It is always possible to take the position that sending by sent-by date is one of the swap requirements, and that's not fulfilled in your case, especially so with pressing sent and sending weeks later. I'd be rather annoyed and nasty myself! ;)

I think I have given a 3 once when a month after sent-by date, I PMd my partner, and only then she told me that she had got the envelope back and sent again... only when it at last arrived, the date was ten days after the date she had written she had sent it again.

I would rate a three for one of two possible reasons:

1. The items sent are not what was required for the swap. Not if i didn't LIKE the items, but if they just weren't the right things for that swap.

2. The swap arrived late without any communication. I'm currently waiting on 2 overdue swaps - only one partner has messaged me, to say she had to send surface mail from Canada due to cost (not a worry, it'll get here when it gets here). I wouldn't rate her a 3 for lateness because she let me know the issues. The other has a message on her profile explaining life circumstances, but still may get a three as she hasn't contacted me direct. I know that sounds bitchy, but I honestly appreciate being contacted.

I OVER contact maybe, I just IM'd a partner to say I'd be a day late sending. lol. It's respect. It's admitting you're behind and nto being on the defensive about it.

What about people who hit the send button and then 2 weeks later tell you that they are going to be late sending it? I would rate that a three.

I'm blathering on here. Sorry!

Frogglin, I have it slightly different from you - I live in Europe and I would not rate down on swap arriving late, or even not arriving at all, if I'm convinced it was sent (in right time and all that - if the swap decided to do some sightseeing or get drowned on the way here it's not my partner's fault). But I would rate down on sending considerably late with no contact or not sending at all.

Thanks that's all I really neede to know.I am a big one for honesty and it bothers me that I had got no warning on the issue.I'm not perfect but I always tell people if I'm running behind because I know everyone is always anticipating that mail box having something in it.I'm that way too so if I can't send out my items until say a day before deadline.I'll let people know.They deserve it.

@pahasiga - Oh yes! That's what I meant. I'm in Australia, so I don't expect things the next day!

So yes, I agree. SENDING late, not ARRIVING late.

I have honestly never rated for lateness pahasiga ever,however if someone hits the send button and not by mistake I mean,on purpose and then tells everyone 2 weeks later that she's not been able to send her items out then I kinda have a problem.I will see maybe I'll absolutely love the items and not care if they were late but still hitting the send button and not letting anyone know what the story is does not go over well in my books.She has sent as of today and I am glad but to me it's just proper swap etiquette to communicate even if you can't afford to send or there are major life issues.Alot of us understand those things and will budge for that.You know?

Ang73, I also think that hitting "sent" button when not sent is lying to everybody - you, swap host, other hosts and partners who may check her profile to see whether she has any overdue swaps... That's deliberate dishonesty, in my opinion. (I am talking about hitting it 2 weeks not 2 hours early, I hope you all understand.)

Even if it were hit by mistake - a honest person would click "oops, mark this as unsent" as soon as she notices it, I think...

It says she sent it August 31 st,This is for a swap I hosted personally.In actuality she told me a day ago that she was sending it out today and never mentioned anything about hitting the sent button by mistake.Maybe on August 31st she eant to send it but then couldn't for some reason but then never went back to change it.My swapdeadline was posted for September 16th.Why hit the button so early?I only touch that button if I know for a fact that I am sending that day or evening,now sometimes I have already sent but don't hit the button that day.All this talk about the send buttons,I'm dtriving my own self crazy.I wish someone could hit the send button and "send" me on a holiday.Thanks ladies.I know what I'll do.I new I could count on you guys(I mean girls)

I agree about the honesty issue. It used to be that we couldn't undo an accidental Sent, and what's more it used to be possible to click Sent on the equivalent of the Dashboard view and not even be asked to confirm it. I clicked Sent accidentally a few times then, but as soon as the option to undo it became available, I did so. Now there is no such excuse. I don't think it is possible to NOT notice for very long because the swap moves from the main Dashboard page to the Sent list. I suppose that in a multi-partner swap someone might misunderstand and think it is OK to click Sent when the first one goes out, but I think it should be obvious that isn't so.

The only 3 I ever gave was when a swap took almost 4 months to get to me. She had marked sent but hadn't. I pm'd her about it. She said would resend. I pm'd again a week or so later, she said it was resent. after another month and still nothing, I pm'd again and she said she hadn't resent but was that weekend. Had she not originally marked sent, then claimed it was already resent when it wasn't, I most likely would have given a 5 even after 3 1/2 months.

@Ang73 "Maybe on August 31st she eant to send it but then couldn't for some reason but then never went back to change it."

That is why I never mark "Sent my items" until I have already handed my packages over to the postal employee and personally watched him use his little red stamp on them. That way, there's no "Oops, meant to get to the PO but just didn't make it but I had already marked sent" excuse and I also know that my packages' postmarks will show the true day I sent them.

HERE HERE, to that krazyquilts.I'd rather have a person(another swapper) be upset with me because I tell them it's going to be late for this reason or that reason,rather have a swapper mad at me because I was dishonest and uncommunicative.

I was wondering the same thing (when to give a 3). I try to be really understanding with people and give them the benefit of the doubt. I recently received a 3 and was so upset because the person wrote on the comment line that they received it 10 days late. I think sometimes you need to allow time for the post office to get it there. I found it ironic because she sent her stuff on the same day I did and her partners received the package on the same day she received mine!

oh bother this thread comes at an appropriate time.. i received a package that is screaming "give me a 3"

it was thrown together, used/old item.. no thought went into making it... and still im dithering wether to give a 3 or just not rate..

ive asked the coordinators opinion on this.. why do people bother signing up, when they cant be bothered to put effort and thought into their packages?? is it just about the receiving of nice things, but not about the making of equally nice things??

urgh this thing is really only fit for the bin..