PBS Nebie Question: Converting Wishlist Items to Reminder Items?
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1AmyLynn
EDIT: Typing error, the title should read Newbie Question.
I'm a BookMooch member who got tempted by all the shiny titles PBS has ready to go that I've been waiting weeks for a sign of. So I immediately started adding an immense wishlist to PaperBackSwap before learning that I have to be willing to accept these books if they become available.
The help file says there's a convert button to switch between the two lists, but I'm not seeing that on the top or bottom of the page, or as an option on the individual book page. For now, my wishlist is on hold, since that seems like the smarter way to do this, rather than delete 75 wishlisted books and re-add them as reminder books.
Like most of us, I assume, I have an exponentially larger number of books I want than books I can ship.
I'm a BookMooch member who got tempted by all the shiny titles PBS has ready to go that I've been waiting weeks for a sign of. So I immediately started adding an immense wishlist to PaperBackSwap before learning that I have to be willing to accept these books if they become available.
The help file says there's a convert button to switch between the two lists, but I'm not seeing that on the top or bottom of the page, or as an option on the individual book page. For now, my wishlist is on hold, since that seems like the smarter way to do this, rather than delete 75 wishlisted books and re-add them as reminder books.
Like most of us, I assume, I have an exponentially larger number of books I want than books I can ship.
2rxtheresa
I'm on PBS and I don't know of a way to convert a whole list of wishlist items to reminders but first you don't have to accept a wishlist item if it comes up and you aren't ready for it. Just be sure not to have them set on automatic accept because then you only have an hour to cancel. If you don't have it on automatic it is offered to you and you can say no. They have to do this because what if a wishlist item came up and you had no points at that time. There is no negative if you don't accept a wishlist offer, it is just offered to the next person.
Second, you can hold just certain items in your wishlist without holding the whole list. Just check the boxes on the left of the titles you want to hold and then check the hold box up above the list. Of course you will have to first take your whole wishlist off hold and then check the boxes of the books you do want to hold.
Otherwise, I would go into each title before you delete it from the wishlist and check Reminder which will put them on your Reminder list. After doing that go back and delete them from the wishlist.
Second, you can hold just certain items in your wishlist without holding the whole list. Just check the boxes on the left of the titles you want to hold and then check the hold box up above the list. Of course you will have to first take your whole wishlist off hold and then check the boxes of the books you do want to hold.
Otherwise, I would go into each title before you delete it from the wishlist and check Reminder which will put them on your Reminder list. After doing that go back and delete them from the wishlist.
3AmyLynn
Whew, that's a relief. I need to send some books before I have books automatically sent to me.
Your advice is how I ended up fixing it, only wishlisting the items I really wanted that I was 100+ in line for.
Your advice is how I ended up fixing it, only wishlisting the items I really wanted that I was 100+ in line for.
4skittles
There used to be a convert button, but when they were considering eliminating the reminder list & combining it with the wishlist, the convert button went away. (yes, they were & possibly still are considering combining the two lists)
If you do want to move some books from your wishlist to your reminder list, tag each book with a tag like "AmyRL", then bring up a tag page & then click each one with the RL button. Yes, you can have a book on your WL & your RL.
Once you have all your books on RL, then you can check all of your books & remove them from your WL.... but when you try to return a book to the WL, it will go to the end of the line.
If you want more books, but are out of points, some users will post on the book bazaar forum that they will sell some points... most will let you pay via paypal... or you can buy points from PBS via your charge/debit cards or paypal.
Good Luck with PBS!!
If you do want to move some books from your wishlist to your reminder list, tag each book with a tag like "AmyRL", then bring up a tag page & then click each one with the RL button. Yes, you can have a book on your WL & your RL.
Once you have all your books on RL, then you can check all of your books & remove them from your WL.... but when you try to return a book to the WL, it will go to the end of the line.
If you want more books, but are out of points, some users will post on the book bazaar forum that they will sell some points... most will let you pay via paypal... or you can buy points from PBS via your charge/debit cards or paypal.
Good Luck with PBS!!
5rxtheresa
>3 AmyLynn: Glad I could help Amy. That's how I do it. I have only about 100 books on my wishlist. On your reminder list you can see how many copies of the book are available on PBS. So what I do is sort my reminder list by copies available and periodically I look at the list to see which have only 1 or 2 copies available. If I really want that book I'll snatch it up. If you list a book and want to know where you are in line for it being requested, you can also put it on your reminder list and you can see how many copies are ahead of you.
That was a good point Skittles made though. If you do take something off your wishlist you lose your place in line.
Welcome to PBS!
That was a good point Skittles made though. If you do take something off your wishlist you lose your place in line.
Welcome to PBS!
6meredithfl
Skittles does have a good point about keeping your place in line. I add things to my reminder list all of the time, then get frustrated that when I really want it, I have to wait for weeks on my wish list. One recent reminder book had over 700 on the wish list!
