 

Thanks for the grocery bag idea our generic some sort of plastic/waterproofing.

I also don't think its my mailman's fault as I live in SoCal, and yesterday was the first time it "Rained" (more like drizzled) since May,

Thanks everyone!

I am in Az so I didn't think about this at first either, but after reading a few comments here I always wrap my books in a plastic grocery bag and then heavy paper before sending!  Hopefully that works well!