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Posts Tagged ‘Delivery Confirmation’

Store News: PBS CookBook is in, Package Openers & Free Trial of Delivery Confirmation

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

PBS STORE NEWS:

  • The Cookbook is here!  The Cookbook is here! Yes, the PBS Cookbook is shipping!  If you moved since you ordered the Cookbook make sure your account address is updated on your account.
  • And now we can reveal the surprise extra in the Cookbook:  In addition to all the great member recipes, there is a special collection of recipes submitted to us by some of PBS’ favorite authors, including Angela Hunt, Barbara Delinsky, Bertrice Small, Beverly Lewis, Carla Neggers, Charles David, Christopher Moore, Dave Barry, David Anthony, Diana Gabaldon, Elmer Kelton, Joy Nash, Judith Tarr, Julie Garwood, Karen Dinino, Ken Follett, Laura Fitzgerald, Linda Rosencrance, Linda Woods, Lisa See, Lisa Shearin, Margaret Atwood, Margaret Weis, Mindy Klasky, Philippa Gregory and Rob Palmer! We are grateful to these authors who agreed to contribute recipes.   Get your copy in the Kiosk before they’re sold out!
  • Also check out the newly added package openers: These handy-dandy items (one shown below) are just the thing you need to get that well-wrapped PBS package open without damaging the book inside.


FREE Delivery Confirmation. Don’t forget that if you have never used PBS-DC before, you have 3 free trials of the feature until October 24, 2009!  The 19-cent USPS e-DC fee still applies (you pay that with extra postage applied to the package) but the 27-cent PBS fee is waived for three separate shipments if you want to try this out.  PBS Delivery Confirmation comes with Quick Credit -which means that you don’t have to wait for the package to be received to get credit.   To try this out, choose “Print with Delivery Confirmation alone” (the middle option on the Wrapper Settings page) and your wrapper will print out with a DC barcode.  You can read more about PBS-DC here, in the Help Center.  Please note that Printable Postage is not included in this offer –it’s just for PBS-DC.

Dear Librarian: USPS Delivery Confirmation, Two copies of the same book, Import your Amazon Wishlist

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Dear Librarian-  I was excited to try the free trial of PBS-DC, and I printed out the wrapper with the DC barcode on it, and added postage (remembering to include 19 extra cents for the USPS electronic-DC fee).  So far, so good.  But then I took the book to my PO and they tried to scan it and couldn’t!  They told me the number was invalid and they wanted me to buy DC from them for 80 cents!!  I think your free trial thingy is broken. What do I do?? –Flummoxed in Fairview

Dear Moxie,

We’re sorry you had this experience!  The free trial thingy isn’t broken, but sometimes things don’t go perfectly when you get to the PO.  If they have trouble scanning the barcode this could be because their scanner is not powerful enough (this might be true especially if it is a “pen” style scanner), or because of the way it was printed (if you printed using “scale to fit” in the printer settings, this can space the bars in the barcode out just enough to cause problems with the scan, or if you used colored paper that can cause poor contrast of the black ink of the barcode; or if you put a lot of tape over the barcode, especially if more than one layer or there are wrinkles or bubbles in it, that can inhibit the scan).  But those are really uncommon problems.

Since your PO used the word “invalid” we think the problem may be that the USPS system has not synchronized to include the barcode yet – the DC barcodes are generated by USPS, and there is a short lag time before all the USPS computers will recognize the barcode that was generated centrally. If you printed the wrapper and took the package to the PO very quickly, it’s possible that the barcode generated by the central USPS computer didn’t have time to be registered in the system where your local PO could access it.  If this happens:  Don’t purchase DC from the PO – this will not earn quick credit and will cost you 80 cents!  Don’t let the clerk cover up the printed PBS-DC barcode.  Just send the package as is.  It will probably be scanned en route.  If you check the DC barcode now by entering it on the usps.com site, you will see that it is recognized by USPS and is not invalid.

We’re sorry you had this bump in the road but PBS-DC really works very well!   We hope that you give it another try.

