+

[TheCosplayFox]

I honestly wasn't very sure where to put this thread so I decided to put it here. Please move it if it is in the wrong place and I apologize. I was just wondering a few things about us commissioners who actually end up getting bad customers I mean they can review us so maybe it would be helpful if we had a thread or a forum dedicaticated to those who buy from us.

I've been doing for commissions for maybe about 2-3 years now I believe and a lot of times I get great customers but I have had a few bad customers and I don't really know how to deal with some of them due to what they were complaining about so advice on that would be helpful as well. I know some people make a contract so if anyone could show me a sample of their contract that would also be really helpful since I know that I need to make one in the near future.

Now I'm just going to share without mentioning any names a few of the problems I have had to deal with and maybe others could share as well?

I once had a customer who repeatedly complained to me about this little disk like button being to small and it wasn't anything fancy either but they demanded that it need to be 2.2cm largers or they would they would give me a bad review. I ended up having to sculpt a custom made version of a button basically and then they still complained that they didn't like it.

I also had another customer who would would email me almost on a daily basis which would clutter my inbox and it was very frustrating since I get all emails sent to my phone and the notification sound would go off at all hours of the day so I ended up having to mute it. I had even asked her to please stop emailing me on a daily basis because she would ask the same things every single day how was it going, anymore progress and do you have any picture's to send me. What part of the costume are you working on right now did you get around to working on it today etc. I had repeatedly asked her to stop and she would basically just stop for 2-3 days and then start up again and if I didn't reply she would send multiple messages it got to the point where her mails started just auto going in my spam folder since she messaged me so much it thought it was spam. I ended up just trying to finish it as fast I possibly could without sacrificing any quality because I didn't want to be bothered anymore.

I've also had one person basically flip out over a very small Work in progress photo and I even told them right now it is just in process of being made it was a wig and that it will look somewhat weird due to me sewing the wefts in and everything but that I just wanted to show that it was actually being worked on. she said it looked awful lots of other swear words and reported me to paypal and demanded a refund over an unfinished project. I later on heard from another commissioner friend that I had talked to about this person that they had dealt with them to and something somewhat similar happened. It was really an awful situation.

I also have one person who always asks me for price quotes and then once I give them a price for a certain costume wig or prop they ask me for a new price quote on something else and they basically just keep doing it because their deciding which costume they want done. I don't mind but it is the amount of times that it happens and also saying stuff like I will pay for this costume on whatever day and then never sending a down payment waiting a few days and then saying they do not need it anymore and asking for more quotes. I asked them to please stop unless they were serious about buying a costume and they got very angry and spammed my email a few times and left me alone.

So my basic point is that I think just like how we have a buyers beware of this person we could also have a thread for commissioners so that we could look up and see what we are dealing with before hand. I think it would be very helpful since I would have avoided some of these people or at least have been prepared for the situation.

Now share your thoughts and stories please and give any advice you can think of?

[Mykaios]

Well, I unfortunately have a couple bad reviews and while I understand why I got them, it does hurt me that people aren't very understanding or forgiving. But even before those reviews, I have always kept in contact and replied in a rather timely manner. I've admitted my faults and I've apologized profusely and am doing everything i possibly can, with my current schedule to make things right and even that wasn't good enough. It didn't matter what I said or tried to do. They were just never happy. I don't think of them as bad people or anything because of it either.

I've had people ask for quotes and never reply just to even say "no thanks". I've had people who are commissioning from me and who have completely disappeared (so I hope they're all right and safe). I've definitely had a few people constantly email me asking for updates (which is well within their right to do so) but at the same time, obviously if I had a proper updated, it would be posted or emailed. I've tried asking them to stop, but that didn't work and apparently it was a horrible thing to do because they couldn't fathom that it indeed, buried and made a cluster of all the information that I ever wanted to look up or needed and that the search option really isn't that helpful when you have 500-1k emails bouncing back and forth.

So, you get some impatient people and some bad apples on both sides, but I am very understanding and compassionate person so I forgive and move on and do the best that I can do. Sorry, if that wasn't very helpful and good luck!

[angelbabycakes]

I actually think this has tried to be implemented more than once on the site -- rather unsuccessfully. I'll have to look around, but I feel like it has been mentioned before.

EDIT: Found the thread: http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=247752

It covers sellers and commissioners, but seemed to turn into more of a discussion thread. There was another thread created earlier than this, but was deleted. I think it had more ratings.

If it is beneficial to commissioners, I'm in support of the thread. I will say, I have dealt with so many commissioners that have failed to deliver my products at all...but I haven't ever given them a bad review, as it seems I'm the only case that it has happened to. I'd hate to ruin someone's reputation due to whatever excuse they give me -- I can only trust they are telling the truth. I think that it might be harder to rate a customer than a commissioner though. I'll be honest, I feel I am a pretty nice person, but I am very paranoid and need lots of assurance and the like when I commission someone. I'm sure I come across as very needy. I do try not to come across as rude or the like, but some customers are just more personable than others. Some it is strictly business, others enjoy a chat or using smilies, "lol", and the like, so it might be hard to read a customer. Though this applies for a commissioner as well.

