Artist/Builder Beware!!!

[avianmaverick.livejournal.com]

(**DISCLAIMER** Before you go on trying to defend this person, let me just say that this is my personal experience with her.)

WHO: Jessica Hope (On Facebook)/PoprockGrey (on FA)

WHERE: Facebook

WHAT: Crow Wings

WHEN: December 31, 2010 - August 15, 2011

PROOF:

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/Firststage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/SecondStage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/ThirdStage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/FourthStage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/FifthStage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/SixthStage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/SeventhStage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/EighthStage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/NinthStage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/TenthStage.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/Screenshot2011-08-17at50745PM.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/Screenshot2011-08-17at50808PM.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/Screenshot2011-08-17at51058PM.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/Screenshot2011-08-17at103653PM.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/Screenshot2011-08-17at103718PM.png

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k541/AvianMaverick/Screenshot2011-08-17at103748PM.png

 

EXPLAIN: Ok, so what had happened here was I commissioned Poprock back in December for some crow wings. I was having a different builder make a head for me, so I thought it’d be a good idea to make a collaboration of multiple builders for a partial suit. Poprock was saying, at the time, that she was really desperate for commissions, so I thought I could help her out by hiring her. I was talking with her on Second Life about the commission I had in mind, and even modeling it after a different builders design. When I asked for a price quote, she said that it would cost me $125, which I thought was a reasonable price. Afterwards, I asked Poprock how long it would take to make them, and she said that it would only take a couple of months to do. So, from there I sent her a duct tape dummy of my arm, and an envelope containing the down payment for my wings. ($50) In about 2 weeks she began working on the wings and had a livestream video of her working on the wings. In a couple of days she sent me a picture of the progress of the wings. They looked pretty rough so I hoped that they’d look better over time, and in all honesty I was just happy that I was getting the commission made. Periodically, I would check in to see if any progress was made on the wings. At first I was asking once a week because I was really excited having this commission done. Poprock told me, whenever I asked, that no progress had been made on them since the livestream video. I started asking less often because I wanted to give her some space and not put any pressure on her. 

A month passes and I ask about the progress of my wings. She again says that no progress has been made. When the next month passes, she asks on Facebook for some money so that she could buy something. Out of generosity, I gave her that money and we both agreed that it would be put towards paying off my wings. ($35) I was hoping that by paying her a little more to what I owed, that it would motivate her to work on my wings. To my disappointment, another month passes and zero progress has been made. Yet again, she asks for money for another thing (which I don’t know what it was) so I gladly obliged and paid her the remainder of the money on my wings. ($40) Of course I was hoping that some progress was made on my wings by now...she tells me that barely anything had been done. I was remaining patient as possible with her because I knew that if I said the wrong thing, she’d probably get mad at me and take even longer on making them. It’s around April 2011 this time, and I ask her if she could give me a deadline on when the wings might be finished. At first she tells me that she’ll have them done by the end of the month. As April came to a close, I asked if she was almost done, and Poprock told me that only one wing was done, but I would have to wait a bit longer. Also, to state, there were multiple times when she was guilt tripping me by explaining why the wings were taking so long, and she even offered me a full refund in May because she was feeling really upset about some stuff. Being a nice guy, I told her that I was willing to wait for the wings instead. (I fell for her guilt trip) 

Eventually, she told me that the new deadline would be at Anthrocon 2011. Even as the days drew closer to Anthrocon, I still asked if any progress had been made on the wings. She dodged the question by saying they’d be done by Anthrocon. So, Anthrocon arrives and I eagerly wait to finally pick up my wings at Poprock’s booth. When I get there, she tells me that they aren’t done. She goes on to say that she has a bunch of commissions in progress, that she was booked until Christmas, and that she’d fit my wing commission “in there, somewhere”. In other words, it wasn’t a priority to her. Let it be noted that she constantly was asking for more commissions as each month went by, while my wings remained untouched. Nearly a month after Anthrocon goes by and I asked if she had done anything with my wings. Wonder of wonders, nothing had been done at all. So, what did I do? I spent 2 hours online talking to her trying to motivate her to work on my wings and other people’s commissions. She agreed to that, and I was glad that some progress was about to be made. One more month goes by, and I ask...she tells me nothing’s been done. 

In this 8 month timespan, only one wing was finished and the other one hadn’t even been started on. At this point, my patience ran thin and I had to ask for a refund. She was highly confused by this and didn’t understand why. I explained to her that I was tired of waiting for them. Poprock flips out on me and begins asking all of these questions of why I didn’t say anything. I told her that I was trying to be a nice guy, but in all honesty, I was being too lenient with her. So she tells me that she’s only going to give me 30% back of what I paid once she sells the wings to someone else. First off, how many crows are out there who have the exact same arm size as me, and want the wings? Secondly, only 30%?! I paid her to do a service and she didn’t provide the service at all! 

