RESOLVED - Artists Beware: Buyer "Zardis"

[malytwotails.livejournal.com]

LSS: "Zardis" buys soap from http://www.contactcaffeine.com , is displeased with it, we sent her a refund immediately, and a month later, she posts inflammatory journals about us out of the blue. So here's some caps, since she's admitted in them that she called PayPal with the intention of having them issue a larger refund, past the value of the items she purchased., and while Con*Tact can eat a bar of soap here or there, I am horrified to think she'd try this on a real commission she was displeased with.



WHO: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/zardis (RL name omitted because she's a minor)
WHAT: I don't really know what exactly to call this. :/
WHERE: Through our own website, email, and FurAffinity
WHY: ????????
WHEN: September-December 2012

Woke up to this today.



She deleted the original journal, which then became this beast (I am Poison, in the comments):


Here's her original complaint, now that you've read all of her current complaints. This is dated 11/1/12


I never did see those photos.

Our reply, with the same date.


This is her original reply she sent us, on 11/1. We considered the issue closed at that point.


And here's our 11/2 refund, with both transactions. Note that just over a month has passed between the two, because we shipped her soap and she was displeased between those two dates.


This girl has previously purchased from us. In fact, we missed her FREE sample last order, and she sent us an email complaining over the omission. We made up a pack of samples for her, on our own dime, wrote the customs form, drove it to the post office, waited in line, and paid out of our own pockets to send her additional free merchandise, just to keep our customer's goodwill.

Now, our site says all over it "Caffeine soap is not intended for those under 18", and I couldn't help but notice that on her fursuiting FA, she mentions she's 15 (dated 2010). So even if it hasn't been edited since then, she'd still be a minor, which leads me to worry about PayPal - don't they have a strict over-18 policy?

CONFIRMED: She is 16 as of this post, and using PayPal as a minor (with her own money)



So, that's it. I thought that we closed the case, guess not! Beware!


EDIT: This is the threat note she received from the FA account "Cerberus." , sent right around the same time as her journal posts, from an empty FA account.

http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/malytwotails/137829/639344/639344_original.png

EDIT2: Followup from FA administrators regarding the threat, stating that she sent herself the note. http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/637279.html?thread=24707935#t24707935

EDIT3: We've now received notes from her boyfriend, "shady." on ConTact's account. (already sent in my harassment ticket)
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/malytwotails/137829/639703/639703_original.jpg
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/malytwotails/137829/639882/639882_original.jpg

EDIT4: She's sent us a private apology over all of this (and apologizing on her boyfriend's behalf), and we're considering the issue closed and resolved.

EDIT5: She's back and arguing again over $0.01 , apparently http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/637279.html?thread=24723039#t24723039

EDIT6: After spending a day and a half arguing with a 16 year old on the internet, I'm entirely out of energy for this anymore. It's as resolved as it's going to get.

Comments

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

Your post has been approved, but if you could please replace the large journal caps with links to images, that would be preferred. Thank you!

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

I would also like to add that Zardis is a minor, and has gone against Con*Tact Caffeine and possibly PayPal's Terms of Service by using their services.

In the hidden comments from her first journal after calling out her unprofessional behavior, she said something incomprehensible that equated to me having "problems" in my personal life? I was pretty surprised at how quickly it escalated.

After seeing this whole situation go down, I would be very wary working with this person.

[radiocatastrophe (from livejournal.com)]

She could have an account under her parents. I don't know much about how those sorts of accounts work but I know they exist.

I can't really see the images as of yet so I can't read much than what the OP has posted (my computer likes to eat images and disfigure them) so I'll try and look at them another time.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

I was not involved, but I was observing this over the course of the day and I have to say her flip flop and outright rude behavior blew me away. Saying she's "heard things" about Sigil, suddenly throwing out a dead relative so she's now poor as an excuse... Like those are kids tricks? Calling herself a profesional and then going after Contact &.others as she was? Continually pushing the issue when it was resolved and she acknowledged that?

No. Nope. No.

[ichi-black.livejournal.com]

Yaa.. why am I not surprised that this ended up being Zardis..
As far as I am aware she is 15-16 (not 100% which) but she acts well under that at times.. She tried to work a trade out with me and when I declined she tried to talk/con me into it, she ended up getting a trade with another mailler.

