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MermaidAvalon
05-24-2013, 05:26 PM
So I don't know if you remember me, But I was told I was going to receive a refund April 28 or April 29 the latest. I never received a refund and I kept bugging her, and I got no reply. Yesterday May 23 she emailed me saying "Due to a descision I made on whats best and considering that I am catching up. I am no longer offering anymore refunds. You will be reciving a tail. Within the next few weeks." I fucking hate this bitch.:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad ::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: I already saved up for a new tail, and got one from MermaidRUS. I WANT my refund.

AniaR
05-24-2013, 05:35 PM
I'm sorry, I know quite a few of us were surprised at that decision.

MermaidAvalon
05-24-2013, 05:42 PM
Why is she doing this to me? You know her right?

River
05-24-2013, 06:10 PM
She sounds really awful. I would never order a tail from someone like that. I'll make sure to tell all of my friends not to buy from her. Well I'll tell my ONE friend who wants to be a mermaid lol. I hope you get your refund. No one deserves this horrid customer service. I was looking at some of the fishbutts reviews on youtube, and some girl had hair in her tail!!!!! Hair! And animal hair. !! That's really gross.

AniaR
05-24-2013, 06:36 PM
Why is she doing this to me? You know her right?
I don't know her personally, just through FB and she seems like a lovely person who has gone through some shit. People assume I defend all her business choices (when I haven't anywhere), because I disapproved of non-customers harassing her as if they were disgruntled customers. But I don't defend her choices, I am left confused and concerned just like everyone else. I just don't like shoddy manipulation etc. Two separate things. I don't think she's doing this to just you, I think it's many customers right now. Maybe she feels like she's finally caught up and can get tails out? I don't know. My friend Oceana will have been waiting a year since she paid next month I believe!

Shit happens in life, and I think Iona made some good points when she recently highlighted how fishbutts has handled all this crap compared to other tail makers. But at the end of the day I do disagree with this choice and worry about what it'll do for her company reputation etc. Not sure if there's any coming back from this. I hope she's able to meet customer expectations both for her own sake and the sake of her customers.


She sounds really awful. I would never order a tail from someone like that. I'll make sure to tell all of my friends not to buy from her. Well I'll tell my ONE friend who wants to be a mermaid lol. I hope you get your refund. No one deserves this horrid customer service. I was looking at some of the fishbutts reviews on youtube, and some girl had hair in her tail!!!!! Hair! And animal hair. !! That's really gross.

It's kinda a little off when people join and their very first post is something like this. Not accusing you of anything, just suggesting you maybe go introduce yourself in the introduction thread. The mods have deleted a few accounts of people who recently joined and made 1 post bashing a tail maker or mermaid having found that their IPs matched banned members, or they were obviously trying to portray someone they weren't (like the person who made a fake account to pretend to be mermaid Kylee). We're a great community, so much more than venting about a tail maker, so hopefully you'll find some other interesting threads too and tell us a bit about yourself.

In regards to hair in tails, happens all the time with silicone and latex tails. Pretty impossible to avoid if you have an animal in your home because the curing material and the cured material is so sticky. I don't own pets and I still have dog hair stuck on one of my tails from an indoor party I did months ago with a dog :p just saying.

River
05-24-2013, 06:46 PM
I didn't join just to troll on Fishbutts :P. I don't think I'll make a introduction until I actually get a tail though. I normally don't comment because I don't have any experiences in mermaiding... But this Fishbutts thing really irritates me.

AniaR
05-24-2013, 07:11 PM
lots of people on here don't have tails yet :)

MermaidAvalon
05-24-2013, 07:12 PM
She doesn't seem so lovely to me... I keep hearing all this "Well this happened" "Someone died in her family" "Well.." And that's all well and good for the first few weeks. Then it starts sounding like excuses, then I stop caring completely Plus it doesn't help I am not the most patience person, or the nicest person. If only I knew where she lived then I could go there and get answers right away! Instead of her cowardliness of not responding for weeks/months. I really want my refund, I think I deserve a refund. I hate all of this! I just graduated from high school, I'm suppose to be happy, but I can't stop thinking of all the shit shes put me through.

