Seatan
12-21-2013, 07:01 PM
It seems like the mermaid community is awash with people selling sub-par tails and refusing returns or refunds. Personally, I think this has gone on long enough and it is time to stop saying "well, it was custom and they said no returns and refunds on custom work" and start getting what we paid for.
As someone with much experience in customer service, I want to share a few facts that I feel might be helpful to people new to the mermaid community who are looking to buy tails. Also, as a teacher, I understand the kind of documentation and professional mannerisms you need to have legal ground to stand on when someone does you wrong (or accuses you of doing something wrong), which I will share in the sections about taking action against faulty or late products.
Index:
Approximate Price of Tails
Inferior Products Used by Tailmakers to Lower Production Costs
Important Lesson: Beware the Tailmaker Who Doesn't Charge For Labor
14 Questions to Ask Your Tailmaker BEFORE You Pay
Inferior Vs. The Norm: What IS a Good Tail?
Taking Action Against an Inferior Product
Taking Action Against a Late Product
Approximate Price of Tails
Most important thing to know: You should be VERY suspicious of ANYONE selling tails at or below the cost of making them and do EXTENSIVE research before purchasing.
(Note that this post is in regards to paying someone ELSE to make your tail, not making your own. There are also probably exceptions to the rules about the pricing that I list.the point is that The only time I would trust a tailmaker offering a tail at or below the cost of materials is one who is openly trying to hone their craft. Also, I am only really familiar with the costs of making fabric and silicone tails, so if anyone thinks the price ranges should be different, please let me know.)
Terms Defined
At Cost: What the tail costs to make, just supplies, not including the effort that goes into making it. Be VERY wary of tails sold for below cost of materials--they are probably not made of what is promised.
Average Price: Normal prices seen for these tails. Be wary of low-ball figures.
Prices listed are for adults and include the monofins. They are, of course, approximate, but you should be suspicious of tails that do not fit in these ranges!
Fabric Tail
At Cost: $60-$200
Average Price: $100-$300
The cheapest monofin on sale will probably cost at least $50 and then you have to add in the cost of fabric and, possibly, paint. Lower than this, it is likely the tailmaker is inexperienced. Ask to see examples of other tails they have made (a good idea for ANY tail you buy).
Neoprene Tail
At Cost: $100-$400
Average Price: $150-$600
Neoprene is a thick stretch material. You need a good sewing machine to stitch it, which may go into the cost of a tail. It is also much more expensive than swim fabric, even on sale. If the tail you are looking at is below $100, make sure that the tailmaker is using neoprene and not neoprin, a product with a similar name that will stretch but not spring back to size, making it a poor choice for tails (see list of inferior products below).
Neoprene/Costume Latex
At Cost: $200-$800
Average Price: $400-1000
As mentioned above, neoprene is not cheap, nor is it easy to sew. Good costume latex isn't cheap, either. If they are offering a very low price, make sure that they are not using latex caulking instead of costume latex (see list of inferior products below).
Neoprene/Costume Silicone
At Cost: $500-$1000
Average Price: $600-$2500
Costume/prosthetic grade silicone is expensive and takes much experience to work with effectively. If the price is much lower than this, they may be using silicone caulking or another form of silicone that is not meant for prosthetic use (see list of inferior products below).
Costume Full Silicone
At Cost: $800-$1200
Average Price: $2000-$4000
A lot of people want to know where they can find a Dragonskin tail (brand name prosthetic/costume silicone) for $700. The fact is, you can't--not unless the tailmaker is literally giving it away. Supplies for these tails are usually around $800-$900. If it is lower than that, the tailmaker is basically paying YOU to take their tail.
If you find a tail that costs less than these numbers, BEWARE. It may mean that a) the tailmaker doesn't know what he or she is doing or b) they are using inferior products. Always ask specifically what kind of materials are going into the making of your tail!
Inferior Products Used by Tailmakers to Lower Production Costs:
Neoprin: A material like neoprene, except that once it stretches, it will not spring back into place. You will have to continuously take the tail in, especially if your hips are much larger than your waist. Neoprin costs less than neoprene, and a below average cost tail may use this product.
Latex/Silicone Caulking: This includes the brand name item ALEX, as well as other types of caulking. Caulking is meant for construction work, not for tails. It will keep water out of windowsills, but it is not made for undulating motions beneath the water, nor is it meant for long term contact with human skin. Yes, this is technically a form of latex and silicone (so they are legally free to say it is latex or silicone), but it is NOT costume grade. These tails WILL eventually fall apart--and by that, I do not mean in three years. They will degrade quickly, as caulking's purpose is to create stationary waterproof seals in buildings, not to be used in costuming. This kind of caulking is sometimes used in cosplay items; however, cosplay items are not built to last day after day of wear and are meant for special occassions only, unlike a tail. This product has also not been tested for use against human skin and may cause side effects. If someone is selling a silicone or latex tail at a very low cost, be sure that they are NOT using caulking to sculpt the tail!
Bi-Fins: These are normal scuba fins, not one solid monofin, and while many people swim just fine in them, they do not propel as much as a monofin. Make sure the monofin is ACTUALLY a monofin.
"Fake" Monofins: Self crafted monofins made by tailmakers with no experience in making monofins. We have seen some made out of cardboard, even. Some tailmakers may also specialize in making monofins, but make sure they are willing to stand by the product if they made the monofin themselves.
Important Lesson: Beware the Tailmaker Who Doesn't Charge For Labor
Tails are a craft, and crafts are slow and costly to produce; therefore, if it costs next to nothing, the person is probably not putting much effort into making a good product. Tailmakers are craftsmen and artisans, not factory workers, which means no tail is ever going to be super cheap. Making tails is an art, which means an individual person spends a large amount of his or her personal time to make the tail. No factory in China or India is currently producing them. They are not a mass marketed item and, therefore, no one makes tails for twenty dollars.
Even the smallest craft, like making a simple beaded necklace, usually takes at least an hour, so if a crafter spends $8 on supplies and charges $10/hour for their services, that simple beaded necklace will cost $18 dollars. At WalMart it might cost $3--but that is because WalMart mass produces these goods with low labor costs and using materials bought at MASSIVE wholesale rates or produced at their own material factories.
Also, a note to those who do not craft: Every craft you see probably takes twice the time to make it than you assume. Even when you get really good at churning out product, it still takes time, and good craftsmen pay themselves for their work.
