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Buyer Beware: Lakrust
Posted 7 years agoAlright, I'm really sad that it had to come to this, but here we are. I sincerely apologize for the poor formatting.
If you want to see this formatted much more nicely, check out this Google Doc version of it.
Back in June 2017,
Lakrust, an artist that I had worked with before posted a neat deal where you could pay a flat price for a sort of "art subscription" where you would receive one or two pieces of art a month for a flat price of $250, $350, or $500 in order to help them save up for a new computer to make art on. I loved her work and so I spent some time saving money just to be able to afford the $350 pack. By the middle of the month, I had saved enough and placed my order.
The original art offer on her FA page
And a screenshot, in case that gets removed
Right off the bat, she was cordial and messaged me here on FA to ask for what characters I wanted my first arts of and to get some references. I got them sent out a few days later and my slot was secured - in the next couple of weeks, I should receive a progress sketch and by the end of a month or two I should get my first pieces of art.
That was the last I heard from Lakrust for the rest of the month.
Come July, I decided to reach out to her on FA to get an update. She was happy to provide me her Discord username so we could get in touch, and claimed she had been busy with some other orders - no big deal! I totally understand having a busy schedule! And so, I accepted and we began talking on Discord.
Checking in on FA
Unfortunately, she again went silent. We began talking on Discord on July 24th. I did not hear from her again until August 19th.
2+ weeks of silence
Okay, fine, whatever. It takes me a couple days to reply due to some busy time at work, but we touch base again, and I give her some more details on the character I want art of.
My second time sending her references at this point
And then, just when I thought we were getting back on track... She goes silent again for a week. I finally hear back from her again on September 18th, now 3 months after my original order. She has internet troubles. Again she is gone, and I don't hear from her until October 12th, now 4 months after my order, when she FINALLY brings the first draft sketch of the first of twelve pieces she owes me.
Finally a sketch
It was during this time that I first tried to get in contact with Paypal for a dispute, because it was starting to get to me that I had seen literally nothing of the art I had purchased. The dispute made its way to Lakrust, apparently, because it seemed to be the reason she got in contact with me.
Responding to the dispute
I thought the Paypal dispute was exactly what I needed to give her a gentle kick in the butt to get to work on my art, and sure enough things began to turn around. I got the one sprite she had been working on shortly thereafter, then another icon a week or two after (after a tiny delay.)
Finished sprite
But then, after the icon, she again went silent for a month. I poked her once on Furaffinity in this time, but with the holidays here in the US (Thanksgiving and, later, Christmas) I fell a bit out of touch too. I finally heard back from her in December, offering me a Christmas themed art for my next piece. Awesome!
Christmas themed art
But, sadly, that art never came. Christmas was here and gone, and after returning from a vacation overseas, I got in contact with her on January 5th. And then again on the 13th. And so, again, I submit a message via Paypal too her, saying I was about ready to open up another dispute if I didn't get the art or a refund from her. At this point, it was 7 months since I paid for the art (which was meant to be 4 pieces of art every two months, so about 6 months total.)
As I hoped, it got her attention, but really just brought more excuses. But hey, at least she was okay with potentially giving me a refund for the unfinished pieces.
The last straw
And so, as requested, I messaged her on Furaffinity, requesting the refund since at this point I was beyond tired of waiting.
As requested
And, wouldn't you know it? I haven't heard from her since. The message was sent a month ago now. We are now coming up on 8, almost 9 months since I originally ordered and I have only received 2 pieces (and even those were only after a lot of hair pulling.)
And so, with only radio silence from Lakrust, I contacted Paypal. Unfortunately, due to our previous dispute being marked positively as "Resolved," they refused my request to open a new one. I attempted to contact support directly throughout January, but I only got automated responses. Today, I tried to talk to my bank about it, but they told me that because it was more than 60 days since the purchase, there was nothing they can do.
So here I am, $350 poorer, with only two small pieces of art to show for it, out of a promised 12. I tried to be apologetic and understanding, but at this point, 8 months later, I can no longer do so. I can only hope that this warning will protect others from a similar predicament.
Buyer Beware: I paid Lakrust $350 and only got 2/12 of the art pieces I was promised. What started as a pleasant experience soon turned into me being ignored by someone I had sent a large amount of money to, and neither Paypal nor my bank could help me recover the funds.
If you want to see this formatted much more nicely, check out this Google Doc version of it.