I do feel there are extenuating circumstances -- should a customer be down right rude and disrespectful, etc. Many people ask for quotes, but are shopping around for the right price. Commissioners have the ability to ignore potential clients, just as potential clients have the ability to not respond back when uninterested. I'm not sure things like that should qualify as being talked about on a forum in poor taste. It might be the more polite thing to do, but on both sides, people get busy.

Also, if this is to be implemented, what is the rating system and how would it work? With a commission, it works with deadline, price, photos, quality, pros and cons, and then A-F scale. How would this work, as it seems like this leans more towards personality or annoyances? This of course, is just how it comes across to me since I do not see any suggestions on things to rate a customer on.

[JasonTerror]

HA that's MY thread lol I was gonna bring that up but you beat me to it!! I couldn't link it on my phone so I had to wait..Guess I was too late lol

But Yea that thread basically sums up what I would say here..
In fact, I just had a customer last week break a sword I made. Now I never spoke directly to them, they don't have an account, but they had a friend that does and that person replayed messages back and forth. Out of nowhere a few days after sending it, I get a message saying I MESSED UP >.< And I'm like, "No, not possible, I have done other props the same way with amazing results."..Come to find out, the person tried doubleback taping the sword to their belt and it broke..Yea, cuz THAT'S my fault..I got basically almost lashed at for his mistake..

[angelbabycakes]

Originally Posted by JasonTerror

HA that's MY thread lol I was gonna bring that up but you beat me to it!! I couldn't link it on my phone so I had to wait..Guess I was too late lol

But Yea that thread basically sums up what I would say here..
In fact, I just had a customer last week break a sword I made. Now I never spoke directly to them, they don't have an account, but they had a friend that does and that person replayed messages back and forth. Out of nowhere a few days after sending it, I get a message saying I MESSED UP >.< And I'm like, "No, not possible, I have done other props the same way with amazing results."..Come to find out, the person tried doubleback taping the sword to their belt and it broke..Yea, cuz THAT'S my fault..I got basically almost lashed at for his mistake..

Lol, sorry about that! I just remebered it was somewhere so decided to find it. I thought it was a good idea, since the marketplace feedback system was very underutilized, but I was always curious at what exactly a commissioner might be rating a customer on. I've not had a bad experience selling anything, so I cannot complain about any customers. I will say, that once a product is in the customer's hands, it is up to the customer to handle with care -- of course, the product has to be in good condition and the like before arriving and when it does arrivie. That is a bit uncalled for to blame the commissioner in that case -- props or anything is not full proof! They are still fragile. Seems the customer should have said they accidentally broke it and ask the best way to fix it. I would have anyways. :P

[Mykaios]

Originally Posted by angelbabycakes

I actually think this has tried to be implemented more than once on the site -- rather unsuccessfully. I'll have to look around, but I feel like it has been mentioned before.

There was also a blacklist thread for buyers and commissioners - generally those who'd scam money and disappear but it used the person's real names and there wasn't enough "proof" so it eventually got locked and deleted.

[TheCosplayFox]

Originally Posted by JasonTerror

HA that's MY thread lol I was gonna bring that up but you beat me to it!! I couldn't link it on my phone so I had to wait..Guess I was too late lol

But Yea that thread basically sums up what I would say here..
In fact, I just had a customer last week break a sword I made. Now I never spoke directly to them, they don't have an account, but they had a friend that does and that person replayed messages back and forth. Out of nowhere a few days after sending it, I get a message saying I MESSED UP >.< And I'm like, "No, not possible, I have done other props the same way with amazing results."..Come to find out, the person tried doubleback taping the sword to their belt and it broke..Yea, cuz THAT'S my fault..I got basically almost lashed at for his mistake..

I had something somewhat similar happen to me once. I honestly don't remember the names of most of these people due to how many commissions I get but I if I saw the username I would remember them and avoid lol.

But yeah anyways I made a nice prop someone and I told them that with their budget and my current skills two years back that it would be nice but not to go flinging it around or something like that and it was a pretty nifty looking prop especially for the price since at that time I had no clue how to charge at all. Anyways I guess they broke it and they tried to say that I made them a faulty item but I ended up finding out that they play fighting with it at the con lol....

[JasonTerror]

Originally Posted by TheCosplayFox

I had something somewhat similar happen to me once. I honestly don't remember the names of most of these people due to how many commissions I get but I if I saw the username I would remember them and avoid lol.

But yeah anyways I made a nice prop someone and I told them that with their budget and my current skills two years back that it would be nice but not to go flinging it around or something like that and it was a pretty nifty looking prop especially for the price since at that time I had no clue how to charge at all. Anyways I guess they broke it and they tried to say that I made them a faulty item but I ended up finding out that they play fighting with it at the con lol....

Oh ow..I just don't understand people these days..Why would someone in their right mind go play fighting with a PROP!! It's a prop for a reason..To be a PROP..Not a freaking toy you just throw around/swing around/hit things with..