Mermaid Momo
05-24-2013, 07:41 PM
I think you should report her to the better business bureau (I think that's what it's called), I believe it makes her business score or grade go down or something (I honestly have no idea what reporting a business actually does but I know that by now, usually any other business would have been reported many times over! I think our community is just really reluctant to report related businesses for some reason until it goes too far)

AniaR
05-24-2013, 08:16 PM
Yeah it's really the only thing you can do. Sorry :(

MermaidAvalon
05-24-2013, 09:00 PM
I believe my mother and I have reported her or something... and they sent her something. Saying she needs to give us our refund or something. I'm not sure what we did my mother is the one trying to handle this. My mom thinks this is way just for Stevi just to put us off for a couple more months and not deal with us, and she does not want that to happen doesn't want that to happen. My mom is going to contact BBB tomorrow about it. I wonder who else has asked for a refund and has yet to get one... It doesn't seem like many though. I feel they would comment here as well, to voice their frustrations as well.

NerineArcticMermaid
05-24-2013, 09:25 PM
I think you should report her to the better business bureau (I think that's what it's called), I believe it makes her business score or grade go down or something (I honestly have no idea what reporting a business actually does but I know that by now, usually any other business would have been reported many times over! I think our community is just really reluctant to report related businesses for some reason until it goes too far)Reporting to the BBB only work if the company is a member of the BBB.

AniaR
05-24-2013, 09:54 PM
A few people commented on the FB page

Fifi Tigg
05-24-2013, 10:29 PM
Yes I am also waiting for a refund and I'm sure there are many other mers without tails still waiting! Very sad

Mermaid Momo
05-24-2013, 10:38 PM
A few people commented on the FB page
Did they delete them? Because I don't see any. Maybe it's just that I'm on mobile?

MermaidAvalon
05-24-2013, 11:13 PM
Man she probably deleted them... Wish I had read them.

Winged Mermaid
05-24-2013, 11:37 PM
I've posted before about different things you can do legally several times before. Reporting to BBB, try to get a refund via paypal your bank or your credit card company, making a report with police, sending a demand letter letting her know you will take her to claims court if she does not respond to that letter, ect. Unfortunately I have no other solutions for you :( I don't think you need to be part of the BBB to be reported, becuase I seem to remember Mermagica had an F rating with them.

I thought her posting meant that the would no longer offer any FURTHER refunds, not that she would deny refunds she already promised! I saw several people politely mention their refunds that were previously promised or asked for months ago on FB post and the comments were removed. That's so so bad. That's really shooting herself in the foot. There are people who are close to a year in wait time for their tails :( It was especially discouraging, especially for waiting customers, to see that she took the time to make a new fluke mold for new orders when these people still do not have their tails.

I know she went through a lot last year, but I've seen more than a few people say this is very "Adam Martyn" behavior D: With several people who have no tail and no refund with months and months gone by, I can't help but agree. At this point I'm fighting with the idea of putting up an advisory notice on the company. I mean no product and no refund is by definition scamming or stealing. It just depends on how many people have no tail and no refund and how long they've waited, and if this gets resolved soon.

Blondie
05-25-2013, 02:12 AM
I agree with Iona. I frowned very sadly when I saw that fluke. I remember last year when I was waiting for my tail, she had crafted her first entire silicone tail from scratch faster then it took to make my tail. I didn't want to think she put herself before her customers. Because she is a nice person overall. But... Still, the thought haunted me. When I saw the new fluke I just felt terrible for the current customers. I truly hope justice comes in some form for you all.

blenny
05-25-2013, 02:56 AM
Yeah fish butts wanted to be the cheapest and highest quality for the money, but in the end you always get what u...

