Beware: Electrocat/Electropaw_Artworks

[miliki00.livejournal.com]

WHO: Electrocat & Electropaw_Artworks

WHERE: https://www.furaffinity.net/user/electrocat & https://www.furaffinity.net/user/electropawartworks

WHAT: A couples Icon

WHEN: August 5th 2012

PROOF: In my stash I have posted four screenshots. One of initial contact to purchase the icon set. The proof of payment being sent (I sent extra to cover the paypal fees). And two follow up notes which were never opened by electrocat. http://sta.sh/21bm9xe88hih

EXPLAIN: Normally I would have let this slide and forgot about it but the entire incident left a bad taste in my mouth. I commissioned Electrocat to do a set of icons for my husband and I. It was an experimental icon template and I would have been fine if she just informed me that it was not possible to do the icons and either refund me or make them on a different template. But I received no contacts from her. I attempted to contact her twice in regards to the progress and the notes went unread/ignored. I finally was able to make it to one of her streams where I politely asked how the icons were coming and she threatened to shut down the stream if anyone asked for an eta on any due projects because it was stressing her. I would have screenshotted the stream but I was thoroughly yelled at by her boyfriend of the time before being booted and banned from the stream. So I was unable to ever get in contact with her.

I never filed a claim with paypal because I didn’t see the point for $28 that and she lives off her commissions and I didn’t want to add any more stress by taking away any money she had already had. Unfortunately, commissions get piled on top of commissions and some get forgotten. Most of the time she gets the work done, but when things become problematic, communication breaks down and so does the commission. She is a good artist… It just should be known that there has been incidences where some have fallen through the cracks. I just happened to be one of them.

Current Mood: Tired

Comments

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

Adding stress is the last thing you need to be concerned about as a customer who was owed a service, or a refund. She's completely in the wrong here, and honestly? I'd still try to file with Paypal or your bank. She essentially stole from you.

[everainsley]

Agree. Even though it's been 3+ years, and it's a relatively small amount, this is theft without a refund or art. How many other people have "fallen through the cracks?"

Her life issues are -not- on you. Being a "good artist" is not a sign of being a good business person. Taking money for art means acting like a professional, RL issues be dammed. If she can't do what's been paid for, then she doesn't need to be taking commissions.

[miliki00.livejournal.com]

Is it even still possible to file after 2 years?

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

You have two options:
1. If you used your bank balance, and only used Paypal as a middle-man, go to your bank and file it as a fraudulant transaction.
2. Call paypal and explain that it is bordering on theft and see if the CSR you get is sympathetic. Escalate if you have to.

[straviios.livejournal.com]

You should had just went with a chargeback/refund at that time. No matter how much, it's your money and you didn't get anything in return.

I get it when the artist lives on commissions and the like, don't let that get to you if you are deciding on to getting a refund.

That's probably the main reason I haven't done a chargeback towards this one artist that owes me a 60$ commission art piece, that moral thing gets in your way, chargeback or not to chargeback after the artist not contacting you for a good amount of time. It's been a year now and no art from them.

(Sorry for getting a bit off topic there!)

[miliki00.livejournal.com]

No, i completely understand. I know I can get off topic as well.

[kazeno-taka.livejournal.com]

Can artists please stop claiming that a simple commission status inquiry is a major offense? If you can't deal with customers asking for their commission status, then stop taking commissions. It would be like an electrician ragequitting and storming out of your house because you ask him how long it will take to finish.

Learn some professionalism, for goodness sakes.

[latiro.livejournal.com]

^ This.

[wyla.livejournal.com]

This! Not to mention her boyfriend chewing you out for it; that's terribly unprofessional. It has absolutely nothing to do with him.

Beware very well warranted!

[ansitru.livejournal.com]

This! It always feel bad for the people who ask me my ETA and kind of dance around the question because they think I'm going to snap at them for asking. Same with asking for changes in a drawing, as long as they're within reason.

Not signalling it out of fear of being snapped at, means the drawing won't be perfect so it's a lose-lose, really. :c

[miliki00.livejournal.com]

It is sad to see that artists struggle just as bad from this because there are a few artists that make commissioners shy to ask.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

Fourth'd, goodness.

[miliki00.livejournal.com]

Sadly I have seen it happen a lot where artists freak out when asked for an eta even when it was meant in a friendly, non insistant manner.

[rylanazion.livejournal.com]

I'd say anytime an artist responds to a simple "Hey there, it's been a while, how's my commish coming?" with "OMG HARASSMENT!!!11!" it should immediately justify posting them here.

[keaalu.livejournal.com]

Just FAO A_B mods, there's two tags for this artist, one doesn't have the "Electropaw" handle in it.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

Tags gone and merged! :D

[sian tiley (from livejournal.com)]

I avoid this artist already as so many of my friends have had problems with her doing this kind of thing , Honistly I would of forced a refund , she has your money for nothing and does not diserve it.

[latiro.livejournal.com]

Agreeing with others that you should've just gone with a chargeback to get your money back. Not to mention paying extra to cover PayPal fees is a no-no since that goes against PayPal's policies.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

I think it's only against their policies if you demand people pay the fee. The customer willingly sending extra because they want to wouldn't be a problem, I imagine.

[ramthedragon.livejournal.com]

I am going to be echoing most of the other responses but I really want to stress that commissions do not "slip through the cracks", that's not a normal occurrence or a thing you should tolerate.

Responsible artists know how to handle their workload, know how to communicate and know how to deliver or at least know when they are too overburdened to continue. What happened to you was an artist not being professional enough to handle all their clients.

Please if this ever happens to you again, no matter the amount paid, you should file a charge back and demand your art or your money. It does not matter if the artist is living off the art full time, you paid for something you did not receive and that is unacceptable.

[miliki00.livejournal.com]

I will probably do a charge back from now on knowing te circumstances but I think 2 years is a little late to file.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

It definitely is. From here on out provided you pay correctly (goods and services, NEVER family and friends) you have 180 days from the time of purchase.

[kattotang.livejournal.com]

I would say if an artist is living off their art full-time then it's even more necessary to file chargebacks against them when they don't deliver. If it's their full-time job then they should be treating it as such, and suffering the consequences when they don't, just like with any other job.

[likeshine.livejournal.com]

I'm sad that you didn't try to get your refund from the artist. You paid them for a service, they didn't do it; to keep your money is stealing, whether they live off of commissions or not. There is no way to justify stealing :(

[miliki00.livejournal.com]

Very true. Luckily, this has been the only incidence I have ever had to deal with this.

[teekchan.livejournal.com]

Going with the others. The more people that let stuff like this slide, the more the artist thinks its okay, or that they can get away with it.

[miliki00.livejournal.com]

This was one of my first commissions and I have now learned my lesson.

[karthegrax.livejournal.com]

Living off commissions is a choice. By all means be understanding of RL problems but don't allow yourself to be guilted by it.

[nbowa.livejournal.com]

I've had the same issue with Electrocat. I did one of her sketch packs over 2 years ago and only got one out of 12. Every once in a while I'd get a random icon, but not nearly what she promised. About a year ago I got a message from her husband that said she was starting fresh and I'd get what I'm owed, but of course nothing since.

Your not alone

[scales4sales.livejournal.com]

I have commissioned her in the past and never got jack from her. Then i commissioned her for something else but told me after i sent the payment it was closed out 5 mins after i sent her payment in one of her streams. Got into a squabble and ultimately lost my money because like you i did not want to complain over a small amount of money. Just warn others is the best you can do.