ADVICE: Defective Product Sent - Artist Wants us to Cover Shipping

[UrbanCoyote]

My friend commissioned a plush for me as a gift, and we got it today. I opened it, and the entire stomach seam was not sewn shut.

We asked the artist about fixing it, and it looks like they want us to cover shipping, which is around $20 each way. We're apprehensive to pay the shipping (the plush cost in the hundreds as is), since the it was sent to us defective.

We're not sure what to do, and hope to get advice here. We really don't want to be on the hook for an additional $40. :(

Thank you kindly for your advice.

[Eden]

Howdy!

Here's your twitter thread where we boosted this post.  

[Leongon]

Since the defect in the product is not something that would cause harm there's no liability issue, so we are talking just about low or unreliable quality product/maker and the best you can do in this case is take the L, write an artist beware entry on them for refusing to take responsibility for their error and never work with them again. And look for someone in your circles that can handle thread and needle and ask them to help you fix it.😁

[baja]

I see the onus being on the plush-maker for the repairs if the product was sent to you without all the seams sewn properly.

While it was a gift to you, I'd suggest your friend look over any terms they agreed to with this plush maker to see if there are any clauses in their TOS that they could utilize to facilitate the discussion of repairs further. While keeping this strictly in the realm of suggestions/advice, I am assuming your friend was the one tho took the lead in getting this gift created for you.

It's fully up to your friend if they wish to move forward with making a cautionary post of any sort if there's no happy resolution with the product being repaired.