14 Questions to Ask Your Tailmaker BEFORE You Pay
I have seen some merfolk on here who ask these questions refer to themselves are terrible customers or bitches, and I want to make one thing VERY clear: Asking questions such as these does NOT make you a bad customer or a bitch! It makes you an aware and astute buyer. ALL tailmakers should be able to answer the questions below without being offended. If they are offended by you asking these questions, it is probably because their tails are poor quality and they do not want that to come to light! You are paying for a service, and you NEED to be on the same page as the tailmaker so that if they do not give you a good quality product, they cannot say that the product was what you agreed upon. Seriously, if a tailmaker won't answer these questions, don't let them guilt you about it, just get the heck out of dodge! They are probably trying to cheat you!
1. What materials, exactly, are going into my tail? May I please have a full list, including brand name and/or material type?
2.What do you use to piece the tail together? Can you explain to me how you can be sure this method will hold up under frequent stress underwater?
3. If I am careful with the tail and take good care of it, how long will you expect it to last?
4. How does the water drain out of the tail? Have you found this system to be efficient?
5. What kind of monofin is in the tail and what shoe sizes does it cover? Do you find it to be comfortable?
6. Will my tail look like and perform equal to the example tails you have shown me, including quality of paint/scales/fluke/etc? If not, what will the differences be?
7. Will any of the materials you use stretch? If so, how much will it stretch and how will this affect its performance in the long run? (NOTE: All tails will stretch a little, but good tails will not stretch enough to make them unwearable. Therefore, be wary if someone says your tail will NEVER stretch. Good and honest tailmakers know they will stretch a little bit and are not afraid to tell you this!)
8. If I am careful with the tail and take very good care of it, what kind of wear and tear will I see? (NOTE: All tails will wear out, getting scrapes or runs or small holes, so beware the tailmaker who says it will look perfect forever!)
9. What kind of warranty do you offer if my tail is faulty or malfunctioning beyond the normal level of wear and tear stated above?
10. What is the cost of sending my tail to you to be patched up after the normal wear and tear has made it a little scruffy?
11. In what time period will my tail be completed and shipped? If it has not arrived within the allotted time how will I be contacted and what arrangements will be made? If my tail has not been completed within the allotted time, will I have the option to cancel the order? If not, will I have the option of having some of my money refunded or another service given to me to make up for it?
12. Are you willing to sign an agreement stating if six months has passed since the date you stated my tail would be shipped and it has not arrived, that my money will be refunded in full? (NOTE: I realize even the good tailmakers run late, but the fact is that MANY of the bad tailmakers we've seen have slipped in their quality because they took more orders than they could handle; therefore, I believe tailmakers need to be held accountable for the promised time frame and err on the side of caution instead of promising the moon and coming up short.)
13. This is the custom work we agreed to:
Allowing for the fact that my tail is custom made, artistic work and there may be some minor variances in the design due to this, are you willing to sign an agreement stating that if the tail is dramatically different from the intended design that you will allow me to return the tail in exchange for one that does fit the criteria, and that I will receive it in a timely manner (within three months)? Will you also agree that, if this is not possible, you will refund my money in its entirety, including shipping costs since it is not my fault that the tail shipped was faulty?
14. Are you willing to sign an agreement stating that if the tail arrives and does not meet all the criteria above, you will allow me to return the tail in exchange for one that does fit the criteria in a timely manner (within three months) or refund my money in its entirety?
Note that the above questions can be used to draft a contract, something it is ALWAYS good to have when you give someone money--especially when not through a site like Etsy or Ebay, who will back up the seller's claims!
Inferior Versus The Norm: What is a Good Tail?
See Also: What To Expect When Buying Your First Tail (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?4156-What-to-expect-with-your-first-tail)
Before I go into what to do if you receive an inferior product, I want to go over what does and does NOT constitute such a thing.
Your Tail is an Inferior Product If...
[LIST=1]
It is dramatically different to what you were promised, including use of materials not agreed upon, a below par paint job, and poor construction. Your tail should be equal to or better than the examples you were given of the tailmaker's work.
Your tail falls apart in the water, comes apart at the seams, or otherwise rapidly deteriorates. ANY tail should last for five or six swims--if your tail falls apart immediately, you deserve your money back!
Your tail does not match the measurements given. Do not believe the old "well, you must have measured wrong" line. This is a cop out. If the tail is off enough from your measurements to be detrimental to wearing it, then it is a poor product (unless you've dropped or gained a lot of weight).
Your Tail is Normal If...
It starts to get small scratches or fingernail holes.
It starts to stretch some.
The paint dulls a little.
It is very hard to get on because it is so tight (especially silicone).
It is heavy (silicone).
It is buoyant (especially neoprene).
Taking Action Against an Inferior Product
If you have received an inferior product, you NEED to take action. Do not worry about seeming like a bitch or being a "bad customer." It is time the tail industry sought to be more customer friendly. They did not give you what was promised and you deserve your money back, custom or not. Even if they stated "no returns or refunds on custom work," if they provided you with an inferior product then it is NOT your custom work. Custom work is specific, made to the customer's standards, and if you did not receive what was promised, then they have given you someone else's work, not your custom purchase.
1. First thing to do, obviously, is to contact the tailmaker and state what the problem with your tail is and how you would like it resolved (refund, exhange, etc). Screenshot and save all these emails. If they have not responded within a week, begin contacting them every other day. If, within another week, they have not contacted you, begin trying to contact them every single day and come to MerNetwork to post a review on their poor service. If you have not been able to contact them within three weeks, it is time to threaten legal action.
2. If the tailmaker respondsand refuses your terms, then it is time to make note of this on the review section of MerNetwork, including both your email to the tailmaker, their response, and (if available) the contract you made with them. Screen shot these emails, do not cut and paste. You need visual evidence. Save and document ALL communication, and ALWAYS respond to the tailmaker in a professional, unemotional, straight forward manner.
