No SC's, Just bad timing

[Kanalah]

I do have a contract it's just a very basic,

(client) requests a quilt made in x size with y pattern and z colors. 50% down payment received on (date). Estimated completion date is (date) at which time remainder of (total) is due before quilt will be shipped.

I always do stuff with email because then I have a paper trail and I can also email photos.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

I do have a contract it's just a very basic,

(client) requests a quilt made in x size with y pattern and z colors. 50% down payment received on (date). Estimated completion date is (date) at which time remainder of (total) is due before quilt will be shipped.

I always do stuff with email because then I have a paper trail and I can also email photos.

A couple things to make sure that you have in there (and try to put all of this into one e-mail sent to them as soon as they agree to quoted price):

Total cost of the project. Mention that by paying the down payment, client is agreeing that the down-payment is non-refundable and that full payment will be received within 7 (or however many you would like) days within notice of completion of the project. If client is unable to come up with the rest of the payment, it is up to the client to get in contact with you, you should not have to chase them down. Also make sure to give a deadline as to when the quilt becomes "abandoned" and you can sell it, unless they get in contact with you and arrange some method of payment.

The most important thing is really to mention that by paying the down-payment they are agreeing to terms you lay out to protect yourself, your art, and your wallet.

[Kanalah]

Will do.

Thank you for the help. My custom orders have been through the roof lately and I usually just make quilts to fill my show booth.

[Merriweather]

I'll add my two cents as well. I agree with everyone else - don't refund. If you state the deposit is non-refundable in your ad, in the contract, and when talking about the project, then keep it that way. Nowadays, everything is public, no transaction is private - I can just see the person you refund the deposit to posting on Facebook about it - maybe crowing about getting one over on you, or maybe genuinely saying how nice you are to accomodate their financial problems. Either way, word gets around, new customers expect deposits to be refundable no matter what it states, and when they change their minds and want their money back, they can then say you did it for others, why not them? That is NOT a place you want to be.

Also, you're still out the materials & time you've put into it. Sure, you may be able to sell it to someone else, but there's no guarantee you'll find someone who wants that pattern in that colour - that's the drawback of custom orders, they may not be to everyone's taste. And even if you can sell it, eventually, you've still lost out on other orders you could have been working on at the time you were working on an order that you didn't get full payment for.

As others have said, be sure non-refundable is focused on at the beginning, make sure there's a clear date when the item reverts to you (30 days past due date or some such), and stick to your guns across the board. You'll have a better reputation in the long run doing that, than if you "sometimes" let rules slide.

[Seshat]

Kanalah,

I agree with everyone else. It's not YOUR responsibility to deal with THEIR poor financial management skills.

Why have I not purchased nearly as many luxuries from our assorted crafters as I'd like to? Because I don't have enough emergency money stashed away. Common sense. (Which, yes, is far too uncommon.)

It's NOT your responsibility to be THEIR emergency money fund. You've SPENT that deposit - on materials, on administrative effort, on sewing effort, on depreciation. The other half of the payment is supposed to be your family's income.

If you refund the deposit, you're out the money you've spent on the commission: taking money out of your family's pocket.

Handmade work is a luxury good. Custom handmade work is even more so. Don't commission it if you can't afford it. And as a crafter, don't give up on the fact that you're producing a luxury good; and it's the responsibility of the purchaser to make sure they can afford it.



BTW: let folks here see the pics of the quilts that are up for sale. Some of us will fall in love with them - and some will be able to afford them.

[spark]

As somebody who works exactly the same way (non-refundable down payment, rest due on completion, etc.) I agree with the above! Absolutely do not refund. Just refuse, flat out. Most of them will take it without a peep, they know they're being assholes by dropping their side of this agreement. In my experience customers in this situation usually evaporate, never to be heard from again.

The ones that don't: if they're dicks about it, screw 'em, you have a contract, you're covered. Especially if you've done the work! Hell, I've kept a deposit from a guy who wanted a refund two days after he paid, when I hadn't done anything other than place a fabric order, and I still turned him down. It's not even fine print, it's right there, he agreed to it, and I'm not going to let somebody take advantage of me.

If they're polite about it, I will offer to make it right one way or another, by sending them something similar to the value of their deposit, or by sending them supplies if I haven't done the work yet, or arrange a long payment plan, or *something*, because I do understand that money stuff happens, but just refunding and ending up stuck with custom crap I can't sell is not something I can afford to do, nor is it something I *should* do.

[dalesys]

The only way I would even consider a refund would be if:

1) They were a close personal friend (not even family necessarily meets this qualification)

AND!

2) I knew for an absolute fact that they were living on ramen for every meal ... and splurging was getting a packet with flavoring.

[K'Z'K]

Everyone should look at Kana's latest blog post. The first and last quilts are for me, and they're awesome. She just finished the baby quilt, and you can see the aardvark one (which will be a wall hanging) is in progress. Which I didn't know until I looked at the blog, since Kana gives substantial updates, not every little thing. The baby quilt was scheduled for late September, the aardvark has no real deadline. Happy surprise on both fronts.

Unlike that small number of problem customers, I budgeted appropriately, and will be sending the check for the remainder of the cost tomorrow. It will not bounce. I kinda feel like I'm ripping Kana off though. Her prices are definitely the low end of reasonable.

Give the non-payers a deadline, then offer the quilts up to anyone--at full price--if they don't pay. Even the friendliest of transactions is still business.

Now I just gotta find my checkbook....

[RealUnimportant]

I don't understand why you're worried about people not getting in touch; you've let them know everything, if they stay silent after your request for final payment then assume they've bolted/died/forgotten about the order and sell it on.

The fact you've had so many similar sob stories sounds suspicious... (try saying that 5 times fast!) We know you attract the crazy, I wonder if someone hasn't tried orchestrating this to put you in a bind.

You're not "keeping" their money. The money is long gone, spent in the creation of the quilts they contracted to buy. The fact they now feel unable to complete their part of the deal is not your fault, you've done what was asked of you and there's no reason you should have to foot that bill, especially if it's something with a large degree of personalisation that restricts its resale potential.

TL;DR - Umpteenthed!

[morgana]

TL;DR - Umpteenthed!

Okay, I confess. I giggled at this.

[Kanalah]

K'Z'K

I am having a ball with the aardvark! It's been just a ton of fun and I'm actually thinking of doing some other animals just for the heck of it.

RU: Yeah, that's the thing that bothers me. Just getting a sob story and nothing else. Normally I get a sob story and they want a discount, or they're grateful and happy that I offer an alternative. But just to hear "I'm broke, sorry!" and from 12 different people is just weird.

I've had people email with: "I really love this $500 quilt, but I only have $100 and I really really want it!" When I offer them a payment plan I never hear back - but that's when I know they were just looking for discounts.

Edit: The dinosaur one that I posted pics of in the blog is/was a custom order.

[MamaMootz]

I just clicked over to your blog and your work is just beautiful. Definitely don't refund any deposits, like the other posters have said - you can sell any quilt premade in a heartbeat to someone else.

[BeeMused]

Wow that dino quilt is so cute! The elephants are really awesome, didn't some old biddy tell you you can't quilt elephants?
And I think your prizes are way too low for the great quilts you make! You are making something that will last a lifetime and more.

[Gizmo]

For the gazillionth time: Do Not Refund.

The upfront fee is for materials etc so has already been spent. If they want to cancel or not pay on time the funds are forfeit.

[Sunshine]

Millionthed on the no refunding and omg those are some awesome quilts!!!!!!!!!