Need some advice.

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

A couple months ago I made a partial fursuit for someone. When it left my house, it was fine. I had checked the seams, pulled them and went over a couple others I thought were iffy. All of the fursuits I make have a 6 month warranty. They can send it back to me and I will fix whatever problem, free of charge. He was happy with it all, agreed to the warranty and left with the suit.

I get a call from a friend a few days ago telling me that my commissioner came to her to fix a popped seam in the head. Which is fine, whatever, but then she notices I could have sewn the arms on the shirt and pants a little better, so she fixed that, and told me how to make sure that doesn't happen in the future as well as giving me advise for sewing the neck to the head. Which is fine, I like critique and advise on how to make things better.

BUT apparently she thinks I did the head wrong, in the way of the moving jaw. Now, it works perfectly when you have it on right. I showed the commissioner before he left with the suit, how to wear the head to make the jaw work. He did it, and it works. My friend says when he uses the moving jaw it doesn't work, and it hits his sternum. He isn't wearing it right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz1DnngPluo is a video of the head. The jaw works and isn't hitting the sternum.

Now something else was mentioned that wasn't mentioned to me when he took the suit. He says the vision is bad... I have a suit of my own, made by Media (Spook) and the vision in the suit I made is about 30 times better than my "professionally" made personal one. So he wants all mesh eyes now.


Now, he wants a $200 refund, or for me to re-make the head since things needed to be fixed with the stitching and the head is apparently wrong. Which I don't think is fair when it works perfectly fine, It worked perfectly fine on him when he left after I showed him how to wear it, and he could have sent the sleeves to me to fix with his warranty.

I don't know what to do, I don't have 200 dollars to give him and I don't have money or materials to make another head for him. (Which if he wore the head right he wouldn't need it anyway) He's wearing it too far forward. And since my friend fixed the seam issue (which I could have done which is part of the warranty) there shouldn't be a problem...


Please help.


:::EDIT:::

I've written out my contract, please let me know what you think.
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1651776/

I'm also planning on getting in touch with this commissioner tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.



:::More EDIT:::

I have sent him a note:
http://a.imageshack.us/img339/5422/notetotimber.jpg

Which he has read and hasn't responded to.

:::EDIT EDIT EDIT:::

Here's the response over IMs I got from him. I think it's been worked out. And I think I handled myself ok.

http://a.imageshack.us/img44/6470/ims.jpg

Comments

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

Sounds like buyers remorse.

What's your contract like? Do you specify rules for refunds and do you have the materials cost as non-refundable?

[poprock-grey.livejournal.com]

For the future, you might want to put in that only you are to try fixing it and if someone else does, (besides the owner, or including if you feel that is needed) that the 6 month warranty is broken, and all repairs are no longer free.

[shadowedyoshii.livejournal.com]

Has this person owned a suit before this one? It sounds like he's running into a lot of problems first-time suiters with unrealistic expectations runs into.

Even top of the line, professional moving jaws are finicky. Unless you have one of those moving jaws that are a separate piece that straps on to your actual chin (like some that Beastcub make), they're not going to work 100% of the time for ANYONE, even super-sensitive resin jaws aren't perfect. Like, that's just a fact and he'll have to accept that, and that doesn't mean you did it "wrong".

As far as the vision, people have wildly different standards as to what constitutes "good" vision. Some people are super finicky and think "less than barely unobstructed" is the same as "TERRIBLE VISION". I'm super chillax about the vision in my suits, and feel like if I can successfully navigate, then I can see well enough, but I acknowledge that that's me, and some people just can't stand compromised vision. Still, it sounds like he wants his cake and to eat it, too.

He has his product, and it sounds like it's as described (and for some reason he didn't come to you to resolve the stitching issues, even though it was under warranty?) Unless he wants to return the head, then he has no right to ask for a refund. Tell him that. "Doesn't have a flawless moving jaw" does not equal "wrong", and even then, he shouldn't get to keep the product!

Don't feel heartless, though -- he sounds like the type of person that won't be satisfied, and it would be an exercise in frustration and futility to try and accomplish the unattainable.

Plus, I'm not sure, but from what I glean, you're much more a hobby maker than a "professional", yes? And from that I can assume you charged him a relatively low sum. I mean this is no disparaging way towards your skill, but you get what you pay for.

[koisnake.livejournal.com]

Curious, is $200 the entire cost of the head? Was he your first commission? Did you just started commissions?

I hope these questions aren't digging into your privacy, but it may help me (and some other people) help you a little better.

[banrai.livejournal.com]

You know, honestly this guy sounds like he's having second thoughts about wanting the suit, and just trying to finagle a refund out of you.

He should have come to you with the issues he had with the seams, and if he had other problems they should have been voiced when he picked up the suit (since the way you talk it seems that it wasn't mailed.) I sort-of get the feeling that the friend that fixed the seam might have filled his head with air about how things should have been done, which is silly because it's really a preference of style anyway. If the guy wanted a jaw that worked differently, he should have went to a different producer - you don't go to a restaurant and order Parmesan Chicken and then bitch that it doesn't taste like steak and demand a refund, and nor should this guy expect one.

Frankly, I would tell him that having another person 'work' on the head voided the warranty, and send him on his way.

[redrottie.livejournal.com]

If it was me I'd tell him that he doesn't get a refund unless he wants to return the head and allow you to sell it for $200. Does he want someone walking around with Timber's head under a different name? ( I can't see youtube so I don't know if the head is more unique than the usual wolf/canine you tend to see.)

