If Your Pick-Up Can't Happen

Pick-Up Partners are people, and once in a while one can't make it. What happens if we need to reschedule, if your Partner didn't come, why confirming matters, and your options.

Almost every pick-up on the Network goes just as planned. Every Pick-Up Partner is a real, local person, and with thousands of pick-ups booked, once in a while life gets in the way: a truck breaks down, someone gets sick, the weather turns, or a family emergency comes up. It isn't common, but when it happens, we'd rather you know exactly what to expect. You won't be forgotten, and your books will still find a good home.

What Can Happen#

There are two ways a pick-up can go wrong on the Partner's side:

• Your Partner can't make it, and we know ahead of time. Your Partner tells us, or we see they can't come, before your day. We'll email you (and text you, if you said yes to texts) with your options. See If We Need to Reschedule.
• Your Partner didn't come, and nobody warned you. This is what we call a missed pick-up. It's rare, and we take it seriously. See If Your Partner Didn't Come.

Either way, your address, item counts and notes stay saved, so you never have to fill out the form again.

One thing that helps on both sides: confirming your pick-up. Starting 3 days before your day, your reminder emails have a Confirm button. Tap it by 7 PM the night before. Your pick-up is free and your Partner pays for their own gas and time, so if you don't confirm, your Partner isn't required to come. See Confirming Is Required.

If We Need to Reschedule#

When your Pick-Up Partner isn't able to come, we'll email you right away. What the email says depends on who else covers your area:

• Another Partner can take it. We'll move your pick-up to another Pick-Up Partner in your area, on the same day or their next open day. The email tells you who's coming and when. If that day doesn't work, use Pick a different day.
• Another Partner covers your area, but you choose the day. Use Pick a new date in the email and choose a day that works for you.
• No other Partner covers your ZIP code yet. You can send your request to our "Out-of-Area" system with one tap. Nearby Partners see it, and if one of them can make the trip, they'll send you dates to choose from. See Out-of-Area Requests: What Happens Next.

You can always cancel instead, from the same email or the find my request page. And if your pick-up was today and your books are already outside, please bring them in until your new day.

If Your Partner Didn't Come#

If your books are still there at the end of your pick-up day, let us know. That evening we'll email to ask whether your Partner came. Tell us they didn't, and we'll:

1. Let your Partner and our team know right away.
2. Give your Partner a chance to come back on a new day that works for you.
3. Step in ourselves if they can't, and find you another Partner or a new date.

You can also reply to any of our emails or contact us at any time. Please bring your books in until your new day, so they stay dry and safe.

Didn't confirm? If you never confirmed your pick-up, your Partner wasn't required to come, so it isn't counted as a missed pick-up. You can still let us know, and we'll help you pick a new date. Please remember to confirm next time.

How We Keep This Rare#

• Clients confirm before Partners drive out. Partners know who's ready, so they can plan their route and come to every confirmed stop.
• Your reviews count. After every pick-up you get a short review form. It keeps Partners accountable, and it's how we hear about problems.
• We track every missed pick-up. Our team follows each one until the Client has a new day or a new Partner.
• Partners who keep missing pick-ups can be paused. While paused, they can't take new pick-ups, and their upcoming ones move to other Partners.

What You Can Do#

• Confirm when we ask. Tap Confirm in your reminder email, starting 3 days before your pick-up and by 7 PM the night before. If you said yes to texts, you can also reply C to a reminder text.
• Keep your newest email. It has the buttons to reschedule, change your details or cancel. Lost it? Use the find my request page.
• Watch your spam folder for emails from Give My Books Network, especially the day before and the day of your pick-up.
• Say yes to texts when you book, so you can confirm with one reply and hear from us fast if plans change.
• Reschedule if you're not ready. It works both ways: rescheduling ahead of time saves your Partner a trip. See Change, Reschedule or Cancel.