Beware: Electrocat

[alex-dachshund.livejournal.com]

I kinda feel silly for posting this here, since it was only a $2 commission, but money is money I suppose and she took my money and never provided. 

WHO: Electrocat, Electropaw Artworks

WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/electrocat/ and http://www.furaffinity.net/user/electropawartworks

WHAT: $2 Chibi drawing

WHEN: July 7th, 2011

PROOF: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2508310/ (Screencap here: http://awesomescreenshot.com/0aaq9bqa4 )

EXPLAIN: Basically Electrocat was offering cheap $2 chibis and of course I thought that was a swell offer and decided to commission her. I thought it would be done in no time since I've done trades with her in the past and she was speedy on those but I've never actually commissioned her so I decided to help her out a bit. 

I left her a comment on the journal saying I was interested in a chibi:
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2508310/#cid:20066994

I sent her the money immediately that day:
http://www.iaza.com/work/111216C/iaza15286014529900.jpg

The next day she posts a WIP of the chibis. I thought, oh goody, they'll be done in no time!
http://www.furaffinity.net/full/6079422/

Wrong. Months go by and still no finished chibis, and she still continues to take icons and ref sheet commissions and do personal art despite owing us the chibis. She also kept posting journals claiming the chibis are almost done, or that she's going to finish them soon but still nothing.

I leave a harmless shout on her page a few months ago (it's been covered up by various shouts on her page by now) asking about the status of my chibi and she claims she was going to work on it in a week, and a week comes and goes. (I don't have a screencap of her shout since I periodically like to clear my shoutbox). I also note her asking about the chibis in October but it's marked as unread and was probably ignored.

My note to her:
http://www.iaza.com/work/111218C/iaza15286011265100.jpg
(Reason why I said "I know you hate this" is because I believe I read somewhere that someone she owed an outstanding commission to, noted her, and she completely flipped out over it. That was probably a bit out of line and I do apologize.)

I am a fan of Electrocat's art, it's cute and funny at times, but I am really frustrated that my $2 chibi doodle  from several months ago is taking way longer than it should and I still haven't seen any updates on it since that last WIP image. :< I would like either my chibi done or a refund at this point. I probably won't commission her again after this since she's left us in the dark about our art.

I am posting this here in hopes she sees it and finishes the chibis she owes me and several others.]]

Time Line of Events:

July 7th -- Commissioned her for the chibi.
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2508310/#cid:20066994
http://www.iaza.com/work/111216C/iaza15286014529900.jpg

July 8th -- She posts a WIP of the chibis.
http://www.furaffinity.net/full/6079422/

August ??? -- I leave a shout on her page asking for an update and she claims they will be done in a week. 
(No screencaps, sorry!)

October 13th -- Noted her asking for an update. Note was ignored.
http://www.iaza.com/work/111218C/iaza15286011265100.jpg

Dec. 20th -- Posted a shout on her userpage. It has been ignored. And she continues to upload personal art (6 new submissions the day I posted my shout).
http://www.iaza.com/work/111222C/iaza15286048655400.png

Dec. 22nd -- Sent her a note politely asking for an update or a refund. It has been read and I have received my refund.
http://www.iaza.com/work/111222C/iaza15286055990400.png My note
http://www.iaza.com/work/111222C/iaza15286057781000.jpg Refund received

I have received my refund. I guess all the beware stands for now is that she takes a VERY LONG TIME to do commissions and you'll receive little to no WIPs about it.

Comments

[foxhack.livejournal.com]

I recall reading about this artist here some time ago.

... though it seems all posts regarding that have been wiped, replaced with "refunded".

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Hmm...you're right. I will check the archive for the posts that have been essentially erased.

[everainsley]

Found them. :D

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I was busy approving another post.

[everainsley]

np. I was hunting once I saw they'd been blanked.

[everainsley]

Oh wow, what a violation of comm rules. :x But this is why they made the archives!

