Client Beware: Bakasnowbunny

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/bakasnowbunny/ and https://mobile.twitter.com/BakaSnowBunny

WHAT: Partial fursuit commission, later refunded.

WHEN: February 22nd; payment was held until March 14th. http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736210837000.jpg
Refund issued on May 20th. http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736230758000.jpg

PROOF:
PayPal transactions are above.
Unfortunately my Gmail isn't letting me retrieve the emails sent from February to March. I updated them weekly as I was working on other commissions for clients whose payments were received before hers. I'll explain what went down in those emails below.
Initial reference sheet given:
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682757348300.jpg
Colors change from pink to purple (were pink on the reference sheet, later change to purple when the design changes)
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682780450500.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682799660500.png
She asks about the color again 2 days after ordering the fur, which she had approved then. The new reference comes up a few days after this but I can't seem to find that e-mail.
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682770468700.png
Having the nose moved:
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682757572500.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682773362000.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682799789500.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682743573300.png (in reference to where the nose was first)
Her asking about the dots above the eyes when I mention the ones UNDER the eyes (so maybe there's another dot not on the reference sheet?):
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682743277600.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682713249500.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682759983300.png
Me refunding her, starting with the tail issues: http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736274181200.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736210648100.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736214488700.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736215937600.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736241789200.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736254110500.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736269066900.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736260942300.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736269846400.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736220547700.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736285150000.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736288180900.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736249328300.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736264931200.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736286129200.jpg
Twitter posts: http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736274107100.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736299628000.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736297296300.jpg
Her boyfriend sent me notes on FA, again blaming me for her depression: http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736275769200.jpg
FurAffinity journal about me: http://www.ezimba.com/work/160525C/ezimba13736275402700.jpg

EXPLAIN: In late March I started working on my clients fursuit. I should have refunded them then, because despite saying that she was patient she would ask for changes (the nose, for instance, was moved 4 times), questioned how I did things compared to others (not as a compliment, as if I was doing it wrong) and she gave me odd measurements (I have it recorded that her hip to heel measurement is 44" and the head size changed three times). I was sent two different reference sheets, which changed in late March again. I was incredibly patient until we got to the tail, in which the furs she picked out herself were apparently not long enough, and she questioned how I made it. At this point I put my foot down and decided to refund her. She threw a fit at work, blamed me for her depression, sent her boyfriend after me, posted about me on Twitter and then later made a journal after the supplies arrived.
She would not give me her PayPal address or shipping address so I had to find them through PayPal myself; she switched off receiving payments while I looked too (as there was a period of time where she wouldn't answer my emails). She was taking PWYW commissions during this time so that's how I know she switched it off on me.
I sent her everything I had involving the commission: fabric, the base, feet, tail, claws, patterns, etc. I was more than halfway done with the commission when it was refunded which is why this situation is difficult.

A week after canceling her father decided to contact me on behalf of the commission. He sends me very threatening e-mails and demands a larger refund than what I had given her. He even gives me his phone number and asks me to call him (which I don't do; the phone number was sent in a side e-mail that I did not include because it solely contained the number alone).
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682752279400.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682791641300.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682783556000.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682771676200.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682776155700.png
He also forwards me the first set of measurements I was sent which I have left some notes on.
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682757783500.png

There is an error somewhere where I mention her shoe size is US women's 8 instead of 10 1/2. I have it marked that I got her 10 1/2 shoes.
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682740583600.jpg
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682788472100.png (The purchase through eBay)

Do not work with this individual. It's unfortunately one of those situations where you just can't please someone, no matter how hard you try.