Warning well heeded, sorry you had to deal with her Mally

[funkicarus.livejournal.com]

just going to throw in my rebuttle to her journal here as a major contact caffeine consumer.

1) the soap does not irritate extremely sensitive skin, with the exception of a few bars with red dye. i know this, because my spouse is one of those people who can't even tolerate certain kinds of soap/laundry detergent/can not use dryer sheets or their skin breaks out.

2) the bars are only gone in a week if you actively hold them under hot water for extensive periods of time. or perhaps took a bath with them? most seem to last 2 to 3 weeks in our household.

3) i have received older soaps and they are never crumbling. the only way i know they are old is the older style stickers and a slightly larger quantity of caffeine crystal frosting on the top. they certainly do not 'lose their scent.' this is just a flat out lie on her part.

you have never been anything but a joy in the past. you're prompt, communication is open and you're very extremely willing to please the customer. i remember when i got a bar of wild coyote and didn't like it - you took it back without a single complaint, and immediately exchanged it for a new bar of my choosing.

it sounds to me like she is trying to stir some drama by being 'edgy' and crying foul over something which is popular and well received within the community.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

This comment is A+

[morti-macabre.livejournal.com]

Mostly this beware is making me want to buy some soap. xD

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Yeah I caved and got some myself XD

[jackalkisses.livejournal.com]

Ugh, yeah. When there are disputations with customers the most business-like thing to do (what you did: issue a refund), the resolution, should pretty much be kept private, I don't understand why after the matter she had to go out of her way to give your company negative review. Also, I had no idea she was a minor, but that kind of makes sense now.
I did have a similarly frustrating experience with her where she purchased a custom-made $75 backpack from me, then lost it. She e-mailed me telling me she had lost it, which isn't really my fault, but also told me that she was dissatisfied with the product because it was smaller than she thought, and thought it wasn't worth $75 despite being well-made. I thought this was a strange thing to do but I did go out of my way to please her. So I told her I would give her a prototype of a larger bag for free. She then proceeded to e-mail me pretty consistently asking for progress updates until I had to literally explain to her everything that was going on in my life (I was in the hospital with kidney stones and had my mother-in-law and brother-in-law living with us at the time and we were trying to find them an apartment and jobs) in a stern e-mail before she finally gave me some space. It did take me a few months to make the prototype - but it was FREE and it was the size of a large sketchbook. She was friendly, but very nit-picky and not an easy customer to appease. Being under 18 really explains a lot. With time and age she will probably grow up to be a much better client and I have definitely met worse. But yeah, frustrating is the key word here.

[mistresswolf.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a customer I had at the tailor shop recently. She came in saying that she had these two pairs of pants hemmed by us a little while back and they were still 3/4" too long. As I was alone and there were several customers behind her, I didn't want to cause a scene, so I apologised and took them into the back promising to have them fixed and ready for pickup in two days.

I helped the other customers and when I was alone in the shop again, I went to the table to begin prepping them. I looked at the inside of one hem and it was still original factory sewing (I can tell my own work apart). Then I looked at the other one and not only was the original factory sewing still there, but she had turned up the hem about 3 inches and handsewed (badly) it up. There is no way in hell it was my work at all.

I called her the next day and worded myself carefully as to not accuse her of scamming by saying "I think you may have accidentally picked up the wrong pairs, as these still have their original factory hems on them. I can do these if you want, I will just update your account with the cost of the hems and you can pay when you pick up!" She was adamant that these were the right ones and I assured her again, very firmly that they were not.

Oh! All of a sudden she can see the actual ones in plain sight! Oops, what a silly mistake she made. However, "one pair was done horribly! The raw fabric wasn't even serged!" she claimed. ... I am the only one that sews, unless it is on the one day I don't work and they need it same day, but even that girl wouldn't forget to use the serger. I was like "Oh no! That is just terrible. I am so sorry. If you want to bring those ones in when you pick these up, I will be very happy to redo them at no charge while you wait!" ... Oh no, she says, she can do it herself. It's no problem, she says.

Ha. I got an additional $10/pair out of her that day. >:3

[breakspire.livejournal.com]

I recommend Endicia for your international shipping. I used to do the same as you, and fill out a million customs forms then wait at the post office for them to process them all while annoying everyone in line behind me for taking so long.

