Paypal fees?

[korsetkoat.livejournal.com]

This has already been been discussed in this community before- who should pay the fee, the commissioner or the artist? The general agreement seems to be, factor paypal fees into your initial commission price to cover it, because it is the artist who should pay the fees and not the commissioner, as by PayPal's TOS. However, there are many artists I've met who do not seem to have read/know PayPal's TOS and their prices are not factored for the fees.

What should a commissioner/artist do in a situation where, a commissioner sends money thinking an artist has factored in fees, but in fact hasn't payed what the artist was wanting (i.e., an artist wants 4.00$, they only get 3.58$)? It seems like one of those situations that could get ugly if not treated with care. Which is why so far I, as a commissioner, have been paying fees most of the time when buying a commission.

Would the artist have the right to withhold artwork until the full fee has been paid? Or does the commissioner have the right to the commission because it is the artist's own hindsight and ignorance that got them out of some money? I haven't had this situation myself yet but I feel as though this kind of thing will happen at one point or another. Is it a courtesy for the commissioner to send more money despite the TOS or should the artist, well, just suck it up because it is due to their own ignorance of the TOS?

Edit; I suppose the easiest solution for an artist who will not give you art until you pay more money is to open a dispute.

However, let's say you told them all this but they ignore your warning about the TOS. Should you report someone for breaking the TOS by making your customers pay the fees? Is there even a way to do so?

Comments

[blackberrypie.livejournal.com]

Artists need to learn how to factor that into their commission prices. I have NEVER asked anyone to pay a fee ever. I have however added a tip here and there when I commission art, and I have gotten a tip here and there when people commission me. Its a very nice thing to do but it should not be the buyer's responsibility.

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

This. Honestly I was startled when I first encountered an artist asking for customers to pay the fees. The thought had never so much as crossed my mind! Paying fees, just like paying the cost of my sewing machine or the cost of pencils, is just part of doing business!

[blackberrypie.livejournal.com]

Thats exactly how I've thought of it.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

Yeah the only fee it makes sense to ask for is shipping since that can vary wildly, and one's not always making something physical to be shipped

[taasla.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Being forced to pay someone's paypal fee is a huge peeve of mine as a commissioner. I will only do it if I really, really do want art from someone.

[gel-wolf.livejournal.com]

well, for little things, it's not that surprising for artsits to ask customers to cover the fees. It's like small business not allowing customers to use credit cards for purchases less than $10, or charging for credit card purchases under a certain amount.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

I believe that practice is actually against the rules the credit card companies put in, so said small businesses are breaching their contract doing so.

[gel-wolf.livejournal.com]

huh. I didn't know that! O: I just assumed because it's such a widely used policy in like coffee shops and such that it was ok.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

They get away with it because nobody knows to report them, but it's against the contracts because well, it means less people using CC's, which means the companies get less money, so they don't want businesses doing that.

[bluefantasyz.livejournal.com]

Do you know HOW to report them? Because the local gas station charges a .25 surcharge on debit orders under $4, even though I'm sure they rake in plenty of money...

[korsetkoat.livejournal.com]

But by that logic, then people should not use paypal for commissions less than 5$...?

[gel-wolf.livejournal.com]

ehhh. in theory, i guess. but that's not really practical. I'm in favor of upping the prices of smaller things to make them a little more profitable and a little less likely to be eaten by paypal fees. Like making $1 icons $1.50 so you actually get your dollar, not like actually asking for the paypal fees.

[ichigoneko33.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I used to ask the commissioner to pay the fees. But it's cause I didn't know much about it yet, and others did it too. I stopped as soon as I heard I'm not supposed to though.