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https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/992520.html Time: 2018-04-21 08:47 Subject: Buyer beware: lemonbrat Text: Time: 2018-03-31 05:44 Subject: Buyer beware : lemonbrat Text: Where:Lemonbrat.com What:digital ref sheet When: 2/2/18- 3/30/18 I commissioned lemonbrat to make a ref sheet of a character that was supposed to only take two weeks max. Original contact was a little slow as expected, but he was friendly, and we exchanged several emails with me detailing what i wanted, and him giving me the price, and his paypal. Once i payed him i never heard from hom again about its progress, even after i sent 4 different emails, from two email accounts he never responded. I waited a full month, twice the agreed apon dead line before i went to paypal issuing a charge back, with an paypal message directly too him urging a response. Between the ten day deadline paypal gave him, i finally got a response on my email, with no mention of the chargeback issued, and him giving a baseline ref sheet that looked like a scrap character with minor changes, and was still nothing like what i asked. It was three completely different colors, had horns, and spikes I didn’t ask for, and the color pattern i wanted was nonexistent. I replied saying as much, and never hear from him again, not even after the paypal deadline was up, and i was refunded the money by paypal not him. http://imgur.com/a/iykouR8

Situation: I ordered a custom suit from Lemonbrat in late 2018. With the understanding that the suit would be paid off 3 months prior to July, as I needed to suit to be finished and shipped in time for Eurofurence (leaving 12 August 2019). The terms of service changed somewhere in Febuary or March when I actually paid off the suit. Initial Deposit: https://images2.imgbox.com/3f/d1/LIZAfgSE_o.jpg Final Payment: https://images2.imgbox.com/89/8c/s9pQ3s2C_o.png Assurances on Finish Time: https://images2.imgbox.com/2a/50/9gHwLCC3_o.png They changed the refund policy from (cost of materials and labour will be taken from refund, and at our descretion) to (no payments are refundable) They changed there creation time from 2-3 months after complete payment, to 3-4 months for people who pay upfront. They also changed the deposit terms. I can't remember what the original percentage was, but it changed to 100% payment before construction. The person dealing with my suit told me that I was bound to the old TOS since I paid off the suit before the changes were made. From the time of being paid off I have had nothing but issues. Communication was extremely bad right from the start. I had to go out of my way to contact them every week or two to get any information. The suit was supposed to have started construction 3 months prior to July, and didn't start construction until the last few days of June. Giving them around 30 days to start a suit, a suit I had assumed they had already started. That was a shock. Image: Re-confirming a July finish: https://images2.imgbox.com/b9/d3/qhIVTi77_o.jpg I didn't recieve any progress update images until mid-july, the date the suit was supposed to ship. twice after that, I got assurances the suit would be finished and shipped by the 'end of the week', twice I was told this, and twice the deadline was missed, making three missed deadlines. My fursuit head was made into a mouse head, it had to be completely redone. My tail was made short and curly, and I was told that it was exactly the same as my reference image. When I pointed out that it wasnt - and therefore not what I asked for, they said, "Oh, but this is right for your suit - trust us." I pressed again, that it was not what I asked for an they eventually redid it. To my horror, they had made it supersized to the point that it would need carried. Even though I asked them to keep it long and skinny, and anotomically correct. Several extras have been added to the suit (against my wishes) to try and compensate me because they realised they messed up. They added airbrushing, they're bumping up the shipping to Express International, and now they made a oversized tail (something I didn't pay for or want) They're completely designing the suit they way the *think* it should look and not what I asked for, and its more than just a "style" thing. Tail (first attempt) https://images2.imgbox.com/90/17/Pa3F9l6Q_o.jpg Tail (second attempt) https://images2.imgbox.com/84/2c/iYrvQ5KF_o.jpg Fursuit references: https://images2.imgbox.com/e1/13/sFGrxjpO_o.jpg https://images2.imgbox.com/5c/b1/GSVYWuhI_o.jpg https://images2.imgbox.com/03/ea/izTVbu2S_o.png 1 out of 4 fursuit reference that was sent has not been posted here due to it being NSFW I get the feeling the person dealing with my suit is new. By his own admission, he had to pass on the fursuit head to a head artist to have it completely redone. They also said that a whole team is working on my suit to try and get it done on time, this is not a good sign. I have over 40 emails from Lemonbrat from my back and forths with them since December of 2018. I've uploaded some of those emails but seeing as there are so many, I'm gonna limit what I've uploaded, if anyone needs anything specific will be happy to add it later. Other images: https://images2.imgbox.com/3c/16/AoO5elCV_o.jpg (Tail argument) https://images2.imgbox.com/05/52/5NevIVAT_o.jpg (Tail argument) Other proof: Update: They've sent pictures of the suit. Update: 08.03.19 The suit has been repaired, and is now en route to the client. The email confirming shipping is being withheld to protect the client's privacy. Update: 08.09.19 Hi there, quick update. The suit arrived, with the ears fixed. Not sure how they did it, as I assumed they weren't going to. The suit is snug and fits neatly, and although I am excited and happy to have it there were a few issues: Minor Issues: - No care instructions -No instructions on how to fit cushions into the digigrade legs properly or how to put on. (a lot of trial and error to get it right) Serious Issues: -The suit arrived with fur stuck in the zipper, and the zip had been driven over and beyond the jam (I managed to fix it with some gentle tugging to release the fur from the middle of the zip but it was really worrying) -The zip is extremely tempromental and sticks. It requires two people to suit up and out. Almost got stuck inside trying it on (wanted to make sure it fit because of the issues previous) -The tail is detachable, and attaches with a belt loop on the rear of the suit. (this is something that kind of gripes me as it breaks the magic, but there's not much I can do about it. They claim it was the 'only' way to fix the horrible bulge they had on the rear of the suit, and it's still there, it's just less noticeable. Other points -They included the repairs with the cost of fixing there mistakes. I asked them to put the value of the materials only on the customs form for cheaper import fees. They bumped the price up to 600$ I suspect they included the price of used materials for the repairs to their own mistakes, I didn't like this, but I shrugged it off, as I didn't want to argue with them anymore. (A few friends have expressed that they feel the price is a bit hefty but I have no knowledge of these things so please don't take my word as fact here) Overall, I'm happy with the suit, I still have a few gripes about it, and clearly it was a fight to get it "this good" and it's still not perfect. I'm not trying to be a 'nightmare' customer, I just expect professionalism from a "big name" in the fursuit making community. A suit arriving with fur jammed, and run over with a zipper, no care instructions, and no instructions on how to actually use the "large cushions" they provided to pad out the legs is a little sloppy in my oppinoun. And then there's the issues that was listed on my beware previously. I feel they only went so far with there repairs to save their own reputation, had I not made the beware and kept pressure on them to fix the mistakes I don't know what the suit would look like, they initially refused outright to do any further repairs after the head recarve. If they did bump up the price of the material cost, simply for shipping purposes as a payback for all the repairs they did, I find that a little petty. All in all, I've decided not to go to Lemonbrat for anything again, and a lot of people have given me there support on this without asking, saying they won't even buy things from there stalls anymore. I appreciate all the support the AB team and the people who read my posts and twitter have given me. And if you chose not support Lemonbrat, that is your choice, but I wouldn't blame you. All the best, Camaro.