Meryl Ruth on wed 15 oct 08
Hi,=20
Could folks please advise me regarding how to ensure payment for =
commissioned ceramic art work? My system, which worked well for many =
years, has failed me recently.=20
My policy has been to ask for half payment up front and the rest when =
the work is completed. I send the piece to the buyer to make sure it has =
arrived safely. Then I submit a final statement for the outstanding half =
plus shipping and handling costs. I have never had a problem before.=20
Until now. I have a buyer who owes me a considerable amount of money, =
half the price of the work and the shipping costs. The work was received =
over six months ago. The buyer was pleased and acknowledged that the =
piece had arrived safely. But I never received the final final payment. =
I have written several times both by snail mail and e-mail to no avail. =
I have even offered the buyer a payment plan, which he agreed to, but =
nonetheless failed to pay. I'm at wit's end at this point.
What have others done? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Thanks,=20
Meryl Ruth, Porcelain Grace
http://www.merylruth.com
KATHI LESUEUR on wed 15 oct 08
On Oct 15, 2008, at 7:12 PM, Meryl Ruth wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Could folks please advise me regarding how to ensure payment for
> commissioned ceramic art work? My system, which worked well for
> many years, has failed me recently.
>
> My policy has been to ask for half payment up front and the rest
> when the work is completed. I send the piece to the buyer to make
> sure it has arrived safely. Then I submit a final statement for the
> outstanding half plus shipping and handling costs. I have never had
> a problem before.
>
> Until now. I have a buyer who owes me a considerable amount of
> money, half the price of the work and the shipping costs. The work
> was received over six months ago. The buyer was pleased and
> acknowledged that the piece had arrived safely. But I never
> received the final final payment. I have written several times both
> by snail mail and e-mail to no avail. I have even offered the buyer
> a payment plan, which he agreed to, but nonetheless failed to pay.
> I'm at wit's end at this point.
>
> What have others done? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
>
>
Go to Judge Judy's website. Tell your story and that you just want to
be paid. I did this several years ago when a customer didn't return
phone calls and ignored letters. A week later I had a check. The
check came in a church envelope and was wrapped in the stationary of
the church. Turned out that customer was the pastor. Guess that's why
she didn't want to go on national tv.
Kathi
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on wed 15 oct 08
Hi Meryl,
Half up-front...
1/4 more when Work is 3/4rs done...
Balance - ie: final 1/4 - plus Shipping and packaging costs, once
complete...prior to Shipping...using a 'professional' Packaging-forwarding
Service, having them pack the item(s), with the 'Insurance' in the
recipient's name.
It is between the recipient and the Shipping-forwarding Company then, should
any breakage occur.
As for your present situation...how far away is the delinquent?
Phil
l v
----- Original Message -----
From: "Meryl Ruth"
Hi,
Could folks please advise me regarding how to ensure payment for
commissioned ceramic art work? My system, which worked well for many years,
has failed me recently.
My policy has been to ask for half payment up front and the rest when the
work is completed. I send the piece to the buyer to make sure it has arrived
safely. Then I submit a final statement for the outstanding half plus
shipping and handling costs. I have never had a problem before.
Until now. I have a buyer who owes me a considerable amount of money, half
the price of the work and the shipping costs. The work was received over six
months ago. The buyer was pleased and acknowledged that the piece had
arrived safely. But I never received the final final payment. I have written
several times both by snail mail and e-mail to no avail. I have even offered
the buyer a payment plan, which he agreed to, but nonetheless failed to pay.
I'm at wit's end at this point.
What have others done? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Meryl Ruth, Porcelain Grace
http://www.merylruth.com
Lois Ruben Aronow on thu 16 oct 08
I use the same system, with one exception. I get the remaining payment
BEFORE I send the work out. I make sure to send the tracking number, with a
written note advising to let me know immediately if there was breakage so i
could replace it and collect insurance.
As for the bill you are having trouble collecting: small claims court.
Many debtors will pay up when a claim is merely filed.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of
> Meryl Ruth
> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 7:12 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: advice needed - payment plan for commission work
>
> Hi,
>
> Could folks please advise me regarding how to ensure payment
> for commissioned ceramic art work? My system, which worked
> well for many years, has failed me recently.
>
> My policy has been to ask for half payment up front and the
> rest when the work is completed. I send the piece to the
> buyer to make sure it has arrived safely. Then I submit a
> final statement for the outstanding half plus shipping and
> handling costs. I have never had a problem before.
>
> Until now. I have a buyer who owes me a considerable amount
> of money, half the price of the work and the shipping costs.
> The work was received over six months ago. The buyer was
> pleased and acknowledged that the piece had arrived safely.
> But I never received the final final payment. I have written
> several times both by snail mail and e-mail to no avail. I
> have even offered the buyer a payment plan, which he agreed
> to, but nonetheless failed to pay. I'm at wit's end at this point.
>
> What have others done? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Meryl Ruth, Porcelain Grace
> http://www.merylruth.com
The Fuzzy Chef on thu 16 oct 08
Meryl,
> Until now. I have a buyer who owes me a considerable amount of money, half the price of the work and the shipping costs. The work was received over six months ago. The buyer was pleased and acknowledged that the piece had arrived safely. But I never received the final final payment. I have written several times both by snail mail and e-mail to no avail. I have even offered the buyer a payment plan, which he agreed to, but nonetheless failed to pay. I'm at wit's end at this point.
How much is it? And is it interstate?
This is what court is for. It's time to sue your customer, I'm afraid.
Depending on the amount, it could be in small claims court; if a lot
of money, you'll need to get an attorney. Also, you should try to
determine if your customer has the ability to pay; no use suing someone
who's broke.
Once you file the case, you pay for the customer to be served. If they
appear in court, you fight it out. If they fail to appear (likely) you
can get a court order to take the owed amount directly from their bank
accounts. I have done this for my business, and it works.
Again, depending on the amount, it's time to either get an attorney or a
book on small claims court*.
--Fuzzy
* =
http://www.nolo.com/resource.cfm/catID/FCE46694-6BEB-4A80-89B9048DA9877F61/104/308/
Miles Smith on mon 20 oct 08
I had a flower shop who paid for monthly delivery at the time of the
delivery. One time the owner ask if she could pay the three hundred dollars
by check by mail at the end of the present week. I said yes and she didn't
sent the money. My business manager said it was just my turn to be put off
due to her turn down in business sales.
I mentioned my inability to pay my electric bill to my pastor (The local
Catholic priest) and Fr. Rob said "I can pay it for you". He wrote me a
personal check and I send the shop owner an acknowledgement that the parish
priest had paid her bill for her.
She sent to me the 300.00 dollars for her purchase by way of the next
post.
Miles
But I never
>> received the final final payment. I have written several times both
>> by snail mail and e-mail to no avail. I have even offered the buyer
>> a payment plan, which he agreed to, but nonetheless failed to pay.
>> I'm at wit's end at this point.
>>
>> What have others done? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
>>
>>
>
> Go to Judge Judy's website. Tell your story and that you just want to
> be paid. I did this several years ago when a customer didn't return
> phone calls and ignored letters. A week later I had a check. The
> check came in a church envelope and was wrapped in the stationary of
> the church. Turned out that customer was the pastor. Guess that's why
> she didn't want to go on national tv.
>
> Kathi
>
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