Beware?: Aliks Cosplay

[aperturefox.livejournal.com]

I haven't posted here before, so I apologize for any mistakes.
About two months ago (I believe on May 4th), I commissioned someone at an anime con for two tails, one of my fursona, and one of my fiance's. I paid upfront VIA cash- 90$. I only have the one email she sent of the night for proof of this whole thing. Ever since that email she sent, I had not heard from her since, even though after I tried to contact her at times. I do not know what's going on, if she lost internet or something. Quite frankly, I know nothing.
The rest is under the cut.

EDIT: I sent her another email a few days ago, and this is what I got: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/Baka_Koori_Kitsune/akijs.png
Was about a week ago, but I have not heard back yet.

WHO: Aliks Cosplay/Aleksandra Valiunas (what is on her hotmail) (Am I allowed to post her websites?)

WHERE: BAMCon- '12. First anime con in Pittsfield, MA. Took place probably around 2-6 PM on May 4th. I paid up front, 90.00$

WHAT: I ordered two tails to be made for my fiance and myself of our fursona. She said because of the markings, it would come to 90$ all together, ship included. When we were talking to her, she asked for my email which I promptly gave to her, which she emailed me from her phone asking me for the reference sheets for the tails.



WHEN: We started transactions on the 4th. As stated I paid her 90.00$ up front in cash. I don't have a receipt, just the emails.
The first email was sent to me asking about our references, stated here.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/Baka_Koori_Kitsune/screen1.png

After that, I sent her the email containing the two references.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/Baka_Koori_Kitsune/screen2.png

After I sent her that, she said that she had received it on her phone.
I forgot she said that honestly (I have a crappy memory), and sent her an email about 13 days later.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/Baka_Koori_Kitsune/screen3.png

So I waited. Then, I sent her another email a couple weeks later.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/Baka_Koori_Kitsune/Screen4.png

Then, I sent her this today. Now, I tried to not be rude, to be truthful I'm just really awkward at typing these emails, because I feel I sound 'pushy' when I really don't mean to be. I realize now I probably could have worded this better, and if she does read it, she probably is pretty mad. I'm sorry, I really tried to be professional about it.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/Baka_Koori_Kitsune/Screen5.png
This was sent today

PROOF: Other than the emails I really don't have one. She didn't give me a receipt to my phone, or anything.

EXPLAIN: I tried to e-mail her within a couple weeks so she didn't feel like she was being hounded. I have no idea if she's getting them, if something happened, or what. She never did ask for my address to ship, but that might have slipped her mind. I have her etsy/website, but I don't think they have been updated in a while. I don't hate her, I'm not spiteful towards her, I just really want either my money back, or my tails.

Comments

[skulldog.livejournal.com]

Alik is a good friend of mine, and someone I honestly had to do a double take when I saw the name on AB.

She does do a lot of conventions, usually one a month, so with that in mind, I think giving it a little more time might benefit you both, she does do fantastic work, but being one person I can see her getting a little behind in her work by accidentally forgetting a set of two tails following a convention.

As a buyer, I also see any harm in giving a polite reminder about your commission if August rolls around and you haven't been contacted about the final product.

I can very genuinely say she's not the type to screw anyone over once payment as been made, we've been table partners for quite a few years at various cons, and she's always hard working and hand sewing stuff every morning when she sets up.

[mazz.livejournal.com]

She should be responding to the emails being sent asking for update though.
Ignoring your customers is bad business even if you're busy.

[skulldog.livejournal.com]

Very true, which is why I think sending a reminder come August is more than reasonable in this case. I just think she's not the type to take the money and run, even if she's being a bit hard to get in tough over the last few weeks.

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

Well, the OP has been sending reminders at pretty reasonable intervals and gotten no response. So what happens if they send yet another one in August and it still isn't answered? I'm not accusing the artist here of being a scammer, but what they're doing right now makes them look like a scammer. They really should not be ignoring multiple e-mails from a paying customer.

[aperturefox.livejournal.com]

Nah I don't think she's trying to scam me at all. I've had a lot of things like this (and worse) things happen, so I am used to it, plus I am patient. I just get worried when people don't respond after multiple emails. I edited that she DID get back to me (after the A_B response), but it's been a week since the email she sent that'd she get back to me with a new date.

[theblueimpulse]

Hello, I recently had a similar issue with Alik. If you ever checked her Etsy page and read her feedback, you'd see that the one thing people complain about the most is it taking her months to finish and/or ship the products. I'm pretty sure I saw someone mention that it even took her 4 months to receive their package, and some others also said that she wouldn't reply to emails. Being the fool that I was I figured I'd be lucky, or an exception... Well, I did receive the tails that I ordered. They're gorgeous, mind you. I don't regret that purchase at all... but I got them half a year after I first purchased them, and a lot of prodding her with messages about the status of my tails, and threatening to report her on Etsy. Like I said, in the end, I got them, so I did no such thing, but her account seems to have been closed. (Maybe she was reported by someone else?)