Ladies and Gentlemen...I think we have a runner.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

I won't name any names just yet but my patience is wearing pretty thin.

The situation is as follows: I decided to try to do a yiffmish so I answered the ad of someone on the vcl forum. In turn, I was sent an email which included naked pictures of the realife commissioner. Needless to say, I was not encouraged by that. We ended up deciding to just do a pinup of the character instead.

Things go fine as I work on the sketch, but then after I finish and begin to ask for half payment, we began to have problems. She tried to paypal me the money, but as I do not have a business type account and she was using a credit card for her paypal, this did not work. She told me she'd try to set up a bank account for it, and sent me a strangely worded email that she needed to verify the account (I get a sneaking suspcion she was a little drunk?!) The last email she personally sent me was on June 8th, stating that she would end a money order for the entire amount.

After a while she still didn't respond, so I found her on the forum again and she replied on June 26th that she had been busy with her son's marriage and that she could send the money to me.

On July 2nd I had to leave for a family trip to Taiwan until the 17th; since I have gotten back, I have sent her several emails and left a reply to her on the forum. Still no response.

The most bizarre thing is that she has been fairly active on the forum, commissioning art from others with no problem (the transactions were done in public so I could tell). I have a suspicion that her refusal to pay me has to do with me not being able to draw her pron (all the other pieces i saw her commish were of that nature). :( It's confusig becuase she seemed happy with the sketch (as she should be, given all the nitpickig she did @_@)

I'm really disapointed as she was the last person I trusted to send a refined sketch without a watermark. :( None of that, now. I've learned my lesson.

So to wrap up: how much longer should I give her before I write up a public takedown? It's the only way I know of to force her to respond to me, even though I hate it because it looks so bad on my part. Or should I just send a money request to her paypal and another warning for now?

Edit: Just to make sure we're all on the same page-- the problem was NOT with me not having a business paypal account, but rather that she is not responding to any forms of communication (email/forum posts). I sent her a payment request the other day explaining that I wished to stop the commission as just a sketch, and she's sent me the money so it seems all good (and yes I will have to upgrade). Other than that, thank you all for your input! I really appreciate it.

Comments

[isteillia.livejournal.com]

if she has been commissioning other people for something you had problems drawing, she has obviously stated (in a very passive aggressive way) that she was unhappy with your methods and that she no longer wishes your art. I would tell her the commission is off and post a public warning, stating that the person is very fickle and caution should be taken when accepting commissions from her in the future.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

The thing is I didn't have problems drawing it, it was just that she was way too unspecific. She sent me a pic of a statue and told me to draw her exactly the same way-- so I did. Then she told me to make it look like her, so I did. Then she told me I was still doing it wrong-- becuase apparently she had cut her hair during that time period @_@; so I had to change it again.

Otherwise, she seemed pretty pleased with what I turned out :/

[skulldog.livejournal.com]

Sounds like someone I just got done dealing with. Sheesh, people think us artists are magic mind readers and should 'know' how everything should look.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

hear hear D:

[thaily.livejournal.com]

You mean Becky who is currently browsing the forum as I type this?
If she's been active but hasn't responded I say you take her down.
It looks like she's mostly after free stuff, which is fine, but not if she agrees to payments which are not forthcoming.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

*cough* why yes D:

:( Ugh like I said, she already paid at least one artist that I know of, and has been soliciting more for paid art. The ad I answered originally was also a call for paid art.

[unclekage.livejournal.com]

Since no money has changed hands yet, and she doesn't seem to have any trouble with other artists, I would personally not deliver any public smackdowns. Just send her a note explaining that you do not think that you can finish the commission and leave it at that. If you've already put considerable work into it, consider finishing it up and putting it up for sale at an art show at one of the conventions.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

The fact that money hasn't exchanged hands yet is the problem, customer has a sketch but artist has no money.

[dinogrrl.livejournal.com]

I agree, the fact that she's commissioning other people means you've been left behind. I wouldn't wait any longer, email/pm/whatever her one last time saying the commission is off, explain why (in a polite businesslike manner, at least), and leave it at that. If you feel led to post a public warning, make sure it's as neutral and 'just stating the facts' as possible.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

That's the problem; she isn't responding to me at all, htough I've emailed her and left her a notice on the forum. But thank you for your advice on the public warning, I'll definately follow that if it comes to it.

[kaputotter.livejournal.com]

Fuck this shit.


And I mean that in the most professional way!



But seriously, forget about this person. She isn't worth dealing with if she won't even reply to you. Find someone else to work with.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

"Fuck this shit.


And I mean that in the most professional way!"

