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Help Center - Member Appreciation Books (MABs)

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Introduced Dec 11, 2012.

 


Member Appreciation Books

Introducing....MAB! Member Appreciation Books. This is the perfect combination of the PBS Market (where we offer NEW books to you at steep discount) and our book swapping club (where you swap used books for Book credits) - now, when you are offered a MAB you can get one or more NEW books for 1 Book Credit each + the cost of shipping&handling!

For more information, read on:

What is MAB?

  • Member Appreciation Books!
  • This program allows you to order NEW books from our PBS Market for 1 book credit + the cost of shipping. 
    • The books are NEW (never owned) but since they are overstock, they may have "remainder" marks - usually a pen mark on the bottom edge, and/or mild shelf wear.
  • Other details:
    • The books are surprises, chosen for you!  They are tailored to your interests (you need to have specified favorite genres on your homepage or in your Account Settings to participate), so you won't be offered books you aren't interested in.
    • MABs are unpredictable and can be fleeting. When you are offered a MAB you may be able to get only that one MAB that day, OR you could be able to order other MABs along with it.

How do I know I have a MAB?

  • You will have a message in the Message of the Day box (= the rotating display box in the center) at the top of your homepage telling you that you can order a MAB - (a NEW book for 1 credit + the cost of shipping only). 
  • You do need to be logged in to see the MAB offer on your homepage.
  • You can also see the MAB icon on the Welcome back! box in the upper right of the homepage
    •  The icon is MAB in an oval under the avatar:
  • To get to your homepage, click "Home" at the top of any page on the site while you are logged in. Here's a direct link  

Do I have to be enrolled in Annual Membership to be eligible for a MAB?

  • No, MABs are offered without regard to membership level.

Do I have to order the book right away, or can I come back to order it later?

  • MABs can go quickly, so if you see one you want, it's best to order it right away!
  • Please note: if you have a MAB offer and navigate away from the homepage and come back, if your MAB eligibility is still valid the system will offer you a DIFFERENT MAB the next time you come back to the home page. 
    • You can try to get back to a previously offered MAB by refreshing the page over and over to get that specific book to come back up OR you can simply click "More Free Books" on the message on your Homepage to see/browse all the MABs currently available to you.
  • The smartest thing to do if you want a particular MAB that is offered to you would be to add that MAB to your Cart when you see the offer on your homepage.  Then you can decide later if you want it.  You can't wait too long, though - sometimes a MAB offer will expire while the book is in your Cart! So to be sure to get the free book for 1 credit + shipping cost only, you should check out as soon as possible.

Can I order more than one MAB at a time?

  • Yes, you can order multiple MABs!  BUT you can't order more than one copy of a specific MAB book.
  • You can see all the MABs that the system is offering to you at any one time, by clicking "More Free Books" on the Message on your homepage or on the MAB icon on the homepage.

How much is shipping and handling?

  • The costs are the same as for regular Market books:
    • $3.99 for the first book in the shipment
    • then $1.09 for each additional book in the shipment from the same source (MABs are Overstock books).

Can I send a MAB to someone else (as a gift)?

  • Sure! Just provide that person's name/ship-to address during the process of checking out, and the book will be sent there.  Please note: as always, books cannot be sent to a correctional facility -- because they  will not accept PaperBackSwap shipments.

What if I want some regular (non-MAB) Market books too? Can they be shipped together?

  • Yes, and they will be treated as regular Market shipments - Overstock books (including MABs) will be shipped together, and Super Sellers will be shipped together. The shipping costs detailed above will apply.

How can I tell what's an Overstock book and what's a Super Seller (so I can keep them all in one shipment)?

  • The system will help you - once you have put a book into your Cart, then when you browse Market and/or MAB books, the books that would be coming from the same source as the book in your Cart will show on a green background.
  • Note: That means that if you have both a Super Seller and an Overstock book already in your Cart, you will be getting two separate shipments, and all the Market books you browse will have a green background. 

I was offered a MAB but when I went back to get it, it went away (it's not on the MAB list anymore)!  What happened?

  • Bad luck! the MAB expired, or our overstock source ran out of that book.

I was offered a MAB and put it into my cart, and then when I went to look, I was being charged a regular price!  What happened to my free book?

  • More bad luck! Sometimes MABs expire very quickly (usually that means that our suppliers ran out very fast). We're sorry when that happens. All the more reason to order quickly when you see a MAB you want!

How do I qualify for a MAB?

  • Mostly luck! This is meant to be a fun feature, so there is unpredictability built into it. 
  • You should keep an eye on your homepage so you don't miss your next MAB.
  • Be sure that you have chosen "favorite genres" in your Account Settings
    • Members who do not have favorite genres chosen will not get MAB offers.

I have not gotten any MAB offers!  Am I not appreciated?!?!

  • Yes, you are certainly appreciated!  Have you chosen your favorite genres yet?  If you have not done that you won't get any MAB offers.

 Are MABs just a temporary program?

  • We launched it originally as a Christmas/Chanukah event, but member response was so strong we continued the program.
  • That means that each MAB you snag will increase the likelihood that the program will continue!