If it sounds to good to be true it probably is. I have a small business, and when the sh@t hits the fan, i gotta be able to jump in and make it seem seamless, but i consider myself a professional. I got all kinds of financial weight and family problems, but i would never let my clientele know or they would just run for the hills and i would lose my house etc.

It looks like Fishbutts might lose their Toyota scion and studio apt over this.

9 out of 10 businesses fail, sell yourself so short, shorter than minimum wage, then watch yourself not wanna wake up for work each day.

Winged Mermaid
05-25-2013, 03:00 AM
It looks like Fishbutts might lose their Toyota scion and studio apt over this.

Hope it doesn't get so far as to losing personal affects. :( Though something I didn't know till recently.. if you're an LLC (Limited Liability Company) if something happens like that your personal affects are can't be touched. Always good to know.

blenny
05-25-2013, 03:25 AM
Just cuz someone dies doesn't give u a license to steal money, if you can't deliver then have some integrity and give your customers back their money. LLC protection is only for a catastrophic financial issue. Not because you lost all your customers money at a casino. These forums are about tailmakers reviews, if a a tail maker cant deliver than an advisory should be put out. If not here than who else would put out an advisory. Mermaid Parties/ Fishbutts started their whole business in these forums, but if they cant handle orders and forums regulars, then a warning should go out. Running a forums is alot of work, especially when u wanna just go home and just relax, I can testify to that. But I would ban fishbutts until they prove themselves a responsible enterprise.

Winged Mermaid
05-25-2013, 08:25 AM
I was just throwing it out there as something I learned because I didn't know what LLC entailed before. It wasn't meant to be related to the conversation about Fishbutts, just generally an FYI. I don't think Fishbutts is an LLC anyhow. You don't have to insult Stevi, implying she gambled all the money away either, to get your point across. The point is that there are people with no tails and no refunds. The "how" is irrelevant at this point.

I said I was considering an advisory. I need to know more information first. If people who have not received tail nor refund, and have waited a month over the allotted time given for tail or refund, want to PM or email me at mernetwork@gmail.com so I can get numbers it will help me get more complete information.

AniaR
05-25-2013, 03:36 PM
I know Raven and Stevi have been talking because the fluke was modelled off of Raven's design. Raven's not upset, just disappointed. She always tells people she wont copy others when they ask to make a tail just like so and so or a fluke just like so and so. Though all that being said, the person receiving that tail while both a friend and helper to Stevi, has been waiting just as long as everyone else. So I don't think she was bumped ahead of the line, but it makes it look bad from all ends.

The whole situation makes me feel gross. I feel bad for the customers, I feel bad for Stevi, and I feel bad for Iona and I because we both have vouched for her in the past and pointed out the positives in her track record etc. I have no problems with Stevi as a person, and since I'm not a customer I have no problems as a customer. But as someone very vocal in the community, someone that many mers come to for help and advice on tails etc, I just feel really awful.

Mermaid Dottie
05-25-2013, 05:16 PM
I'm with you on that, Raina. I care about Stevi as a person, but I can't defend her anymore. I'm really disappointed in her actions, and feel achey for all of her customers when I see stuff like this. I don't even talk to her anymore, because I'm upset with her. I also tell people that I meet, "My tail is from FishButts, but I wouldn't order from them right now, if I were you. She's been messing up a lot lately."

ShyMer
05-26-2013, 01:04 AM
Where does she show the new fluke? I don't see it on her Facebook page.

Winged Mermaid
05-26-2013, 01:15 AM
I know Raven and Stevi have been talking because the fluke was modelled off of Raven's design. Raven's not upset, just disappointed. She always tells people she wont copy others when they ask to make a tail just like so and so or a fluke just like so and so. Though all that being said, the person receiving that tail while both a friend and helper to Stevi, has been waiting just as long as everyone else. So I don't think she was bumped ahead of the line, but it makes it look bad from all ends.

