Beware: SqueedgeMonster
Apr. 27th, 2015 04:50 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
kaiiju.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
artists_bewareWHO: Squeedge/SqueedgeMonster
FURAFFINITY
TWITTER
MAIN TUMBLR & ART TUMBLR
WHAT: A pre-order of her "Tyrant King" shirt.
WHEN: The shirt was ordered in December of 2013 with an estimated delivery date of January 2014.
PAYMENT: Here.
EXPLAIN (&PROOF):
Back in early December 2013, I saw that SqueedgeMonster opened up pre-orders for her Tyrant King t-shirts through Twitter. It was supposed to be a "last printing" of the design and I couldn't pass up the opportunity because I really liked the design and I didn't want to miss my chance. I understood that the shirts wouldn't arrive until after Christmas. They were scheduled to be shipped in early January. I still haven't received mine and communication, directly or indirectly, has been practically non-existent since payment was sent.
During the pre-order, over 100 shirts were purchased. I lost the proof for this when this was sent back to me for revisions, and when searching for it again I discovered that all of her tweets prior to June 2014 seemed to have disappeared.
In early January, she made a post on Twitter about the shirts being sent out to her from the printer and her receiving them. In late January, Squeedge made an update about the shipment of her shirts on Tumblr. Apparently a lot of them were stolen before being scanned at her local post office.
My shirt was a large, so it was not in the first box of shipped shirts. I waited it out.
After the post office fiasco, I didn't contact Squeedge for several months as she was going through personal issues at the time and didn't think it would be appropriate.
After things seemed to simmer down, I tossed her a message on Tumblr sometime in April (which I don't have proof of thanks to Tumblr's lack of outbox function).
A few days passed and this was posted. That was the last time I heard anything pertaining to the shirts.
In June I was looking through my Twitter feed when a re-tweet from Squeedge appeared; it was someone wearing their Tyrant King shirt. It looked as though the shirts had finally been shipped out.
I dug a little bit to see when they were sent so I could know when to expect mine, only to discover that she'd put what was supposed to be a "final run" design, which she'd emphasized plenty of times in her advertisements back in December (seen here), up in her DesignByHumans shop. This admittedly upset me.
In early September, I made my Twitter public (usually private to keep spam accounts at bay) and tried to initiate contact. It was met with no response.
I attempt contact again later in the month, to which she actually replies saying she'll e-mail me later that night.
She never did.
I finally decided to shoot her an e-mail myself (found on one of her Tumblrs). She responded a few weeks later with this. I never responded to it because, well, I really didn't know how.
In the meantime she opened a Patreon which seems to be turning a decent profit, designed several new shirts and put them up for sale in her online shop (and continues to do so), gone to conventions and taken on numerous commissions -- but she hasn't been in contact since the e-mail above.
I put this off for as long as I could in hopes that the situation would work itself out, but I've reached my breaking point. I just want this resolved so I can enjoy her work again.
FURAFFINITY
MAIN TUMBLR & ART TUMBLR
WHAT: A pre-order of her "Tyrant King" shirt.
WHEN: The shirt was ordered in December of 2013 with an estimated delivery date of January 2014.
PAYMENT: Here.
EXPLAIN (&PROOF):
Back in early December 2013, I saw that SqueedgeMonster opened up pre-orders for her Tyrant King t-shirts through Twitter. It was supposed to be a "last printing" of the design and I couldn't pass up the opportunity because I really liked the design and I didn't want to miss my chance. I understood that the shirts wouldn't arrive until after Christmas. They were scheduled to be shipped in early January. I still haven't received mine and communication, directly or indirectly, has been practically non-existent since payment was sent.
During the pre-order, over 100 shirts were purchased. I lost the proof for this when this was sent back to me for revisions, and when searching for it again I discovered that all of her tweets prior to June 2014 seemed to have disappeared.
In early January, she made a post on Twitter about the shirts being sent out to her from the printer and her receiving them. In late January, Squeedge made an update about the shipment of her shirts on Tumblr. Apparently a lot of them were stolen before being scanned at her local post office.
My shirt was a large, so it was not in the first box of shipped shirts. I waited it out.
After the post office fiasco, I didn't contact Squeedge for several months as she was going through personal issues at the time and didn't think it would be appropriate.
After things seemed to simmer down, I tossed her a message on Tumblr sometime in April (which I don't have proof of thanks to Tumblr's lack of outbox function).
A few days passed and this was posted. That was the last time I heard anything pertaining to the shirts.
In June I was looking through my Twitter feed when a re-tweet from Squeedge appeared; it was someone wearing their Tyrant King shirt. It looked as though the shirts had finally been shipped out.
I dug a little bit to see when they were sent so I could know when to expect mine, only to discover that she'd put what was supposed to be a "final run" design, which she'd emphasized plenty of times in her advertisements back in December (seen here), up in her DesignByHumans shop. This admittedly upset me.
In early September, I made my Twitter public (usually private to keep spam accounts at bay) and tried to initiate contact. It was met with no response.
