In The Great White North Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Have people been having issues with PBS, as they have with selling homeschool materials outright? Or is it fairly painless? Do you use media mail? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LidiyaDawn Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Are you in Canada? (your username suggests it, but it's 4am and I can't think if you've said you were LOL) Reason I ask is because Paperback Swap doesn't accept Canadians…it's just for the states. Book Mooch is international though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Nope, I'm an hour or two south of the border. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I don't know what you mean by trouble. PBSD only allows the sender to receive 1 credit for one book, no matter how expensive it is or how much it is worth. If the homeschool curriculum is very valuable, then it is rarely offed at PBS considering that a credit can be bought for under $4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 I was actually wondering about problems with books not arriving after having been mailed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 I can buy a credit for $4? I'll have to read more of the instructions. I just signed up. Can I buy a credit before listing the 10 first books? (Found something I want already!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Not arriving after being mailed is rare, or at least in my experience. PBS provides shipping labels with tracking and confirmation. If it doesn't arrive, you are given your credit back if you ordered it. If you sent it and it is lost, then you just lost the book. If the book is lost after mailing, that isn't the fault of PBS though, that is the post office. PBS will hound you with emails asking you if the book has arrived and so on as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I can buy a credit for $4? I'll have to read more of the instructions. I just signed up. Can I buy a credit before listing the 10 first books? (Found something I want already!) If you go to the book bazaar you can often buy credits off other members for a fraction of the price. Or you can go to the store and buy credits 3 at a time. I have done that rather than making someone my buddy and then sending them paypal. If you find a book you want out it on your wish list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 To buy credits you go to the KIOSK, not the store. I don't know though if they will allow buying without posting first though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Have people been having issues with PBS, as they have with selling homeschool materials outright? Or is it fairly painless? Do you use media mail? TIA I've been having pretty good luck. We've had a handful of books never arrive (out of hundreds swapped). Usually it has just gotten delayed and eventually we'll get it and give the sender the credit for it. Some books are more likely to get swapped. There are really popular books, but because there are so many of them out there, they don't always get requested quickly (because there are so many ahead of them). Ironically, the most popular item we've ever posted was a stack of Young and the Restless novels from the 1970s that my MIL gave me. I've rarely had a recognized homeschool book stay on my PBS bookshelf for more than a couple days. Often they are wishlisted as soon as I post them. Lately we've been using credits to get things like study guides for Campbell's Biology book. I figure that the outgoing book was something I was done with and probably wouldn't have gotten more than a few dollars for anyway. And I know I'm getting it to someone who will appreciate it. There are a few books that I am reluctant to post, just because the postage will be so much higher. Things like fat textbooks do make me think twice. (Of course I do love getting similar things.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I have a lot of homeschool books on my wish list...the biggest problem is to make sure that they are really in GOOD condition before you post them. I got 2 homeschool books that had been written in and highlighted in and asked for my point back...because I had planned to read and put it back up if we couldn't use it...and people are really picky about condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachmejoy Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I've been doing this for about 1/2 a year and I've traded a LOT! I've only had one of my books not show up and a couple not come to me. It's really minimal. If you don't get a book they will refund your credit, which is nice! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Often they are wishlisted as soon as I post them. How does this work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love_to_Read Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 When you sign up and post your first 10 books in good faith, you get 2 credits to start requesting books. :) After that, you get a credit for each book that you send to someone else. When you want a book, you search for it. If it says "Order this book," that means that someone else has a copy available that you can request immediately. If it says, "Post the book," that means there are no copies posted at this time. In that case, if you are wanting it, you click on the smaller button that says "Wish." You get put on the waiting list. Wishes are granted in order. It will tell you how many people are ahead of you. Sometimes the wish list queue moves quickly, sometimes ot. It depends on whether it's a cheap common paperback that others are likely to post, or a more sought-after book, or more expensive, or more of a specialty interest, etc. For those, you just have to be patient. If you post a book that others are waiting for, you'll get a notice to send it to the first person in line. :) Well, actually, they get the notice first, to make sure they still want it. ;) Then the system asks if you are able to mail it. So, you both get a chance to confirm the transaction before it happens. That only takes a copuple days, so when you post books that are in demand, they fly off your shelf. You can also post what you're currently reading on a separate list on your account. That list will show a W next to the title if the book has a wait list, so if you are desperate for a credit, that tells you which books to hurry up and post for swapping. :lol: If you post a book that doesn't have a wait list, that means that supply is greater than demand at the moment. Your book title will show up as available to order when people search. When a person orders it, the person who posted the first copy will be contacted. So again, you just have to be patient waiting for enough requests for it to get around to your copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I've had a lot of success with paperback swap, although I have learned to not put special requests (not from a smoke free home, etc), and the other side of that coin, not to send to those with special requests, as they tend to be 'pickier' and reject my books quicker even