EDIT June 1st 4:30PM: More tweets about me.
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160602C/ezimba12682785868100.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160602C/ezimba12682749512500.png
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160602C/ezimba12682723872100.png

EDIT June 4th 6:45PM: Found this in my spam as I was looking for an e-mail from another artist that accidentally went there. My parents are fully aware of the matter and will not be contacting him as they helped me with the number crunching with the refund and relaying of e-mails with him.
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160605C/ezimba12682792641600.png

EDIT June 9th 7:00PM: Came home to see that the client (or her father) issued a chargeback on my account.
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160610C/ezimba12682772759100.png

EDIT July 27: A second chargeback has been issued by the father.
http://www.ezimba.com/work/160728C/ezimba19677183466200.png

Comments

[tylociraptor.livejournal.com]

After reading through all of this- her responses, her public ... hissy fit? I can't think of any other way to describe it... and her father emailing you on her behalf, I was about to comment that this is why you should not do business with minors.

Then I saw her FA page lists her as 24. That was shocking.

Her behavior was appalling, and I'm impressed that you were able to keep your cool and respond politely, curtly, and professionally to everything here.

Beware more than well warranted.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Does her page say that she's 24? All this time I've been thinking she was 21, maybe it was in one of the first e-mails she sent me. Now that's more shocking.

I was NOT prepared for the e-mails from her father, they came a week after the refund was sent and 4 days after the packages arrived. It made my stomach churn when he kept demanding this extra $400 that I explained where it went to. I guess he doesn't understand that artists are being paid to do a job not solely for the price of materials, otherwise we'd have nothing to live off of.

[duster.livejournal.com]

Hoooooly shit what a mess. The commissioner's childish attitude and guilt tripping, the boyfriend and dad coming down on you when they're not involved, what a nightmare. Avoiding this person for sure.

Without looking at the FA page I thought she was a minor like tylociraptor said. Yikes.

[takesu.livejournal.com]

Just adding my 2 cents here, but I always thought the down payment was to pay for the materials and/or labor. And since OP canceled on them, shouldn't the refund include the down payment minus the labor/supplies? Or is that a different with each artist?

[dergish.livejournal.com]

Most fursuit makers already have supplies on hand. The down payment is used to secure your spot in line/to make up for the work the maker is losing if you cancel.

Edit: Just to clarify- if the fursuit maker cancels they should be refunding in full. Makers don't get to cancel on their clients and keep payments. The down payment is only to protect against clients, not makers, canceling.

[dergish.livejournal.com]

That was a lot to deal with and you handled it well. You can't avoid difficult situations, they come with the commission territory. If I can here are a couple suggestions that might make another situation like this go smoother:

- Only communicate with the person who pays you. Put this in your ToS. When her dad and boyfriend contacted you this would have allowed you to tell them that you were not at liberty to discuss a private transaction ending the conversation.

- If you need to refund a customer don't send work done. It takes more time and more money but if you have to cancel on a customer refund them in cash only. Make sure it's spelled out in your ToS that you will refund in cash and sell what you've done so far. Refunding in cash means there's no room to split hairs over what has been done and what you deserve as compensation.

Sorry you had to deal with this but great job keeping calm.

[jebboy.livejournal.com]

Jfc
If it was possible I'd want a beware post on the father and boyfriend too. That is not okay and to be honest I might of just called the police on her dad.

[bamwowza.livejournal.com]

How how horribly she types(writes?) looks so frustrating, especially when you're making something that has to be so specific.
It was bad enough that the boyfriend got involved, I honestly did not see the dad actually getting involved just because of how outrageous that all sounds!

I'm so sorry you had to deal with all of this, you handled it very professionally.
But thank you for this beware as it is VERY well warranted.

[likeshine.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to say, good on you for standing your ground and sticking up for yourself.

[likeshine.livejournal.com]

Ack, didn't realize OP kept the deposit after they cancelled. Reading comprehension fail on my end.

[jellyfishee.livejournal.com]

WOW

No one else should have been getting involved except the client, especially if she's an adult. Her throwing a fit and putting her job in jeopardy is no one's fault but her own.

As for the down payment, you really do need to refund that. Down payment is to protect the artist from the client pulling out of the contract, not the other way around. You cancelled the contract, so that down payment belongs to the client.

[totschrei.livejournal.com]

I agree with this. Maybe a small portion kept from time worked but the rest I would say needs to be refunded.

[whoop-zi.livejournal.com]

i am in shock at the dramatics on her end, hooooly cow. major kudos to you for sticking to your guns and keeping it professional.

