My worst experience so far + Advices for both buyers and sellers

[renflowergrapx]

Hello guys! Well, after almost 5 years i got today the worst experience so far.

I work on three gigs which are different service still related by a common line: the games.
I receive different budget project and i face them with the same energies, from the 5$ projects till the 500+$ projects.

I don’t make any distinction, i treat all equally, i deliver what it is required and i also make suggestion when i feel to say something which might improve the work, by my personal point of view, of course.

Staying years around the same gigs i learned to be quick and have a reasonable turnaround.
Think, Plan, execute. this is the routine.
Some works, we all know, are easier than other, sometimes they are much tricky than expected…that’s it.
When i mistake on something i take my percentage of fault, take a long breath and repair what i can.

but…
This time it was horrible.

A customer asked for a design.
We have been discussing about it, s/he sent references and everything… exactly in this order:

1. Send a reference and say “i want something like this but different”, followed by “i’m sending new reference shortly”
2. Sent something totally different and describe what s/he likes from the reference.
3. we discuss and plan, i try to recap everything ans describe with my words something which in my head describes the reference 2. one things is in common with reference 1 however: layout. (keep this in mind)
4. places the order in day 1st may.
5. I plan the design, i try to understand how to use what s/he sent me and work on the request.
6. Day 3rd i sketch by hand, plan, think
   7.Day 5th, I warn the customer i’m working on the order. (at this point i’m sure of what i’m going to design)
7. Day6th effectively design it. test, redesign, test. send.
8. The customer asks for revisions and start to shout (all caps) “THIS IS UGLY” " i’m disappointed" “YOU WASTED MY TIME” (like if my time doesn’t matter…)
9. i talk to the buyer and try to understand what is wrong. as i did what he requested, i reminded about the reference and the fight began. Buyer is angry, talk rude, with caps, feel offended.
10. I apology for the misunderstanding, i offer to talk and examine what is wrong.

(i didn’t mention that what was requested didn’t work so i upgraded the work and proposed something i felt more appropriate - so i dedicated extra time-, but palette, design style and LAYOUT was 100% in the request. At least LAYOUT was 100%, design style was as I (me and only me) was convinced s/he asked. but it seems it wasn’t right)

12. Buyer send references making me understand s/he exactly wanted X from first reference and again my layout was “ABSOLUTELY UGLY”

13. I ask the buyer not to shout, and stop claiming to be took as a fool “please”. I’m not going to offend and i’m sorry if s/he felt like this. was not my intent. I tried to explain my point, asked KINDLY to stay polite and not offend.

14. b. Explain again kindly that i don’t want to offend and that in the end i would’ve preferred to hear something like “Mmm, I don’t like it” or “it is not what I’m looking for” instead of “UGLY!” So basically the only one offended was me. Anyway…
    “UGLY” “YOU WASTED MY TIME” (his/her time. not mine as well… oh yes, sellers’ time doesn’t count. never).

15. I Offer to listen as i think this was a misunderstanding and offer to work on the new design (but clearly the layout was the same: title on top with icon, art box, descriptive box). But I remind that i can do something very similar (and i really mean it) but i can’t copycat something from someone else.

note: for Artists to copycat something is not even doable… I mean, as an Artist i respect other Artist.

-The Rage Stage!-

15. the seller ask to cancel.
16. I cancel. and i explain in the resolution box that i was not able to understand the task, maybe, and maybe, the customer was not able to understand me, so we didn’t understand each other.
17. Buyer accepts the cancellation swearing back in the resolution box (with always the right words in ALLCAPS) something as:
    SELLER started to work after 7 days (of course saying when s/he placed the order - which is 6 days ago, and 3 days before i started to work on it) and remarked how THE LAYOUT IS UGLY.

Just saying: the layout was the only thing i got right. at this point.
lol.

End of the story.
S/he after wrote me i blown an account of 600$
I replied that i don’t mind, as i prefer to work with people who can trust/respect artists instead.

and then i had to block it.
As i couldn’t believe how rude s/he was.

What really hurts me is that this person still believe i made something bad to him/her.
While i think there was a misunderstanding. It hurts. I feel like disrespected.

---

This is my worst experience so far.

To recap:
I had a misunderstanding.
Even if i was going to recap everything before to proceed, s/he never corrected me
so we were both sure to have everything in mind but we were not.

The only difference are the tones.
The way we spoke.
i tried to be polite, offer a solution.
s/he just offended my work shouting me to do not offend him/her.

Idk, i feel broke for this experience.
I had bad experiences, i had fail sometimes, it happens, we can’t be nice to everyone and we are not unerring, but I never found someone so closes-minded and rude, aggressive, Sorry i mean RUDE, AGGRESSIVE.

My advices are:

Buyers:
Try to be comprensive.
Artist can misunderstand, fail. Try to explain again if it happens and you will find someone really open to meet your point. it is common sense …

Sellers:
Read twice, make loads of questions, even if you feel them to be un-necesary.

Both:
Don’t judge, explain your points and stay polite.
Your time has the same value.

[humanissocial]

I’m so sorry you went through this. To add to your advice, #1 and #2 were huge red flags that this seller was going to be a pain. I would have stopped the relationship right there and cancelled an order if she made one (although it looks like you made her a custom offer).

[renflowergrapx]

I’m so sorry you went through this. To add to your advice, #1 and #2 were huge red flags that this seller was going to be a pain. I would have stopped the relationship right there and cancelled an order if she made one (although it looks like you made her a custom offer).

No i didn’t create a custom offer.

But we spoke logn about the design. I usually dedicate before to start just to avoid this kind of events.

It didn’t work it seems =)

[humanissocial]

No i didn’t create a custom offer.

But we spoke logn about the design. I usually dedicate before to start just to avoid this kind of events.

It didn’t work it seems =)

In that case I would have cancelled the order. I would have asked her not to order, actually, but cancelled if she did so anyway.

#1 and 2 were huge red flags. No one who does those things is a good seller. No one.

[renflowergrapx]

In that case I would have cancelled the order. I would have asked her not to order, actually, but cancelled if she did so anyway.

#1 and 2 were huge red flags. No one who does those things is a good seller. No one.

Thank you. This makes me feel a lil bit stupid but recharged.

I really was trying to understand where i was wrong.

Because i felt like my time has no value in comparison, this pissed me off.

One hug, and thank you for taking the time to read everything!

[humanissocial]

Thank you. This makes me feel a lil bit stupid but recharged.

I really was trying to understand where i was wrong.

Because i felt like my time has no value in comparison, this pissed me off.

One hug, and thank you for taking the time to read everything!

Don’t feel stupid!! Think of this as a learning experience. I’ve had many of those myself. Without them, I wouldn’t have learned how to pick up on warning signs and say no, get the courage to charge more, etc.

And you’re very welcome. I’ve learned a lot about sales from others and it’s helped me so much. It feels good to pass it along.