Avsun Mascots

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

This is my first time posting here, and fatkraken expressed interest in there being a general Avsun post, and having other customers post their experiences in the comments, whether they be good or bad experiences. If this is not allowed, I'm sorry :C

The OTHER Avsun post: artists-beware.livejournal.com/447483.html

WHO: Avsun Mascots

WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/avsun

WHAT: A body suit for an existing partial of my character. Concept art: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4856848/

WHEN: I first contacted Avsun for a quote late November, 2010. Contact was fairly consistent at first, and they were extremely friendly. I was quoted at $665 for a bodysuit, and sent the downpayment of 30% in early December. A duct tape dummy was made and sent out as well. The last actual email I received from them was 4 days after I sent the payment. In the beginning of February, I got a mass email sent out to their customers explaining they were sick. I've sent them several emails since, asking if they've received my duct tape dummy, and asking other simple questions. I have not received a response since mid December.

PROOF: The first contact email:

Payment sent:

Last personal contact I had with them:

Mass explanation email from Avsun:

Email sent today from Avsun, undoubtedly after seeing these a_b posts:

If any additional proof is needed let me know.


EXPLAIN: Usually, for me, this situation would not yet be bad enough to make a post here about it. However, after seeing the previous post about them HERE I became very worried. Fatkraken wanted to have one big post where other people can post their stories about Avsun, good, bad, or ugly.

After seeing the other post, I really don't think I will be seeing my $200 or suit from them. I don't quite know what to do.

Like I said at the top, I've never posted to artists_beware before, so I apologize if something is off or wrong :(

EDIT: Here is their pathetic excuse for a twitter, looks like it was made the same time the other post about them was made here on artists_beware. I think its a coverup saying LOOK WE ARE DOING WORK. But there are no pictures or evidence of any kind that anything is actually being done. http://twitter.com/#!/Avsun_Studios

EDIT 2: Added the most recent email to the screenshots and fixed the blurring.

Comments

[poprock-grey.livejournal.com]

The blurred out numbers and stuff are still easily readable.

[icen-rose.livejournal.com]

^This. Just black them out instead!

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

Oh, Really? D:
They looked really blurry on my screen Dx

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

I'll have to do it when I get home then, in school now :/

[gypsywitch.livejournal.com]

I don't usually comment on these, but everything about these people seems shady, and has right out of the gate. It's only gotten worse. I'm just going to bundle up my observations here:

Honestly, from the other post, it looks like they have the 'paperboy issue'; that is, they are taking money from customers to pay their bills before doing any of the work (and perhaps before even ordering supplies) and then when they need the money for the project, it's not there, so they ask for more. Such a hole to fall into.

Canceling an order arbitrarily should not entitle them to keep someone's deposit.

Communication is a must, but phone dependent communication is unsuitable for fursuit work. Honestly, there is so much information and pictures that should be getting passed back and forth that phone calls are unable to lend to the process. Records are really key for details, and records are always best when you have exactly what the customer wrote, rather than what you (might have) written down incorrectly. A short call here and there could be fine, but for the majority of it, emails are so much better.

If they can't even speak to a customer respectfully on the phone..? I don't really need to go into that do I?

Also, I have never heard of USPS being slow because of the weather except in huge blizzards, and I do not recall anything that encompassing this past winter, though I could be wrong. Still to the point, I have not had any shipments of anything be delayed between Dec. and Feb. this year.

And just a personal pet peeve.. Using stupid 'furry talk' like 'Furs Truly!' annoys me. Maybe I'm a bit old fashioned about it, but it comes off unprofessional to me.

Any potential they had has been lost under this heap of bad service. It's almost like a "What not to do!" for anyone just getting into the fursuit business or even thinking about doing so.

[lenny-mutt.livejournal.com]

Ugh I agree about the "Furs Truly" thing... It's so stupid and corny. A business e-mail is definitely not the place to be doing things like that.

[borderdog.livejournal.com]

When we had an apocalyptic blizzard here in Chicago a couple months ago USPS was delayed for 2 days. I was also waiting on a fur shipment from a customer at that time.
If they were really waiting 20 days for a package, I highly doubt bad weather was the problem.

A lot of what these guys say sounds really fishy and over the top.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

I do think USPS can run slow around X-mas, and/or a package can get lost...
that said the email says it was a box of fur, and it seems they have plenty of other stuff to do (sculpting, foaming, etc) that you'd think stuff needed for the /last/ stage wouldn't hold up /new/ suits!

I agree it sounds like they are using the "deposit" money on bills rather than on the stuff the deposit is SUPPOSED to buy >:(

[sbneko.livejournal.com]

Same her with the 'furry talk'. I like to stay professional, but friendly using emoticons, but other then that, that's it.

My biggest pet peeves have to be the RPers, who always "hug" you and other things. Not as bad if they RP on they're own, but don't include me. They never get it either, I don't reply to it and they'll do it in every email.

