paperbackswap.com users

[elizawill]

sooooo, i finally joined paperbackswap.com because i've heard such great things about it. i've posted 22 books so far & ordered my 2 already. i've also had 2 people order books from me already ---& this is all in a day's time!! hooray! buuuut...i'm still lost! there are a billion books to look through, and i don't really have a specific thing i want. i looked through by typing in "usborne" etc....but i feel overwhelmed by this site. is there an easier way to browse and figure out what i want?? it's so awesome, but i need tips on how to navigate through it. there is a msg board there too....but i felt like a fish out of water browsing it. any tips....advice.....please mamas!! TIA!

[Pippi]

Wow- I'm going to go look at it.

I've been doing Bookmooch (same idea) but I'm not thrilled with the selection. Though I have sent and received a lot of books and think its a great idea!

[melissel]

Originally Posted by elizawill

sooooo, i finally joined paperbackswap.com because i've heard such great things about it. i've posted 22 books so far & ordered my 2 already. i've also had 2 people order books from me already ---& this is all in a day's time!! hooray! buuuut...i'm still lost! there are a billion books to look through, and i don't really have a specific thing i want. i looked through by typing in "usborne" etc....but i feel overwhelmed by this site. is there an easier way to browse and figure out what i want?? it's so awesome, but i need tips on how to navigate through it. there is a msg board there too....but i felt like a fish out of water browsing it. any tips....advice.....please mamas!! TIA!

Honestly, I added as many books as I could think of that I was interested in at that moment, but whenever I think of more books I want, I go back and add them in then. I kind of use it as a running wish list. I add everything I think of, even if I'm not 100% sure I'd want it, because by the time it actually pops up as an offer, I might really want it I love PBS. In fact, I actually don't even list books to offer anymore since I decluttered so effectively (Plus, I'm a horrible mailer.) I actually buy the credits from the site--I figure it's helping to support a service I really believe in! They don't cost much more than mailing a book would, and it's still cheaper than Half.com

[dain]

I've never heard of this, this sounds much cheaper than the library fines we rack up, lol!

I'm not much help on your question, but thanks for the idea!

[Treasuremapper]

It is fabulous, and I have received lots of great books from the site.

[elizawill]

Originally Posted by melissel

Honestly, I added as many books as I could think of that I was interested in at that moment, but whenever I think of more books I want, I go back and add them in then. I kind of use it as a running wish list. I add everything I think of, even if I'm not 100% sure I'd want it, because by the time it actually pops up as an offer, I might really want it

i don't even know how to create my wish list : see why i need help. lol. i guess i'll go there and start trying to figure it out. great idea. thank you

[SmilinGal]

I hit the message boards a lot. If I don't know a specific title, but have an idea of what kind of book I want, I just ask around. People with books that work for me will reply, and also people that know of ones and just want to be helpful. I've found some GREAT resources that way.

I post up our little kid books as my youngest out grows them, and use the credits to stay ahead of the oldest's reading habits. It works out great. I even have a few credits sitting unused at any given time.

[melissel]

Originally Posted by elizawill

i don't even know how to create my wish list : see why i need help. lol. i guess i'll go there and start trying to figure it out. great idea. thank you

Yeah, spend some time on the site and you'll figure it out. But to add books to your wish list, just start searching for titles you want. For example, I just found this book at B&N that I'd like to have. So I searched for it: After the Ecstasy, the Laundry.

The site searched and came up with this:

We were unable to locate any books that matched your search parameters. Modifying your search could produce more results.

Your search was only looking in "Posted Books". Try choosing "All Books" to find the book you are looking for.

Now that I know it's not currently available, I can use the drop-down menu and switch to "All Books." When I search for it again, I'll get a list of books that should match my desired title (you might also get a few more--older versions, hardcover, paperback, audio CD etc.). Next to each title, there will be a menu of buttons that you can use for different things. Clicking the "+Wish" button will add that version of the book to your wish list. You have to click the "+Wish" button for each version of the book if you're open to receiving older versions, etc.

When you go into the My Account tab, you can see your wish list. One very cool feature I've recently discovered is this. When you're looking at your list, next to each book's Wish Date, you should see a little gray circle with an exclamation point in it. If you mouse over that, you should get a floating pop-up window that shows you your place in the wish list line (e.g., Position in line: 2 of 12). I think that's so cool. But don't let that discourage you from adding books to your list, because people frequently opt not to receive a book that's on their list, so if a bunch of people in front of you say no to an offered book, it might come to you quicker than you expect.

Those pretty much the only features I use. I don't know what the Reminder and TBR lists are for. I just try to remember to add books to my wish list as soon as I'm thinking of them, or I tend to forget Also, if I'm considering using a curriculum in the next year or so and it has outside books that go with it, I add those into my list too, so that in the meantime, before we're ready to use the curriculum, I can be working my way down the wish list line for those books. I do also occasionally go to Search >> Browse All Books >> Browse by Genre >> Homeschooling, just for the heck of it when I'm bored. Occasionally I come across something interesting, but generally, if it's a book that's in demand, it will already be on lost of wish lists and won't show up when you're browsing.

I hope all that makes sense!

[HipGal]

Great tip about the gray exclamation point! I had no idea about that. It was fun to see which books I may be close to getting and which ones are a long way off.

I'm not super impressed with the "instock" selection but it is fun to add to my wishlist and wonder if I will get an email soon when a book is available! I look up books as I think of them and sometimes get pleasantly surprised when they are available! I also like sending my books out knowing that they will be enjoyed.

[falcon]

I agree, thanks for that tip about the exclamation point. I've been using paperbackswap for a looong time now, and I had no idea I could see where I was in line