I didn't realize just how much it looked like Raven's fluke until I saw the finished tail. I've seen 4 (all of them offical or unofficial tailmakers) people copy Raven's fluke designs in the past few months. Seesh.

11418
(source (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=605003396191650&set=a.430872480271410.101448.252125924812734&type=1&relevant_count=1))

Don't get me wrong, I'm super happy for Lanai getting her tail and I think Lanai is a lovely person. But here are people who have been waiting 6-11 months for their tails and still don't have them. :(

MerEmma
05-26-2013, 01:25 AM
Wow, Lanai's tail does look really great!

I don't know about the copying...it is DEFINITELY similar, but I personally before even joining the network had drawn up flukes like that before. It's a very popular fluke design for sure, as far as how much we all like it goes. I don't have much else to add to the conversation besides that. I'm not trying to take sides, but that's just personally how I see it. I hope she gets back on top of things.

Winged Mermaid
05-26-2013, 01:44 AM
I wouldn't say much abut the look of it being the same normally. There's that whole "privileged information" thing going on here- it goes back to Raina's post of "I know Raven and Stevi have been talking because the fluke was modelled off of Raven's design." that I'm not sure I'm able to clarify further without breaking confidence.
Honestly that info aside they look so different I wouldn't notice. So yeah, I agree with you on that. What I said about the other customers still waiting is what really bugs me about it :(

Prince Calypso
05-26-2013, 02:05 AM
You know as one of her first costumers, I really want to continue rooting for Stevi. She is despite all this a very sweet person from what i've gather when we message each other on occasion but all this Bullshit popping up makes it impossible to defend her as a tail maker.
this is shady business work at its worst and i am very disappointed in her.
all the arguments made are valid and people should have every right to be angry.
If she couldn't offer all the refunds to people who have been waiting for tails like she promised then she shouldn't have even made the offer in the first place.
if she couldn't keep up with the amount of orders she was getting she should have only taken a certain amount and not taken any money unless she was sure she could come through with the tails.
I am sorry to say it may be a long while before i buy another tail from fish butts if ever again

Blondie
05-26-2013, 02:26 AM
I don't think the flukes look super similar. I think Raven has a VERY generic "mermaid" fluke for her professional tails. There's nothing "special" about that fluke. It's a plain and simple fluke. It's almost like saying all ball gown style gowns are stolen because it was once one original dress. I don't know if that's a good analogy or not. It's not like she took her angler fin, you know? That fluke is VERY specific looking and unique.

But I agree with you 100% Calypso. I wasn't one of her "first" customers, but I was definitely and early one. I love my tail. And I even considered graduating to a silicone tail by her one day. But... Now I don't think I would... I just fear where my money goes. When you work SO hard to save up for a tail and then it just gets kicked to the curb... It breaks my heart to see what has happened to Fish Butts. I still root for Stevi in the way that she needs to get stuff together and start remembering to care about her customers. I truly miss the old Fish Butts, back in the first latex and Mermaid Parties days. She wiped out tails in incredible speeds and kept in AWESOME contact with her customers. I am however SUPER pleased to hear she's hired someone to help her. That will make a worlds difference I hope.

AniaR
05-26-2013, 11:31 AM
I don't think the flukes look super similar. I think Raven has a VERY generic "mermaid" fluke for her professional tails. There's nothing "special" about that fluke. It's a plain and simple fluke. It's almost like saying all ball gown style gowns are stolen because it was once one original dress. I don't know if that's a good analogy or not. It's not like she took her angler fin, you know? That fluke is VERY specific looking and unique.

I'm not suggesting they look similar. I'm saying I know it was intentional because the two women addressed it already. Stevi went right to Raven after she posted it. We all know there are only so many designs you can come up with, but it was intentionally done and Raven was simply disappointed. There's lots of ways to take inspiration from someone else and still make it your own. And I think that was a poor decision on Stevi's part, not just cuz Raven's my friend, but because Stevi's already got so much going against her already.