Dear Librarian– I’m in a quandary.  I really wanted a particular book and I put every version of it on my Wish List.  I was offered the book 4 days ago and I was thrilled!  Yesterday it was marked mailed to me – hallelujah!   But then today I was offered ANOTHER version.  What do I do?  I don’t want TWO copies of this book.  But I’m scared the first one won’t arrive, and if I pass up the second, I won’t get ANY copy of the book.  I AM FREAKING OUT.  –Distressed in Duluth

Dear Luthy,

Ah, yes, the dilemma that can happen to any PBS member who uses the Wish List!  When it rains it pours: you’re offered a second version of a book before the first version has come in the mail.   Should you trust that the US Mail will bear version #1 safely to your mailbox, and decline the offer of version #2?  Or should you grab version #2, knowing that if you end up with both you’ll have to mark both received?

It’s an individual decision.  Remember that less than 1% of packages get “lost” by USPS, so the odds are good that you’ll get version #1.  Of course, if you believe in Murphy’s Law, then you may think that the ONLY book that will get lost or misdelivered in your account will be this one you want so much, and that will make you accept the second version so you’re sure to end up with at least one copy of the book!

You have to follow your heart here, and consider this: Would it be worse to get NO copies (by declining #2 and having the bad luck of #1 not arriving), and have to go back into line on the Wish List again?  Some members who have a lot to read and aren’t very anxious to get a specific book would choose that tactic, and take the small risk of getting no copies of the book.   Or would it be worse in your mind to end up with 2 copies?  Since it’s a Wish Listed book you could just repost the extra and send it out – if you really want the book you would go that route.   We can’t make that decision for you but we’re sure you can choose, based on which “worst case scenario” would be easier for you to bear.  The good news is that this situation, because it requires some coincidences to occur, won’t happen too often.

Dear Librarian,

I just discovered PBS and I love it!  I have been keeping a Wish List of books at Amazon.  Is there a way to import that list easily into my Wish List here?  –Exploring the site in Exeter

Dear Dora the Explora:

Welcome to PBS!  We’re glad you asked about this.  Yes, there is an easy way to import lists, or single books, from pages outside the PBS site, into your PBS lists.   You can use the PBS Book List Import Bookmark.  This is a bookmark you can add to your browser (Internet or Firefox), and when you are on a site (like your Amazon Wish List or basically any other place you see a book or list of books) you can click the bookmark and like magic you will be allowed to import any ISBNs that are on that page, into the PBS list of your choosing.

It goes like this:

You: Gee, I would like to put my Amazon Wish List books on my PBS Wish List.  I have downloaded the PBS Book List Import Bookmark and now I go to the Amazon Wish List page and click the bookmark in my browser bookmark toolbar.

PBS: SHAZAM!  Here is a list of all of the books we found on the page you were on.  Check the boxes next to each book to tell us which ones you would like to import, and then choose the list (Bookshelf, TBR, Books I’ve Read, Wish List, Reminder List) you would like them to go on.

You (checking all boxes, choosing Wish List, clicking Continue): I would like ALL of them to go onto my Wish List at PBS.

PBS (puts books onto list): Your wish is my command!

You: Wow that is nifty!

Remember that if any of the books is available here it can’t be put on your Wish List here; available books can’t go onto a Wish List.  They can go on your Reminder List, though – or you can just order them here, and grant some of your own Amazon wishes!

You can read about using the Book List Import Bookmark here in the Help Center – and you can get the bookmark from Member Tools at the bottom of any page on the site.  The bookmark works for Internet Explorer and Firefox, and yes, even if we do say so ourselves, it is very nifty.

COMING SOON:

News: Try Delivery Confirmation, PBS Cookbook, New Business Cards & More…

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

Share and Share alike. trade your books icons <—Those icons are now at the top of every page, under the blue banner.  They allow you to tweet a link, send a link in an email, display a book listing on facebook or myspace…or a ton of other options.  Wanna tell everyone on facebook what you’re currently reading?  Click the icon when you’re on the Book Details page for that book, choose Facebook, type in a comment if you want, and boom!  it goes onto your facebook page.  Tell people what books you’ve mailed out, what books you’re wishing for…whatever you want to share.

Try it…you’ll like it. Don’t forget that if you have never used PBS-DC before, you have 3 free trials of the feature!  The 19-cent USPS e-DC fee still applies (you pay that with extra postage applied to the package) but the 27-cent PBS fee is waived for three separate shipments if you want to try this out.  PBS Delivery Confirmation comes with Quick Credit (and with Guaranteed Credit for accounts with good sending records).  To try this out, choose “Print with Delivery Confirmation alone” (the middle option on the Wrapper Settings page) and your wrapper will print out with a DC barcode. The offer is good until October 24th. You can read more about PBS-DC here, in the Help Center. Printable Postage is not included in this offer –it’s just for PBS-DC.

