Trying (but failing miserably) to edit out the irrelevancies and cut things down to the essentials:
It seems a customer was not happy with the progress of their order, rather than work out the issue between the two people that can actually come to a resolution/solution She felt the need to blast it on the interweb.
Just how was she supposed to "work out the issue", when you refused to respond to her attempts at communicating with you? Someone who publicly advertises for work, then fails to deliver and refuses to communicate, absolutely should be called out publicly to reduce the likelihood that they will be able to continue to make more money by doing the same thing. Since this didn't happen to you soon enough (you continued to receive "carrots" but never got "the stick"), the incentive appeared to be for you to continue the same behavior. Perhaps it's too late now, but by posting here and elsewhere we're trying to change the incentive from carrot to stick, to give you motivation to change your behavior.
I have had customers who waited longer than anyone. Though upset they had worked with me privately and sorted it out over time like adults, with a chunk of patience along with some understanding on both ends and an appreciation of that patience on my part we reached positive outcomes.
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I also want to ask an important question as I have seen this go on as I go through this repetition of falling behind and catching up. To the small percentage of customers who have cried out and attacked me on the internet saying it was a scam or they were ripped off, as in you paid and will never get your item. What happens when you get it? as some of you have.
I have yet to see verifiable examples of this. Anyone who was promised an item in a certain condition by certain deadline, and did not receive the item on time and as promised but who is now satisfied that the transaction had a "positive outcome" on your end, please post! Also, Mr. Winant, why are you going through "repetition of falling behind and catching up"? It appears that you never learn from your mistakes, since you continue to place yourself in the same undesirable circumstances.
After a short time it seemed that this was more about the attention and less the actual order. Again, I do not understand this method..... if there is in fact an issue, if not through me, go through paypal, your bank, or whatever the proper channel is. There is no "scam" I can really pull here, if you paid money for something and are not ever getting it, there IS a way to get your money back...makes me question what you reallllyyyy want here?
It appears to me that your suggestion to go through "the proper channel" is no longer an option for most of the people whom you have hurt, because you strung them along with lies or unresponsiveness until deadlines for such action passed... a very common scammer tactic. Once the PayPal, credit card, or bank deadline has passed the only "proper channel" remaining is criminal or civil court.
Make no mistake, I am VERY behind on my work, admittingly and...very publicly as it has been stated on this page many times. Oh man do I suck at secretary too! Sometimes I can't justify sitting at the comp and typing (yes I know here I am) when there is work to be done. Wrong or right, that is how I am and probably need people for the rest. I find that the only RIGHT answer to a customers inquiry or concerns is the moment they open their box, not me telling them "it's coming" or "soon" or some other customer service line. Yes, I know...that's not how it's supposed to work but that's how I am wired.
Then you're wired wrong, and you need to change your behavior. That is the main reason why most of us are participating here. A reasonable, responsible person operating a 1-man shop would not continue to take orders to the point of being over 100 orders behind, and to the point of being unable to deliver items by deadlines, yet continue to promise that he would deliver items on time. You should also not be responding with extended diatribes such as this on public forums; you should be responding directly to clients' communications and working on your obligations. When those who complained publicly are satisfied, we'll see their follow-ups.
YES, if I have a professional project deadline for company or studio that will always get bumped ahead of cosplay orders....
This is patently unacceptable. Any business professional should know that orders should be completed in the order they were received, unless "bumping" a priority order ahead will not affect his ability to deliver previously contracted orders on time. If a new customer (regardless of who they are) comes along and requests an order be given priority, and if doing so WILL affect your ability to deliver previous orders by promised deadlines, then you MUST either: A) renegotiate all affected deadlines by two-way communication with prior customers BEFORE accepting the new order, or B) refuse the new order. There simply is no other option if you wish to stay in business and remain respected in your chosen field.
and YES, any actual customer who felt it necessary to attack me online in some kind of twisted attempt to satisfy the issue, attack me PERSONALLY that is - I have put them at the end of the line and told them so. As I say, I am not wal-mart or Denny's..... if you are a ***** to me and cross certain lines, I am not bumping you ahead of the people who have been waiting patiently. I will stand my ground and keep my pride in tact, no matter how bad you try to make it for me...you are last.
