I'm not ready to name and shame anybody at this stage but I'm getting a little antsy.
Saw a user on the forums with a nice art thread. Several completed orders, happy customers, turnarounds were about a week for the lower-priced stuff. I messaged them on site and after talking over details we agreed on a slightly bigger piece. They wanted half up front, half on completion. Awesome. Sent the first half of the payment out the same day.
Because I was asking for something on the upper end of what they were offering I'm aware that I can expect a longer wait than people who bought less complicated pieces. I was told I'd be sent a loose initial sketch to review, cool, made the assumption that that meant I could expect at least that part within a similar timeframe to their other sketch work.
Two weeks go by, they're definitely still logging in because their dragons are always fed. But two weeks is nothing so I don't message again.
A month goes by. Still haven't even received a PM from them. I send a message to see if there's been any progress on that initial sketch at all.
It's now been a little over that one-month mark and their dragons have not been fed in days. I don't want to be a bother to someone who has stuff happening IRL but I kind of feel ghosted by this artist.
I've got until the 6 month marker to issue a chargeback on Paypal since I did send as Goods & Services. But I don't know when it's appropriate to do and I'm wondering if anyone else has gone through this and how they navigated it, because it's a first for me.
My personal philosophy and recommendation at this point would be to send them another message, very clear: "Hello, I initially commissioned you on X date and sent Y amount up front as payment. I haven't yet received a sketch or any response after reaching out for updates on X date(s). Please touch base with me as soon as you're able or I will need to reach out to PayPal to dispute my payment. If I don't hear back before X date (up to you, I would recommended 2 weeks but longer if you're feeling generous) I will begin this process."
IMO it's one thing if you had already received a sketch, or if the artist had been responsive/let you know your comm was delayed. but radio silence like that is concerning and you shouldn't feel bad thinking about trying to get a refund
+1 to everything this anon said. Personally I also think you would be justified in contacting this artist offsite, via email or other social media. Somewhat sounds like they stopped checking FR.
Completely agree, this is what I'd do. They can't take your money and then totally fail to communicate and if they really did have some serious IRL shit go down then a charge back is probably low on their list of concerns.
Thank you for the advice. I've sent them another PM and if they don't answer in another two weeks I guess I'll be filing a chargeback. Really hope it doesn't come to that but I don't actually have any other way to reach out to them because they don't have any social media listed that I could try to get a hold of them through.
I think I like that! Part of the reason this is so hard for me to navigate is that I do commissions, myself, and the concept of ghosting someone is surreal to me because I immediately flipped it around like "well what would make ME do this to someone?" and then I got weird about doing a chargeback on someone who might be going through it.
OP of this thread btw, I won my chargeback today. Seller literally never responded and has not actually logged back into the game since the day we discussed my commission.
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How long do you wait before a chargeback?
(Anonymous) 2025-02-06 05:12 pm (UTC)(link)Saw a user on the forums with a nice art thread. Several completed orders, happy customers, turnarounds were about a week for the lower-priced stuff. I messaged them on site and after talking over details we agreed on a slightly bigger piece. They wanted half up front, half on completion. Awesome. Sent the first half of the payment out the same day.
Because I was asking for something on the upper end of what they were offering I'm aware that I can expect a longer wait than people who bought less complicated pieces. I was told I'd be sent a loose initial sketch to review, cool, made the assumption that that meant I could expect at least that part within a similar timeframe to their other sketch work.
Two weeks go by, they're definitely still logging in because their dragons are always fed. But two weeks is nothing so I don't message again.
A month goes by. Still haven't even received a PM from them. I send a message to see if there's been any progress on that initial sketch at all.
It's now been a little over that one-month mark and their dragons have not been fed in days. I don't want to be a bother to someone who has stuff happening IRL but I kind of feel ghosted by this artist.
I've got until the 6 month marker to issue a chargeback on Paypal since I did send as Goods & Services. But I don't know when it's appropriate to do and I'm wondering if anyone else has gone through this and how they navigated it, because it's a first for me.
Re: How long do you wait before a chargeback?
(Anonymous) 2025-02-06 05:56 pm (UTC)(link)IMO it's one thing if you had already received a sketch, or if the artist had been responsive/let you know your comm was delayed. but radio silence like that is concerning and you shouldn't feel bad thinking about trying to get a refund
Re: How long do you wait before a chargeback?
(Anonymous) 2025-02-06 06:52 pm (UTC)(link)Re: How long do you wait before a chargeback?
(Anonymous) 2025-02-07 06:17 am (UTC)(link)Re: How long do you wait before a chargeback?
(Anonymous) 2025-02-07 02:55 pm (UTC)(link)Thank you for the advice. I've sent them another PM and if they don't answer in another two weeks I guess I'll be filing a chargeback. Really hope it doesn't come to that but I don't actually have any other way to reach out to them because they don't have any social media listed that I could try to get a hold of them through.
Re: How long do you wait before a chargeback?
(Anonymous) 2025-02-07 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)I work in thirds.
I take the first third up front and work on the thumbnails/sketches. Client picks the one they like the best.
I then work on the lines, and send them to the client for approval. Once they approve, I take another third.
Once the colors/flats are done, I send them in for approval, then take the final payment, and then do the shading (if paid for.)
At that point, if the client wants to add a tip, they can- or pay extra for extra changes/details added etc.
Keeps communication open between me and the client and puts the onus on both of us to keep in touch.
Re: How long do you wait before a chargeback?
(Anonymous) 2025-02-07 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)I think I like that! Part of the reason this is so hard for me to navigate is that I do commissions, myself, and the concept of ghosting someone is surreal to me because I immediately flipped it around like "well what would make ME do this to someone?" and then I got weird about doing a chargeback on someone who might be going through it.
I might steal that thirds process.
Re: How long do you wait before a chargeback?
(Anonymous) 2025-03-16 01:05 am (UTC)(link)