PBS Store NewsPBS Cookbook final proof has been approved and printing is in process  – Members have been flipping over the BookFlips (get ’em while we still have ’em!) –  and now that cooler weather is on the way, it may be time for a cozy PBS sweatshirt.

Recycle Books Hoodie

Richard wearing his awesome PBS Sweatshirt.

APO/FPO/DPO members: For those of you at military/diplomatic addresses, you know that you have had to use the mandatory Requestor Conditions (RCs) on your accounts.  But what about the requests to APO/FPO/DPO addresses that are submitted by stateside members?  We have changed things so that if a request is submitted to be sent to an APO/FPO or DPO address, the Requestor Conditions will be applied automatically.  If you have other text in your Requestor Conditions, that will be included – it will appear above the mandatory PBS text on the request.  You can read the text for the mandatory PBS APO/FPO/DPO RCs at the bottom of the Help doc here.

Be a card-carrying member… of all three sites!  The Omni Business Card is hot off the presses: it can be customized with your name (you can choose NOT to show your name!), nickname, join date – as you like.  It’s a great way to refer new people to all three clubs and get referral credit!  You can download and print these for free from the Spread the Word page.  Check out the PBS business cards, bookmarks and flyers also available for download from that page, under Community at the top of any page on the site.

Custom DC Labels: Newsletter – October 2006

Thursday, October 5th, 2006

Custom DC Labels is another feature that originated with our members. So many were posting books to send to a friend using PBS-DC that we realized this feature was needed. Now you can print out a custom PBS-DC label for any package you send (and yes, the holidays are coming!). You can reprint the label as many times as you want, for no extra charge, during the first 14 days (but of course, each barcode can be used only once). Simply click the Custom DC tab on the right menu of your account page, and enter the information. It’s that easy!

PBS Delivery Confirmation: Newletter – August 2006

Tuesday, August 8th, 2006

PBS Delivery Confirmation is going like gangbusters! Many of you are taking advantage of the Quick Credit/Guaranteed Credit feature, and enjoying watching your books get scanned as they travel to their new homes. Less expensive than DC purchased through the PO, and Guaranteed Credit to boot! You can find out more about this feature by reading the items under “PBS Delivery Confirmation” in the Help Center.

Multiple-book requests and PBS-DC: Newsletter – August 2006

Thursday, August 3rd, 2006

The “Order More Books from this Member” button allows requestors to link requests together in a “bulk order” that can be handled as one transaction. Shipping books together saves postage, and also the DC barcode generated by printing a wrapper for a bulk request will earn Quick Credits for ALL books in the shipment when it is scanned and the information is transmitted to PBS! However, if you receive multiple requests from one member who did not use the “Order More Books from this Member” button to link the requests together, each individual DC barcode on each wrapper will carry the code for only THAT book. Requests can’t be linked together after the fact. So if you receive more than one request in a day, and you plan to use PBS DC on the wrapper, take a peek at the address for each request first (download it WITHOUT the PBS DC option), BEFORE you print with PBS-DC. If multiple books are going to the same address, you can simply print ONE of the DC wrappers to send them all together. It still means you will get only one Quick Credit for the wrapper you use, but it will spare you having printed (and paying for) extra DC barcodes that you won’t be using. You will get the other credits for the rest of the books in the shipment when they arrive and are marked received. We are working on a way to “alert” senders to multiple book requests submitted individually, but so far have not found an efficient way to do this.

PBS Delivery Confirmation: Newsletter – June 2006

Wednesday, June 7th, 2006

–Many of you are using PBS-DC, with great results! Typically, senders are getting their credits the day after mailing the book—some within just hours. Even for those few packages unscanned by USPS until delivery, senders are STILL getting their credits faster than they would have. **Remember that using PBS Delivery Confirmation does NOT tell the system that the book has been mailed. You still need to click that button “Book Has Been Mailed” before the deadline on the transaction, to tell the system (and the requestor) that the book is on its way!