I'm happy Lanai got her tail, I think I remember she got one but there were issues and she had to send it back and she's been waiting a really long time. But yeah, I don't think Stevi should post all these new designs until she's sent out all the belated tails. I've had a few people email me about how they've been waiting for nearly a year. I think it makes all of us who have tried to support her look bad, and like Blondie I'm rooting for her to pull herself up out of this mess and hopefully come out better.... but the chances of that seem to keep getting smaller and smaller :(

Mermaid Varshana
05-26-2013, 11:50 AM
Thank god I found this community. I originally joined to make an informed decision on my first tail - since you can't possibly do so just off of going to the website or reading a couple reviews. You learn so much more when random people consistently talk a bunch of shit or sing the highest praises about a company. I would NEVER have known half of what I know now.

Ariel-Starfish
05-26-2013, 12:23 PM
Thank god I found this community. I originally joined to make an informed decision on my first tail - since you can't possibly do so just off of going to the website or reading a couple reviews. You learn so much more when random people consistently talk a bunch of shit or sing the highest praises about a company. I would NEVER have known half of what I know now.


Exacly! If I haven't joined this comunnity, i would sit here with a crappy half silicone Mertailor tail with wrong mesurments, and alot of my money gone :/

Mermaid Varshana
05-26-2013, 12:31 PM
Exacly! If I haven't joined this comunnity, i would sit here with a crappy half silicone Mertailor tail with wrong mesurments, and alot of my money gone :/
*GASP* Me too! :hug:

Oh, and don't forget the part about waiting 3 months past the promised delivery date...

Phoenix Mermaid
05-26-2013, 12:37 PM
Thats the same reason I joined. I had originally planned to buy a Fish Butts. Because of fund raising it took almost a year and I had all that time to watch Fish Butts as a company on fb. Let me say I am glad I decided against it and to go with another tail maker.

Ariel-Starfish
05-26-2013, 12:57 PM
*GASP* Me too! :hug:

Oh, and don't forget the part about waiting 3 months past the promised delivery date...

YUP :cool: :hug:

Blondie
05-26-2013, 10:27 PM
I'm not suggesting they look similar. I'm saying I know it was intentional because the two women addressed it already. Stevi went right to Raven after she posted it. We all know there are only so many designs you can come up with, but it was intentionally done and Raven was simply disappointed. There's lots of ways to take inspiration from someone else and still make it your own. And I think that was a poor decision on Stevi's part, not just cuz Raven's my friend, but because Stevi's already got so much going against her already.

I'm happy Lanai got her tail, I think I remember she got one but there were issues and she had to send it back and she's been waiting a really long time. But yeah, I don't think Stevi should post all these new designs until she's sent out all the belated tails. I've had a few people email me about how they've been waiting for nearly a year. I think it makes all of us who have tried to support her look bad, and like Blondie I'm rooting for her to pull herself up out of this mess and hopefully come out better.... but the chances of that seem to keep getting smaller and smaller :(

Oooh she actually went right to Raven? I didn't know that. What happened there? Anyone want to explain? Like what words were exchanged?

AniaR
05-27-2013, 05:41 PM
Stevi just told Raven she hoped she wasn't mad, because a customer requested it. And Raven told her she wasn't mad, just disappointed.

I mean, at the end of the day, I wouldn't look at this tail and think, hey that's a merbellas knock off. There's just been so much drama with people intentionally using someone else's design, that I think it's the last thing Fish Butts needed on their list of things not going so well.