What I've recently started doing is occasionally going through my reminder list and anything that is showing as having no available copies, I check to see how many members are wishing for the book, and if there are 100 ore more people in line ahead of me, I go ahead and add it to my wish list to get my place in line.
The wish list gives you an estimate, which could change of course, but will give you a good idea of how close you are to getting the book. I keep my wish list in the order of the estimates. You would want to set your own "rule" of thumb to keep your places in line, but this way I'm not last on the list when I'm ready to read something.
What I've recently started doing is occasionally going through my reminder list and anything that is showing as having no available copies, I check to see how many members are wishing for the book, and if there are 100 ore more people in line ahead of me, I go ahead and add it to my wish list to get my place in line.
The wish list gives you an estimate, which could change of course, but will give you a good idea of how close you are to getting the book. I keep my wish list in the order of the estimates. You would want to set your own "rule" of thumb to keep your places in line, but this way I'm not last on the list when I'm ready to read something.
7skittles
#6: Let me guess that the book you are referring to with 700+ on the wishlist is The Happiness Project.
With authors that I really like, as soon as I've heard that they have a book due out, I put it on my wishlist. Even if I think I'm going to buy it, I put it on my wishlist! Recently, a book came out & I had pulled it from my wishlist because it was just going to be out in Mass Market Paperback & I could get it!! No, I couldn't. Car was in the shop & I couldn't get to the nearest bookstore. Fortunately, it came available on BM, so I mooched & was I ever happy & grateful!!
For books without a wishlist waiting line, I will put it on my reminder list with a tag that says if it comes available GRAB IT!! I've missed out on a few books, but I'm at the max on my wishlist, so I have to make choices.
For me, the mix of PBS & BM works wonderfully. Sometimes books come available on BM where I'm years away from getting them. With PBS, if I'm willing to wait, the book will get to me.
And, yes, there are a few books on my PBS wishlist that have been there for almost 5 years!!!
With authors that I really like, as soon as I've heard that they have a book due out, I put it on my wishlist. Even if I think I'm going to buy it, I put it on my wishlist! Recently, a book came out & I had pulled it from my wishlist because it was just going to be out in Mass Market Paperback & I could get it!! No, I couldn't. Car was in the shop & I couldn't get to the nearest bookstore. Fortunately, it came available on BM, so I mooched & was I ever happy & grateful!!
For books without a wishlist waiting line, I will put it on my reminder list with a tag that says if it comes available GRAB IT!! I've missed out on a few books, but I'm at the max on my wishlist, so I have to make choices.
For me, the mix of PBS & BM works wonderfully. Sometimes books come available on BM where I'm years away from getting them. With PBS, if I'm willing to wait, the book will get to me.
And, yes, there are a few books on my PBS wishlist that have been there for almost 5 years!!!
8dadena
Skittles also makes a good point about being able to buy credits on PBS, either directly from the marketplace or from other members. If a book on your wishlist comes available that you really want and you don't have credits then purchasing them is a great option.
Likewise, I regularly search on Amazon for my favorite authors to find upcoming books. They are often listed for pre-order months before release. Once Amazon lists them you can find the ISBN and add it to your wishlist. I am often a very low number on the wishlists of popular releases this way and have highly wishlisted books fairly soon after they are released.
I also like being able to use both sites. I will wishlist books that I want on both sites. If it comes available at BM I grab it, and on occasion have lucked into getting a book that had hundreds of wishlisters at both sites on BM. On the other hand, if I'm not able to be the lucky one to snag a book on BM I know that it's just a matter of time before my turn comes up at PBS.
Likewise, I regularly search on Amazon for my favorite authors to find upcoming books. They are often listed for pre-order months before release. Once Amazon lists them you can find the ISBN and add it to your wishlist. I am often a very low number on the wishlists of popular releases this way and have highly wishlisted books fairly soon after they are released.
I also like being able to use both sites. I will wishlist books that I want on both sites. If it comes available at BM I grab it, and on occasion have lucked into getting a book that had hundreds of wishlisters at both sites on BM. On the other hand, if I'm not able to be the lucky one to snag a book on BM I know that it's just a matter of time before my turn comes up at PBS.
9meredithfl
#7 - Skittles - No, but now I have another book on my wish list! hahaha!
I also search the new releases on Amazon as well as get an email from my local library with a "what's new" kinda listing. I always feel as if I'm the last to know on many of these books since many of them already have hundreds of waiters!
I also thought of something else to tell a newbie--if you have many, many recent books that you'll be posting, don't do them all at one time, especially if you're on a budget! If you have many that are wait listed, they will be snatched up in a day or two and postage can add up quickly.
I also search the new releases on Amazon as well as get an email from my local library with a "what's new" kinda listing. I always feel as if I'm the last to know on many of these books since many of them already have hundreds of waiters!
I also thought of something else to tell a newbie--if you have many, many recent books that you'll be posting, don't do them all at one time, especially if you're on a budget! If you have many that are wait listed, they will be snatched up in a day or two and postage can add up quickly.
