I hope you will allow me to have a bit of a rant here.
I’ve been working on a toddler doll for weeks. It started out simple enough. She was ordered and I did not realize she was a toddler when I quoted the price. So since it was my mistake I took the order for literally less than the cost of supplies.
She wanted rooted slumberland hair. But one packet would not be enough. So I purchased a second one out of my own pocket.
I painted her. And was stuck waiting for the hair which took nearly 4 weeks to get to me. I’ve been rooting every day aside from the weekends. Since.
This person has been nagging at me every single time they contact me. I send them photos constantly. They know I have been rooting every day.
First it was. Will she be done next week? No. I can only root so much in a day. Its a painful thing if I do it for hours and hours on end.
Then she emails me and is all angry that the doll isn’t done when she knew I had to wait for the hair and was at the mercy of the post office.
Then she says. “Just tell me where you get the needles and send her hair and j will finish her.”
I’m not comfortable sending an unfinished doll. She is my work and I am going to finish her.
This morning she emails with “will she be done on Saturday.”
I’m about to lose my mind on her.
I made nothing on this doll. Not one cent.
I can’t refund her because of that.
I have bent over backwards to make her happy. Extra photos. Paid for more hair myself. Kept the price low because of my own mistake.
If I had the money to refund her I would. But I don’t. I used it on supplies and I’m on a fixed income so I don’t just have it sitting around to refund.
In quitting customs when this doll is done. I can’t take it anymore. I bent over backwards to make this person happy and they continue to treat me like a machine.
I so want to tell them off. So so badly. But that’s unprofessional and I won’t.
I just felt bad because I made the mistake of pricing so low and she was so excited. I just didn’t think it was fair to disappoint someone because I screwed up.
I charged her 400$ for a Madeline toddler doll with rooted slumberland hair and glass eyes.
That’s before deduction of fees for the sale as well since I let her make 2 payments for the balance
The sculpt and body alone is 136$
Sigh.
I wish I could borrow it. I have 2 dolls for sale i had hoped would sell for The holidays but they just sit and so. I just have to finish her
Perhaps just tell her that the time you spend e-mailing her so often is time you could be working on the doll and you’ll let her know, and send final pictures, when it’s done. When i do customs, they choose kit, skin tone, hair color and eye color. They get pictures when it’s done. I make this clear from the beginning. I know people are excited and anxious to get their babies but I won’t send pictures and updates every step of the way. I’ve never had a problem (so far, anyway).
Tried that. She basically doesn’t care. Still sends emails and treats me like a mindless machine. Best thing for me to do is finish and send it and block her. I will probably get a bad etsy review regardless of doll quality. But there’s nothing I can do about that.
Take a deep breath and just get the hair done, email her and tell her that you will have it done by the agreed upon time that you are sorry she is feeling so frustrated but it is not an exact science and you are putting in one hair at a time and want to deliver a really nice baby.
Explain that you will contact her when the baby is done for final photos and shipping. Then don’t respond.
You don’t owe her a refund but you do owe her some accountability. I personally don’t do customs because I don’t like working under the gun and doing what other people can not to but insist you do. Babies take the time they take.
Customs might not be right for you. It is stressful and people can be very demanding. If you are not making money it certainly is not worth the stress.
I am sorry you are feeling burned out, do something nice for yourself today and visualize this project being done and new things coming your way.
I have done many customs. Most without any issues. This person has admitted to having mental illnesses as an excuse for her behavior.
That said. I simply dislike customs for the fact that it is a different. Sometimes mentally unstable Boss with each order. Its not worth it.
Had this person allowed me the time I need to do this right I would have been happy to send the doll to her and considered it ok to take a loss on the doll this time. Because she would be happy and its not always about the money to me. Sometimes I just want to make people happy. Hence the low price for the doll.
This is the doll. For those curious.
I’m working on single strand rooting so the doll looks as nice as I can make it. I wish I could go faster at it but I can’t.
I’m sorry she’s giving you such a hard time.
Maybe try setting some boundaries. Tell her you’ll contact her when you’re done rooting, for example. When you’re done rooting, email her a pic, tell her the rooting is done and explain the next steps you’re gonna take, like gluing and weighting. Then tell her when you’ll contact her again. Say you don’t have time to email her in the mean time, you’re too busy working on her doll!
Just don’t reply to any other emails.
agree… buyers are buying a doll,not you! They don’t own you and this person seems to think because she has mental problems it gives her pass for bad behavior
they would take all the joy out of reborning, JMO
