BookMooch

[Courtney]

Is anyone here a member of BookMooch?

I joined recently and am excited about swapping books with others. This looks like a good way to read a lot of books without spending a lot of money at the bookstore.

Let me know if you are a member and I'll add ya as a friend!

[Bree]

I'm on there...I'm "ditzyscrap" :) I've been using it a little less than a year, I think...but LOVE it!! I've gotten most of the books on my shelves from there (I think 50 or so that are yet to be read).

[April]

I'm on there, too.
alm50

[Tera, First Chick]

I was on there but I ended up going with PBS exclusively. My account might still be floating there Ill check and see.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

i have an account with both bookmooch and PBS. i mostly use PBS though.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

So what is the difference between PBS and bookmooch? I signed up with PBS after reading others here talk about it, and it seems to work fine. I listed some books, sent one out all ready, and like that I have credits now so the next time I want a book I can send for it and not have to buy it at half.com (which was where I bought alot of books that were not new releases).

[Bree]

Sheila, the main difference between PBS and BM is that BM is international. You get 3 points if you send a book to another country (as compared to 1 point within the US) - but books only cost 1 point (2 if you mooch international, the sender gets a "bonus" point) - but you'll rarely have to do that if you live in the US.

Unfortunately for me, I can't use PBS because I'm in Canada - so I definitely recommend BM and that people send internationally! :)

[Courtney]

I just don't like the layout of PBS. I think BM is so much easier to use.

I'm beach_bum on there so add me!

[Jackie]

Sheila: PBS also has a first in/first out system. At BM, you are given a list of all users who have posted the book you're requesting. So a person could pick someone who has had the book listed for a day when someone else has had the book posted for a lot longer.
BM has a feedback system similar to ebay. PBS does not.

Also there are no standards for what conditions the books must be in at BM. The user can put notes about the condition but it's not required, so you have no idea what shape the book is going to be in when you get it (getting books with food residue is just gross). PBS has certain conditions (like no water damage, no food residue) and if you get a book that should not have been posted, you can ask for your credit back.

The credit systems is a little different as well. At PBS you only get a credit if someone orders or you buy credits from PBS (after the intial 2 they give you for posting 10 books). BM will give you a small % of a credit for each book you post to your shelf, so by posting so many books, you get 1 credit (I forget the number, I think it's 10 but don't quote me).

BM is international, as stated before. PBS is not. On BM, you can say if you are willing to ship internationally or not (if you've never done it, it's a PITA, and filling out the customs card incorrectly makes for a headache for the receiver).

I had an account at both, but now I just use PBS.

[Sonja]

I'm on bookmooch now! crnamacka21 is my screen name!

[Heather]

I'm on Bookmooch too! My username is heatherlynn85. I tried out PBS and really did not like it, so I swear by BM now.

[Courtney]

I'm going to add you both.

Heather, I agree. I think BookMooch is much easier to use. I just couldn't get the hang of PBS.

[Kristen]

I just added some books to BookMooch. My name is klm6022.

[Dolly]

What is PBS? I looked at Bookmooch and wanted to compare them. Thanks :)

[Vicki]

PBS is paperbackswap.com. I am currently a member of that site. I wasn't aware of bookmooch until much later.

[Dolly]

Thanks Vicki, I haven't heard of that one before :)

[Courtney]

Yay! I'm glad so many of you are on BookMooch. I am ADDICTED to it. I always have the window open when I'm my computer and am constantly checking my wishlist to see if books are available!!

[Lisa]

There's another sight I know of called bookins - at http://www.bookins.com/
I don't know a whole lot about that one - do any of you - and how that sight compares to BM & PBS?

[Courtney]

I just looked at the site and the big difference that I can see is that it charges $4.49 for shipping a book. BookMooch and PBS allows you to ship via USPS. The shipping usually cost around $2.24.

[Angela]

I just joined today and mine is BeachPrincess77.

[Sydney]

I'm on there... as TVMom ... look for me! :-)

[Suzanne]

I've been using BM for about 18 months now. LOVE it. I looked at PBS but it looked too confusing. My screen name is cutielady or Suzanne(USA:TX) I just sent 3 books this morning. Once I receive a book on my wishlist, It's recorded on my TBR pile on this site. I'll look at ya'lls lists :)

[LinBee]

I thought I'd try out bookmooch and my userid is LinBee.

[Spencer]

Do you have to return the book someone sent you? Or is it yours after you request and get it?

[Suzanne]

No, it is yours to keep or put it in your BM inventory after you've read it. That way, you can send it to someone who wants it. You acquire points by sending it also. Maybe 1/10 pt, but they add up.

[Courtney]

I'm glad ya'll are on there! I have added you all!!

I have only been a member there for a little over a month and I love it! I have mooched 14 and given out 17. I am addicted.

[Duygu]

I am on bookmooch also, please add me everyone my userid is duygusu

thanks :)

[Nadia]

I'm on bookmooch and love it! Its such a great site. I'm on there as bagambo.

[Rachelle]

I just joined Bookmooch but haven't loaded any books on yet. I am bookbabe34 but can't figure out how to find anyone else. Any tips?

[Suzanne]

When you go to your member home page, it shows the number of points you have, how many book you need to send,etc. At the bottom of the list, it says FRIENDS. Click on this and this is where you put people's names. When you click on their names, their inventory shows up.

[Cathy]

I love bookmooch! I just signed up the other day and have already mailed out 15 books and waiting on 16...with many more books I've posted to send to interested readers!

[Anne]

I love some bm, but I do wish I knew how to taper down the categories or make settings- so I can skip scrolling thru new listings of childrens books or whatnot when I look everyday.

[Cathy]

does anyone know how the swap works on this site? I was going to try it but then it wanted a credit card? Is it a swap or a pay-by-book transaction?

[Suzanne]

No money is involved except for the shipping of a book. For every 10 books that you post or that you put in your inventory, you get one point. The site goes by the point system. Once you receive a book and you make the confirmation that you got the book, you get 1/10 a point.

[Cathy]

Maybe this wasn't the right site to post, but I actually meant how does the swap work on this site...Goodreads...I love book mooch, it's very easy...
Right now I'm just trying to find out if there's a cheap way to ship internationally for BM...something comparable to Media Mail in the US? Anyone have any ideas about that?

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

The swap site here on goodreads only charges money to the person requesting the book. If a book is available for swap and you request it, they will ask for your credit card and charge you for postage. I ordered one book (a newer release hardback), and paid $2.97. If you offer your own books for swap, and someone wants them, they pay the postage. So if someone requests a book, you just wrap it for mailing, and print out the postage (no charge to you) and put it on the package, and stick it in your mailbox. I've mailed out 4 books, really easy.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Oh yes, and here's one more thing about the Goodreads swap. I've copied the info below off the FAQ page here:
***
What are free book credits?
Whenever you ship 10 books, you will get 1 free book credit that you can spend on any book in Bookswap. The credit will be spent when the shipper prints the shipping label, and you'll get it back if the shipper cancels a printed label, as in a normal swap. Free book credits will not be applied to shipping labels that cost more than $10.
***
So apparently as a good will gesture, you get to have a book of your choice shipped to your for free after you ship out 10 books (again, you pay nothing to mail out your own books).

[Cathy]

Awesome! Thanks for explaining that. It's nice to not have to pay shipping as the sender but I gotta say I lovr love love picking out new books after each one I list or ship out!