This is also patently unacceptable. If you miss a deadline through no fault of the client, regardless of whether or not the client complains (either directly to you, or in some other forum), you MUST apologize and do your best to make amends with the client. If that means an immediate refund of all money you have received, even though the item is 90% finished, then so be it. If your work is as good as you think it is, you will be able to sell the item to someone else. If you take a loss when you eventually sell the item, that should be incentive for you to ensure that you do not repeat the circumstances in the future. Maintaining a successful business is all about respect, something of which you haven't shown us the least bit during your current crisis. You have to give it and earn it to get it.
I am CRAZY behind, by about 100 orders. I want to make everything for everyone but sometimes forget about the whole time thing and factor in other aspects of my hectic life. In the past few years I have bit off WAY more than I can chew as far as work load, If that makes makes me a criminal... see above. Obviously if there are less orders coming in that is more time to do the existing orders....damn me to hell for being in such demand. Or maybe I just charmed and swindled people into buying the things that I make?
YES, getting that far behind does make you a swindler! You repeatedly LIED about your ability to produce and deliver a quality product in a timely fashion, yet continued to accept money to do so. This is known as FRAUD. Get it through your thick skull, your behavior has been criminal and you're extremely lucky that you're not already in prison!
If you fall behind, **** if you look like a doucher, you ARE be a criminal! a "scammer" is the word! I don't think I need to get into this but I have to say that I know this fine gentleman from overseas, does great work. I see he is falling behind as well, and people have jumped to the "Scammer" attacks on him, blows my mind. You ever think that you are not the only one we are making things for? My "reputation" for being a bad boy or whatever is part of my game and the drama is expected every time I go against the grain, even welcomed.....but this guy, my example here is not like me in that area and it disgusts me to see people saying such things about another artist whom I look up to and respect, who has been nothing but a gentleman to myself and his clients.
Sorry, you're mistaken. A "gentleman" would never put himself in the situation you have put yourself in. If your overseas friend has put himself in a similar situation, then he's no gentleman either. It should be evident to you by now that creating a reputation for yourself as a "bad boy" is a bad idea. If the current circumstances aren't bad enough, be assured it can get much worse if you continue to fuel the fire rather than do what it takes to turn the situation around. Be respectful, reply promptly and truthfully to clients who contact you about their orders, give refunds when you can't deliver what you promised when you promised or when a client returns an item as unsatisfactory and asks for one. Take responsibility for your own actions, APOLOGIZE for your mistakes, and even your failures that you believe are not entirely your fault.
What do these people want? These people as is the straight haters, not customers for the most part. Do they want me to take the necessary steps to make this right and catch up on my work? do they want a solution? a positive out come?
It seems that merely "catching up" on your work when so much of it has already missed promised deadlines will not be sufficient to "make this right". IMO it's already too late for you to make things "right". At this time, refunding money would seem to be your best option for anything resembling a positive outcome... if you haven't already spent it all by jetting around the country while you had such a huge backlog of orders to complete.
I see people playing the "he is a drunk" he is always in the bar partying when he should be working, spending all the customers money! ahhh!!! Now, I know it's hard for the average mundane person to grasp but If I am drinking, odds are I am on the clock. It is just as much my job to drink, dance around like a fool, get gropped, make loud noises into a mic, work the crowd, and shoot shots into people's mouths with a water gun as it is for you to do...whatever it is you hate doing at 9am.
Really? And you get paid a good wage for doing that? I call B.S.! Pics and video or it didn't happen! (Including proof that this is a decent paying occupation.) Oh, while we're on the subject, what if anything does this have to do with the main topic of discussion? It sounds to me like you're trying to justify yourself for partying instead of working on clients' items.
I don't expect any of the above to have any actual effect on Mr. Winant's behavior, nor do I expect any reply, least of all a contrite or respectful one. I will be flabbergasted and one of the first to applaud him if I'm wrong and he truly mends his ways, in deed as well as in word.