3. If this is not enough, it is time to find all places the tailmaker communicates with the public and make statements on their service. Once again, be TOTALLY professional, unemotional, and straight forward. Say things like: "On January 1st, 2013, I ordered a custom silicone/neoprene tail from Tailbaby Inc, referred to from now on simply as "the tailmaker." The tailmaker took my design and agreed to ship my tail within in six months. Six months later (June 1st 2013), there was no tail. I attempted to contact the tailmaker, who claimed their internet was down and they had been forced to move, and that my tail would be there in three weeks. Four weeks later (July 1st, 2013), my tail arrived. It was not, however, made out of prosthetic silicone and neoprene as promised, but out of caulking and neoprin, two inferior products not suitable for costume tail use. When I attempted to receive a refund or exhange, the tailmaker repeatedly ignored me." And so on and do forth.
This professional detachment and confidence about what is wrong with your tail you up as the "believable" one. After all, you have the straight forward facts. If you get emotional, people will see you as angry and venegful and you may get attacked by the tailmaker's friends and followers. Continue to make these statements regularly, and DON'T get mad, no matter how anyone responds to you! Be the snobby, know it all who WILL get what they want because they paid money for this service and the service was not fulfilled, not the upset victim who thinks they will never get what they want. Like bullies, scam artists choose to prey on those they view as "weak" and are more likely to cave into someone who sounds like they are all business. Most of all, do NOT let the tailmaker turn you into the bad guy! You are not the bad guy!
4. While this is going on, begin to privately threaten legal action. It is VERY important at this point that you come off as professional and knowledgeable, not as angry and upset. That will make your threat MUCH more believable than if you are angry and since, at this point, we are not yet actually taking legal action, you need to make it really believable that you are. If you have told the tailmaker before that you have very little money, state that you have a relative/friend of the family/fellow church goer, etc who is giving you free legal advice BECAUSE you have very little money and they know that paying the tailmaker was such a strain on your budget. Also mention that you will be publicly announcing their poor service on various mermaid blogs, posting images of the poorly made tail on Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, etc, and that that you will be contacting the Better Business Bureau.
5. The next step is to inform the tailmaker that you will be going to the police and contacting the tax offices to make sure they know that the business you registered with them is making faulty promises. Since many people who do crafts do not declare their businesses (sometimes to avoid taxes, but usually because they just aren't business savvy and don't know they should), it is very possible that they are not paying taxes on money they receive from you. Since tails cost so much money, if you sell them regularly they DO need to be declared as part of your income, and you can get in SERIOUS legal trouble if you do not. The Man will come down hard all over them if they do not pay their taxes, so this is another good scare tactic, but one that needs to be done in a professional, confidant manner so that they believe you. (Note that it doesn't really matter whether you do these things or not--the threat is what will actually get your money back, not truly trying to turn them into the government or something. If that actually happens, you will probably get nothing, but the point is to force the hand of the person who cheated you.)
6. If the tailmaker still refuse to bend to your wishes it is now time to contact the Better Business Bureau for real. Screen shot your report. Then email your local police and screenshot the email. Then email your tax bureau and screen shot the image. Then email an attorney asking them for pro bono help with your civil case and screen shot the email. Then contact Paypal or whoever you paid through and screen shot the image. Send all of these screenshots to the tailmaker and post them publicly on the internet, still in a PROFESSIONAL manner, just stating you want people to be aware of the actions you are taking. This is not revenge, it is getting what you paid for!!! The best part about all this is, if you DO ever spend the money to take legal action, you will have ALL of this evidence against the tailmaker and you will most likely win the suit, even if you did not have an actual contract. Having pictures of the example tails they promised yours would be similar to versus your faulty tail should be enough.
7. At this point, your tailmaker will probably be pissing themselves and you will most likely get what you want. If not then I WOULD ask around and see if anyone you know is a lawyer. Also, take all the screenshot evidence of communication with different people, pictures of the differences between the promised tail and your tail, and all other evidence against the person, including bad reviews where they have done this before and start emailing it to various law offices asking for pro bono help. Since you have such a well documented case, a lawyer may be willing to help.
The most important thing to remember through this all is to STAY CALM and ACT CONFIDENT. The tailmaker needs to believe you are the kind of person smart enough and strong enough to take action against them.
Taking Action Against a Late Product
If you were promised a tail on a certain date, and it has been months since that time passed, you need to take some sort of action. And please, stop feeling bad about it. Yes, tailmakers are busy, but guess what? They chose to take your order and force you to pay an up-front fee. This means they are legally bound to provide you with the promised product--and the time period in which you receive it is part of the promise. Now, I am not saying to go after someone for being a couple weeks late, ESPECIALLY if they have communicated to you about it. In fact, I would give the tailmaker quite a bit of leeway since this is ONE person working on an artistic project, as long as they keep you updated and have open communication.
On the other hand, being severely late and not even bothering to contact you about it is flat out wrong. They took your money and gave you a promise. You PAID them to make this for you--this is not some gift they are providing you. I don't care how lucky you feel to be getting a tail, this is a PRODUCT that you PAID for, not a gift. Feel lucky for having been able to gather the cash, not for some tailmaker agreeing to make you a tail. They aren't doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. This is their business.
It seems to me that one of the major downfalls of tailmakers is taking on more than they can handle. Some people, like Merbella's, make it work, but you can tell that even Raven is stressed sometimes. Other tailmakers, like FishButts, let it effect the quality of their work. It is the tailmaker's responsibility not to bite off more than they can chew, not your responsibility to hold their hands and pet their heads when they can't get it all done and start cutting corners. Yes, the wait time on tails is long, but that doesn't mean they get months and months of leeway to not deliver. In fact, what they should be doing (and what successful businesses do) is giving themselves much MORE time than they think it will take and surprising the customer by having it finished early. This makes them look good and keeps them from having to cut corners. The problem is, if they do that, then they can't take as many orders. But it is their job to find a balance, not your job to suffer quietly when they fail.
You are NOT a bad customer for expecting your tail to be on time. They are a bad service provider for not quoting a reliable time frame and not communicating with you about hold ups.
So, what do do...
1. Contact the tailmaker, and document all the communications. Be professional and straight forward and confident. State that the tail was promised to arrive on [this date] and that you have not heard anything from them. Explain that when you paid your money, you expected the product to be delivered, and that it has not. State that you would like regular updates, including photographs, of the tail's progress. Screen shot the emails.
2. If the tailmaker still does not respond, take your screenshotted emails online to review pages and their social network pages. Post the original correspondence where the tailmaker promised you a certain date, then your attempts to contact them. State every single attempt at communication that they didn't respond to.