I used stamps.com for a while, but they're unreliable. During and outage I tried Endicia and my life is 10x easier. It takes me maybe 30 seconds or less to copy paste the address, enter the weight and customs info, and print. The customs form is a part of the label itself so it's just one half sheet of paper (same size as if you make a label through paypal, which I used to use to ship domestic orders but Endicia's even easier so I use that now).

sorry to sound like a commercial haha, I figured I'd through it out there because it seems like part of the frustration here was about shipping internationally

[ichi-black.livejournal.com]

>_> I'm gonna look into that myself, I really hate doing the USPS customs forms...

[ryunwoofie.livejournal.com]

I've dealt with and seen this person around on many occasions and am not surprised by how they are acting here. Beware well warranted. I personally do not deal with them after what I've seen them do/say.

Edit to add word because I cannot sentence.

[ethelune.livejournal.com]

I only know of Zardis through the occasional commission done for her by a few artists I watch, and I began feeling uneasy when I noticed some adult art of her characters popping up in my inbox. Do the artists know they're being commissioned for adult art by a minor? That's always made me a bit wary. :\

I'm sorry to hear your company has to deal with this! I really wish my skin weren't so sensitive, since I'd buy so many of your soaps in a heartbeat~

[paityn wheeler-savoie (from livejournal.com)]

Hello!
Sorry this is Zardis, i do not purchase any mature artwork, my boyfriend on the other hand is 18+
I never see these pictures on the site and barely take note of them, hes in charge of his own money to clarify that issue.

[jakejynx.livejournal.com]

While her attitude in some of the comments leaves a bit to be desired, it's also really unprofessional to go on her page and start making excuses for your screw-ups. Her first email went unanswered. There's no excuse for that, especially having a person dedicated to correspondence. It's also kind of shifty to go on there and start complaining about how "well, we ship internationally as a courtesy." It's not a courtesy, it's YOUR business decision to ship internationally. You don't get to use that as some sort of way to martyr yourself when the opportunity arises. If you want international customers, you have to be willing to dedicate the time it takes to that.

"she's admitted in them that she called PayPal with the intention of having them issue a larger refund, past the value of the items she purchased."

No, she did not do that. Reread what she was saying in the comments. She was inquiring about getting a full refund, not a refund past what she originally paid. Paypal would have been able to see that a partial refund had been issued, and would have refunded the difference, had she actually been requesting one. She says she declined it.

That said, she has every right to review your product. She chose the wrong place for it, obviously, but just as you have a right to post a beware about her, she has a right to do the same to you. I've been disappointed with a product before, gotten a refund for it, and still wrote a review. Because it doesn't matter if I didn't pay for it if it's still a shoddy product.

[jakejynx.livejournal.com]

And, WOW, talk about adding flames to the fire! To go onto her page and post that shout? VERY unprofessional. Avoiding you.

[kasuned.livejournal.com]

Big frown. That type of behavior is uncalled for. Beware well warranted, I'll be blocking this person. >> Guh.

(frozen)

[leeleemoreau.livejournal.com]

Ohhh ho Zardis is a special little snowflake
talking to this kid is like talking to a wall of manure.
have fun with that one.

but srsly best of luck to you.

(frozen)

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Try to reel in the insults a little, please!

[eenyuwolf.livejournal.com]

All I know of Zardis that that I have done a handful of badge trades with her before and it ended happily with everyone getting their art in the end.

But I also want to comment that I love Contact Caffeine's soap and have never had an unpleasant experience with them! The only thing keeping me from purchasing more from them are the 6 soaps on my desk and a mostly used soap in my shower which I have to go through before I can justify buying more.

[paityn wheeler-savoie (from livejournal.com)]

:)
We should trade again sometime!
My initial point of the journal was state a exsperience i had with this company, not to bash or discourage anyone from people from buying and if people want to buy from them, they can! I really do not care, good for them in fact (and i mean no snarky remark)

[jalmu.livejournal.com]

I'd like to say this wasn't ment to be an attack at you, as stated in one of her recent journals which wasn't seen at all.
This is being blown why out of the water, not needed.

Zardis's most recent journal about this was stating one of my issues about soap, which was ODD in my case that I got a very fast e-mail reply out of this, as I was waiting patiently but of course I'm going to rant about how long its taking.

Zardis is old enough to make her own money, so I hooked her up with her own paypal, so she dont have to borrow anyone's paypal as some of the people she was loaning accounts from where very shady people.