Eventually, I found out that she’s been manipulating other furs as well. Apparently, all of the commissions she was asking people to take from her, were just excuses so she could take the money from them and run off with it. There have been multiple reports from people who commissioned her, where they’ve been waiting up to two years for a commission. Not only that, some people didn’t even get a refund or any kind of update from her. She would often get pissed at them when they asked for an update and she would even go as far as to block them from all form of contact. 14 other people have reported cases similar to mine. In addition to that, some people who actually got the commissions from her were highly disappointed. One of the suits she made at a con even fell apart. The stitching was bad and it couldn’t even hold itself up for a second.

Sorry that this is so long, but all of this had to be explained in explicit detail so I could warn others of this horrible experience I had with this builder. I really worked hard to try and be her friend, but she was just using me the entire time. On one final note, I found out from a friend that Poprock was taking about me behind my back at Otakon and she told him that I hadn’t paid for my wings in full and that I was being extremely rude to her and pressuring her for the wings. Both of these statements are completely false! So that’s my experience here. Please, PLEASE, beware of her!

Comments

[fenrirs-child.livejournal.com]

It's all good ;3

Yeah, I caught that after while rereading the post, usually it's more like 70% (because of the non-refundable deposit), but the thing is, premade/non-commission items tend to go for a lot lower at auction, because you have to hope a) someone wants that item, b) at the price you're asking, and c) that it fits them. Hopefully she'll come in and explain that 30% refund though, because it's kinda got me scratching my head too.

[poprock-grey.livejournal.com]

It is the deposit, the time worked, and I may have said they are 50% done, but it is actually much more. I just didn't include the internal foam work, the feathers being pinned together, the fur cut out and anything else I have done so i made it an easy 50 to benefit the commissioner instead of nitpicking saying they are more around 85% complete.

[fenrirs-child.livejournal.com]

I get the sentiment of the time worked, but if you're going to be selling them to someone else, I'd refund up to, but not including, that 40% non-refundable deposit (I poked around and found your TOS). Unfortunately, at least as far as this post is concerned, if you can't pony up a screenie showing they agreed to it, you're not gonna look good in the eyes of everyone else, so I hope you have learned to be more diligent about only talking commission stuff in email. Unless I'm mistaken, I think that's the only legally binding form of electronic
communication, but I may be wrong. But I knew there was something missing from the original post.

[poprock-grey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was always trying to be the laid back commissioner that wouldn't make some first time commissioners scared about coming up to. I guess that bit me in the ass this time.

I guess I need to make my TOS a bit stronger or something. If I don't sell the product in the end and just toss it, then is the 30% applyable?
After all this entire situation, I am less than happy to complete them because it just angers me to look at them.

[theblackdragon.livejournal.com]

why are you selling or tossing the product at all? that was the point i was trying to make -- you used the OP's money to buy the materials, you're still charging him for the work that went into them (by choosing to withhold that portion of his money). he's paid his money and he deserves something for it.

If you just want to cut off the commission altogether, send him his incomplete wings and the percentage of the fee he paid that you feel is equivalent to the work not done on the wings and be done with it. that would be fair to the both of you, IMO.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

They even admit they didn't have a TOS at first and the OP agreed to it AFTER the commission was started.

[poprock-grey.livejournal.com]

I initially told them I did not have a TOS and it would be set later and if they would be ok with either agreeing or not agreeing to it once it is made. They said ok.

Then I made it, and asked. They agreed.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

Look, first off if you want whatever your TOS is to mean anything, have a copy of the person agreeing to it, below the text of the exact TOS they agreed to.

Second off, it comes off as shady to have someone agree to something AFTER you've got their money.

[poprock-grey.livejournal.com]

Even if I gave them the option to agree or deny it?

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

You don't see how someone could feel pressured? I mean yeah OP needs to stand up for themselves more, but it's still shady.

[fenrirs-child.livejournal.com]

Right, but if the OP did actually agree to it after the fact, it would still be applicable. However, if there's no proof of that agreement, it's all just hearsay.

[theblackdragon.livejournal.com]

that's not really what i meant -- he paid full price for a product that is currently incomplete, and the person being commissioned feels that since 30% of the work is left, 30% is all the monetary refund he is entitled to. that's fine, i get that, but only if she's sending him the incomplete product as well so that he can either finish it himself or have it finished by another party.

what I'm trying to say is that if she's not going to give him any product at all, she needs to refund him in full minus whatever nonrefundable deposit they agreed to, which would amount to at least 60% of the total cost if i'm reading through this thread correctly (then again, that's provided he actually agreed to it in the first place, yadda-yadda... this A_B post is all a giant clusterf*ck of drama at this point haha). D:

[fenrirs-child.livejournal.com]

Pretty much, I think I misunderstood you but I think we're on the same page now.

[theblackdragon.livejournal.com]

it's all good, lol... this whole post is a mess anyway, so at least we're in good company :3