"Artists Beware"

Hello, thank you for your comments on my previous question, they helped me a lot! And I need an advice again. Here is a short story.

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So, here is my question. I don't have ToS yet, but I want to write them soon. Do you specify how long you keep the original art for commissioner, if he/she doesn't provide the address or doesn't communicate with you about shipping? What do you write about originals? And should I keep this card because I waited so long and she didn't even try to get it?

I really don't want feel like I'm hanging in some kind of limbo, waiting for the commissioner to meet me IRL (I'm very busy now, so it's very hard and not comfortable for me) or provide the address. Sometimes I want to keep the picture, or sell the original, and it's uncomfortable for me if commissioner can't decide does he/she wants the picture or not...


P.S. Sorry if there are some Grammar mistakes.

Who: Porter Corgi aka Little~Bit

Where: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/thecorgi/

What: a tradition bust badge

When: I commissioned the badge in 2012, was supposed to be done right away (within the week) as it was advertised as an "emergency commission" (couldn't get screen caps of the journal she posted as she deletes them often) then I got excuse after excuse, "I'm so busy" "computer/tablet broken" "I work all day, then train horses and give lessons all day. I'm trying to get your badge to you", I was then sent this link to this unpleasant digital badge, the quality was bad, it looked messy, pixel-y, rushed and not her art style at all, I reminded her I asked for traditional, she apologized and said she'd fix it no problem. The excuses continued. I then had to leave FA for a while because my account was hacked, I looked for her often, and tried to contact her multiple times, for a while she was gone doing stuff in armed forces, and then she was "done with FA forever" as seen on her old account http://www.furaffinity.net/user/little~bit/ I finally joined FA again this year 2014, over 2 years later. Since I joined I've been contacting her, 3 months ago I noted her about the long overdue badge, with the warning I was thinking about posting on artists beware, she apologized a lot and said she'd get it to me asap. It's been 3 months since she's said this.

Proof: I don't have screenshots from my old account but these are the conversations we've had since I re joined http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/mlpblah_/media/162C47C0-FCA0-4362-B493-F4B4BCA0D1CD_zps489xrvjh.png.html?sort=3&o=4 http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/mlpblah_/media/469ED320-CB6D-4224-B845-63869D0D2E50_zps7nxziwvl.png.html?sort=3&o=1 http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/mlpblah_/media/D6095F5B-86A1-4E31-B0C9-3DB138AC42A0_zpsn3jcovau.png.html?sort=3&o=2 http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/mlpblah_/media/F35A5704-3FDB-4B3E-97E4-76B24698748C_zpsu6llokgr.png.html?sort=3&o=3 http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/mlpblah_/media/F4C79565-D2A9-4C69-9AD9-B76550D2B744_zpspqvonhli.png.html?sort=3&o=0

Explain: I've been trying to get this badge from her for over 2 years now, I'm so upset because I used to look up to her, I loved her art so much now I just want my badge so I never have to talk to her again. Apparently I'm rude for asking for my overdue art because she's doing charitable things. But I paid her to do this, you need to take your job as an artist seriously. Since I've been complaining she's posted this journal http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5708600/ (sounds like I'm not the only one she's ripped off" saying "I have so much way overdue art I'm never doing commissions again unless I really want to" I hope she doesn't because I don't want someone else going through what I did from someone I used to think was so cool, and used to look up to. I'm very upset about this and I wish she'd see that. I don't think I'm ever going to get this badge, I'm going to talk to her about getting my money back. She's rarely on FA and always takes a few days to respond to me. I can't get screenshots of our notes in 2012 as my account was hacked and the password was changed.

WHO: Grizurso

WHERE: https://www.weasyl.com/~grizurso, http://www.furaffinity.net/user/grizurso/, https://twitter.com/grizurso

WHAT: Custom digital art commission

WHEN: March 25, 2014

PROOF: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/7d8z4dol3ull2lh/Untitled3.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/12s9hs497ex4ith/Untitled.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/44ypjww61zsthxh/Untitled2.jpg

EXPLAIN: On about March 25, 2014 I purchased a custom art commission from Grizurso on Weasyl. Several slots were open and I messaged him to confirm there was still availability. After receiving confirmation from him through Weasyl that slots were still open I requested one. I sent him an email on March 26 with full details of the requested artwork and three references. He responded the same day with a sketch but it didn't match exactly what I was going for. I suggested a few changes and was quoted a price of $60 for the artwork. I paid $70 up front. The extra money was to compensate him for the extra time spent on the sketch. On March 27 he provided an updated sketch showing the proposed changes. The sketch was perfect and I sent confirmation of the sketch on March 28. After that he became completely silent.

I sent a message on April 9 via email and another through Weasyl on April 15. In both messages I expressed concern over the lack of updates and asked for the current status. I received a response on Weasyl on April 17 stating there had been no progress for a variety of personal issues and he'd have an update to me as fast as he can. I received no updates of any kind after that date. Since then all of his artwork has been deleted from Weasyl and Furaffinity. His Twitter account has been entirely deleted as well. He appears to have vanished. On May 12 I sent him messages by email, Furaffinity and Weasyl explaining that I'd like a refund or the artwork. I have had no response.

UPDATE: On Friday, 3/4/16, Grizurso contacted me unexpectedly on Twitter. He asked for my PayPal address and refunded me the full $75 I originally paid. He did this on his own without any prompting from me. I consider the matter resolved. 

Hello, I apologize for all the trouble, but since this teenager went around buying adoptables and commissioning other deviantART artists and ended up:

a) either getting her parents' credit information hacked through PayPal
or b) possibly just getting a credit chargeback through stealing her parents' credit card

which has caused over 30 artists to receive $20 fees on top of chargebacks for whatever amount she "paid" after she received her digital goods. There has also been another commissioner going around with chargebacks because some $100 commissions didn't fit his taste and quality preference after he had received his commissions.

(Both of which is unfair to artists, I'd think.)

I am not one of the artists who got charged back, but I would like to know if there was a way to avoid these bad commissioners that mistreat artists? Some people have suggested Google Wallet because they do cover the sale of digital goods, unlike PayPal, who normally sides with the buyer since there is no proof of delivery with digital goods. Does anyone else know of any other payment options that cover digital goods for artists but is widely-used enough that even international customers can use it...?

I'm afraid of more artists getting scammed by flaky commissioners and would like to share the knowledge if possible. Thank you for your time.