What to do about Artist Refusing to Ship Badge Due to Being Stuck at Work While Post Office is Open

[sawblade5.livejournal.com]

A few months ago I commissioned an artist to do a badge for me. A very simple name badge on a reusable template in a way. I commissioned the Artist in Early March to be mailed after TFF. The badge was not shipped right after TFF so I asked the artist again and she told me it was now gonna be shipped after FWA. Just days before I was set to go to Wild Nights. I asked the artist again if the badge was ever shipped. She claimed it was shipped April 18th. The problem there was I never got the badge so I asked for a tracking number to see what happened to the badge. She didn't have a tracking number so I am guessing the artist never shipped it or it got lost in the mail. In early May I talked to the artist about this and she promised me to send a replacement copy in the mail and I would get a digital copy because I have not seen how the badge turned out. Finally after some back and forth talking and reminders I finally got a digital copy of my badge in mid-May with the promise and getting my actual badge sent in the mail ASAP. A few more weeks passed and I ask about when will she ship the badge to me. She is now giving me the excuse that she is always at work when the post office is open and does not have a chance to ship the badge. My patience has ran out on this issue and I want the Actual Copy of the badge mailed to me.

So what I paid for it was $10+$5 Shipping. The order is past the 45 day PayPal Dispute Limit so I can't dispute and buyer protection does not cover intangible items. She continues to take comissions as of this moment.

I am not ready to reveal the name of the problem artist as of yet.

So what do I need to do about this issue?

Comments

[everainsley]

This is not a defensible situation. The seller isn't fulfilling their end of the agreement.

You can pick up Priority envelopes in the area where the PO boxes are. This area is open 24/7 so people can pick up at their leisure. Priority mailers are free. You can also have a stack of them (or any Priority mailing materials) mailed right to you, also for free. The only thing special that Priority needs is the label from the post office stating it's Priority, which can be printed at home. Priority is flat rate, so you just follow the steps and pay your postage on their site to get the label.

You can have mail picked up, even Priority, if you live in an area that doesn't have PO boxes in their office. You can print the postage yourself if you don't have a kiosk in the Post Office (as my tiny town in TN didn't). You can also go to retail locations and ship things not just with postal service. Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot will all ship things. There are still UPS Stores around, and other retailers that ship 3rd party to USPS, UPS, FedEx, and so on.

I have lived in a tiny, tiny town. I did a LOT of eBay shipping then, and I never had an issue mailing out anything, even though I -was- working 6 days a week, and at work during most of the hours they were open. My car wasn't entirely reliable, and the post office was not on my way to work.

If all else fails, since this particular "needs to be mailed" is a badge, get a couple dollars worth of stamps from the grocery store, stick it in a padded envelope, and pray. I mailed a jelly scrubber thing to my mom just this week, in a padded envelope, and it was $2.38 for First Class at the kiosk.

There are options, but you have to be willing to use them. If you don't want to, as this artist seems to be, then don't take mail-out commissions. Not the customer's problem if the seller can't fulfill the agreement.

[bourbon. (from livejournal.com)]

"You can pick up Priority envelopes in the area where the PO boxes are."

Not at mine. The Priority envelopes are only accessible in the office when the clerks are in.

Like I said, I am NOT defending them. I'm just saying that I live where USPS's schedule and office is locked during most people's off hours.

[everainsley]

Then you have them mailed to you. Again, they're free. It doesn't matter if you can get there or not, they will give you the packing materials and they will pick them up at your residence (or place of work). The post office not being open isn't a viable excuse, period.