though I know they were perfectly fine. Question if anyone knows the answer... Is there anyway have pbs run a search and find a member that has several of the books I am looking for? The first in/first out (FIFO) system is nice except that when you are looking for real common books you tend to get members with just a few books on their bookshelf, fairly inactive. I have a few common books I'd like to get now and I'd love to try to find one or two members active members that carry them and to enable them to combine shipping. Hope that makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Do you use media mail? When someone orders one of your books, you are directed to print a mailer on a regular piece of printer paper with the proper address on it from the PBS website. If it's a regular size paperback, you can wrap the book in the printed mailer with some packing tape and you're good to go. The mailer has the least-expensive postage rate already marked on it, along with the proper "stamp" (media mail vs. first class). They've been 99% right when I take them to the post office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 (edited) I've had a lot of success with paperback swap, although I have learned to not put special requests (not from a smoke free home, etc), and the other side of that coin, not to send to those with special requests, as they tend to be 'pickier' and reject my books quicker even though I know they were perfectly fine. Question if anyone knows the answer... Is there anyway have pbs run a search and find a member that has several of the books I am looking for? The first in/first out (FIFO) system is nice except that when you are looking for real common books you tend to get members with just a few books on their bookshelf, fairly inactive. I have a few common books I'd like to get now and I'd love to try to find one or two members active members that carry them and to enable them to combine shipping. Hope that makes sense. You can't really do that with the FIFO system. The best way is to go to the Discussion Forums, and then to the Book Bazaar forum. That is where people list their deals, sell credits, etc. You can post that you're looking to purchase multiples. I know a lot of people have had good luck doing that. ETA: They actually have a thread on the Book Bazaar called "June 2011 - What books are you looking for?" where you can post what books you need. Edited June 28, 2011 by Sparkle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 How does this work? When you are browsing through book listings, you have an option to "Order this Book" if the book is available. If it's not available, there is a smaller button to "+Wish" or "+Reminder". These buttons allow you to put a book on a wish list or reminder list. If you have a book on the wish list, you will be notified when one has been posted and you are the next person in line. You can accept or decline the book at that point. A reminder list is just a list of books you're interested in. But you don't move up the waiting list for them. This is good for books that are commonly available, but that you don't want to get all at once (maybe you're reading through a series or you want to only use the credits a couple at a time for books of a certain type). So if I post a book (say, WTM for example) and it's on wish lists, then it is offered to the first person, then the next, then the next, until there are no more members wishing or someone asks for it. If a book is not currently available, you can see how many people have it wish listed by clicking on the title and looking in the section with the ISBN. For example the second edition of WTM has 359 PBS members wishing for it. :D I've had some books be on wish lists when I listed them, go through everyone's wish lists, then go onto my regular bookshelf and get picked up (this was a Logic book that was wished by about 7 people). If you make a wish list, you can look at it and see where you are on the waiting list for a particular book. It will also tell you the last time something was posted and sometimes give you an estimate for when the book is predicted to become available (this last function only works well for popular books that are trading a lot of copies). FWIW, I try to wish list any edition of a book that would suit me. If I have to have the 4th edition of a book to match other parts, then I only list that. If I don't care about edition or paperback/hardback, then I list multiple isbns. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running the race Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I've used PBS for years and haven't had any trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I have a lot of homeschool books on my wish list...the biggest problem is to make sure that they are really in GOOD condition before you post them. I got 2 homeschool books that had been written in and highlighted in and asked for my point back...because I had planned to read and put it back up if we couldn't use it...and people are really picky about condition. Yes, textbooks are allowed to have writing and highlighting, so if you don't want that, you have to remember to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 You can't really do that with the FIFO system. The best way is to go to the Discussion Forums, and then to the Book Bazaar forum. That is where people list their deals, sell credits, etc. You can post that you're looking to purchase multiples. I know a lot of people have had good luck doing that. ETA: They actually have a thread on the Book Bazaar called "June 2011 - What books are you looking for?" where you can post what books you need. The closest I've been able to come to, if I have a series of books is to search for each book series and click that I want that book. Sometimes one or the other member will have multiple books listed. But in the end, it is sort of a wash. You get a credit for the each book. I'm not going to put a ton of effort into saving someone else postage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beezus Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Yes, textbooks are allowed to have writing and highlighting, so if you don't want that, you have to remember to ask. There is a textbook exception at PBS, but the burden is on the sender to contact the requesting party and inform them of the highlighting. The person requesting the book then supposedly has an opportunity to say yes or no. I've found that textbook senders seldom comply with that rule. If they send a book without asking you first whether you are okay with the highlighting, you are entitled to ask for your credit back. I've done so a couple times and had my credit refunded. Other times I have just not made an issue of it, because I planned to use the book anyway. I've received quite a few books for school from PBS, but I have encountered a few swappers who don't follow the rules. Overall, I'd say it's been a positive experience though. I've only had one book that didn't arrive and my credit was refunded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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