Edited for update: He gave me the address to send the money order to and apologized for acting crazy. I forgive him, and will have his refund in the mailbox on Monday. So everything's been resolved! :)
This isn't a "beware" so much as it's a "be cautious".
I opened commissions to help cushion the blow of some big medical bills back in mid-March. I had a week out of work I was able to finish all but three of them up. I finished another one today, and worked more on one I was trying to get done for Rejected Dreams. He'd wanted me to draw Lola Bunny bending over with her butt towards the viewer. When he first commissioned me, I explained to him that I don't mimic other styles, like Warner Brothers. He said that was fine. I had assumed that he had read over my journal before he contacted me, also. In my journal, I VERY clearly state (in bold type) that 1) I don't mimic styles and 2) I am not a fast artist. With having to care for my disabled mother and work a job outside my home, I have little time to devote to drawing. I get it done as quickly as I can, but I do my best to inform any potential commissioner that I can't do deadlines and I won't be fast and that it could very well take weeks for me to get finished with what they ordered. I made sure that this was in my terms because it's important.
I made sure to update my commission status regularly and even sent notes to the last three people waiting to let them know how things were going.
I had informed Rejected Dreams that I was having health issues and apologized. He seemed fine with this and sent me get-well wishes. Didn't seem to be upset at all.
Finally, once I was feeling up to par again, I went back to work. I completed a rough sketch and showed it to him. Instead of trying to be helpful about why it wasn't right or showing me some references for the pose he was wanting, since he seemed to want something very specific, he instead blasted the sketch and whined about how long it had taken for me to get it done. This, after I had already explained to him what the situation was and he should have read my commission terms when he originally decided to commission me. He also told me that what he asked for was "not difficult", but the fact is, that pose is actually very difficult for me to do, as it isn't something I normally draw.
I told him, fine. I honestly don't think that I can provide him with what he wants, so I said I would give him a refund. He doesn't have Paypal, so I would need for him to give me his address again so I can send a new money order.
This is where it gets stupid...
He refuses to give me an address so I can send out a new money order!
I'd tried to keep the envelope the one he had sent to me came in, but I think my husband may have thrown it out. We're moving in a few more weeks, and he's been on a cleaning binge.
How can I give him his money if he won't provide me a way to do it? I want to give him the money, but he seems like he's hellbent on calling me a scammer instead of giving me a way to get it back to him. So, at the moment, I'm at a loss on what I can do here. I realize it was my folly for losing the envelope, but it baffles me that this guy won't give me a way to get him a refund. If it had been through Paypal, this would be so much easier...
So, that's why I'm writing out this "caution." This guy comes on as sweet and happy and willing to work with you, come what may. But he can turn on you in a heartbeat. I mean... I've never dealt with someone who was unwilling to give me a way to give them their money back before! O_o
This isn't a "beware" so much as it's a "be cautious".
I opened commissions to help cushion the blow of some big medical bills back in mid-March. I had a week out of work I was able to finish all but three of them up. I finished another one today, and worked more on one I was trying to get done for Rejected Dreams. He'd wanted me to draw Lola Bunny bending over with her butt towards the viewer. When he first commissioned me, I explained to him that I don't mimic other styles, like Warner Brothers. He said that was fine. I had assumed that he had read over my journal before he contacted me, also. In my journal, I VERY clearly state (in bold type) that 1) I don't mimic styles and 2) I am not a fast artist. With having to care for my disabled mother and work a job outside my home, I have little time to devote to drawing. I get it done as quickly as I can, but I do my best to inform any potential commissioner that I can't do deadlines and I won't be fast and that it could very well take weeks for me to get finished with what they ordered. I made sure that this was in my terms because it's important.
I made sure to update my commission status regularly and even sent notes to the last three people waiting to let them know how things were going.
I had informed Rejected Dreams that I was having health issues and apologized. He seemed fine with this and sent me get-well wishes. Didn't seem to be upset at all.
Finally, once I was feeling up to par again, I went back to work. I completed a rough sketch and showed it to him. Instead of trying to be helpful about why it wasn't right or showing me some references for the pose he was wanting, since he seemed to want something very specific, he instead blasted the sketch and whined about how long it had taken for me to get it done. This, after I had already explained to him what the situation was and he should have read my commission terms when he originally decided to commission me. He also told me that what he asked for was "not difficult", but the fact is, that pose is actually very difficult for me to do, as it isn't something I normally draw.
I told him, fine. I honestly don't think that I can provide him with what he wants, so I said I would give him a refund. He doesn't have Paypal, so I would need for him to give me his address again so I can send a new money order.
This is where it gets stupid...
He refuses to give me an address so I can send out a new money order!
I'd tried to keep the envelope the one he had sent to me came in, but I think my husband may have thrown it out. We're moving in a few more weeks, and he's been on a cleaning binge.
How can I give him his money if he won't provide me a way to do it? I want to give him the money, but he seems like he's hellbent on calling me a scammer instead of giving me a way to get it back to him. So, at the moment, I'm at a loss on what I can do here. I realize it was my folly for losing the envelope, but it baffles me that this guy won't give me a way to get him a refund. If it had been through Paypal, this would be so much easier...
So, that's why I'm writing out this "caution." This guy comes on as sweet and happy and willing to work with you, come what may. But he can turn on you in a heartbeat. I mean... I've never dealt with someone who was unwilling to give me a way to give them their money back before! O_o
- Current Mood:frustrated
Do not go after persons posted about here, by leaving comments on their art pages.
If you have been posted about, please read I've Been Posted on Artists_Beware, Now What?



Comments
I'm confused by why he's not more actively trying to correct the issues and is instead acting like a whiny brat... oh wait, that's normal for him.
That aside, I would keep trying to get him to allow you to offer the refund and keep track of the posts so you have them just in case you'll need them, or nicely insist that he be a little more helpful with fixing what is wrong with the piece.
You made a good faith effort to keep in communication with him, when what he was wanting wasn't something you could or wanted to provide, you offered a refund. And no, it's not your fault fo
Send him an email, explain that he has 90 days to provide you a paypal address or a physical address you can send a money order, or provide another way for you to provide a refund that you can accept; otherwise you're considering the matter closed.
He's being a crappy customer, and no, it's not your fault for not keeping the envelope, it's normal to not expect to need it again.
Explain you're trying to be a thoughtful business person and want to provide him his refund. Again, apologise for not being able to deliver the final product.
Then set up the response time of 90 days (which is very reasonable), and follow through with what delphinios said.
I've dealt with these types before - acting like a child so you're the one who gets in trouble when you're trying to set things right...
Like
Even if you still had the envelope, he might have changed addresses or bank details or something in the meantime, so you would have needed to double check the address anyway.
Then tell him if he wants it, to provide you with a mailing address within 90 days. I bet you'll get one pretty quickly... and if not, you can always make it out to yourself and re-cash the check after the deadline is expired. Just don't put his name on the money order until you're ready to mail it off. And keep your receipt incase he tries to claim he didn't get it.
In fact, take pictures of you putting it in the envelope, the envelope sealed, and you putting it in the mailbox, just in case. :D
unless he's under 18 or was banned from paypal.
Email/note him and ask him for his postage address so you can refund him or see if he will sign up to paypal. Leave it in his court, you, even as the commissioner shouldn't have to do all the chasing up.
As to misplacing/lose of envelope, it is easy enough to do...I've somehow misplaced my phone bill T_T;...I've looked for it in the 3 places I have had it and no luck at all. So I am assuming its been mixed up with some recycling stuff and tossed.