Back in June 2017,
Lakrust, an artist that I had worked with before posted a neat deal where you could pay a flat price for a sort of "art subscription" where you would receive one or two pieces of art a month for a flat price of $250, $350, or $500 in order to help them save up for a new computer to make art on. I loved her work and so I spent some time saving money just to be able to afford the $350 pack. By the middle of the month, I had saved enough and placed my order.The original art offer on her FA page
And a screenshot, in case that gets removed
Right off the bat, she was cordial and messaged me here on FA to ask for what characters I wanted my first arts of and to get some references. I got them sent out a few days later and my slot was secured - in the next couple of weeks, I should receive a progress sketch and by the end of a month or two I should get my first pieces of art.
That was the last I heard from Lakrust for the rest of the month.
Come July, I decided to reach out to her on FA to get an update. She was happy to provide me her Discord username so we could get in touch, and claimed she had been busy with some other orders - no big deal! I totally understand having a busy schedule! And so, I accepted and we began talking on Discord.
Checking in on FA
Unfortunately, she again went silent. We began talking on Discord on July 24th. I did not hear from her again until August 19th.
2+ weeks of silence
Okay, fine, whatever. It takes me a couple days to reply due to some busy time at work, but we touch base again, and I give her some more details on the character I want art of.
My second time sending her references at this point
And then, just when I thought we were getting back on track... She goes silent again for a week. I finally hear back from her again on September 18th, now 3 months after my original order. She has internet troubles. Again she is gone, and I don't hear from her until October 12th, now 4 months after my order, when she FINALLY brings the first draft sketch of the first of twelve pieces she owes me.
Finally a sketch
It was during this time that I first tried to get in contact with Paypal for a dispute, because it was starting to get to me that I had seen literally nothing of the art I had purchased. The dispute made its way to Lakrust, apparently, because it seemed to be the reason she got in contact with me.
Responding to the dispute
I thought the Paypal dispute was exactly what I needed to give her a gentle kick in the butt to get to work on my art, and sure enough things began to turn around. I got the one sprite she had been working on shortly thereafter, then another icon a week or two after (after a tiny delay.)
Finished sprite
But then, after the icon, she again went silent for a month. I poked her once on Furaffinity in this time, but with the holidays here in the US (Thanksgiving and, later, Christmas) I fell a bit out of touch too. I finally heard back from her in December, offering me a Christmas themed art for my next piece. Awesome!
Christmas themed art
But, sadly, that art never came. Christmas was here and gone, and after returning from a vacation overseas, I got in contact with her on January 5th. And then again on the 13th. And so, again, I submit a message via Paypal too her, saying I was about ready to open up another dispute if I didn't get the art or a refund from her. At this point, it was 7 months since I paid for the art (which was meant to be 4 pieces of art every two months, so about 6 months total.)
As I hoped, it got her attention, but really just brought more excuses. But hey, at least she was okay with potentially giving me a refund for the unfinished pieces.
The last straw
And so, as requested, I messaged her on Furaffinity, requesting the refund since at this point I was beyond tired of waiting.
As requested
And, wouldn't you know it? I haven't heard from her since. The message was sent a month ago now. We are now coming up on 8, almost 9 months since I originally ordered and I have only received 2 pieces (and even those were only after a lot of hair pulling.)
And so, with only radio silence from Lakrust, I contacted Paypal. Unfortunately, due to our previous dispute being marked positively as "Resolved," they refused my request to open a new one. I attempted to contact support directly throughout January, but I only got automated responses. Today, I tried to talk to my bank about it, but they told me that because it was more than 60 days since the purchase, there was nothing they can do.
So here I am, $350 poorer, with only two small pieces of art to show for it, out of a promised 12. I tried to be apologetic and understanding, but at this point, 8 months later, I can no longer do so. I can only hope that this warning will protect others from a similar predicament.
Buyer Beware: I paid
Lakrust $350 and only got 2/12 of the art pieces I was promised. What started as a pleasant experience soon turned into me being ignored by someone I had sent a large amount of money to, and neither Paypal nor my bank could help me recover the funds.Toyhou.se Codes
Posted 8 years agoHey dudes~
I just realized I'm sitting on, like, 8 Toyhou.se codes.
Anyone want one? Comment or PM me if you're interested!
I just realized I'm sitting on, like, 8 Toyhou.se codes.
Anyone want one? Comment or PM me if you're interested!
Sorry for the image spam~ :P
Posted 8 years agoCatching up on a decent number of adopts and characters I forgot to upload here! Sorry for notification spam to anyone watching me.
Book Recommendations?
Posted 9 years agoSitting on a couple Audible credits on the account the girlfriend and I share. Anyone have any good books they want to recommend? We like just about everything, though I personally am a big fantasy/sci-fi (though definitely prefer fantasy) nerd.