Mermaid Marissa
05-29-2013, 05:52 PM
I'm actually not sure how to feel about her tails anymore. When she was still with Mermaid Parties she got back to me after every email. Now that she started Fish Butts I don't get any responses from her or who ever Rose is. My heart goes out to her through all of the stuff she's been through but I was talking to one of the Mystic Mermaids who got one of the full silicone tails and she said both that they got started peeling and damaged a month into getting them and of course I bought my tail already!:headdesk: On the bright side I'm glad that these tails are a stepping stone tail for me and my business but I am disappointed.

She also mentioned that you could see the neoprene underneath.... do full silicone tails normally have neoprene in them?!?!

AniaR
05-29-2013, 05:57 PM
I see a lot of tail makers get caught in the trap of communication. people try to out do each other so they promise you'll always get a swift reply, your product will be perfect, no, we wont be like those other tail makers etc, but then everyone seems to end up there even when they try really hard not to. I hope people can learn from the situation, as well as others. Everyone thinks they can do it better, or that it's so easy, and go around bragging that until life actually throws them some curb balls and it's not so easy after all. That's why prevention is key, and setting up things from the start. People get annoyed at the wait times for merbellas, but then they also get annoyed when she won't take on more orders. They don't seem to get that one directly affects the other. Just an example.

I think the full silicone tails are just silicone, while the partial are silicone over neoprin. I'm not sure it's neoprene.

Mermaid Avalon
05-30-2013, 03:28 PM
yes---- very glad for this community and the honest reviews....I was going to purchase one in january...I'd still be waiting!

Ashe
05-30-2013, 11:00 PM
I honestly don't really want to be part of this drama, but on the FishButts website it says that a partial silicone tail is a thick base of neoprene with a thin silicone layer, and that a full silicone tail is a thin base of neoprene with thick silicone on top. Thats confusing to me because wouldn't they technically both be partial silicone tails??

AniaR
05-30-2013, 11:28 PM
I don't think it's drama, you're just asking a question. But I don't know the answer, and you're right it's confusing >.> I'm not sure what she's even offering right now to be honest.

Mermaid-Rose
06-01-2013, 08:27 PM
I ordered a tail from Fish Butts for Christmas. I have waited six months with a promise of a refund, and even though I asked for one a LONG TIME AGO, she has not answered my emails for two months. She completely ignores them. I also saw a review on YouTube. The tail was horrible. There were dog hairs EMBEDDED in the silicone and there were missing patches of scales. When she emailed FishButts about it, they told her to buy some silicone and fix it herself. I hate FishButts. Worst tail making company EVER.

Meridian Mer-Gyver
06-03-2013, 01:10 PM
I ordered my tail, finally got it and after one show (no swimming involved) it began falling apart. It was unfinished, the paint I requested was not done and the silicone did not cure long enough. Now the fluke is disintegrating, soon I will have holes. When I asked for help she original told me she would refund me half of the cost, which by the way I was charged over $1000 for a tail she sells for $500, now I am ignored, blocked, and she refuses to refund or fix my tail. I have spent countless hours and my own money to repair and finish a tail, I will never recommend Fishbutts. I don't want other people to get taken advantage of.

Mermaid Harmony
06-14-2013, 10:03 PM
Meridian, can you post a review with pictures of what your talking about?

Merrow Fair Isle
06-16-2013, 11:34 PM
While reporting her to the better business bureau will only work if her business is registered , you can as a consumer report ANY business to the state attorneys office in the state from which the operate from if the business practices are shady. Just write a letter detailing the situation. If enough people are ticked off about it, and write to the state attorneys office, they will send a letter notifying that complaints have been maid and an investigation is pending... I had to do that with my wedding photographer. It was a year after my wedding and we had NO images...come to find out several other couples went through the same thing. The business was NOT registered with the BBB...but a lawayer friend on a wedding forum suggested we all write. It worked. i had my images...unedited, just a disc of raw files...but it was SOMETHING.