3. If the tailmaker does respond and tells you that Woofy the dog died, their house burned down, their internet is dead, the Russian mafia stole their fabric, etc, etc, do NOT allow these excuses to postpone your tail for long. State a new date for delivery that is reasonable (say, one month), and suggest to the tailmaker that if the tail is not delivered in this time frame, you will receive a refund.
If they say yes, and that month goes by, take your screen shotted image of their email and demand your refund.
If they will not agree to finish your tail in one month or refund, either find a date they WILL agree to that works for you or skip down to step 5 and begin the actions listed there. Make sure at this point that you do not just say 'okay, I understand.' You need to say, 'okay, I understand, now let's come up with a NEW DATE that you can guarantee my tail will arrive by.' This keeps them from feeling as if they can put off your tail indefinitely and sets a firm deadline in their minds that they need to meet. I learned that tip from teaching school--nebulous dies of something being due don't make people work. Specific DEADLINES make people work.
4. Do NOT accept it if Woofy the dog dies again. Excuses are good only once. They are operating a business, and getting paid for it. I used to write novel length fanfic, and my readers would get all angry if I didn't post when I said I would. Well, guess what? I wasn't getting paid to do that. I did it for fun alone, on my personal time, and never made a cent. I may have said I would post, but I hadn't contracted myself to anyone to do it. By taking your money, the tailmaker HAS contracted themselves, and they ARE required to produce your goods in a timely manner, as promised. You can be kind about excuses and set a new deadline ONCE, but do not do it again or they will mentally stick you at the back of the line and you will get excuse after excuse after excuse.
If the tailmaker never communicates with you or misses their second deadline, it is time to find all places online where the tailmaker communicates with the public and make statements on their service. Once again, be TOTALLY professional, unemotional, and straight forward.
5. Say things like: "On January 1st, 2013, I ordered a custom silicone/neoprene tail from Tailbaby Inc, referred to from now on simply as "the tailmaker." The tailmaker took my design and agreed to ship my tail within in six months. Six months later (June 1st 2013), there was no tail. I tried to contact the tailmaker several times, and received no response. Finally, on October 1st, 2013, I received a response stating that the tailmaker had lost her primary job and was forced to move, during which her materials were destroyed. We agreed that the tail would be shipped out by November 1st, 2013. On November 1st, 2013, my tail had not yet arrived. Five days later I contacted the tailmaker, then contacted her every day after that, and there was no response." And so on and do forth.
This professional detachment and confidence about the passed deadline sets you up as the "believable" one. After all, you have the straight forward facts. If you get emotional, people will see you as angry and venegful and you may get attacked by the tailmaker's friends and followers. Continue to make these statements regularly, and DON'T get mad, no matter how anyone responds to you! Be the snobby, know it all who WILL get what they want because they paid money for this service and the service was not fulfilled, not the upset victim who thinks they will never get what they want. Like bullies, scam artists choose to prey on those they view as "weak" and are more likely to cave into someone who sounds like they are all business. Most of all, do NOT let the tailmaker turn you into the bad guy! You are not the bad guy!
6. While this is going on, begin to privately threaten legal action. It is VERY important at this point that you come off as professional and knowledgeable, not as angry and upset. That will make your threat MUCH more believable than if you are angry and since, at this point, we are not yet actually taking legal action, you need to make it really believable that you are. If you have told the tailmaker before that you have very little money, state that you have a relative/friend of the family/fellow church goer, etc who is giving you free legal advice BECAUSE you have very little money and paying the tailmaker was such a strain on your budget. Also mention that you will be publicly announcing their poor service on mermaid blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc, and that that you will be contacting the Better Business Bureau.
7. The next step is to inform the tailmaker that you will be going to the police and contacting the tax offices to make sure they know that the business you registered with them is making faulty promises. Since many people who do crafts do not declare their businesses, it is very possible that they are not paying taxes on money they receive from you. Since tails cost so much money, if you sell them regularly they DO need to be declared as part of your income, and you can get in SERIOUS legal trouble if you do not. The Man will come down hard all over them if they are not paying taxes, so this is another good scare tactic, but one that needs to be done in a professional, confidant manner so that they believe you. (Note that it doesn't really matter whether you do these things or not--the threat is what will actually get your money back, not truly trying to turn them into the government or something. If that actually happens, you will probably get nothing, but the point is to force the hand of the person who cheated you.)
8. If the tailmaker still refuses to bend to your wishes, it is now time to contact the Better Business Bureau for real. Screen shot your report. Then email your local police and screenshot the email. Then email your tax bureau and screen shot the image. Then email an attorney asking them for pro bono help with your civil case and screen shot the email. Then contact Paypal or whoever you paid through and screen shot the image. Send all of these screenshots to the tailmaker and post them publicly on the internet, still in a PROFESSIONAL manner, just stating that you want people to be aware of the actions you are taking. This is not revenge, it is getting what you paid for!!! The best part about all this is, if you DO ever spend the money to take legal action, you will have ALL of this evidence against the tailmaker and you will most likely win the suit, even if you did not have an actual contract.
9. At this point, your tailmaker will probably be pissing themselves and you will most likely get what you want. If not, then I WOULD ask around and see if anyone you know is a lawyer. Also, take all the screenshot evidence of communication with different people and all other evidence against the person, including bad reviews where they have done this before and start emailing it to various law offices asking for pro bono help. Since you have such a well documented case, a lawyer may be willing to help.
In the end, please remember that, as a customer, you are the one with the rights. THEY made a promise to provide a certain product at a certain time. If they failed in this, it is not your fault but THEIRS. If they did not think they could do it, then they should not have made the promise. This may seem cold hearted, especially since we are a small community, but we need to stop seeing tailmakers as the holy ones and come to understand that the customer who paid a LOT of money for something and got squat is the victim, not the tailmaker who has endless excuses about their products and shipping times.
Everyone in this community understands what a good tail is and what a good tail is not. A tail made with caulking that peels on the first swim is NOT a good tail. A tail that was stitched incorrectly and is at least nine inches smaller than requested is not a good tail. A tail that is asymmetrical and badly painted is not a good tail. No one would purchase these tails for the full price of a new tail if they knew that the tails would have these errors. So why do they purchase from these tailmakers? Because they were promised better. At this point, the BS about "no custom returns" is simply that--BS. The tail is less than what was promised, so it is NOT the custom work that was agreed upon! It is a faulty product that deserves to be redone. Period.
