I requested a book on the 16th and it was cancelled today. The reason:

This is a hardback book and expensive to deliver. but I might need to wait on it.

What does that mean? *baffled*

Yes, it was a hardback book that is 432 pages... but I don't understand the 'wait on it part'. It seems to me, I'm the one doing the waiting now (as there's no other copies in the system)...

sigh.

(edited to fix spacing)

The sender should have considered the postage cost before offering the book in the system!  So sorry that happened.  I don't post hardbacks primarily for this reason - too heavy.

Sheri, my *guess* would be that she doesn't have the postage right now to mail it.  At least, that's how I interpret the statement.  You could PM him/her and ask...maybe try to figure when it can be sent?  It should be on your WL now, so you'll be first in line if it's reposted.

Yes, Natasha, I have to agree - the sender should have taken that into account. I have to admit I'm pretty angry/disappointed. I'm on a limited income and I don't list books I know I can't send. Period. I just listed (and sent) two big coffee table books because I had a little extra money. I'd rather someone at PBS get them than taking them to the thrift shop.

Beth, perhaps I will PM her. Thanks for the idea.

I agree-they shouldn't have been posted or the account should be on vacation hold if the person doesn't have the $$ to send them.  I have 2 giant hard cover Italian cookbooks collecting dust.  I haven't posted them because it just doesn't seem worth the postage to send them for 1 credit.  Maybe some heavier hardbacks should qualify for 2 credits.

She probably realized she is going to have to take it to the post office to mail it that and the cost. I dont know why she cancelled and then said ".....wait". I would consider it cancelled.  Have you tried getting the book from your library or were you looking for a keeper?
I took all my hardcovers off my shelf, because I dont have time to go to the post office. [so not how I want to spend my day off, lol]

I agree. She was probably low on postage money or she didn't want to spend the extra hard covers cost to send. What book was it Sheri?

I actually budget my PBS mailings - $30 a month. As soon as I hit that $30, I put my shelf on hold for the rest of the month. Of course a few times I've gone over that budget simply because so many books have been requested as soon as I remove the hold, but it's better than when my mailings were hitting $30 a week!

The book was for my mother and is called "Candles Burning" by Tabitha  King and Michael  McDowell http://www.paperbackswap.com/book/details/9780425210284-Candles+Burning

hard cover books are not that much more than paperbacks to mail. $2.13 vs. $2.47 or something like that.

I have had to mail a few hardcovers that were twice that. Sometimes it is not just a hardcover novel--sometimes it is a giant heavy thing.

The book was 437 pages. It would have weighed around 1 pound six ounces, and cost $2.47 to send.

ETA: I weighed one of my hardback books that was 410 pages and it weighed 1 pound .08 oz.

That sounds like one confused swapper.  Sorry about the disappointment, Sheri.

I just checked. I thought I might have had it but I don't. I'm going to a FOL sale and a few thrift stores this weekend and will keep my eyes open for it Sheri. :)

Thank you, Tammy.

Thank you to everyone who commiserated!

I PM'ed her, asking her if she was going to repost the book, and that I didn't understand completely what her post meant. So far no reply.

Odd.  I mean so simple to remove a book from your list, or put your account on hold.  And it's not that much more to mail, not even a dollar more.  Pretty disappointing I would imagine, for you and your mom.  It's certainly ok to have a budget, or understandable if your finances suddenly change, but then put your account on hold.  Maybe she was focused on whatever went wrong with her finances and just forgot about her books.  Sorry for your disappointment.

I just mailed a hardback that was over 2 lbs so $2.81.  I don't know how many pages though and definitely not the HP book!

I understand that, Lea - but she cancelled the book and left what (to me) was a cryptic reason. I appreciate that not everyone is rolling in money (I'm not) and that some can't get to the post office often, etc. I am disabled, but I can - and have - put my shelf on hold when I can't get to the post office or run out of money to ship books. It's not a matter of being patient, honestly - it's that I didn't understand her reason and wanted to know what she meant.