Then the other I hate, which makes me hard to talk to the person, is when they do 'baby talk'. I know you can talk normally, please do so, so I can understand you, ugh >>

[fatkraken.livejournal.com]

This whole "concept phase/Bullpen phase" thing is weird. I understand organising your work like that internally, but it seems like they use it as an excuse not to talk to people. Sorry chaps, but replying to emails promptly is part of what the customer is paying for.

did you have a deadline worked out?

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

That's the thing, there really WASN'T a deadline. So I'm not sure what to do at all.

[torikonero.livejournal.com]

Honestly, if you are sending a mass e-mail out to more than 5 people at a time about large (i.e. worth hundreds of dollars) projects, you are no longer a "small mascot company." Unfortunately it is easy to fall back on that when things get rough.

I mentioned this in the previous complaint post, but I'm not sure I got an answer. Do they provide a contract? I have not purchased a commissioned fursuit before, but I would hope that people receiving this much money for work done over a relatively long time would enter into a legal agreement at some point. If not this company, than surely the even larger ones? Having a signed contract would eliminate a lot of issues between the customer and business, as long as both parties read it and it was written concisely.

I am sorry you, too, are having so much trouble with this company. Some people do not realize the value of word-of-mouth (or, internet-to-masses, as it were). Perhaps when their business dwindles this company will look to improving their customer service.

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

There was no contract, and I didn't really think anything of that at the time :/

I'm not one who commissions a lot, so it didn't even cross my mind that there should be one.

[lacy.livejournal.com]

For the purpose of law, an email discussing a commission and taking a payment is technically a contract to deliver said product.

[fatkraken.livejournal.com]

seen the edits

A few weeks of illness in early 2011 do not go very far towards explaining suits that were due at Halloween 2010. While I'm very sympathetic to the situation involving surgery and moving home, but a few emails takes a couple hours at most.

My main problem with them is they are over SIX MONTHS late with some peoples suits, but are continuing to take on new business with October completion dates. I'm not sure how they expect to finish THIRTY customers work in under 6 months and new work on top of that.

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

Same, the fact that they're STILL open for commissions is one of the things that makes me angriest.

[jillcostumes.livejournal.com]

I think the case with a lot of rookie makers like this is that they take on new work for the deposit cash, spend it, then get stuck when they've actually got to start the work, so they take on more for more fast cash, so on and so on ...

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

Uhg, DAT EMAIL D:

a) seller's personal problems are NOT THE COMMISSIONER'S PROBLEMS
b) if Life Happens, tell the commissioner IMMEDIATELY and give them OPTIONS, including an estimate of how long the delay will be and offer FULL REFUND if they do not want to wait
c) GIVE UPDATES at least every month (if not sooner)

and e) post some frigging pics / answer some frigging questions already, GOSH XD

[marus-puppy.livejournal.com]

Stole my response!

I was talking to a semi-professional artist friend this morning and she told me that it's common sense to either do the work or refund the customer if you can't/won't be able to/aren't interested in finishing the commission. Why is it so hard for some people? :(

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

At this point I really just want a refund but I doubt I will be given that option, seeing how the other guy was treated.

[flarveon.livejournal.com]

This is definitely not good at all! I have a friend who paid IN FULL for a fullsuit that was due April 5th or so so it would be here for a convention on April 15th!

Obviously that did not happen -_-

I've linked him all of these bewares and he thinks he might join in if he doesn't see some evidence soon!

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

He should definitely share his story, Avsun really needs to step it up!

[apolloex.livejournal.com]

I just got myself a LJ, just to comment on this.

I ordered a head from them back in November, with a completion date of February. After not hearing or seeing much from them after the initial contact, I began to worry. I felt some what better after finding out they had just been ill for a few weeks and assumed my head would only be a month or so late. Which I literally had no problem with. But as the end of March rolled by I just grew plain concerned. I've recently been in contact with them and I've actually seen the finished foam work on my head. I feel a bit better now that I'm seeing SOME progress....and I'm actually quite happy with what I've got. I'm just very disgusted with their lack of communication and how they've treated their customers.

I'm trying really hard to be patient with this and am gonna stick it through till the end. It sucks but I plan on writing a more thorough review once I get my head. I, for one reason or another, haven't had it nearly as bad as a lot of others and I don't feel I need to lash out quite yet. I do discourage anyone from ordering from them in the future, though.

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting your story! And best of luck to you.

[selfishgiraffe.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to say that, although I don't support Avsun's actions especially canceling a commission without a refund...
But, after 6 months of waiting, I FINALLY got a picture of my head. It's finished except for they're getting a wig for it. 6 months late but I'm still glad I'm getting it. So, there is hope for those of you still waiting! Best of luck to everyone!

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

I'm just glad you're getting something! I only hope I can get something (be it the suit or refund) too ;__;

[poizenkat.livejournal.com]

blech just wanted to say that those smileys and stuff. SO UNPROFESSIONAL! just wow those things annoy me so much 8x

[taekwo-kitty.livejournal.com]

I have been waiting almost 8 months for foot paws from the suit maker that trained Avsun.... So when I read this stuff... Not really surprised...

My opinion is try to get your bank account to do a chargeback without even telling them about it. Then go commission someone with more experiences and a better reputation.