*sigh*
Here we go again. Let's take a quick look at post counts and join dates, for starters:
Nerf: 4 - Nov 2012
hasenscharte: 57 - May 2012
How very, very pompous. Who cares when they joined? Who cares how many posts they have? I'm on this board EVERY day, and have been (give or take), since 2007. Yet I didn't join the forum until 2009 and I barely have 200 posts. Does that mean that I'm not entitled to your respect? Does that mean that when I have a reasonable concern, I should feel reluctant to ask the board for help, because I don't have the cred?
If I ever decide again to do a run of anything, my listing would include: "Realize you are buying a unique work of art and craftsmanship that is both time-consuming and detailed. Also realize this is a hobby and not my job. As such, you accept the risk that timetables may fluctuate wildly and firm deadlines may not be met. If at any time before I commit actual resources to materials or labor on your commission you wish to pull out, your wish will be honored. Once I've started, though, you are committed. Because this piece cannot easily be acquired through other means, you accept that risk".
It sounds like I should be thrilled that you'll accept my money! This isn't an exchange between a seller and a buyer, it's a merciful gift from you to me!
Wrong.
Your disclaimer above is solid, but it sure has an attitude of "I'll get to it when I get to it." It should include something along the lines of "I'll try my best to meet agreed-upon deadlines, but in the event that I'm unable to follow through on MY projected timetable, every effort will be made to inform the purchaser and/or respond to emails/PMs in a timely manner."
We all want our costumes to be perfect. And we want them to be done when we want (for this convention or that troop or this Halloween, etc.). But a couple things I have come to realize in several years in this hobby:
1) your ability to impose a deadline on completing a costume is directly proportional to your ability to do it yourself, and inversely proportional to how much you rely on others to fabricate parts for you. Once you go down the path of DIFM, you better be willing to invest patience.
2) More and more people who used to have fun supporting the community are getting closer and closer to throwing in the towel as it becomes less about "community" and more about "get me my ****". When runs were small and you knew each other better, stuff got done and everyone was happy. The more it becomes a buyer/seller marketplace, the more problems ensue. And I feel for anyone trying to service the demand for this stuff, as the idea of limited runs seems to only upset people and encourage hobbyists to overcommit to keep the throngs happy. Tough spot to be in.
It's not about a breakdown in the community. New vendors are popping up left and right.
Reasonable expectations are just that...reasonable. The OP has been waiting about 10 months, and he's sent 5 PMs? I don't see ANYthing in there that has an attitude of "get me my ****." The VAST majority of the time, these kind of threads are a LAST resort on the part of the poster. It seems that way in this situation, also.
So, before you come into my community and even obliquely start to badmouth or impune someone who helped FOUND this community and make it what it is (e.g. Seeker's Feb 2002 join date and 4300+ posts), know what you are talking about. Know who these people actually are and what they've done for the community in the past. Know that as much as you have commitments and obligations, so do they. Trust me, they aren't taking your money to finance their vacations on the French Riviera. They are serving the community because they want to and they have a valued skill and feel some sense of fulfillment in helping others become a part of it.
*rant off*
It's
OUR community. Not yours, or those members with a join date of 2002 and a post count of 4300+.
And there have been several so-called founders of this site who have been dismissed (some well-deserved, some not so much). Nerf neither badmouthed nor impuned Seeker. I'm sure that Seeker will come through (I'm positive, in fact), but I also can't blame Nerf in any way, shape or form for asking the board for input, after several attempts (and quite a bit of patience).
I've said it before, but it needs repeating...
Vendors: THANK YOU for providing your services to this community (in exchange for tax-free cash). Your work, time and craftmanship is appreciated! You are also only as good as your last sale. That's not entirely fair, but that is the nature of capitalism. No one is expecting instantaneous turnaround times (I loooove it when members remind other members that "this isn't Walmart"). Every vendor, anywhere, knows this, and life happens, yes, but like everything, a little communication goes a long way. For example, the OP (to whom your post is directed) stated that he's put himself on a list for a helmet where the agreed-upon delivery time might stretch into YEARS. That's crazy to me, but since both buyer and seller have agreed to an extended delivery time, everyone is fine with it. That delivery time was set to protect the seller from harrassment or badmouthing, and to inform the buyer as to the possible wait time. Definitely not a conventional ETA, but all parties know what to expect.
The formula goes like this:
(Seller/Buyer) Make a deal.
(Seller) Name a price.
(Seller) Set a date.
(Seller) Get paid.
(Seller) Start work.
(Seller) Meet deadline (if not, shoot - or respond to - a PM/email/IM/phone call/text).
(Seller) Ship product.
(Buyer) Sing seller's praises to all who will listen.
You know who knew this like the back of his hand?
Our friend and an absolute pillar in this community, Asok.