[jessibean.livejournal.com]

I am just baffled at what i just read. This entire situation is ridiculous - good on you for standing your ground.

The cries for attention really bother me, especially the "begging to be killed".... over a /fursuit/? Also the "I don't want a refund because my dad will say I told you so" made me do a double take. Beware well deserved

[spartanwerewolf.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a nightmare! Reading that twitter meltdown just... yikes. Kudos to you for sticking to your guns and forcing the refund, this is the kind of client none of us want.

TOS

[mortymaxwell.livejournal.com]

I agree with other people who have said the downpayment needs to be refunded, because you canceled the commission.

The family's behavior is abhorrent, but I can understand why the father is upset. When I looked at your terms of service, your refund policy is vague. You say that the 30% is non-refundable if a client cancels or they can't keep up with making payments.

You don't address what will happen if you cancel or if the commission is canceled for the client having poor communication/inappropriate behavior.

http://furredthingsfurst.wix.com/sarahcat-fursuits#!terms-of-service/cjk7

Another problem to me is you are inconsistent with what you call the 30%. On your website, it is a downpayment. In your initial e-mail with your father it is downpayment. In another e-mail with the father, it is a deposit.

I understand a downpayment versus a deposit to be what Sable outlined here, http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/847469.html?thread=31013229#t31013229.

[mortymaxwell.livejournal.com]

The beware I think is very well deserved and I think you did a good job handling the matter. I imagine it must have felt very stressful when the boyfriend and father became involved.

[tifaria.livejournal.com]

Chiming in to agree that you should be refunding the down payment. Honestly, I'm just as put off by you not refunding it as I am by the client's behavior. Her meltdown is very much Not Okay, but neither is keeping that money.

I felt like at least her father came off rather politely, even if it wasn't his business to butt in.

[straychowchow.livejournal.com]

The down payment actually was included in the original refund, according to my math.

http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/908926.html?thread=32234622#t32234622

[mortymaxwell.livejournal.com]

I agree. Since Sarah's TOS uses the word downpayment, I feel she should honor that. Retroactively calling a downpayment a deposit, (http://www.ezimba.com/work/160531C/ezimba12682776155700.png), now that someone wants their money back feels like very poor form to me.

[clockmagic.livejournal.com]

As others have already said, the attitude was immature and getting other people involved to contact you was really inconsiderate. They should be mature enough to handle the transaction on their own.

[hunty belmnt (from livejournal.com)]

:/ Outrageous behavior from her, the dad and the boyfriend. All three should be posted here. Good on you for standing your ground and forcing the refund.

Echoing the others, you must refund the downpayment since it was you who broke the contract with the customer.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Edited for new tweets.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

So because a lot of you keep commenting "you need to refund more" and it's stressing me out a great deal, even after thinking I did the right thing and even posted where I got my numbers from (the downpayment was used for supplies, labor costs, shipping and to secure the slot itself, I do not work for free)... How would I go about doing this? Just send it to their PayPal? I have blocked the client and her father on social media, FA and their e-mails. If the new Twitter posts are right then they're trying to pursue me further.

I'll repeat myself again but I thought I did the right thing and knowing about those comments really stresses me out, which I don't need right now. I want to do the right thing and I want my now ex client to drop this, if that's the right way to word it.

[jessibean.livejournal.com]

I would just send the money via Paypal to her already-known address and include a note about why you are doing so, but that you then consider the matter closed and would appreciate her doing the same. I'm not sure at this point if she's going to quit until she basically has the temper tantrum out of her completely, but it's worth a try.

[mortymaxwell.livejournal.com]

My advice would be keep it short and simple. Send refund through Paypal with a note that says, "Here's your refund for the downpayment." Post screenshot to AB showing refund was carried out.

I would also suggest updating your terms of service to better clarify your refund policies and reconsidering when you block people.

It's okay to block someone after you have refunded them, but blocking them when they have requested a refund and you have an unfinished transaction is not good business practices. Up until a refund has been sent, communication must remain open.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

The number of times you posted the same thing on here made me seriously consider the thought of you being my client's father. One comment would have sufficed.

