Advice: What to do about ancient comission?

[jd blaze]

So, a few of you may have noticed my debacle with Gideon Hoss, concerning a comission that is now well over a year and a half overdue and not even started. I have given him multiple chances, recieved multiple promises, and in the last few weeks had some good communication and had a plan to solve this, but life intervening on his end.

And then, silence. Nothing on Aim, nothing on FA, nada.

Should I pursue getting this art done, abandon it and consider this a lesson hard learned, or be a dick and try to find the transaction on paypal and dispute it, freezing his account until it gets done?

I've been more than patient, this is to the point where I'm being jerked around, but the nice guy side of me is screwing with my judgement. Wat do, AB?



edited due to spelling errors upsetting my OCD.

Comments

[taasla.livejournal.com]

Well, unfortunately, there's not much you can do when it comes to Paypal. They only have a 45 day limit on disputing things, and after that, you're pretty much SOL. The only thing you can do is contact them and let them know that this person is taking money and never delivering, but there's no telling if they'll just cite the 45 day limit and send you on your way.

I think most banks also have a 1 year period to dispute things, too, so you also may be out of luck on that front. That's if you even used your bank for the transaction.

[jd blaze (from livejournal.com)]

Paypal, if I recall, dosn't exactly like FA too much, going as far as freezing accounts with "fur affinity" in the transaction notes.
Don't think they'd be too helpful, so...that narrows it down to work it out or abandon it altogether.

[taasla.livejournal.com]

That was more of an issue with one artist that already had prior marks against them if I recall correctly. Paypal has stated to me that they do not mind adult commissions, but it is the selling of adult material (DVDs and such) that make it a no-no.

Edited for using "well," again in a second comment, haha.

Of course, you're still more than welcomed to try and call them. I stress calling them, because Paypal seems to be tons more helpful when you have them on the phone.

[ljmydayaway.livejournal.com]

Since Taasla thinks it wouldn't matter, I say dispute it, call Paypal and tell them it was for furry porn service that he hasn't provided, and see if his account gets frozen or not.

He's not providing art to people he's owed, so he shouldn't be taking more payments anyways.

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't try to ruin their PayPal account; then they wouldn't be able to refund people in the unlikely event the artist might actually decide to do so.

[ljmydayaway.livejournal.com]

I think you can still refund people with your account frozen, or at least Regretsy's account could. :P

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

For a guy who is very quick to run to his LJ posts when a beware's made about him, he doesn't follow through to get stuff done does he? Kudos for the former, but man... the later needs so much work its not funny.

I would not recommend jeopardizing his PP account over this. It wouldn't endear him to getting off his duff any faster in that regard and the satisfaction of it, if successful will be shallow at best.

Give him a solid 'do not pass go do not pass $200' deadline. If he fails to get you your product, you could inform the convention he was at about it and pray they'll acknowledge it and take record, if he dodges enough work from this con he just might get the boot.

[jd blaze (from livejournal.com)]

Already gave him a two month this is it deadline. I even extended it by a month or so.

nothing. And it wasn't a convention, it was via FA.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Oh so does he want to go out like Starfinder? Cripes.

Bad all around Gideon. Bad all around, to take advantage of someone's kindness. Perhaps you should just send him a message saying you don't want the art, you want your money back. Even if you got the art, I have a feeling you'd have this :| reaction to it, y'know?

Or then as a last possible... regrettable... suggestion... would be to toss your hands up and say 'f*** it'. And never ever suggest anyone get a piece from him ever as the struggle isn't worth it.

[jd blaze (from livejournal.com)]

Starfinder? *goes and looks at their tag*
Oh good lord.

I'm just going to abandon it. I mean, this has taken so long that the character's kinda...lost character, you know? It was new when I got this but I've been waiting so long the character;s personality has kinda died out.




edited due to derp spelling

[rtydmartel.livejournal.com]

This is just me, but I would keep trying to at least get my money back, even if I didn't want the art anymore.

If the people he owes money to start leaving him alone he'll think that he can get away with this sort of thing.

I think that bringing up your situation with the con admins is a good idea, and if you can find other people that are also owed money/art to present the evidence that it's not just you, even better.

