Not a beware-- seeking "Gryphon"

[nambroth.livejournal.com]

Hello all! This is NOT a beware, I am simply seeking a client that I have been unable to get in touch with.

WHO: I am looking for someone that goes by, simply, "Gryphon", gryphon_2 (NOT "2" the ranting gryphon), or "Gryfalcon" on Furaffinity.

EXPLANATION: At Anthcocon 2013 a fellow with a camera commissioned me for a digital badge. He gave me a long written character sheet but requested that I not begin until he updated his online character sheet, on his Furaffinity page. He even wrote on my commission form: "Sheet to be updated on FA in 1 week." But, sadly, it was never updated, nor has he responded to my emails, notes, or "shouts". He paid in person so I can not simply send a Paypal refund as I normally would in the case of an "abandoned" commission.
Normally, I have a statement in my TOS that says that commissions that are abandoned for longer than 6 months with no contact are non-refundable as long as I put in an effort to contact the client several times by any means I have. I've never had to worry about this but have the statement in my TOS just in case, because it makes my life much easier when it comes to taxes (plus I hate holding funds 'in reserve' indefinitely until I know a client is happy!). But, this commission was taken in person and my TOS was very simplified on my commission form (which I have my customers fill out when they commission me at a convention-- it's short and sweet). I don't think it's at all fair to hold him to my long TOS since he likely doesn't know about it!

All I am left to do is to try to contact this fellow. I sort of get the feeling that maybe this is an ongoing theme, considering he has had a post on A_B before (for the same reason), and I see many shouts on his FA page to the same tune. I did think it odd that at Anthrocon last year he asked me if he had commissioned me the year prior (2012- he hadn't, I remember having very few commissions that year and also double checked my records).

This is his Furaffinity page: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/gryfalcon

Any insights or thoughts? Anyone know how to get in touch with him? My emails to him don't bounce. They just never get replied to. I have tried sending from different email addresses in case they are getting put into his spam folder, but that hasn't worked either. I do not have his physical mailing address, unfortunately, since it was a digital commission.

At this point I would prefer to give him a refund. I fear I might not have time to properly dedicate to his commission-- I had budgeted time to work on all of my commissions from Anthrocon before last November, and obviously that time has passed... :(

Thank you!!

Comments

[kalika-tybera.livejournal.com]

Very frustrating! If you've done everything you can to contact him then the ball is really in his court. All you could do is maybe send him another message saying you no longer have time for his commission and would like to refund him. If he never replies to that, well... then I guess you end up keeping the money. What else can you do? I agree though, I hate holding money indefinitely in limbo, we are not ATM machines.

I had this happen to me, too, with someone else. Also commissioned me at Anthrocon, paid, told me he'd send me refs, and then disappeared. It's been 4 years. I tried contacting him on every venue I could for 2 years, and oddly he's active online, but never replied. At this point I've given up, it's a lost cause.

[dinogrrl.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I'm not familiar with this person, so I can't say if this is typical or if something's come up for him, but at some point you've just gotta make the call and move on. If he really is still interested, he'll contact you again. Hopefully when he's more on the ball with communication.

[viciousgoldmoon.livejournal.com]

Very weird. He emailed me too, but he stated he thought he'd commissioned me, and I hadn't even attended AC that year so I was super confused. :C

[thaily.livejournal.com]

"Normally, I have a statement in my TOS that says that commissions that are abandoned for longer than 6 months with no contact are non-refundable as long as I put in an effort to contact the client several times by any means I have."

That's a good idea actually.
Judging by his FA page he does this a lot, and Goldmoon's statement that he said he commissioned her when she wasn't even AT anthrocon? Yikes.

His poor record keeping is not your problem :/

Are you going to this Anthrocon? If you are you could keep an eye out for him and try to refund him, after that I don't think you owe him anything :/

[nambroth.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I am. I seem to recall seeing him for several years at AC (he often offered cookies to us artists, which was kind). I just hate that gut feeling of saying "hey I didn't get your art done", even if it's not really my fault. I have his receipt here so at least I can refund him the proper amount. I will be taking a small number of commissions at the con as well, so I will feel extra bad, but I just can't do business with customers that won't communicate with me. :(
Maybe if I was doing this in my spare time I could, but I have to try to budget my commission work time with other projects.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

He paid you for your time, by being incommunicado he made you squander that time on just trying to contact him. That was his choice :/

[kazeno-taka.livejournal.com]

I had the same problem with him, too :( About 5 years ago he commissioned me at Anthrocon, gave me his FA and email, and when I contacted him with questions about his reference via FA note, I never heard back (and saw he never opened the note). Then randomly a couple years later, he responded with a mass email (which didn't answer my commission question) which contained his mailing address. So I just finished his conbadge and sent him a scan, which wasn't responded to, and then just mailed it to him.

I just feel bad because he's obviously giving artists money for commissions, but then he vanishes and probably doesn't get a lot of them since he disappears :( Like you said, not so much a 'beware' but more an effort to find a client who is paying for art and not getting it since he disappears.

[nambroth.livejournal.com]

Well, it is also a problem since in this case I can not even begin the commission, so I am left sitting on his money, unable to spend it, yet I claimed it on my taxes. So I will have to eat that amount, not that it's a lot, but still.

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

Well, since it's been over a week since he commissioned you, I would say it's safe to use the current ref sheet. Do the commission based on the information he has available currently, and keep the money with a clean conscience.

[nambroth.livejournal.com]

Based on previous experiences, it seems most unwise to do a commission that goes against the customer's wishes. And, an issue is that now I have no time for it, since I budgeted time months ago. I just hope to refund him.

[likeshine.livejournal.com]

same problem here. long description, sketches sent, no replies. notes sent, no replies. he approached me in person at another con, i gave him my contact info again and asked him to please get in touch. nothing.

i really prefer to do the work that i am paid for.

[alicewhite666.livejournal.com]

I'm currently have the same exact problem! He told me all the same things, not to start till I get home and that he needed to update his ref and to just note him on FA. He also asked if he had commissioned me the year before, but it was my friend sitting next to me. She had enough info to complete his commission. But I know felt a little uneasy because he hadn't said a word to her or responded to any of her notes with her WIPs. Even after she completed it he said nothing to her. I'm in the same boat. I can't refund but I don't like sitting on his commission, and I don't have enough info to complete it D: