Convention Business Gone Bad

[lichdog.livejournal.com]

WHO: 2chaotic

WHERE: IndyFurCon 2011,

WHAT: a custom tail of my personal character

WHEN: It was the Sunday of that con, on August 14th.

PROOF: Business was done in person at the Dealer's room.

EXPLAIN: So I was scouting the dealer's room that Sunday to make some last minute shopping when the artist in question approached me with the pickup line "You need a tail". I figured why not, and began talking to him. We flex the details out and he asks me for the payment of $40. So I run to the ATM, grab the cash and pay him promptly. I ask for contact info and give him mine, since it was definitely going to be homework.

So 10 days later on FA, I send him this note:



I checked my notebox for a few days, nothing. Waited a little more, saw he read it, but hadn't responded to it.

About 2 weeks later I send this:



I could sympathize with what he had to say and told him in return, "Ahh okay! Thanks for lettin' me know! If you could, please shoot me a note when ya get to work on mine, if ya can!". So I went back to playing the waiting game.

Decided to poke him again at the beginning of November:



Same tune, different instrument. He read that final note, but never sent me back anything in regards to my commission specifically.

A few weeks later, he posts this journal (I screencapped it in case he deletes it). At that point I was pretty peeved, Notice how he has other outstanding commissioners also wondering about their commissions.

I held off for a bit before posting this entry, was hoping he'd respond to my comment, maybe even in notes, but nothing came of it. :/ so I shot him a note earlier asking for a refund. Which may have been a jerk move considering it's the holiday season, but I'm really sick of this lack of professionalism. :/

Comments

[skittlewolf.livejournal.com]

Well, he said he is shipping some out on Monday so maybe one of them is yours?

[skittlewolf.livejournal.com]

I can't read dates. DISREGARD THIS. :T

[mazz.livejournal.com]

I HATE waiting around for a commission with no contact while the artist opens up for more.
Thank you for the beware, I hope things work out.

[lichdog.livejournal.com]

Yeah they set off red flags like a mofo. :/

[ducttapeninja.livejournal.com]

the artist in question approached me with the pickup line "You need a tail".

See, I'd be wary about being approached by people that way (Then again I'm kind of a paranoid sort). People have done that to me before (not necessarily for cons, of course) and it tends to leave me feeling sort of put on the spot and uncomfortable. I always end up thinking of those alleyway knockoff-watch dealers who try to scam you out of cash, and honestly looking at this dude's gallery I'm getting all kinds of red flags-- From the journals (going from "I'm tired of having the burden of these tails on me so I'm getting them done" to "Let's get more tails going!" within a month?), to the submissions (Only one tail done and shown in the last year?)...

He's dodging providing pictures or any other sorts of proof that these tails he's supposedly mailed out a month ago even exist, and I'll bet he hasn't given anybody whose tails were supposedly mailed out any tracking info for those tails, either.

Honestly, if I were you I'd just straight-up get on him about a refund, because I'm getting a lot of really bad vibes that you'll never be this tail. Did he even have a table set up at IFC with decent (and more recent) examples of these tails he's apparently making?

[tissuepaperpet.livejournal.com]

IAWTC. Also, it could be that I am just picky, but after looking at the commission images in his journal I am not sure I would have paid $40 for what appears to be such low quality and experience.

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Please keep in mind rule number 4: no criticism of artistic quality or monetary value. This post is about not receiving the tail, not about if it was worth the money spent.

[dodger-greywing.livejournal.com]

You should've seen his table this year and the previous year. Absolutely bare. The kid's pretty new to the whole thing, but he never had anything on display. He would just approach random people and tell them they needed a tail.

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

I had some girl doing this next to me at MFF artist alley. She was basically shoving her stuff down people's throats, causing people to completely skip over my table for four hours.

[dodger-greywing.livejournal.com]

That's just so rude and unprofessional. I'd probably get shirty with her. SIT'CHO ASS DOWN.

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

I ended up just upping and leaving. Only earning $30 for the day. Wasn't very happy.

[mikaufoxy.livejournal.com]

I would've complained to con staff about that.

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

Little late now.

[mikaufoxy.livejournal.com]

Yes. But this tip should be remembered before any convention.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

Gotta agree.
I know it's personally hard to come down on someone but when they're annoying others and affecting the space you rightfully paid for it's time to let them know they need to stop, and go to the staff if they won't.

[ducttapeninja.livejournal.com]

That's... Really, really sad. :/

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

Tell him you'll report him to IFC if he doesn't get either the tail or a refund to you within a month. (& do so if he does not)

[frazzled-niya.livejournal.com]

I second this :\ blows that you'd have to go so far.

