Advice, What should I do?

[femaledarkling.livejournal.com]

I'm not naming any names in this due to the fact I don't think it warrants any sort of actual beware, but I am unsure of how much further I should take it.

About 3 years ago I commissioned an artist on Deviantart, Back at the time I paid with points, 200 to be precise. I am aware that is only $2 which is pretty much nothing, but back then the artist only took point commissions and points actually had some sort of meaning before the shop shut down.

I never bugged the artist at all for about 2 years, they had never seemed to have any problems with owed art, so I wasn't worried. Over the space of 2 years I never received my commission, even though the artist was constantly taking and uploading new commissions, personal art, trades etc.

I eventually sent them a note on tumblr at first, with the response of an apology, and saying that they forget, which I understand, it had been a long time before I got up the guts to ask about it. They told me they would work on the commission straight away and would have it done within a few weeks. However a few more months past, and I still did not receive my commission, again the whole time they were taking and finishing more commissions.

I bugged them about it one more time, with a repeat of the last time, same answer, same stuff. I eventually sent them a note on deviantart asking if they could refund me the points. I never actually cared about the points because they mean nothing to me, but I felt like I was never going to receive my commission so I may as well as for a refund. They said they would send me refund as soon as they had the points, which was fine.

However that was over half a year ago, and considering they are always taking commissions, I am sure they have enough money to buy the points that they owe me just to resolve the whole deal, Or of course complete the art they owe me. [Which is what I actually want]

So my question is, what would you do? Since $2 is defiantly not much for a commission, do you think its acceptable for them to not do the work? Should I give them more money to make up for the fact they used to under price them selves? Or should I give them a final demand before posting a beware? What do you guys think?

Comments

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Bad work ethic doesn't depend on the amount of the commission. If you give the impression it's okay to steal from you just because it's 2$, I promise they'll be okay with doing it to others regardless the amount.

If it were me, I would give a simple, 'Hi! I'd like my art or a full refund within 2 weeks or I'll have to post you to artist's beware' or something similar. Set a deadline.

Their undercharging is really pretty irrelevant, as it's still a transaction that was paid for fair and square. They set the price, and agreed to do the work, and anything past that is their problem, not yours.

[femaledarkling.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input- Though I'm not 100% sure its worth going down this route to be honest, I feel like despite them being in wrong I might seem rather rude to start a dispute over something as little as $2 haha

[kattotang.livejournal.com]

It's not rude, it's business. $2 might be small, but if they were to do this to others, that $2 would add up, and either way, it still amounts to stealing.

It always really sucks when people get screwed out of large amounts of money, but it also makes a person look pretty bad to take small amounts like that, since after all, if it's so minuscule, then why is it so difficult to give a refund?

[femaledarkling.livejournal.com]

I think the reason I haven't been given a refund yet is pretty much because of the fact I paid in points, and I think they begrudge buying more just to refund me when they no longer do services in points, which is silly really since its their fault they need to refund me in the first place.

[kattotang.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and they could always just ask if you have Paypal and send you $2 anyway.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Whether it's worth it to you personally is one thing, but I don't understand how it would be rude.. ? Stealing is pretty rude.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

It's definitely not rude! It's your money. Whether it's $2, $20, or $200 it's yours!

[teekchan.livejournal.com]

$2 is $2, if that isn't of value to YOU, it doesn't mean it isnt to value to someone else. It's still exchanging payment for a service which they have not only failed to complete, but have lied to you about, on more than one occasion.

[growly.livejournal.com]

No, it's not acceptable for them to not do the work, but I don't think it's worth persuing. I'd move on, but never commission them again, personally. And if friends express interest in commissioning them, I'd share that story with them.

[femaledarkling.livejournal.com]

I've been doing that so far to be honest, I feel like I may be the only one who's had problems with it so its a little confusing and saddening.

[ramthedragon.livejournal.com]

I would second this method of action as well. Do not ever give business to this person again and discourage others of doing so.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

On one hand $2 isn't much, but then how significant is the commission? Is it just a doodle, a chibi, a sketch? More? If it's not much work, then they don't really have an excuse not to do it. If it's like inked, multiple characters, has a background, coloured, shaded or the like, they could just offer to refund you.

[femaledarkling.livejournal.com]

It was actually a line-less picture including one of their characters, so not just a lil doodle that I wasn't really bothered about unfortunately.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

Then they should at least refund you.

[mazz.livejournal.com]

Business is business and if they're willing to steal $2 they're willing to steal larger amounts. The more people don't bring this kind of behavior of an artist to light the more and more the artist will believe they have the right to steal because they're getting away with it.

[tealmoonxiv.livejournal.com]

It could have been 2¢ but that still does not excuse them from not giving you art or a refund.

[ravensmoon666.livejournal.com]

As people above had been saying it doesn't matter if it was 0.50 or 1,000 dollars it's still wrong. Say you walk in a store to get a soda or a pack of gum. You pay but they take the gum and never give it to you or say they'll have your gum in three weeks. It's still theft if they didn't supply the product.

[roxyfur.livejournal.com]

Everybody here is right. $2 is still your money, and if you find that worth your time, then it is.

However it seems like you might be unsure whether it should be or not. Imo, if you feel like it's insignificant, then don't worry about it. Sometimes if it's a small enough amount of money, it's frankly not worth the time and the stress of writing something up about them. I personally have written off larger sums of money for the same reason.

But if it's worth it to you, then don't hesitate to write up a real beware about it if they refuse to refund you/finish the work.

[werewolfofwater.livejournal.com]

At what amount of money do we draw the line where it becomes "acceptable" to flake out on the work? If 2 dollars is okay, then why not 3 dollars, 4, 5, or 6...you get the idea.

Money is money. They're obligated to do the work if you paid for it, period. However, it's really up to you if you think it's worth pursuing or not.