Frustrating Experience - Grounds for Beware?

[Manzanar]

I've actually only ever had to request a refund from an artist maybe once or twice in my nearly 15 years of commissioning artists online. This particular time has been.. incredibly frustrating to me, not only because I was the one who had to continuously ask for updates and when I finally received a refund it was a partial one and the artist mentioned their TOS when giving it, saying I was getting more than I normally would. The comment in question was: "This is your refund for an overdue commission. It is the full refund, which is half more than my Terms of Service clearly states I will refund."  This lead into a short apology and them telling me to have a nice day.

 

Firstly, I had originally paid them $25 ($20 for comm, $5 for tip) and they refunded me $20 (I got back $19.12 because there was a fee?). I do not remember seeing a TOS when I commissioned them, however I had done so in June of 2018 and they refunded me 4/7/2019 so the Invoice on Paypal is no longer available. The artist does not have the TOS listed on the main page of their Deviantart, where I commissioned them, but in a journal about 20 journals down from their current one. There was no TOS listed on the journal or YCH DA post that I'd actually commissioned them from. Here are a few things that it states that are relevant to this particular post:

 

"• Commission will be completed within 3 weeks-8 weeks (I put this here to make sure there is enough time to complete the piece, but Ive never taken quite this long on a commission- assuming I'm not having any technical difficulties with my equipment)"

• Do not rush the artist. Your commission will be completed within 8 weeks, at the absolute latest. If the artist is being rushed she will reject the commission. A rejection in a commission will result in a 50% refund. 

• Refunds are no longer an option. Unless ridiculous and unforeseen circumstances are to occer, no refunds will be issued. Refunds are of the Artists decision.

 

I'd commissioned them in June of 2018 and asked for an update in October, then a refund in November. This was after there was a journal posted to their DA in August about losing their computer and internet and then one in October about them selling their drawing tablet (which is why I sent the email for an update and decided upon a refund due to them not having a way to get art to me?). There was another journal posted later in December about an emergency they'd had where they REQUESTED people who wanted refunds to email them, which I had already done.

 

I am not that angry that I only got a partial refund, as it was only 5 dollars. I am more frustrated that I had to ask them a couple of times for updates on my refund and got only excuses as to why they couldn't give it to me, one of the latest being that someone who was 'impatient and rash' had been given priority. I'd been nothing but civil to them but after that -I- was the one who became impatient and a bit short, though I was never rude. 

 

I'm asking for advice on whether I should post a beware with all of the screenshots and info I have from the transaction, if only to warn others of their TOS (which I am regretful I did not see before I'd commissioned them) or of their practices in general. It is technically resolved since I will not be pursuing it further, but I do not want others having the same experience that I did. 

 

(BTW I am brand new to this website so please forgive me if this is too long or without necessary info or anything)

[Eden]

Howdy!

This is not a question the community at large is equipped to answer.  This is something best left to members of the Queue Mod team only when your beware is submitted with all of the supporting information we require.  If it feels like a valid case, we will approve your post.  If not we will send you a rejection notice.  If you have further questions feel free to contact one (1) Moderator from our Staff page.