I attempt contact again later in the month, to which she actually replies saying she'll e-mail me later that night.
She never did.
I finally decided to shoot her an e-mail myself (found on one of her Tumblrs). She responded a few weeks later with this. I never responded to it because, well, I really didn't know how.
In the meantime she opened a Patreon which seems to be turning a decent profit, designed several new shirts and put them up for sale in her online shop (and continues to do so), gone to conventions and taken on numerous commissions -- but she hasn't been in contact since the e-mail above.
I put this off for as long as I could in hopes that the situation would work itself out, but I've reached my breaking point. I just want this resolved so I can enjoy her work again.
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mod comment
Date: 2015-04-29 12:10 am (UTC)http://www.livejournal.com/support/faq/75.html
Re: mod comment
Date: 2015-04-29 01:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-29 01:18 am (UTC)Sorry this happened to you. I hope you and her can get this resolved soon.
no subject
Date: 2015-04-29 01:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-29 07:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-29 02:14 am (UTC)The whole Tyrant King shipping fiasco has been hanging over my head like a ghoul for quite some time (which is why I since stopped offering physical items, wanting to right everything before delving into that venture again), and little by little I have been trying to chip away at it as I can while balancing other life obligations, which is where you saw others receiving their shirts on twitter.
There was a list of people to contact regarding this, I fully admit, and I apologize for losing track of you and never following up. I am 100% prepared to do so immediately if you'd like to correspond over e-mail. Or anywhere, really, whatever works best.
Just a few things I'd like to mention, however.
This was the last screen printing of the shirt, which is of much more vibrant color, larger print size, and higher quality than what is offered from Design By Human's direct-to-garment printing, so I was truly trying to offer something premium and unique, and not trick anyone into buying something only to go back on my word. The shirt will not be screen printed again.
I understand the confusion, I could have totally been more clear about this, and I apologize if that seems unfair or dishonest.
I know it's hard to see this from an outsider's perspective, but the patreon and conventions are hardly an accurate representation of how I'm doing financially. The cons have been greatly supplemented by generous friends or done very frugally, and after household expenses and taxes I am more often than not just scraping by.
However, that's all an aside. The bottom line is you paid for something and didn't receive it, and that's not fair to you, nor is the wait you've endured and for that I sincerely apologize.
I actually care a lot and feel awful for putting anyone through this or tarnishing their faith in my work. I have not been the most stable or reliable person in the past, and I am trying to remedy that. I needed it brought to my attention and have no qualms with people taking issue or being made aware of my mishandling of the situation, so I appreciate the post.
no subject
Date: 2015-04-29 02:56 am (UTC)Thank you so much for the prompt response. I really appreciate it.
And thank you for clearing up those points of concern, it seems I misunderstood what was going on, especially about the reprint.
On that subject, I guess I should mention that I wasn't really bothered or upset by the fact that it was reprinted, but rather by the fact that people that had bought the same design I did were receiving their products while I had no idea when or if I would be getting mine. Is that makes sense and doesn't make me sound too petty??
The last bit about expenses I probably could have left out, but I guess from my POV, all I saw was money being spent (or brought in, via commissions and t-shirts) that could have been put towards the refund you said that you couldn't give, which is why I brought it up, I guess. It wasn't an attempt to dispute what you had said about your financial situation, as that most certainly isn't my place to even attempt to argue.
Honestly, I've done work with you in the past and you were nothing but an absolute pleasure to work with, and that's why I put this beware off for a while -- I knew what was going on wasn't done with malicious intent, and was more or less just incredibly overwhelming and hard to deal with.
I'm really sorry that the Tyrant King shirts have given you so much trouble and I hope you get everything sorted out soon.
I certainly wouldn't be opposed to trying to work something out through e-mail!
no subject
Date: 2015-04-29 03:35 am (UTC)Either way, I am able to either give a complete refund or ship the shirt out priority 2-day shipping (though I'd be going to the post office tomorrow, not today), whichever works!
I'm not sure what e-mail to use, if your old one is still good to use or not, but if you could e-mail me (squeedgemonsterart [at] gmail [dot] com) with your preference in what you'd like me to do, we can get this settled once and for all!
no subject
Date: 2015-04-29 02:49 am (UTC)That doesn't excuse the mess with t-shirt shipping, but I did want to leave the remark. I hope you get this sorted out!
no subject
Date: 2015-04-29 02:49 am (UTC)And oops, I see the artist replied. That's what I get for typing half a comment and then wandering off to do something else for a while before I finish it :p
no subject
Date: 2015-04-29 03:02 am (UTC)Thanks!
no subject
Date: 2015-05-01 12:24 am (UTC)I'll be sure to make an update when I receive my package in the mail so this can be marked as resolved!
no subject
Date: 2015-05-07 06:46 am (UTC)This can be marked as RESOLVED! ♥ She was nothing but sweet about the whole ordeal when we managed to get back in contact, and I'm very happy with the outcome of the situation.
no subject
Date: 2015-05-07 07:40 am (UTC)