I am not saying this is definitely the way to go ... not at all. But for so many folks waiting for tails and a refusal to refund money , it is an OPTION should you chose to pursue it. Technically speaking, she is in breech of contract by not delivering the tails within the time promised. Legally she is obligated to refund the money provided you have documentation of completed payment, and documentation of estimated delivery. While it might say " estimated time of delivery" , it is legally expected that even if going beyond the time frame provided, the additional production/delivery time should be within an acceptable amount of time. TRIPLING, and in some cases QUADRUPLING the amount of time is not, in most legal situations, considered reasonable.

I wish you ALL luck in this whatever the choice.

Winged Mermaid
07-12-2013, 03:08 PM
So it's been over a year for some people who still haven't recieved their tails. Meanwhile, Traci Hines has a tail finished by them from their NEW line that was announced not even a month ago.

12464


I can't stand by and watch this any longer. I'm going to have to put up an advisory on them on the forum and tailmaker page.

Mermaid-Rose
07-12-2013, 03:17 PM
So it's been over a year for some people who still haven't recieved their tails. Meanwhile, Traci Hines has a tail finished by them from their NEW line that was announced not even a month ago.

12464


I can't stand by and watch this any longer. I'm going to have to put up an advisory on them on the forum and tailmaker page.
Yes, please do. I don't want any more mers to have to wait so long to get their tail. I have tried emailing her, messaging her on Facebook, and commenting on her wall, but she blocked me. She is completely ignoring me. I asked her nicely every time, but she wouldn't respond. I have been waiting since November for my tail and I know others have waited longer. She should focus on getting the late tails out to her customers instead of starting even more new things.

MerEmma
07-12-2013, 03:17 PM
Yeah, that REALLY sucks. =\ Good idea on the advisory...I wish she'd get it all sorted out.

Also, that design is pretty unique for Traci, isn't it? All her tails thus far have been Ariel, correct?

Mermaid Varshana
07-12-2013, 03:54 PM
I have tried emailing her, messaging her on Facebook, and commenting on her wall, but she blocked me. She is completely ignoring me.

:jawdrop:

Winged Mermaid
07-12-2013, 04:03 PM
Advisory has been posted on the forum and stickied and linked to on the tailmaker page.

AniaR
07-12-2013, 06:30 PM
ugh I can't believe this. I hadn't checked the forum yet today but I just saw our mutual friend's post on Fishbutt's page, waiting for two tails, for over a year, but Traci Hines is getting one? :( :(

I was really hoping Stevi would pull herself up out of this, but it's just unacceptable. I know Fifi didn't get her tail for her daughter either, or the refund.

You know, for the record, I haven't agreed with any of these choices or defended FisbButt's Actions, I only (almost 7 months ago), relayed the information I knew and pointed out the harassment I saw and tried to make it very clear even then that I didn't agree with her choices. Some people here have been emailing me hoping I have some sort of line to Stevi, or I can advocate on their behalf- and I totally can't. I have no clue what's up. And I have no other suggestions other than what's being said here. So I'm really sorry so many of you have been going through this. I did have some people email me wondering if they should buy and I told them my honest thoughts and they bought anyway. :/ and now they're stuck like everyone else.

Tail making is becoming such a lucrative business, but I truly don't think half the people who get in on it are ready for the work it is, the expectation levels, or even have a hand on their materials well. So many start selling right away without properly testing and they don't give clients a good understanding of how reliable their product is. Nobody seems to plan for shortages accept the rare few who have experienced them (in terms of getting materials).

I was really hoping Stevi could pull herself out of this, I mean, Eric eventually did and he's much better for it... but it just seems like things are going down. I totally agree with the warning.