Like everyone has been saying, it also depends on your contract. I've seen plenty of people say the warranty is void if someone besides the buyer or you work on it. There's also voids on warranty if the head smells or has been confirmed as known to be used for...well, things behind closed doors. Then most contracts have different clauses, they can have a refund only if no materials were purchased. They get a percent back plus the materials or a percent back plus the unfinished product and whatnot.

Suit makers seem to have to jump through hoops with contracts to ensure nobody comes back and rips them off, you did the work..tough luck too him. He doesn't like it he should toss it up on furbuy or ebay and get one elsewhere.

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

I honestly never thought of specifying anything about refunds besides the fact that the initial down payment of %30 is non-refundable for costs of most of the materials. I'm leniant and like to work with the customer throughout the in-progress stages of the suit... so... *shrug*

I figured that if any issues occurred, I'd gladly fix them, whatever they were, for no charge under the agreed 6 month warranty and we'd be good.

And since he was there with me in person telling me how great it was, and when I asked him if there were any issues, he said no. I reminded him about the warranty I don't know how many times....

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

Might be a good idea.

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

It's the second suit I made, he went into this knowing that. (i repeatedly reminded him.) I just started commissions. And no the head costed a little over 200, close to 300, for foam, fur, eyes, balaclava, elastic, and airbrushing. (not including time taken to make it, just for raw materials)

[koisnake.livejournal.com]

"And since he was there with me in person telling me how great it was, and when I asked him if there were any issues, he said no. I reminded him about the warranty I don't know how many times...."

I had a customer like this once.. telling me a head was absolutely awesome then comes to me months later, demanding a refund and pointing out 'flaws'.

If he seemed to love it when it was delivered, then just call this done. He does NOT need a refund. I understand if something happened that was on your part (eye/nose fell off/ HUGE popped seam.etc), but he seems to be demanding a lot after his encounter with the person who 'fixed' the seams. It looks like that person probably decided to critique your head on the spot and gave this guy second thoughts. If it wasn't for this person, he'd probably still love it.

[martyrized.livejournal.com]

Like with computer parts, if you do not send it back to the manufacturer for repairs with something, the warranty is void. The same goes for a suit, if you ask me.

Everything else I have to offer is the same as what's already been covered in previous comments.

[koisnake.livejournal.com]

He gets what he paid for. The head looks great judging from your video. Very cute. :)

Like my last comment stated, it looks like the 'fixer' he sent the head to decided to critique it and made him have second thoughts.

If you repeatedly told him that this was your second head, he should know that you improve over time.

Honestly, if you REALLY want to give him a refund, he MUST send the head back.

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

This is his first suit. As for the vision, he personally saw that the vision in his suit was tons better than the vision in my suit made by Media "professionally" and he agreed that it was better and he liked it.

I am more of a hobby maker, and for all the extra stuff he wanted, I definitely charged him less than what a professional would charge. (and no offence taken, it's true, this was only my second suit(and he knew that when he agreed to get one from me))

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

To be honest, never trust to everyone being understanding, stipulate everything in writing and make them agree to it before you start work.

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

I agree. I could possibly sell the head to be able to give him his refund. But (and this is something I forgot to add) my friend told him that he could keep both heads (if I make another), or keep the refund and the head, without discussing this issue with me.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Kinda sounds like it's up to your friend to refund then, huh? That sure was nice of her to offer!

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

Lesson learned I guess. D:


Do you have any advice on how to fix this in the contract? Like what to say?

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

Oh snap, ain't that right!

[banrai.livejournal.com]

Your friend doesn't sound like much of a friend. =(

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

I don't want to sound too cold... the guy has depression issues. Apparently the whole time my friend was fixing the seams up, and critiquing me about the head, he kept saying "I thought she was my friend, why did she do this?" :/


I never met the guy before this, and I consider our "relationship" (if you could call it that) a business one at best. Never hung out with him or anything. He just bought the suit and came over every now and then (3 times) to try stuff on to make sure it fit.

[rika-wulf.livejournal.com]

Well this whole situation has made me QUITE annoyed honestly...as nice as she's been with me in the past.... this just.... ugh.. :c

[koisnake.livejournal.com]

As mean as this may sound, his problems aren't yours. You are running a business, despite his depression issues or not. Don't let his emotional state get the better of you.

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

So very this.

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

I don't know what your contract says, but they have come up a number of times in the community for discussion.

Try the following links for discussion and people posting theirs:

http://community.livejournal.com/artists_beware/356066.html
http://community.livejournal.com/artists_beware/334267.html
http://community.livejournal.com/artists_beware/332250.html

Look at how your fellow builders construct theirs.

[dirtiran.livejournal.com]

Definitely sounds like buyers remorse, and a person who perhaps is swayed by the opinions of others (most probably why he liked it to start, and didn’t after hearing someone else pick it apart.)
I definitely suggest the writing of a solid list of terms for the commissioner to read in the future, hobby or not. Selling things like costumes can be a risky business without a contract as its one of those costly things that people tend to have higher expectations, and nit-pickyness over.
But for the price you described above and the quality of work shown in the video, I think there’s no reason for you to accept his terms. He got his product, and from what I can see it was in fine working order when he received it.
If you do refund definately have the head sent back, and re-sell it to cover your loss of money and time spent!