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[Axelai]

Originally Posted by The Hag

This is absolutely key. Commissioners can save themselves a lot of headaches by deciding what level of communication is not going to be onerous for them and spelling it out explicitly in a written agreement. Things like:

• you will get an email on or before this date telling you I am starting
• you will get an email on or before this/these date(s) with (or without) a progress photo
• you will get an email on or before this date with a photo of the completed costume

Then sticking to it.

As a customer, if a commissioner doesn't offer an agreement like this then ask for one. If they refuse - find another commissioner. If the commissioner starts missing specific deadlines then I agree, the customer has the right to complain. If the customer feels they have no recourse other than complaining in public, then so be it.

Yeah. I think communication on what each side expects can fix most problems. Problem is, a lot of commissioners I've talked to just say "No, we're doing this my way." so I'm all "Okay bye!" and don't commission them 8| I think commissioners should be willing to work with the customers. Not "I will show you this poorly drawn sketch, that's the costume you're getting, and you have no say in it once I've started." Someone seriously did that to me once >_> I was like "No thanks then." Their picture wasn't drawn very well, so I couldn't even tell what they were going to make 8|;;

Originally Posted by Ineedaname9

...I feel like never asking for a commission again. Is it really nagging for me to ask my commissioner ever two weeks a 'hey how's it going?' then when the person doesn't respond in over a month just my only option is to wait till my deadline is past?

That seems wrong... If can't get the item thru the person I asked and paid to have it commissioned then don't I have a right to get someone else to do it for me? If I need it by a date then the longer I wait the more expensive its going to be for me to find someone else to make the items for me by the same date.

Also, I did try and contact her thru email and her blog with no response. Honestly, what other option did I have? It shows that she does come online here. As proof of her last time she visited time.

Yeah, I honestly just don't commission people anymore. I've been scammed twice now, once by i-sew and again by Loserific. So... screw that. I'm making my own stuff or going to chinese stores.

Its sad when I have to, but... that's the business now.

[Ineedaname9]

Originally Posted by Axelai

Yeah, I honestly just don't commission people anymore. I've been scammed twice now, once by i-sew and again by Loserific. So... screw that. I'm making my own stuff or going to chinese stores.

Its sad when I have to, but... that's the business now.

I've been scammed before too.

I really try to just get people to commission stuff I know I can't make or buy from a chinese store or if I don't have enough time...

I like supporting other cosplayers buy paying them for their work but...if I'm gonna get hated for 'nagging' I just rather not then.

[Rukeya]

An easy way to remove the guilt of nagging is to tell the commissioner that you require frequent updates while you're still in the planning/discussion stages of the costume.
If you mention it at the beginning, there should be no hard feelings or surprises when you start asking how it's progressing.

[MissMandah]

Recently I got a Flickr account for the purpose of updating commissions. Aside from working on a commission I work on my own things or other stuff that I freelance, so constantly responding to emails can be a bit of a challenge. However, I've been scammed in the past for numerous things, and also I don't take commissions as often because I am usually busy (with above) therefore when I do I want to make sure customers are satisfied. I used the Flickr to make a folder for one of my customers to show her step my step the progress. Therefore she knew I was doing it on time and could see how far I was getting in case of any last minute changes before her deadline. It's easier to snap a picture and upload it then to respond to a lot emails sometimes.

[sfox0211]

I think your email go to the spam box.so the commission don't respond.

[BadChemistry]

I've had this happen a few times. It can be rather off putting, but at the same time, people have lives to lead and I understand things come up. However, I'm thinking of sticking to the commissioners I use who are prompt, ect. That way, I build a report with them, and maybe that way if something happens, they'll be more likely to go "Oh! We had this happen, lets take care of it right away, this person is a repeat customer!"

[Fayelee_D]

So I had a lady (not going to give her name yet just in case its a misunderstanding) but she said she'd do my commission for me and I told her I'd pay half and half for it. I give her a lot of money (well at least for me) from paypal and asked her to let me know she got it and havent got a any kind of reply in a week..I dont know what to do....

[TakutoMeyers]

try to send another reply.
You private message her or do you e-mail?
She might respond her e-mail faster.

I'm kind of worried about commission someone is doing for me myself so I am in a similar situation.
It's been four months almost and I haven't seen any pictures for the wig that is supposed to be styled for me.