That was the initial PayPal note I left when I refunded my client. It's posted above.

I didn't know that "downpayment" and "deposit" were not considered to be the same thing, in my mind it sounds like it is. You're putting down 30% of the full payment that cannot and will not be refunded for supplies, labor costs, to secure a slot, etc. I guess I have to rephrase that better.

I blocked because I thought I was done with the transaction but clearly it isn't done and I did the wrong thing. Did you read the e-mails I sent to the father?

[roxyfur.livejournal.com]

I think something that should be clarified is that when the artist cancels the commission, they should refund it in full and keep the materials (whether they're usable or not). If the client cancels the commission, then the artist is entitled to keep the downpayment/deposit and send the supplies.

(frozen)

[catcooties.livejournal.com]

I think she gets that she needs to refund the buyer of their down payment, guys. You don't need to keep ramming it into her head and stressing her out more.

On that note, the buyer acted horrendously and I'm so sorry you had to deal with this ://

(frozen)

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

While we understand repetitive commentary can be annoying, please do not attempt to moderate the comments.

[bamwowza.livejournal.com]

If OP refunded them more then how much money would they keep for their work/time?
bc from how it looks they wouldn't gain anything if they did?

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

From my understanding of what folks are saying: If the builder cancels you aren't entitled to keep anything. It's a refund in full and the builder keeps the materials. Or a refund of cash up to the materials and then materials shipped back.

If the client cancels, then you can walk away with funds for your time.

With that said, I'm not a builder.

[spiritlobo.livejournal.com]

Honestly, the thing that impresses me the most is the way you handled this situation. The refund is neither here nor there for me, because I'm not versed in money but seriously I'm really giving you kudos for your patience and the way you spoke to the commissioner, her boyfriend, and her father. You've really got a way with words!

There's waaaaayyyy too many cooks in the kitchen with her family trying to get you to take the comission back up. I really can't believe two other people decided to jump in the fray. It should have just been you and her - seriously abhorrent behavior. A beware well deserved.

[ana stark (from livejournal.com)]

I Read your whole post and i agree with what you did. You should keep a portion of the money because you earned it, those are hours you wont get back, clients you might have missed because you were already working on her proyect. If the father doesnt understand then its his problem, not yours, i bet if someone did that to him he wouldnt be giving you so much sh+t and asking for more refund (all the material you sent is also part of the refund). Stick to your ground, block them and just forget about it. Clients sometimes thing they OWN you just because they pay for you to do something but you are providing a service and you know your craft, you wouldnt just stand behind your plumber asking him all sorts of sh+t ant telling him he's not unckloging the pipes right, if you do not trust your worker to do things right then dont hire him/her. period.

Im an artist my self and luckily i have only had nice and pleasant costumers (people who are actual adults and understand the bussines even if they are not artists themselves) but i had just one like yours, and the biggest mistake i made was not refunding him earlier (i did finish his comission tho, endured the whole nightmareish trip because when i realized i had made the mistake it was already too late and i wasnt about to lose all my hard earn money so i had to suck it)...but it left me scarred for life. since that day i wont even dare take a comission from someone looking confused about what they want, if they use phrases like

"wow...i have never paid so much for something like this"
"im gonna nitpick more than im used to, hope you dont mind"
"im just trying to make my money's worth"
"im not sure about this....."
"i dont have a real reference for that..."
"just do your magic and we will just fix things along the way"
"let me talk it to my pillow"
"hmmmm.... i dont know i need to look at this for about 2 more days to be sure"
"this is lovely,. i love how you did this...but"
"im giving you freedom to do your thing, i hired you cause i love your style but i need a wip for every single line you draw"

b-e-w-a-r-e!

most people who know what they want just go straight to the point, they give you VERY SPECIFIC instructions (like dummy proof, they will send tons of pics, color chartz, etc) thats the people you should work with, it has worked for me for the past 6 years and the filter never failed until i decided i could just use being less rigid.