Just signed up and passed along two paperbacks that I got from a friend. I'm quite disappointed that the first comment I get is a complaint about the book's condition. "Disappointed" is an understatement, I'm a little ticked off. There was nothing wrong with the book, it's a paperback that's been read, for crying out loud!

Rude. That's all I can say. Leaves me with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth about using this site. Especially since I haven't actually found any literature in the inventory that's of the caliber of the two I was kind enough to pass along. Now I just wish I'd given "The Glass Castle" to someone more appreciative and kept my $2.38.

Okay. I guess I don't get the point system, I was able to mooch a book before I spent any money. Also, pardon me for being new to the site, but when I listed my books, it didn't ask about condition.

There was nothing wrong with that book and I'm now sorry I went out of my way to pass it on. I'm personally grateful to get a bit of good-quality literature that's been previously loved as long as all the pages are there.

By the way, I'm in the publishing industry.

Well, happy reading all, it was fun while it lasted.

When you list a book on your inventory, the confirmation page has a list of navigation buttons on the right side, one of which is Condition or Condition Notes (can't remember). It is easy to miss and far from intuitive. You have to click that button to enter condition notes.

I'm fairly new, but I've noticed that noting a book's condition is very important to some bookmoochers and far less important to others. Personally, I only care about the condition unless the book has water damage, mold, missing pages or notes/highlighting. This is a used book site, I expect books to be well-loved before they reach me. People will still mooch books with serious damage, but they just like to know what they're getting. For example, sometimes people are looking for trashed books that they can take to the beach sans guilt. I usually write condition notes just to reassure people that there's nothing major wrong. I would recommend doing that in the future to eliminate misunderstandings. But very few of the books I've mooched have included condition notes. So while that's certainly the preference of many, it's definitely not the practice of everyone. I don't think you did anything wrong. I hope you try again with a happier result next time!

I'm sure she didn't mean to be rude, it was just a little jarring. I exchange a lot of books, being a publisher and crazy reader, and as long as they're not toxic/gross or have pages missing, I don't care how "warped" they are. I don't even care about handwritten notes. Especially if they're free.

My intention is to read it, not put it on a shelf to look pretty.

I may just redeem the points I have and call it quits. I was so excited to join this website and give and receive books for nothing more than the cost of postage. But now I'm getting harassing emails regarding the refund of points and have lost points because USPS damaged a package.

If it wasn't for the good transactions I've had I'd already have left the site.
Sorry you have had a bad experience too.

Sorry you seem to be having an even worse experience than I did.

Good Luck!

If in a retail store such as B&N, Borders, etc, ... new retail books are expected to be, well, NEW...and in FINE condition.

In the average used book store, books are USED, yes, but generally expected to be in fairly good condition. ie:...here are used books that range from looking LIKE NEW down to fair- (next stop, the trash can). (really there shouldn't be, and generallty you can count on not finding... missing pages, badly broken spines, extensive water damage, etc)

Besides online-bookclubs such as this one and others, used books, in a wide variety of conditions, can be found in a huge variety of other places. ie: yard & garage sales, thrift stores, FOL sales(friends of library), friends and family bookshelves, gifts from f&f (new & used), random finds ie: BookCrossing books released 'in the wild', etc, etc, nearly without end.

!!! In my opinion what should NOT be given, traded, sold, etc...are books with extensive WATER DAMAGE (such books are at risk for, or already have: mold, mildew, must, fungal spores, etc) and misc gunk, food, critter chewing saliva, unknown residue, etc, and any unrepaired physical damage. (adequate physical repairs/reinforcements can and should be notated in the 'book condition' area)

And in all of these places where books can be found, there are generally 'expectations of conditions' ...ie: no surprises. !!!

Occasionaly I have been a book's 'last stop'. ie: one old (early 70's) mmp literally fell apart as I read it. The fragile ancient glue just gave up. I tossed pages/chapters as I finished em, beginning with the cover falling off, lol.

It does happen, but rarely, that I toss a badly damaged book in the trashcan...when it's too bad to even give away to a thrift store.

fyi-early on, shortly after joining, I got a negative rating and comment re a book I'd sent re conditions that weren't notated in 'book conditions'...nor had I even noticed such. A quick apology and offer of a free pick from inventory as replacement...got the negative rating up-graded. However...the value to me of this 'lesson' ... taught me to really LOOK at my books, and then to accurately list the descriptions.

The majority of my inventory is in the 'good' & 'Very Good' range, with a few 'LIKE NEW' and a very few 'fair's...and the accurate description is listed for every single book.

So YES, book condition descriptions are important.
Some folks expect 'better', some folks accept 'worse'.
So there you have it re justloux's natterings.

Some good book condition descriptions at the following site: http://www.millersmiles.co.uk/bookguide/bookguide.htm

*> LIKE NEW: similiar to Fine or Near Fine.
*> Very Good: a used book showing some SMALL signs of wear.
*> good: the average used and worn book that has all pages present. (justloux note:fyi-some books noted as 'good+' are really almost 'Very Good' but might have more visible spine creases. Some of the rated 'good-' books are just a little bit too good to be down-rated to 'fair')
*> fair: a very worn book.
(justloux note:no books listed are lower rated than 'fair') (if books are worse off than 'fair', they're discarded)