We mers need to start taking a stand for quality so that bad tailmakers can't do this to our sisters and brothers anymore, and I think following these tactics if you receive a faulty product is a good start.
As someone with much experience in customer service, I want to share a few facts that I feel might be helpful to people new to the mermaid community who are looking to buy tails. Also, as a teacher, I understand the kind of documentation and professional mannerisms you need to have legal ground to stand on when someone does you wrong (or accuses you of doing something wrong), which I will share in the sections about taking action against faulty or late products.
Index:
Approximate Price of Tails
Inferior Products Used by Tailmakers to Lower Production Costs
Important Lesson: Beware the Tailmaker Who Doesn't Charge For Labor
14 Questions to Ask Your Tailmaker BEFORE You Pay
Inferior Vs. The Norm: What IS a Good Tail?
Taking Action Against an Inferior Product
Taking Action Against a Late Product
Approximate Price of Tails
Most important thing to know: You should be VERY suspicious of ANYONE selling tails at or below the cost of making them and do EXTENSIVE research before purchasing.
(Note that this post is in regards to paying someone ELSE to make your tail, not making your own. There are also probably exceptions to the rules about the pricing that I list.the point is that The only time I would trust a tailmaker offering a tail at or below the cost of materials is one who is openly trying to hone their craft. Also, I am only really familiar with the costs of making fabric and silicone tails, so if anyone thinks the price ranges should be different, please let me know.)
Terms Defined
At Cost: What the tail costs to make, just supplies, not including the effort that goes into making it. Be VERY wary of tails sold for below cost of materials--they are probably not made of what is promised.
Average Price: Normal prices seen for these tails. Be wary of low-ball figures.
Prices listed are for adults and include the monofins. They are, of course, approximate, but you should be suspicious of tails that do not fit in these ranges!
Fabric Tail
At Cost: $60-$200
Average Price: $100-$300
The cheapest monofin on sale will probably cost at least $50 and then you have to add in the cost of fabric and, possibly, paint. Lower than this, it is likely the tailmaker is inexperienced. Ask to see examples of other tails they have made (a good idea for ANY tail you buy).
Neoprene Tail
At Cost: $100-$400
Average Price: $150-$600
Neoprene is a thick stretch material. You need a good sewing machine to stitch it, which may go into the cost of a tail. It is also much more expensive than swim fabric, even on sale. If the tail you are looking at is below $100, make sure that the tailmaker is using neoprene and not neoprin, a product with a similar name that will stretch but not spring back to size, making it a poor choice for tails (see list of inferior products below).
Neoprene/Costume Latex
At Cost: $200-$800
Average Price: $400-1000
As mentioned above, neoprene is not cheap, nor is it easy to sew. Good costume latex isn't cheap, either. If they are offering a very low price, make sure that they are not using latex caulking instead of costume latex (see list of inferior products below).
Neoprene/Costume Silicone
At Cost: $500-$1000
Average Price: $600-$2500
Costume/prosthetic grade silicone is expensive and takes much experience to work with effectively. If the price is much lower than this, they may be using silicone caulking or another form of silicone that is not meant for prosthetic use (see list of inferior products below).
Costume Full Silicone
At Cost: $800-$1200
Average Price: $2000-$4000
A lot of people want to know where they can find a Dragonskin tail (brand name prosthetic/costume silicone) for $700. The fact is, you can't--not unless the tailmaker is literally giving it away. Supplies for these tails are usually around $800-$900. If it is lower than that, the tailmaker is basically paying YOU to take their tail.
If you find a tail that costs less than these numbers, BEWARE. It may mean that a) the tailmaker doesn't know what he or she is doing or b) they are using inferior products. Always ask specifically what kind of materials are going into the making of your tail!
Inferior Products Used by Tailmakers to Lower Production Costs:
Neoprin: A material like neoprene, except that once it stretches, it will not spring back into place. You will have to continuously take the tail in, especially if your hips are much larger than your waist. Neoprin costs less than neoprene, and a below average cost tail may use this product.
Latex/Silicone Caulking: This includes the brand name item ALEX, as well as other types of caulking. Caulking is meant for construction work, not for tails. It will keep water out of windowsills, but it is not made for undulating motions beneath the water, nor is it meant for long term contact with human skin. Yes, this is technically a form of latex and silicone (so they are legally free to say it is latex or silicone), but it is NOT costume grade. These tails WILL eventually fall apart--and by that, I do not mean in three years. They will degrade quickly, as caulking's purpose is to create stationary waterproof seals in buildings, not to be used in costuming. This kind of caulking is sometimes used in cosplay items; however, cosplay items are not built to last day after day of wear and are meant for special occassions only, unlike a tail. This product has also not been tested for use against human skin and may cause side effects. If someone is selling a silicone or latex tail at a very low cost, be sure that they are NOT using caulking to sculpt the tail!
Bi-Fins: These are normal scuba fins, not one solid monofin, and while many people swim just fine in them, they do not propel as much as a monofin. Make sure the monofin is ACTUALLY a monofin.
"Fake" Monofins: Self crafted monofins made by tailmakers with no experience in making monofins. We have seen some made out of cardboard, even. Some tailmakers may also specialize in making monofins, but make sure they are willing to stand by the product if they made the monofin themselves.
Important Lesson: Beware the Tailmaker Who Doesn't Charge For Labor
Tails are a craft, and crafts are slow and costly to produce; therefore, if it costs next to nothing, the person is probably not putting much effort into making a good product. Tailmakers are craftsmen and artisans, not factory workers, which means no tail is ever going to be super cheap. Making tails is an art, which means an individual person spends a large amount of his or her personal time to make the tail. No factory in China or India is currently producing them. They are not a mass marketed item and, therefore, no one makes tails for twenty dollars.
Even the smallest craft, like making a simple beaded necklace, usually takes at least an hour, so if a crafter spends $8 on supplies and charges $10/hour for their services, that simple beaded necklace will cost $18 dollars. At WalMart it might cost $3--but that is because WalMart mass produces these goods with low labor costs and using materials bought at MASSIVE wholesale rates or produced at their own material factories.
Also, a note to those who do not craft: Every craft you see probably takes twice the time to make it than you assume. Even when you get really good at churning out product, it still takes time, and good craftsmen pay themselves for their work.