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

Oh jesus. Sorry your first IFC kinda went like this. :/

[dodger-greywing.livejournal.com]

Oh, no, Koze. I know exactly the guy you're talking about. Fritz ordered a tail from him at the first iFC. It was supposed to be a donkey tail. It finally came in the mail and it looked nothing like a donkey's tail; it was actually more of a cougar tail.

He hemmed and hawed on Fritz, too. Took him over 6 months to finally get the thing, and it isn't even what was ordered. Definitely worthy of a beware.

[ladysnakebite.livejournal.com]

Aw that sucks! I like Fritz :C

[hikitsune.livejournal.com]

there's also another user on his shouts asking twice about a bobcat tail, i think this may be a repeat offender on this stuff...

[veeveedesu.livejournal.com]

His gallery seems incredibly lacking when it comes to pictures of commissioned items.

Another thing I noticed while looking through his journals, there are a lot of things that just happen to go wrong in his life. Seems like he has a lot of excuses on why he isn't providing pictures or why it's taking so long to ship stuff out. Don't get me wrong, I know life happens, but either don't take commissions or refund the people you owe money to if life is that hectic. dsssf

[wolf-goat.livejournal.com]

I'd just get the money back to be honest. Unless he has photos right now, like NOW, tell him to forget it, don't make the thing and refund.

It's suspicious that he doesn't have proper examples on his gallery, just a few fur tubes (which look nothing like the species they are supposed to be).

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Please keep in mind rule number 4: no criticism of artistic quality or monetary value. This post is about not receiving the tail, not about the artist's skill level.

[silveryote.livejournal.com]

Oh good lord...this guy.

Yeah, I went to iFC this year and he heckled me as well. "You look like you could use a tail!" when I was already wearing one. I just said, "No thanks, I make my own anyway. :P"

[dodger-greywing.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, he harangued you, too? He never said a word to me and I figured it was because I was wearing a tail. Guess he got desperate after a while.

[silveryote.livejournal.com]

He also apparently heckles people in comments to buy his tails.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6922072/

[copper-curls.livejournal.com]

Eh... 50/50, I'd call that. It looks desperate, but it's his journal, so my opinion is he's free to post and comment as he pleases as long as he doesn't violate the TOS. Now if he was heckling to sell tails in other people's journals and submissions, I would definitely call that uncouth.

[ocelotish]

Thats my thought. It's not a technique that I would necessarily want used on me, but it's his page and is only mildly annoying.

[mikaufoxy.livejournal.com]

Beware deserved. Then again, I hardly wear tails anymore these days.

[creamytea.livejournal.com]

I went to the journal the other day and recognized someone's name. I sent her a note asking if she ever got her tail. She said she still hadn't received hers either, and her comment on that journal is a month old. I think she had forgotten about it until I asked her. If she had ever gotten her tail, I might still hold out hope for you. Unfortunately I don't think you'll ever see this tail. Reports to IFC might help prevent him from doing this to other people though.

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

Shockingly, he produced a WIP picture. Proooobably only because she called him out on it, though.

[alpharaye.livejournal.com]

I went to IFC this past year and WHENEVER I went by this guy he'd harass ya! "You need a tail".
It got old after about five times. This makes me quite glad I DID NOT procure one from him.

Best of luck in your case, it is a sickening lack of professionalism. :(

[riotshark.livejournal.com]

I remember this guy, he harrassed me and My SO every time we walked by and did it OUTSIDE the con too. We ran into him at Skyline and our group invited them to sit with us and he immediately went on with 'you need a tail'.

drat

[armagare.livejournal.com]

yeah i ordered a tail from him at the last IFC... he said he apparently could get id done during the con cause he wasnt getting any orders. He was busy with a unicorn tail atm so i waited... last day, nothing.
So i was eh oh well i kept the receipt *STILL HAS THE DAMN THING*
its been almost a year he apparently sent it in the mail i gave him my new address and he sent it to the old one... making it LOST in his defense
so i was ok making me a new one...no arguments which tells me hes kinda lying...maybe. I gave him one last chance, if i dont recieve it by IFC or during IFC i will want my money back and because i kept the receipt i will take him to court... yes over a tail. >.> better be damn $40 buck worth of tail.
I have been screwed over by many people and i always have to screw thme right back and im getting tired of these new people doing this. Be serious or dont bother in my book

[lichdog.livejournal.com]

oh hey, forgot to mention, I got my refund a few weeks ago. Was real nice about it too.

can it get mark'd as resolved please? ♥

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Of course! Glad to hear it.