1st Post: http://ab-archive.livejournal.com/40687.html
2nd Post: http://ab-archive.livejournal.com/67619.html
3rd Post: http://ab-archive.livejournal.com/72510.html

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised there aren't any rules about blanking entries.

[edit] mods beat me to it!

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Actually, it is against the rules, part of rule #1:

"You may add updates to the body of your post in order to provide evidence, additional information, or if the situation is resolved, as long as the initial warning remains intact."

Though the wording could be made a bit more clear. I think the rules are due for an updating, so I will make a note to include that.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

wow, yeah.

I'm surprised I missed that when I went back to doublecheck the rules. then again, it does get rather lost amidst the bold and enlarged text that is surrounding it.

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Definitely easy to miss. One thing I want to work on is legibility. We've patched on various updates and the overall look is getting a little crowded.

But...we're getting off-topic. I'm going to speak with the other moderators about it, and we'll make a mod post once we have our initial revision done.

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Money is still money. If an artist had promised the product several times, failed to deliver, and was now ignoring my messages, I'd post about a $2 transaction, too.

Hope this post will get the ball rolling again.

[ocelotish]

A good way to think about it is that if it's only $2 there's no reason the artist shouldn't have refunded by now if they couldn't do the commission.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

yes exactly

[ryunwoofie.livejournal.com]

That's unfortunate, I hope it works out. :3

[claytronic.livejournal.com]

I don't believe "it's just $2". it just shows the lack of consideration by smeone to not do a commission

[poizenkat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, ive been pretty worried about her commissioners considering how many people she seems to owe (outstanding commission list, plus a few people whom have been complaining on her page for a while)
she has time, since she draws for herself when she's "bored" so i dont see why she cant work on that backlog 8U
I'm really glad i didnt commission her when she had those animated icons.

best of luck to you and others she owes. I hope things work out in the end.

[marus-puppy.livejournal.com]

Is this the gal with the alphabetical commission list or was working through them in alphabetical order? I'm not terribly surprised she's back here if she's still working through it in that way WHILE taking new commissions.

[dakotabailey.livejournal.com]

That's a horrible way to do commissions D:

[frazzled-niya.livejournal.com]

You're well within your rights to post this. You may only say it's only $2 but it's still $2 you could have put towards something else.

[growly.livejournal.com]

I'm glad nobody's brought up the price as a reason why you should drop the issue... I mean, it IS insane that an artist would charge $2 for any kind of art, (Paypal fees would make the net profit even less, aughhhhh) BUT the artist dictate their own prices, so that is never really an excuse. She promised to do the art at the $2 rate, and if it's $200 or $2, the artist has to keep their word, or issue an appropriate refund.

[alex-dachshund.livejournal.com]

Should I inform a mod about this? What should I do? :/ She's still not done the art yet.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

The FA mods aren't keen on helping out with things like this unless it's a fairly extreme amount of scamming. After all, it took years to get Starfinder banned and she must have swindled several thousands of dollars (with her prices) from people by then. I really doubt they'll do anything over a 2 dollar chibi.

You've already done all you can really do. Keep asking her about it and keep us updated.

[alex-dachshund.livejournal.com]

Update: I noted Electrocat asking for either the chibi or a refund, and I got refunded the $2.00 I paid her in July.

http://www.iaza.com/work/111222C/iaza15286057781000.jpg
^ Proof

She was not rude to me at all which I am glad about.

Feel free to mark this as Resolved. I guess all the 'beware' on her stands for now is that she'll take a LONG time to do your commission and she'll continue to take on more without even showing you a WIP and she ignores notes. :< I am glad I got my $2.00 back. I would have liked to have had the chibi done but hey all that matters is that it's over with. :)

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Good to hear you got your funds back. Hope she can get her other commissions and the workload she takes on straightened out.

[jackrow.livejournal.com]

It's sad some artist don't even know how much task can they hold at one time. In order to get rid out of these, I would suggest them here to keep Constraints for Slot spaces.