14 Questions to Ask Your Tailmaker BEFORE You Pay
I have seen some merfolk on here who ask these questions refer to themselves are terrible customers or bitches, and I want to make one thing VERY clear: Asking questions such as these does NOT make you a bad customer or a bitch! It makes you an aware and astute buyer. ALL tailmakers should be able to answer the questions below without being offended. If they are offended by you asking these questions, it is probably because their tails are poor quality and they do not want that to come to light! You are paying for a service, and you NEED to be on the same page as the tailmaker so that if they do not give you a good quality product, they cannot say that the product was what you agreed upon. Seriously, if a tailmaker won't answer these questions, don't let them guilt you about it, just get the heck out of dodge! They are probably trying to cheat you!
1. What materials, exactly, are going into my tail? May I please have a full list, including brand name and/or material type?
2.What do you use to piece the tail together? Can you explain to me how you can be sure this method will hold up under frequent stress underwater?
3. If I am careful with the tail and take good care of it, how long will you expect it to last?
4. How does the water drain out of the tail? Have you found this system to be efficient?
5. What kind of monofin is in the tail and what shoe sizes does it cover? Do you find it to be comfortable?
6. Will my tail look like and perform equal to the example tails you have shown me, including quality of paint/scales/fluke/etc? If not, what will the differences be?
7. Will any of the materials you use stretch? If so, how much will it stretch and how will this affect its performance in the long run? (NOTE: All tails will stretch a little, but good tails will not stretch enough to make them unwearable. Therefore, be wary if someone says your tail will NEVER stretch. Good and honest tailmakers know they will stretch a little bit and are not afraid to tell you this!)
8. If I am careful with the tail and take very good care of it, what kind of wear and tear will I see? (NOTE: All tails will wear out, getting scrapes or runs or small holes, so beware the tailmaker who says it will look perfect forever!)
9. What kind of warranty do you offer if my tail is faulty or malfunctioning beyond the normal level of wear and tear stated above?
10. What is the cost of sending my tail to you to be patched up after the normal wear and tear has made it a little scruffy?
11. In what time period will my tail be completed and shipped? If it has not arrived within the allotted time how will I be contacted and what arrangements will be made? If my tail has not been completed within the allotted time, will I have the option to cancel the order? If not, will I have the option of having some of my money refunded or another service given to me to make up for it?
12. Are you willing to sign an agreement stating if six months has passed since the date you stated my tail would be shipped and it has not arrived, that my money will be refunded in full? (NOTE: I realize even the good tailmakers run late, but the fact is that MANY of the bad tailmakers we've seen have slipped in their quality because they took more orders than they could handle; therefore, I believe tailmakers need to be held accountable for the promised time frame and err on the side of caution instead of promising the moon and coming up short.)
13. This is the custom work we agreed to:
Allowing for the fact that my tail is custom made, artistic work and there may be some minor variances in the design due to this, are you willing to sign an agreement stating that if the tail is dramatically different from the intended design that you will allow me to return the tail in exchange for one that does fit the criteria, and that I will receive it in a timely manner (within three months)? Will you also agree that, if this is not possible, you will refund my money in its entirety, including shipping costs since it is not my fault that the tail shipped was faulty?
14. Are you willing to sign an agreement stating that if the tail arrives and does not meet all the criteria above, you will allow me to return the tail in exchange for one that does fit the criteria in a timely manner (within three months) or refund my money in its entirety?
Note that the above questions can be used to draft a contract, something it is ALWAYS good to have when you give someone money--especially when not through a site like Etsy or Ebay, who will back up the seller's claims!
Inferior Versus The Norm: What is a Good Tail?
See Also: What To Expect When Buying Your First Tail (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?4156-What-to-expect-with-your-first-tail)
Before I go into what to do if you receive an inferior product, I want to go over what does and does NOT constitute such a thing.
Your Tail is an Inferior Product If...
[LIST=1]
It is dramatically different to what you were promised, including use of materials not agreed upon, a below par paint job, and poor construction. Your tail should be equal to or better than the examples you were given of the tailmaker's work.
Your tail falls apart in the water, comes apart at the seams, or otherwise rapidly deteriorates. ANY tail should last for five or six swims--if your tail falls apart immediately, you deserve your money back!
Your tail does not match the measurements given. Do not believe the old "well, you must have measured wrong" line. This is a cop out. If the tail is off enough from your measurements to be detrimental to wearing it, then it is a poor product (unless you've dropped or gained a lot of weight).
Your Tail is Normal If...
It starts to get small scratches or fingernail holes.
It starts to stretch some.
The paint dulls a little.
It is very hard to get on because it is so tight (especially silicone).
It is heavy (silicone).
It is buoyant (especially neoprene).
Taking Action Against an Inferior Product
If you have received an inferior product, you NEED to take action. Do not worry about seeming like a bitch or being a "bad customer." It is time the tail industry sought to be more customer friendly. They did not give you what was promised and you deserve your money back, custom or not. Even if they stated "no returns or refunds on custom work," if they provided you with an inferior product then it is NOT your custom work. Custom work is specific, made to the customer's standards, and if you did not receive what was promised, then they have given you someone else's work, not your custom purchase.
1. First thing to do, obviously, is to contact the tailmaker and state what the problem with your tail is and how you would like it resolved (refund, exhange, etc). Screenshot and save all these emails. If they have not responded within a week, begin contacting them every other day. If, within another week, they have not contacted you, begin trying to contact them every single day and come to MerNetwork to post a review on their poor service. If you have not been able to contact them within three weeks, it is time to threaten legal action.
2. If the tailmaker respondsand refuses your terms, then it is time to make note of this on the review section of MerNetwork, including both your email to the tailmaker, their response, and (if available) the contract you made with them. Screen shot these emails, do not cut and paste. You need visual evidence. Save and document ALL communication, and ALWAYS respond to the tailmaker in a professional, unemotional, straight forward manner.
3. If this is not enough, it is time to find all places the tailmaker communicates with the public and make statements on their service. Once again, be TOTALLY professional, unemotional, and straight forward. Say things like: "On January 1st, 2013, I ordered a custom silicone/neoprene tail from Tailbaby Inc, referred to from now on simply as "the tailmaker." The tailmaker took my design and agreed to ship my tail within in six months. Six months later (June 1st 2013), there was no tail. I attempted to contact the tailmaker, who claimed their internet was down and they had been forced to move, and that my tail would be there in three weeks. Four weeks later (July 1st, 2013), my tail arrived. It was not, however, made out of prosthetic silicone and neoprene as promised, but out of caulking and neoprin, two inferior products not suitable for costume tail use. When I attempted to receive a refund or exhange, the tailmaker repeatedly ignored me." And so on and do forth.