If more months go by and nothing happens, bring it up to Paypal, preferably over the phone, rather than online. Even if they can't help due to their policy, you might still ask them for advice, or at least ask them if they could keep an eye for other complaints about that person. If enough complaints pop up, even after the 45 days time limit, they might decide to take action anyway.

That probably won't solve anything, besides teaching him that he shouldn't play with other people's money if they freeze his account or something and also to keep him from taking other people's money for commissions he's not delivering, so leave it as a last resort sort of thing.

[skirtandzy.livejournal.com]

I don't know if that last part will do any good.
Conventions usually have a rule that you have to be breaking a rule then (which I guess would include any complaints), or having to do something pretty wicked to get a preemptive boot before the next one.

If this transaction took place there, I'd think it may fall under a *we're sorry it happened, but it is not exactly breaking a con rule* area. I'd think that it'd take multiple people to report them, and then the greatest consequence I'd think they would face is a revocation of any attempt to set up a table there.

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

If other people have reported him, however, this could be the final straw sort of situation.

It's always worth reporting!

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Your last sentence is the boot I was refering to. He doesn't need to be working the con circuit if he can't handle the flow of work that comes from one.

[copper-curls.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure which I find more disturbing - the number of 'beware' posts about him or that none of them have been resolved. It's a shame, too, because he's quite a good artist; I do love looking at his stuff on his FA gallery.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Easily solved. Comments shall now ninja-vanish to avoid 'OT'.

But my suggestion's still valid!

[crazeetyger.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that XD

[marus-puppy.livejournal.com]

What I would probably do would be to say "Look, I'm sick of waiting and I'm sick of the dead silence on your end and I want my refund by _____. This is firm and I will explore my legal options after that point." while talking to Paypal/your bank/a lawyer? I forget how much you spent on your commission, but I imagine it's quite a hefty amount and not something you want to just let go of.

OPs Icon

[ryuichi.livejournal.com]

Uh... Person? Why are you using my picture for your icon? That picture was taken of me like 6+ years ago when I still lived in Washington D.C. Where did you even find it?

Please stop using my photos to represent yourself. Thank you.

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[sparklebix.livejournal.com]

Wow...

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[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

It's apparently their Google+ profile picture, which makes it even more awkward.

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[ryuichi.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I haven't used LJ in years but an artist friend showed me here saying someone was posting using my old Ryuichi photo. I only have that on one of my old photobuckets unless I linked to it somewhere as a stupid kid. Very weird to randomly see your image being used by someone (who ironically is posting to what seems like an anti-fraud community?)

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[jd blaze (from livejournal.com)]

That's because I used gmail to login to livejournal which loaded everything form there to here, and the same with circles.

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[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

Oh no the awkwardness I was referring to was using someone else's image on a social media site.

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[jd blaze (from livejournal.com)]

Ah. Yeah, well, as I said, my photo taking skills leave something to be desired. replaced it w/mine.

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[werewolfofwater.livejournal.com]

wow creepy

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[jd blaze (from livejournal.com)]

Because we looked almost the same at the time I made my Gmail account. I can never get a self shot to come out clear so I borrowed yours ages ago. Didn't mean to offend, if ya want I'll change it to one of my more shakey pics of me instead of you :)

edit: changed to my Ryu cosplay from Yaoicon.

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[gideon-hoss.livejournal.com]

I got an idea how to least get this on track. I can use Livestream with you and do it with you watching and prolly get it done in an afternoon. Dun make up for my lack of communication or time left languishing not done...but least I can work with you on it and I hope get you something you really dig.

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[jd blaze (from livejournal.com)]

'kay, just need to set a time.

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[jd blaze (from livejournal.com)]

......hello? when we doing this?

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[jd blaze (from livejournal.com)]

It's monday, been here all day, and you're nowhere to be found.

AGAIN.

[featheredragon.livejournal.com]

I think you should ask for a refund if you are this frustrated. In the end, if the artist doesn't want to do the work you can't really force them. And even if you could, is it really worth the aggravation and conflict? Better to to get it refunded and move on.

[genesistwilight.livejournal.com]

I had a similar problem with Gideon over the past two years. I eventually go to the point where he finally sent me a refund after dozens of emails, FA notes, and etc back and forth. Don't give up on this. Also, contacting con staff of cons he plans to attend and Paypal can't hurt. I wish I had thought of doing that to avoid all the grief I went through.