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Sorry , but I need to rant. I am soooo angry I could spit nails. WHY do people email asking to buy a bear then in the end never pay ???? I've been emailing a repeat collector for over a week , bending over backwards to accomodate her payment schedule. After receiving intemittent emails and request for more time, computer virus stories etc. I just sent the invoice. Heck, she emailed me asking to buy the bear in the first place !!! In the meantime, I happened to notice she bought another bear with "buy it now" on ebay. She said she was about to send me payment on Sunday and I haven't seen a thing or heard from her !!!
This is the part of the business I hate. All I ask for is honesty and respect. I know many of you can relate, I just needed to vent as no one is home to complain to 
Gee, I feel better now ! Think I'll go out and enjoy the sunshine 
:hug: :hug: Hang in there Tammy....although it is very frustrating I know!!! The worst is when you know that she is buying elsewhere as well!!!
Hugs,
Krista
Wild Thyme OriginalsSo sorry to hear that Tammy. 
:hug:
I've had a situation like that before. I get it when people have a change of heart, or a change in their financial situation, but I can't stand getting the run around about it. I just wish that they'd be honest and say... "I'm so sorry, but I've changed my mind." Then at least you don't have to sit there wondering if you should still try to contact them or not.
:hug:
Kim Basta
Tuppies TeddiesI am having this with e-bay...first time it has happened. Today is the day to threaten notifing E-bay of non-payment..
Real Deal BearsOh Tammy, just think, if she doesn't pay up I am sure someone else will jump at the chance to have one of your sweet bears.
She will be the one missing out.
Hang in there :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
BlondheartSo sorry to hear that Tammy.
I've had a situation like that before. I get it when people have a change of heart, or a change in their financial situation, but I can't stand getting the run around about it. I just wish that they'd be honest and say... "I'm so sorry, but I've changed my mind." Then at least you don't have to sit there wondering if you should still try to contact them or not.
:hug:
Kim Basta
But there you go, it's your business and you run it not them. So don't sit there and wonder, send them a polite E saying "If you've changed your mind fine, but please let me know so someone else has the privelege of buying the piece." If they express that they are still interested in purchasing after that, give them a short time frame by which to have paid or you will move forward with it. I know that sometimes you want to give people a break and don't want to confront them but we run a business like any other. Most other businesses would not extend the courtesies that you have. Most importantly, don't take it personally. It's not an insult to you. Every business deals with it's fair share of flakey customers.
Thanks for the sympathy , and Denise sorry to hear that you are having the same issue. I hope it gets resolved quickly.
Kelly, you are right and that is exactly what I did earlier today. I've been down this road before unfortunately, but learned from the experience. In this case I had already extended the payment date twice, and asked if she was still interested etc on the weekend. This morning I sent a stern email and took the hold off the bear as I was fed up .
This is my business and I expect customers to respect that , just like I respect them if they need more time, change their mind etc. I am flexible and understanding but not when I feel very used and flat out lied to -which I won't tolerate. I'm working on the "don't take it personally" thing 
I am a very patient and forgiving soul ,but I would rather keep my bear than have an unappreciative person own it.
Wild Thyme OriginalsThat's totally true Kelly and well taken. I know that I can be a bit of a pushover at times. 
But... I do try to give people the benefit of the doubt. I know that I have had the misfortune of having my computer crash and was unable to contact anyone via the computer for a week and a half without going to the library. One of the NOT so very great parts of doing business via the web.
Kim Basta
Delartful BearsI feel for you Tammy. I have just had my first non paying customer (so, really I HAVE Been lucky) I'm going to put in a claim in eBay and hopefully that'll sort her out to make the payment.
I am sure you'll sell the bear quickly - but it's such a pain having to chase after customers. I wonder sometimes where the respect, and thoughtfullness has gone from this world!