This professional detachment and confidence about what is wrong with your tail you up as the "believable" one. After all, you have the straight forward facts. If you get emotional, people will see you as angry and venegful and you may get attacked by the tailmaker's friends and followers. Continue to make these statements regularly, and DON'T get mad, no matter how anyone responds to you! Be the snobby, know it all who WILL get what they want because they paid money for this service and the service was not fulfilled, not the upset victim who thinks they will never get what they want. Like bullies, scam artists choose to prey on those they view as "weak" and are more likely to cave into someone who sounds like they are all business. Most of all, do NOT let the tailmaker turn you into the bad guy! You are not the bad guy!
4. While this is going on, begin to privately threaten legal action. It is VERY important at this point that you come off as professional and knowledgeable, not as angry and upset. That will make your threat MUCH more believable than if you are angry and since, at this point, we are not yet actually taking legal action, you need to make it really believable that you are. If you have told the tailmaker before that you have very little money, state that you have a relative/friend of the family/fellow church goer, etc who is giving you free legal advice BECAUSE you have very little money and they know that paying the tailmaker was such a strain on your budget. Also mention that you will be publicly announcing their poor service on various mermaid blogs, posting images of the poorly made tail on Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, etc, and that that you will be contacting the Better Business Bureau.
5. The next step is to inform the tailmaker that you will be going to the police and contacting the tax offices to make sure they know that the business you registered with them is making faulty promises. Since many people who do crafts do not declare their businesses (sometimes to avoid taxes, but usually because they just aren't business savvy and don't know they should), it is very possible that they are not paying taxes on money they receive from you. Since tails cost so much money, if you sell them regularly they DO need to be declared as part of your income, and you can get in SERIOUS legal trouble if you do not. The Man will come down hard all over them if they do not pay their taxes, so this is another good scare tactic, but one that needs to be done in a professional, confidant manner so that they believe you. (Note that it doesn't really matter whether you do these things or not--the threat is what will actually get your money back, not truly trying to turn them into the government or something. If that actually happens, you will probably get nothing, but the point is to force the hand of the person who cheated you.)
6. If the tailmaker still refuse to bend to your wishes it is now time to contact the Better Business Bureau for real. Screen shot your report. Then email your local police and screenshot the email. Then email your tax bureau and screen shot the image. Then email an attorney asking them for pro bono help with your civil case and screen shot the email. Then contact Paypal or whoever you paid through and screen shot the image. Send all of these screenshots to the tailmaker and post them publicly on the internet, still in a PROFESSIONAL manner, just stating you want people to be aware of the actions you are taking. This is not revenge, it is getting what you paid for!!! The best part about all this is, if you DO ever spend the money to take legal action, you will have ALL of this evidence against the tailmaker and you will most likely win the suit, even if you did not have an actual contract. Having pictures of the example tails they promised yours would be similar to versus your faulty tail should be enough.
7. At this point, your tailmaker will probably be pissing themselves and you will most likely get what you want. If not then I WOULD ask around and see if anyone you know is a lawyer. Also, take all the screenshot evidence of communication with different people, pictures of the differences between the promised tail and your tail, and all other evidence against the person, including bad reviews where they have done this before and start emailing it to various law offices asking for pro bono help. Since you have such a well documented case, a lawyer may be willing to help.
The most important thing to remember through this all is to STAY CALM and ACT CONFIDENT. The tailmaker needs to believe you are the kind of person smart enough and strong enough to take action against them.
Taking Action Against a Late Product
If you were promised a tail on a certain date, and it has been months since that time passed, you need to take some sort of action. And please, stop feeling bad about it. Yes, tailmakers are busy, but guess what? They chose to take your order and force you to pay an up-front fee. This means they are legally bound to provide you with the promised product--and the time period in which you receive it is part of the promise. Now, I am not saying to go after someone for being a couple weeks late, ESPECIALLY if they have communicated to you about it. In fact, I would give the tailmaker quite a bit of leeway since this is ONE person working on an artistic project, as long as they keep you updated and have open communication.
On the other hand, being severely late and not even bothering to contact you about it is flat out wrong. They took your money and gave you a promise. You PAID them to make this for you--this is not some gift they are providing you. I don't care how lucky you feel to be getting a tail, this is a PRODUCT that you PAID for, not a gift. Feel lucky for having been able to gather the cash, not for some tailmaker agreeing to make you a tail. They aren't doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. This is their business.
It seems to me that one of the major downfalls of tailmakers is taking on more than they can handle. Some people, like Merbella's, make it work, but you can tell that even Raven is stressed sometimes. Other tailmakers, like FishButts, let it effect the quality of their work. It is the tailmaker's responsibility not to bite off more than they can chew, not your responsibility to hold their hands and pet their heads when they can't get it all done and start cutting corners. Yes, the wait time on tails is long, but that doesn't mean they get months and months of leeway to not deliver. In fact, what they should be doing (and what successful businesses do) is giving themselves much MORE time than they think it will take and surprising the customer by having it finished early. This makes them look good and keeps them from having to cut corners. The problem is, if they do that, then they can't take as many orders. But it is their job to find a balance, not your job to suffer quietly when they fail.
You are NOT a bad customer for expecting your tail to be on time. They are a bad service provider for not quoting a reliable time frame and not communicating with you about hold ups.
So, what do do...
1. Contact the tailmaker, and document all the communications. Be professional and straight forward and confident. State that the tail was promised to arrive on [this date] and that you have not heard anything from them. Explain that when you paid your money, you expected the product to be delivered, and that it has not. State that you would like regular updates, including photographs, of the tail's progress. Screen shot the emails.
2. If the tailmaker still does not respond, take your screenshotted emails online to review pages and their social network pages. Post the original correspondence where the tailmaker promised you a certain date, then your attempts to contact them. State every single attempt at communication that they didn't respond to.
3. If the tailmaker does respond and tells you that Woofy the dog died, their house burned down, their internet is dead, the Russian mafia stole their fabric, etc, etc, do NOT allow these excuses to postpone your tail for long. State a new date for delivery that is reasonable (say, one month), and suggest to the tailmaker that if the tail is not delivered in this time frame, you will receive a refund.