I talked to paypal personally to hook up her own account, with my supervision to have it hooked up.

18 or not kids are gonna buy online with a paypal account or even their parents credit card.

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

So you are admitting to helping a minor set up a Pay Pal account?

[paityn wheeler-savoie (from livejournal.com)]

Hello!
This is Zardis, if anyone wishes to know. I want to begin by stating yes i am 16, yes i am a minor. I havn't read on the Contact website about age rescrited purchase so that's my fault, apologises for that! I called Paypal in order to ask if i'd be allowed to own one, you know what they said? "We really don't care" so there is my defense on my subject.

Now, i want to also begin by stating that the journal she is describing is the first journal i wrote on the review, i deleted this one after being told multiple times that it was confuzing and not making much sense so i made a second that got removed. I have screen shots of the whole thing if people to read this part of the journal.

In my second revised and edited journal, i had stated multiple times that in NO way am i trying to bash this business's name or discourage anyone from their products, in fact if you like their products good on ya! I was trying to make a review on my over all exsperience with the business and the mishaps i have sadly exsperienced.

Many of business's get some reviews, why not i write one? Ive written many, posted many on many sites and many business's cause im a very avid buyer. I can admit my first journal was worded very poorly and came across very wrong as an excuse i did it late at night on my IPod being told by a few people i should cause of the expserience i had, so that's exactly what i did!

Now, in the second journal i even put a warning that i did not want a single shred of drama, i wanted a calm discussion and no immaturity. I was blasted away by the amount of people that commented on the second journal that im a horrible person and that writing a review like that just shows the kind of person i am! I know people make mistakes, i know things happen but i was writing a SIMPLE REVIEW, I DID NOT WANT ANY BASHING, RUINING, ANYTHING!

I didn't even call Paypal myself after the refund were given, paypal was on the phone with my friend and my friend given the lack of communication asked if i could get a refund even though you have given me a refund, cause the product was faulty. I did NOT just call Paypal for that, we were curious after Paypal was explaining their faulty product TOS and offered me if i wanted to inquire for one and i said NO, it was dealt with!

Anyway, you claim in the journal that it's courtesy to issue mailing to Canada, your a business! Wth does that mean? If it's such a hassel for you and your using it as an excuse, why even sell their?

Anyway, i even stated in my second journal that i was actually considering buying from you a second time only decaf cause of the mishaps and crumbling of the third soap. Thank you for sending me in on my shout page, i was LITERALLY in the misists on writing along apology letter to you in email that ive been working on since the last journal was removed.

People can bash my name around, i do not give a fuck anymore, i wrote a review on this product and i hadnt had the best exsperience, i was sharing with other people and if that's a reason to call me names, bash my art, bash my business ethics, make outstanding insults and even a threat TO ME PERSONALLY and other things then this fandom is sad as is and i won't be letting it get me down.

Done

[radiocatastrophe (from livejournal.com)]

So.. You called Paypal not Jalmu?

[genkigami.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna be a shameless whiteknight for Contact.

I'm a regular customer of Contact Caffeine after buying some bars at AC this year and I'm been 200% satisfied with their products. I get them for personal use and also as hand soaps for the bathrooms in my college house and all my house mates love them.

I've never had a problem with their product even as a customer with a skin allergy (allergic to those moisturizer and lotion-y strips in razors) and shipping is great. I get my packages in Indiana usually at the end of the week I order. Actually waiting on an order from them now!

While I know experiences may vary, mine has been awesome and it's terrible she's trying to squeeze more money out of you.

[paityn wheeler-savoie (from livejournal.com)]

In NO WAY am i trying to "sqweeze" more money of them T-T did anyone even say that? Thats a very large accusation from a simple review journal.

[jalmu.livejournal.com]

Screen shots of the newer Journal entry which was removed after alot of people bashing the journal, after she asked people not to do so.

http://jalmu.livejournal.com/1921.html

The comments that where removed where from a user who was making fun of the journal.

ALSO to the people who want to "white knight"
Please read over the comments to understand the issue a little more clearly before jumping in please and thank you instead of adding more flue to the fire.. thanks.

[blueroo.livejournal.com]

A short synopsis for people who want to understand.