Danni
Wazza Bears AustraliaI feel for you. It is frustrating. I am selling my beanie kid collection on ebay and this one beanie kid went for way more than I thought. the cust feedback is good ( fast payer etc) But she hasn't paid me and she has not answered my emails. The last one I sent I ask if she was ok and that I am very easy going and can help her if she has a problem paying on time but still no reply. I had to report non payer today on ebay. i feel bad about it but I had 4 other people bidding for this beanie kid and they could have got it. I am considering using the second chance offer. This is the first time it has happened to me. I am wondering though, as I have reported her and now if I give a neg feedback can she out of spite give me one. I am scared of doing as I don't want one myself.
But anyhow goodluck Tammy, it will work out in the end and prob a better offer will come.
KiddoBearsHope no one takes this personally but this is my way of thinking.
I feel that if a person is interested in a bear, has made a commitent to buy such piece, should stand by their word. I feel there is no excuse, If they changed their mind they should just come out right and let the seller know. So they can let go of that piece to someone that maybe was interested also. Artists have needs,besides loving to create. If they are no longer interested or for some reason they aren't able to purchase anymore."To comunicate as an adult with responsiblity",which ever circumstances that arrive on their side is the trust of the seller toward that person that counts most. The seller is trusting the buyer. I myself enjoy buying other artist bears for myself. Computors didn't exsist before,but phone lines have exsisted always. or snail mail and I believe each artist have one. It's not fair for the seller to wait,wait,wait. I am a very patient person. But if I would not hear from a buyer for a certain time,Sorry they loose I would just let that person know that since you did not hear from her, you had a buyer that was interested in it and you sold it to her, I don't think you will lose her as your collector. She will maybe want another piece and apolize. It up to you to decide if you want to coninue doing business with her. I think that as long as you do not give in into a habit of a buyer. your are Ok. I hope I did not hurt anyones feelings with this,its not my intention.I am a firm believer in honesty and trust on 2 ends. But once a trust is borken its not easy to trust anymore. You doubt. I have lost so much in your sitution as well. :hug: :hug: :hug:
Oh Tammy, you have my sympathy. This sounds so familiar! I had a regular customer who ordered and always messed around with payment dates, but paid eventually, until the time she didn't. She was a frequent buyer on Ebay, so I did a little research and discovered that dispute sending me various sob stories, she was still buying left, right and centre on Ebay! Grrrr! Fortunately I still had her deposit, so eventually I cancelled her order and she lost the deposit for her. I also made sure to delete her from my customer base! 
"a bear by kim"tooo right grrrrr, u too have my sympathies as i welllll relate to ur story.
PawssiblesI think we can all relate to this story. Buyers are fickle. Buy it now is always the best way to go. Unfortunately when in the retail market we encounter all kinds of consumers. Hang in there.
Buyers may well be fickle, but do they have the right to be? I'm sure they don't mess the utilities companies around with payments, but it seems we bear artists are taken less seriously by them, which infuriates me. If I accept a commission order for example, I book space in my diary to work on that customer's bear, rather than on anything else which may earn me my income, so if I'm let down by the commissioning customer, my own financial scheduling becomes a disaster zone ... worst case scenario when I was on my own was not having enough income to pay my own bills ... surely that can't be right and just?
Paula, that is how I feel too , like we are taken less seriously and that is what I explained in my email to this person. I politely suggested that she keep in mind when she decides to buy (from an artists like us) that it is a business . There is a real person behind that bear that depends on the sale for income to pay bills ! Think before you buy.
Oh and guess what, the buy it now item she bought on ebay hasn't been paid for yet either !! Yes, I contacted that seller to share my experience in hopes she has a better outcome with her item. So, sadly, buy it now isn't a answer either as we've seen others stung by that too. I do try to understand that there are fickle buyers and sometimes they may even be impulsive, or sadly , addicted to buying. That is unfortunate for them and us as sellers as we spend time chasing them around with nothing to show for it in the end. I guess there is no easy answer , we each have to decide how we want to handle such situations.
Big hugs to the rest of you that are going through the same thing. I hope you all get the money owed you. :hug:
Tuppies TeddiesHave had no response from my emails to this buyer so now its off to e-bay...and will leave negative feed-back.
As you say communication is the key and if there is none well they miss out...