Hey, she already won't pay for a commission. What makes you think she'll pay for a professional fucking? :P

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

*snerk* XD;

[anjel-kitty.livejournal.com]

Why not just get a business account? Its free to do, and if someone sends you a payment you should automatically be upgraded to that...? Would have made things a lot easier in the begining...

[aaaamory.livejournal.com]

Yeah, get a business account. I got one, and I don't really know the difference between that and a regular account, and it's not hard to just get one.

[drake-anaya.livejournal.com]

Business accounts take a small fee out of all transactions, but it's worth the small fees if you do a lot of business from credit cards.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

That's the thing; I don't (this is the first time I've even had this problem) so it isn't worth it to me.

Btw XD your icon is adorable

[weavermage.livejournal.com]

icon love :D

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

The difference is that with the business account, they charge you a percentage fee for every transaction, so you might get $23.50 for a $25 commission. Doesn't make a huge difference in the long run, but if you're scraping by, it can add up.

[dreamaria.livejournal.com]

http://www.ppcalc.com/

Works quite well for figuring out how much extra to charge :) It's usually only a dollar or two more.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

oooh thanks for the link :D I'll keep it in mind if I eveer upgrade

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

For a business account, they deduct some of your payment to keep for themselves D: and no, apparently not-- you're not automaticlaly upgraded if you get a payment. Hence I did not upgrade.

[anjel-kitty.livejournal.com]

Its like a very small portion of what you make, and that isn't bad considering how invaluable of a business they are providing. My account gave me the opition as soon as someone sent me my first payment. I don't know why yours would not.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

It did too; but keep in mind, right now the problem is not with paypal accounts but rather that she won't communicate with me at all. I need her to actually speak to me first before I decide whether or not to upgrade-- because supposedly she has already added a bank account to her paypal account anyways.

[anjel-kitty.livejournal.com]

Or you could have someone else send you money via paypal and upgrade you besides her so your whole having a business account doesn't hinge on her payment.
Just find someone you know in person who has an account, give them 20 dollars and tell them to Pay pal you 20 and BAM you got a business account.
It's that easy.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the advice, but I've already got her payment and upgraded to the premier account ^_^

[dreamaria.livejournal.com]

She's commissioned me for TONS of stuff (and I mean, literally paid my way to AC).

She sent me the pictures of her, too, but luckily I looked at one and decided that was more than enough x____x At least she could of put a warning on it. TMI!!

But yeah...she always pays me with PayPal, I upgraded to a business account to accept credit card payments. It does take 2.9% out, but use the PayPal Calculater (http://www.ppcalc.com/) to figure out how much extra to charge.

Oh, and she e-mailed me a while ago saying she got a new e-mail...if that helps? (I can PM it to you on VCL or something if you'd like)

But I say...if she's giving you this much trouble and no money has changed hands yet, just drop it :/ If you don't want to continue with the commission, at least make sure you get paid for the sketch. PM her, maybe?

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

@_@ hahaah definately TMI

I didn't think it was worth upgrading since I usually don't deal with credit cards-- this is the first time I've run across it.

Is it the new one she has listed in her VCL info? Becuase if so, I've already emailed it. But thanks for thinking of it!

:/ I'm usually not on at the right times to catch her, is the problem.

[dreamaria.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's her new e-mail, so I guess that's not the problem.

It does suck that it takes 2.9% for EVERY transaction (even if the person just sends you $10 for an icon or something, you'll only get like $9.80 or whatever.) But in the end I think it's worth it, more options to the buyer in terms of payment. And like I said before, if you have to charge them a dollar or two extra, whatever, it's only a few bucks =) I'm yet to have a problem with someone unwilling to pay it. You don't really deal with the credit card at all, if that's what you were worried about. The site will determine if it's accepted or denied.

With PM's you don't have to be on the same time as them, it's sort of like e-mail via message board, the person you're sending it to will recieve it whenever they log on next, and most times they'll also get an e-mail saying that they recieved a new PM on the message board.

Hope everything gets sorted out!

Whoops, nevermind!

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

She actually answered my paypal money request so it's all good now-- thanks for all your help! :D

[neongryphon.livejournal.com]

Likewise. To my knowledge you can upgrade to a business account on Paypal for free. This will incur a small transaction fee for each payment you receive (of any type), but it’s a piddly amount in all honesty, and certainly worth it if it means you can accept debit and credit cards.

I’d upgrade if I were you then send her another paypal money request, stating she can pay with any debit/credit card. If she still fails to pay, then you know she’s dodging the bill intentionally and can take it further.

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

Hm I'll think on this 6o6/ thanks for your advice!

[lemonfruitpie.livejournal.com]

Hey, the money request worked. :D So thanks a lot!