Mermaid Varshana
07-12-2013, 06:39 PM
I actually think the problem isn't too many getting into it, but not enough. There are so few reputable tailmakers that who's there gets buried under too much work. There are so few reputable tailmakers that when you ask "Who made your tail?" only about 5 people are expected as possibilities to be mentioned. There are so few reputable tailmakers that many mers can tell at a glance who made it ;)

SeaGlass Siren
07-12-2013, 10:08 PM
Advisory has been posted on the forum and stickied and linked to on the tailmaker page.
Off topic: oh my god your signature!! Eep! It's to pretty! I cant stop staring!!


on topic: I was wondering why traci was able to get her tail :| agree with the stickie

AniaR
07-13-2013, 12:10 AM
In the last 6 months, we've seen a record amount of new tail makers. You can't just count the ultra silicone ones. When I bought my mertailor mermaid tail, it was buy from him, foxmoon (fabric), mermadfx (now closed), or mer-rentals. That was it.

Now we have:
Mertailor
Merbellas
Mermaid Creations Inc
Shell Tail Labs
Aqua Tails
Emily Angel Fish
Mermagica
Fish Butts
FinFun
Apple Jack
Pixy Tails
Foxmoon
Moo (the Asian Tail maker)
3 fins
The 2 tails
Tails 4 u
Magictail
FlipTails
Merberry
mermaid rentals
Mermaids R us
To A degree: Mahina's Monofins and tights
Mermaid Island Tours
Mermaid Kat's tails
Miami Beach Mermaids
Otter Bay Suits
Earth Song Designs
Shadow Fancy
URA Mermaid
High Star Studios
Sea Star Studios
Pacific Mermaid Tails
Victoria's Tails
Fintastic Tails
Grow a Tail
Fin Folk Mermaid Tails
Mernation
Coloured-Dreams
Rebecca has a fabric tail making company too, I just can't remember it off the top of my head and I am SURE I am missing people/companies.

I've also found many artists on deviantART who take commissions on both latex and fabric tails. Not to mention some pro-mermaids occasionally make tails for other (Kariel, Dana etc) and there are a few members here like Kanti and Lorelei who will eventually have their own tail making companies too. So yeah, I think the tail making world has exploded. ESPECIALLY when you consider some people actually make fake tail making websites to scam money.

Consider it took Eric a lifetime to get where he is, same with Thom, and it took Merbellas years of experimenting before they decided to make tails for the public, when so many other tail makers come out of nowhere and are touting how they'll run their business before they've even made a tail and in some cases, some hadn't even swam in tails before launching their business.

deepblue
07-13-2013, 12:33 AM
So- with all these makers, I imagine cost still hasn't gone down, because the price of materials hasn't?

That is quite a list.

AniaR
07-13-2013, 11:29 AM
well, some of the lesser-charging companies have low-cost materials, but you get what you pay for. Caulking doesn't hold up. Paint on fabric or neoprene fades very quickly, home-made monofins snap...

I do think part of the problem is people not having the best understanding or expectations around what they're buying. That's why I keep updating the "what to expect with your first mermaid tail" thread. Even platinum silicone tails aren't indestructible.

But yeah, you get what you pay for. It doesn't take much for people to look up the materials and see how expensive they are. Though, I remember Stevi saying she got a bunch of stuff wholesale...

deepblue
07-13-2013, 11:49 AM
Makes sense. And as we've seen with this, companies who aren't making a decent product or fulfilling orders- word gets around. People gave this company a lot of chances.

Incidentally, I believe in researching first and buying quality. It's one reason I don't have a tail yet. I feel bad for everyone losing their money on this company, thank you mers for the advisory.

BlueMermaid
08-28-2013, 07:47 PM
Go here if you have no received a tail or refund: http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?6088-Refund-or-Tail-by-December-1-or-I-m-going-to-report-to-the-police&p=88470#post88470

Meridian Mer-Gyver
09-01-2013, 03:34 PM
I am not the admin of this page, it was started yesterday and I totally support and back it! If you have been burned, ripped off, or left out to dry then join this group and lets make voice a pod of voice to be heard! Ps. You can also report their page as a scam, if a company is continuing to take money from its clients and NOT delivering on any promises, then it is a SCAM and its ILLEGAL

https://www.facebook.com/phishphanny