If they say yes, and that month goes by, take your screen shotted image of their email and demand your refund.
If they will not agree to finish your tail in one month or refund, either find a date they WILL agree to that works for you or skip down to step 5 and begin the actions listed there. Make sure at this point that you do not just say 'okay, I understand.' You need to say, 'okay, I understand, now let's come up with a NEW DATE that you can guarantee my tail will arrive by.' This keeps them from feeling as if they can put off your tail indefinitely and sets a firm deadline in their minds that they need to meet. I learned that tip from teaching school--nebulous dies of something being due don't make people work. Specific DEADLINES make people work.
4. Do NOT accept it if Woofy the dog dies again. Excuses are good only once. They are operating a business, and getting paid for it. I used to write novel length fanfic, and my readers would get all angry if I didn't post when I said I would. Well, guess what? I wasn't getting paid to do that. I did it for fun alone, on my personal time, and never made a cent. I may have said I would post, but I hadn't contracted myself to anyone to do it. By taking your money, the tailmaker HAS contracted themselves, and they ARE required to produce your goods in a timely manner, as promised. You can be kind about excuses and set a new deadline ONCE, but do not do it again or they will mentally stick you at the back of the line and you will get excuse after excuse after excuse.
If the tailmaker never communicates with you or misses their second deadline, it is time to find all places online where the tailmaker communicates with the public and make statements on their service. Once again, be TOTALLY professional, unemotional, and straight forward.
5. Say things like: "On January 1st, 2013, I ordered a custom silicone/neoprene tail from Tailbaby Inc, referred to from now on simply as "the tailmaker." The tailmaker took my design and agreed to ship my tail within in six months. Six months later (June 1st 2013), there was no tail. I tried to contact the tailmaker several times, and received no response. Finally, on October 1st, 2013, I received a response stating that the tailmaker had lost her primary job and was forced to move, during which her materials were destroyed. We agreed that the tail would be shipped out by November 1st, 2013. On November 1st, 2013, my tail had not yet arrived. Five days later I contacted the tailmaker, then contacted her every day after that, and there was no response." And so on and do forth.
This professional detachment and confidence about the passed deadline sets you up as the "believable" one. After all, you have the straight forward facts. If you get emotional, people will see you as angry and venegful and you may get attacked by the tailmaker's friends and followers. Continue to make these statements regularly, and DON'T get mad, no matter how anyone responds to you! Be the snobby, know it all who WILL get what they want because they paid money for this service and the service was not fulfilled, not the upset victim who thinks they will never get what they want. Like bullies, scam artists choose to prey on those they view as "weak" and are more likely to cave into someone who sounds like they are all business. Most of all, do NOT let the tailmaker turn you into the bad guy! You are not the bad guy!
6. While this is going on, begin to privately threaten legal action. It is VERY important at this point that you come off as professional and knowledgeable, not as angry and upset. That will make your threat MUCH more believable than if you are angry and since, at this point, we are not yet actually taking legal action, you need to make it really believable that you are. If you have told the tailmaker before that you have very little money, state that you have a relative/friend of the family/fellow church goer, etc who is giving you free legal advice BECAUSE you have very little money and paying the tailmaker was such a strain on your budget. Also mention that you will be publicly announcing their poor service on mermaid blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc, and that that you will be contacting the Better Business Bureau.
7. The next step is to inform the tailmaker that you will be going to the police and contacting the tax offices to make sure they know that the business you registered with them is making faulty promises. Since many people who do crafts do not declare their businesses, it is very possible that they are not paying taxes on money they receive from you. Since tails cost so much money, if you sell them regularly they DO need to be declared as part of your income, and you can get in SERIOUS legal trouble if you do not. The Man will come down hard all over them if they are not paying taxes, so this is another good scare tactic, but one that needs to be done in a professional, confidant manner so that they believe you. (Note that it doesn't really matter whether you do these things or not--the threat is what will actually get your money back, not truly trying to turn them into the government or something. If that actually happens, you will probably get nothing, but the point is to force the hand of the person who cheated you.)
8. If the tailmaker still refuses to bend to your wishes, it is now time to contact the Better Business Bureau for real. Screen shot your report. Then email your local police and screenshot the email. Then email your tax bureau and screen shot the image. Then email an attorney asking them for pro bono help with your civil case and screen shot the email. Then contact Paypal or whoever you paid through and screen shot the image. Send all of these screenshots to the tailmaker and post them publicly on the internet, still in a PROFESSIONAL manner, just stating that you want people to be aware of the actions you are taking. This is not revenge, it is getting what you paid for!!! The best part about all this is, if you DO ever spend the money to take legal action, you will have ALL of this evidence against the tailmaker and you will most likely win the suit, even if you did not have an actual contract.
9. At this point, your tailmaker will probably be pissing themselves and you will most likely get what you want. If not, then I WOULD ask around and see if anyone you know is a lawyer. Also, take all the screenshot evidence of communication with different people and all other evidence against the person, including bad reviews where they have done this before and start emailing it to various law offices asking for pro bono help. Since you have such a well documented case, a lawyer may be willing to help.
In the end, please remember that, as a customer, you are the one with the rights. THEY made a promise to provide a certain product at a certain time. If they failed in this, it is not your fault but THEIRS. If they did not think they could do it, then they should not have made the promise. This may seem cold hearted, especially since we are a small community, but we need to stop seeing tailmakers as the holy ones and come to understand that the customer who paid a LOT of money for something and got squat is the victim, not the tailmaker who has endless excuses about their products and shipping times.
Everyone in this community understands what a good tail is and what a good tail is not. A tail made with caulking that peels on the first swim is NOT a good tail. A tail that was stitched incorrectly and is at least nine inches smaller than requested is not a good tail. A tail that is asymmetrical and badly painted is not a good tail. No one would purchase these tails for the full price of a new tail if they knew that the tails would have these errors. So why do they purchase from these tailmakers? Because they were promised better. At this point, the BS about "no custom returns" is simply that--BS. The tail is less than what was promised, so it is NOT the custom work that was agreed upon! It is a faulty product that deserves to be redone. Period.
We mers need to start taking a stand for quality so that bad tailmakers can't do this to our sisters and brothers anymore, and I think following these tactics if you receive a faulty product is a good start.