- Customer buys product.
- Vendor sends product.
- Customer doesn't think product is smelly enough, emails.
- Vendor misses email, replies late after another email.
- Refund issued, problem solved.
- 1 month later, customer posts public complaint disguised as "review", adds some embellishments.
- Customer is upset when Vendor provides actual evidence to repudiate the Customer's claims, whines that it's "just a review". Claims she never tried to get free stuff (because "they forgot to include some samples" totally isn't a complaint about not getting free things).

And now you know what's goin' on.

Bonus round: Other artists have also had negative experiences with Customer. Customer has a story about why it's not her fault for every one.

Bonus round 2: "I wrote a negative review as a revenge tactic, and now people are saying things I don't like! Life is so unfair!"

[frostfoot.livejournal.com]

Not really anything constructive to add, but, I did business with Zardis about a year ago (a fursuit sale through an auction I held) and had no issues whatsoever, it was a pretty pleasant transaction, actually. So this whole thing is kind of shocking?

Still reading though the comments and all, so I guess I'll post my thoughts afterwards.

[paityn wheeler-savoie (from livejournal.com)]

Also pardon me but i offered to show you photos, in which you ignored and never asked for.

Is that my fault? I do not think so o.0

[datgreenmonster.livejournal.com]

why because the soap "had frost ontop" and "the smell was weak"

Why would they need pics of something that they see happens with their product on a regular basis, and how can they smell through a picture?

they were never crumbling apart, from what you said in the email, and if they were, that's negligence on your part to not mention it.

Caught.

[bazeelphooka.livejournal.com]

Hello! Bazeel here. Just to let you (all of you) know, this user has recently been posing comments from their own IP (in FA notes) to their own IP via different accounts, to attempt to make it appear as if Con*Tact customers are harassing him/her. How do I know? Look up 'Bazeel' on Fur Affinity. Normally, I do not get involved with this sort of stuff, however I've taken to this issue, as it effects a small business owner who works almost exclusively with Furries (though they are branching out), over a unfounded personal vendetta by the disgruntled user. This was brought to my attention via the original journal post, which was deleted, rewritten, had hidden comments (most of which were valid arguments for Con*Tact, some were just stupid trolls...usual stuff), and then 'harassed' by an account from their own IP address- All to make Con*Tact appear to have a personal army, and drag their name through the mud. Enough is enough, and sometimes, bullshit needs to be called on.

Before anyone's jimmies get rustled, I've already spoken to Dragoneer on this issue. Already been cleared.

Re: Caught.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Well then!

Harassment notes-

[bazeelphooka.livejournal.com]

This issue is being resolved on our end.

[jalmu.livejournal.com]

Okay, I WISH TO TAKE THIS PRIVATELY WITH MALY and Zardis ASAP.
To Sort all this out.

[malytwotails.livejournal.com]

As far as I'm concerned, the issue is resolved. Refunds are being issued, replacements sent for you, and her behavior has been fully documented. I really don't have anything more to say about the matter.

I'm not taking down posts, or taking back anything that's been said today. I'm keeping all of the caps up because I don't want someone else to have to deal with this kind of situation.

Again, I'm truly sorry that you've been involved in this.

[pinstripedtiger.livejournal.com]

Yeah I think I'll preemptively block these two.

You know what though? I didn't feel too strongly about this one way or the other. Their journals didn't seem TOO abrasive, at least not to me.

But sending yourself-- yes, yourself. Don't even pull that "Oh I brought a friend over and he totally sent me those threats and mean shit while sitting next to me."

If he is your friend and you're both furries , and that account is 2 years old... you would have known he'd sent it to you.

S t o p .

Sending yourself threatening messages to look like the victim? Come on.

And I'd also rather not end up with vaguely threatening notes from an angry boyfriend, particularly if he's going to threaten someone over SOAP.

This entire ordeal is ridiculous, and while I feel Maly slipped up here and there... yeah I. I'd rather not deal with Zardis ever.

[taasla.livejournal.com]

I can understand writing a review after the fact. I've done it many times, even months down the line to simply inform people of my experience with a business. (Mostly because that one issue was so emotional that I had to wait months to write a calm review.) I sympathized with Zardis and felt like Contact was unfairly coming after them for what is a common practice. Why did she use her FA journals? Because that's what they're for? To be used? Contact doesn't have a yelp page as far as I'm aware, so I have no issue with that.

But then the last bit about faking harassment just tipped it over. Don't do that.