[Blue Leader]

One thing to keep in mind, Fayelee D, is that people are in college finals right now. If it's only been about a week since you've sent the money, this person may be caught up in finals (assuming they're a college student, of course). It's also the holidays, so they may be visiting family.

But yeah, E-mail the person rather than sending them a PM. That may work better.

[smoreface]

Originally Posted by Fayelee_D

So I had a lady (not going to give her name yet just in case its a misunderstanding) but she said she'd do my commission for me and I told her I'd pay half and half for it. I give her a lot of money (well at least for me) from paypal and asked her to let me know she got it and havent got a any kind of reply in a week..I dont know what to do....

Send one more message to the commissioner. Tell her that you need a reply as soon as possible.
But just know that if you go on paypal you can open a dispute.
https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?c...lem_resolution

[SweeneyTodd]

I've had that happen to me. I commissioned a razor with a switchblade type mechanism in it (like this), and got a quote, sent the money and had pretty good communication between me and the commissioner. But 6 months after sending the money, I still didn't get my razor. I kept emailing the person asking when they were sending my razor out, they occasionally responded with emails such as "Oh I'm so sorry, I meant to send it today, but I forgot..." or "I've been away for a while and haven't gotten around to sending it..." and then pretty soon they just stopped responding at all. It's been 2 years, and I still haven't gotten my razor or heard from this guy (I messaged him on his YouTube account as well). So I am assuming I will never get my razor.
Part of me thinks that he thought he could make what I wanted, so he took the commission, but then realized that it was really hard to make, and couldn't be bothered to tell me that. So he just never sent anything out. Or he is a desperate prick who just wanted to steal my money. I think it's probably a mix of those two

So now I am more cautious with who I commission from, I now (for the most part) only commission people who have websites set up and examples of their work and who reply in a timely fashion. I have sent inquiries about commissions to many people, and usually after the 3rd email correspondence with them, they kinda just stop responding, so that tells me that they didn't really want to do the commission or they didn't have the ability to do it, so I just search for a new commissioner then. This is the reason why my cosplay took so long to get together. It was hard to find a decent commissioner.

[NavigatorxNami]

I think ive been ripped off too. I paid for a commission back in November and was promised it for next month. The commissioner did have no net at some point but now she hasnt been online since January 2nd :/ I have no idea what to do and would like my $55 back if she hasnt done it. I watch her on DA too and again shes not been active. I took the time to email her paypal address too. Any suggestions?

[Celiaskyleaf]

As someone who is just starting to take commissions.
I am seriously disappointed to see this list of complaints about other commissioners. If you are unable to finish/do the commission then have the balls to say so!!!!

I personal looking into what each commission would require, how much time, is it something I have done before or will it be something new to learn, I send links to my facebook page so that people inquiring can see work I have done in the past.. I tell then my fee and also give them a range as to what the materials would cost and if I happen to low ball that quote the I suck up the difference cause if I quote you that it is going to cost between this much money and that much money then that is what it will cost... I also have who ever I am making the commission for send my the money for the material cost first and I keep all my receipts to show them and if I happened to over quote how much the materials cost then I deduct what I have left from that money as to what they owe me for my fee...
example material cost quote was $300-$500, fee was $500, actual material cost was $350, was sent $500 for materials so the balance owed to me is $350...
I also do progress shots or a quick email every 10 days or so...and I ship out or deliver the completed piece once I have received the last of the money...
I also for those who can travel to me do at least 2 or 3 fittings at my place.
Once I receive the money for materials I send an email telling them that I have received the first payment and will send another email/pics within 2 weeks.

So on behalf of all the valid and honest commissioners out there. I apologies to those of you that have had the disappointment of dealing with an unreliable commissioner, and hope that you have a better commissioning experience in the future.

Celiaskyleaf (here and devaintArt)

[Future Hokage]

Beware of shadowdale creations.This is a commissioner who focuses more on star wars costumes but anyways I orderd a commission from them and payed $770 for a star killer costume back in July 2010 and And till this day all I've gotten we're broken promises.There main excuse is that EVERYONE is sick and now they no longer reply.So just wanted to warn anyone who wants a commission from them.

[RoMayDrako]

Wow this thread makes me thankful I can't seem to get any commissioner to reply back. Decided to get a costume commissioned because due to my part color blindness I can't seem to decide on what colors to use. Maybe I'll just quit looking, because generally my luck is horrible to begin with.