cosychair Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 (edited) Just wondering if my experience of Book Mooch is typical or if I been unlucky. I joined last month put up 8 books 4 were mooched in under 24 hours, I sent them off within a few days, would have been that afternoon but I was ill. 2 of them gave me feed back ASAP and I got my points, others needed to be reminded after about 2 weeks. But one still hasn't, her reason for not doing so is that she has gone on a month long holiday, she will let me know if it's arrived when she got home. Why one earth didn't she let me know when she asked for the book, I could have delayed sending it. I'm quite resentful of this and feel it's quite rude especially as it was a fairly expensive hardback book in perfect condition. I've also been trying to spend my points, to this day I still haven't been successful. 1. She accepted, a week later she rejected saying she's lent it to a friend. 2. Person accepted, been 3 weeks still no book. 3. 2 others didn't reject or accept so I had to cancel. It's starting to feel like I'm trying to get blood out of a stone. I have many many books I'd love to put up (I've already removed the other books) all are in perfect condition but now I'd rather not bother, especially as I seem to be getting nothing out of it. Edited March 7, 2010 by cosychair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 I've mostly had very positive experiences on BM. WHen mooching, I always check to see how long ago the person listing the book last logged on. If it's more than a couple of weeks, I look elsewhere as the chances are you will wait a long time for a response or get none at all if the person doesn't regularly log on. I've only had one or two cancellations made on me and they've been legitimate reasons such as being unable to find the book or it's been listed elsewhere and they ahven't got round to removing it from the BM list, which is fair enough - at least they let me know. I've also had to cancel on one person when I just couldn't find the book they wanted anywhere no matter how hard I looked (I think my sister may have "borrowed" it - LOL!) but my moocher was very understanding about it. My only problem is that I now have loads of points and all the books I would like to mooch eitehr aren't available to be sent to the UK or not listed at all. I no longer have books listed on BM as I had to get shot of a load of books as I had no room left for them and the BM listed ones got donated to charity or left at our local book crossing point just to get them out of the house. I hadn't had any requests in a while anyway. I still check for books on there occasionally though - just on the offchance that I can use up a few of my points! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosychair Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 I've mostly had very positive experiences on BM. WHen mooching, I always check to see how long ago the person listing the book last logged on. If it's more than a couple of weeks, I look elsewhere as the chances are you will wait a long time for a response or get none at all if the person doesn't regularly log on. I've only had one or two cancellations made on me and they've been legitimate reasons such as being unable to find the book or it's been listed elsewhere and they ahven't got round to removing it from the BM list, which is fair enough - at least they let me know. I've also had to cancel on one person when I just couldn't find the book they wanted anywhere no matter how hard I looked (I think my sister may have "borrowed" it - LOL!) but my moocher was very understanding about it. My only problem is that I now have loads of points and all the books I would like to mooch eitehr aren't available to be sent to the UK or not listed at all. I no longer have books listed on BM as I had to get shot of a load of books as I had no room left for them and the BM listed ones got donated to charity or left at our local book crossing point just to get them out of the house. I hadn't had any requests in a while anyway. I still check for books on there occasionally though - just on the offchance that I can use up a few of my points! I hadn't thought about checking when they were last on. such a simple idea too, should really have thought of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 My own experience on BookMooch was disastrous, to the extent that after spending more than Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I don't understand the mooching thing. And book rings seem like I could be waiting ages for a book to get round to me. I set up a swop thread but no one seems interested. As I have no room for too many books I will end up just donating them back to the charity shop I bought most of them from! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosychair Posted March 8, 2010 Author Share Posted March 8, 2010 My own experience on BookMooch was disastrous, to the extent that after spending more than Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 You could always list them for sale on Green Metropolis. I sell loads of my books on there. It's in dribs and drabs, but you have a better chance of getting as-new books when you buy there - you just have to check the description. I've had 99% positive experience on there and I spend the money I make on the books I sell on more books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraPepparkaka Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I've had mostly good experiences from Book mooch, but I'm really looking for readable copys only. I try to describe my books as they are and hope that the person who gets them are satisfied. Also, one can't really expect to find just that one book, but I've been lucky to find some good ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I only liseted my not-so-great condition books on BM but gave detailed descriptions of each book's condition. I don't expec pristine or even excellent copies from there unless the description is given as it being so, in which case I expect it to be as described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Carson Whit Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I've only ever had bad experiences with those kind of sites, the most prominent of which is RISI. Cant be bothered with it anymore, rather just give them away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I stopped using RISI as I could never find a book I actually wanted in return and ended up with books I didn't want because I felt bad saying "no" all the time to swaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosychair Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 You could always list them for sale on Green Metropolis. I sell loads of my books on there. It's in dribs and drabs, but you have a better chance of getting as-new books when you buy there - you just have to check the description. I've had 99% positive experience on there and I spend the money I make on the books I sell on more books. I will have a look at Green Metropolis, I'm always hearing positive things about it. I wonder if because you have to pay to participate people in turn use it differently taking it more seriously and expecting a better service. Finally managed to get my first book from BM, it in pretty bad condition but readable so I can't really complain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave165 Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 I never liked the idea of the principal of Book Mooch and from the sound of some of the experiences I am kind of glad I never bothered. I have had a great experience on read it swap it and would recomend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosychair Posted June 8, 2010 Author Share Posted June 8, 2010 Quick update 3 months later........ still haven't managed to 'spend' my points! I don't know if I'm or it's so ridiculous it's comical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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