Beware: honesty./ sailorbases

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/880870.html

WHO: Honesty. [current account], Sailor., SailorBases, yoloswagdoctor [old accounts]

WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/sailorbases/ & http://www.furaffinity.net/user/honesty./

WHAT: Custom bases for my species for rp/adoptables/etc.. 3 separate bases [1 for each species] or 1 base with tons of options for customization.

WHEN: May 29, 2014 - First contact made + commission + price agreed upon + paid.
Asked for update September 2014. Heard nothing back.
Asked for another update on Halloween 2014. Heard back & gave info again.
Heard back Nov. 11 - Offered to try to get sketches for preview that night. I agreed.
Didn't hear back again. Posted public journal about refunding everyone on Christmas day 2014.
June 25, 2015 - Offered art to those who wanted it instead of refund. Took art option.
June 29, 2015 - Sent info to new account when I realized the old one wasn't being checked.
Oct 27, 2015 - Sent a note asking for updates so I could add that to my owed list.
Nov 4, 2015 - Note was read, not responded to. Sent a rather abrupt note asking for a response and got one - asking for all the info again + price paid while indicating I might be refunded instead. Sent info back and stated I would prefer my refund SOON if that was what she preferred to do.

PROOF: Initial PM requesting a base - http://i.imgur.com/KA5MDKm.png
Accepting commission, price given, me accepting it - http://i.imgur.com/cUfXKz0.png
Paypal info given, told her I paid - http://i.imgur.com/mXHL3QA.png
Paypal proof of payment - http://i.imgur.com/j8tQOVI.png
Checking in September 17, 2014 - http://i.imgur.com/ItQhZ05.png
Inquiry on Halloween 2014 - http://i.imgur.com/Btc7IeU.png
Response on Halloween 2014 to my inquiry - http://i.imgur.com/jCe5y8T.png
Offer to sketch things up that night, Nov 11, 2014 - http://i.imgur.com/JSImwcx.png Last contact from them that year.
Refunds instead of art, leaving community, etc journal on Christmas 2014 - http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6370870/
Offering art instead of refunds June 25, 2015 - http://i.imgur.com/kfd3p1v.png
Telling them I wanted the art instead as per their journal - http://i.imgur.com/D381Bi6.png
Note sent on June 29, 2015 - http://i.imgur.com/thJbatg.png [cut off custom info at bottom of note]
Checked in with them since I saw them posting and doing commissions on Oct 27, 2015 - http://i.imgur.com/szFqbOG.png
I was admittedly short here on Nov 4 2015 due to frustration at seeing them post but not responding to my note - http://i.imgur.com/S82hYoR.png
My final note on Nov 4, 2015 - http://i.imgur.com/OW6Has1.png [blocked out my custom info as I didn't think it necessary to the beware]

EXPLAIN: I commissioned Honesty. back on the 29th of May in 2014. I contacted her asking about a custom base - she had a journal up on her bases account [now abandoned] offering them. Once we'd worked out the details I paid her $36 for them total.

She had a lot of RL issues happen and I was happy to wait. I realized she was not really doing much on her bases account and contacted her on her [then] new account - Sailor.. I didn't get a response initially and contacted her again on Halloween 2014 asking what was going on and for updates. Got a response [you can see in the screencaps above] and I thought everything was worked out. Didn't hear back from her til over a week into November, when she offered to sketch up previews for me to approve. I was happy with that and said as much.

I didn't hear from her again at all that year. On Christmas she posted a journal [listed in proof above] about refunding everyone. I was unhappy since I'd wanted the bases but understood that she'd had a hard time. We got slow updates for a while, with promises of refunds but nothing really being done, up until June.

She made a new journal offering art instead of refunds for those of us who wanted it. I really wanted my art so I contacted her as requested and let her know I'd love to do that instead. I figured she would get on them and it wouldn't be too long a wait. Wrong.

She has taken on many new pieces, continued to work [slowly] on old pieces, but rarely gives updates. I was getting somewhat frustrated and decided to contact her to touch base and see what was up on Oct 27 since I saw she'd been posting owed art and new stuff as well.

My note was read but never responded to, and I saw her continue to post and interact with people on the account. I got somewhat frustrated and sent her a short note requesting a response to my note. She did respond, but indicated she might need to do a refund instead of the work. I responded back letting her know that was fine, but if she was going to refund I'd really prefer it SOON since I've been waiting for almost a year and a half at this point and that is a ridiculous amount of time to be waiting for anything.

At this point I just want to be done - art or money asap so I can mark this as done in my records and stop stressing out over it.

EDIT: I have finally gotten a response, though only after I sent a new note. I've seen her post up repeated new YCH flat priced pieces and auctions and complete personal pieces as well as gift art + a few commissions, but I don't know how much of that is old owed things and how many are new things. I know that she has taken on far too much and is still taking on more work, because of various situations in her life. With that said, I don't think that taking on even more pieces when she's already so far behind is wise - at the very least the older pieces need to be done before the new ones.

I am probably getting a refund she says [as of 2/13/16 when I sent a new note]. She says it may take a while though and will be in payment plans. I'm more than slightly irked by this because I didn't get to pay her in payment plans to order, but it is what it is. I do not consider this resolved and will not until either my art or the money is fully refunded.

EDIT 2: I delayed my response to her for 2 reasons. 1- I needed time to cool off because I was angry. 2- I had some things going on elsewhere. I sent my response to her on 3-3-16 and apologized for the lateness. You can see that here - https://gyazo.com/52a50045a15b08d379c0f54b51c07966 and then noted her again on the 6th when I checked and she'd read it, posted journals and other things, and not responded. You can see that here - https://gyazo.com/e77ff4cfa2fb8b7df3c130ba042e279e . I feel I was fairly neutral, though I am admittedly growing impatient because I just want my money or my art, or at the very least a better estimate than the very vague 'it might be a bit' in the notes. I don't mind if the money isn't right away, but then I saw her taking commissions for spotify premium, which bothered me as I feel a refund should take priority to luxuries of that sort. I have also left a shout on her main page today asking her to please respond to my notes. Both have been read, she's been active places, and I'd really just like this to be resolved. You can see that both have been read here - https://gyazo.com/52a50045a15b08d379c0f54b51c07966

EDIT 3: I left a shout on her page on I want to say the 12th of March. It's been deleted [should have screencapped, my bad] but I did get another response. I proposed swapping the base, as it was a large commission, for a single full body piece since the amount was the same [within the range listed for them, anyway] and after my shout she responded asking me not to leave shouts. I pointed out that's been the only way I get timely responses, but dropped it since I was getting communication now. She agreed to the swap to a single full body piece and is supposed to be updating her queue soon with a public list so everyone can see where they are. While I'm still upset, I'm less angry now that I've gotten some responses and have moved forward on at least swapping for something that should be easier for her to complete and is fair with her rates [admittedly the base was priced quite low for the number of things I'd be getting]. If all goes well and she gets her queue down, I may consider commissioning her again in the future should she be willing as I really do enjoy her art style. Still don't consider this resolved, but will come back to let you know once it is.

EDIT 4: I got my finished piece, and it's perfect. I consider this resolved and would recommend people commission her once she's got her queue down a little bit. She's gotten a lot better about communication and I'm pleased with the outcome.