JaredB90

21 hours ago, Unstoppablejayd said:

Your situation stinks... and I myself had a small problem with them on a piece being delayed but later found out it was a real life situation that caused that. and have since had a few very pleasant transactions. In your case this really sounds like the piece was not finished by the artist in the time it was supposed to and they were trying to protect/deflect until they got it. Just like us when we commission a piece directly they are at the mercy of the talent...obviously they should have better recourse being the rep but the talent still has to produce. 

But we need to see it now!!

Could be the case. It was interestingly shipped from a location that I do not believe Cadence or the artist operate out of. I do think it was complete and the original information is potentially correct in that it was a late finished piece that got sent to customer service, but i wouldnt be surprised if it just got buried. He did post 8 or so other pieces he cranked out at the con. I could probably speculate all day as to what exactly happened but I am cool to chalk it up to occasional absent mindedness...too occasional if the other posts in this thread are any indication.

11 hours ago, Rick2you2 said:

Not really. They needlessly pissed off a customer who now has reason to think twice whether buying a piece In the future from them is worth the aggravation, and damaged their standing in the community by being indirectly responsible for this thread. It could have gone worse, but no, all is not well. Reputation is something which is hard to repair. 

Cant really argue there. I mostly just meant as far as how I feel about the sketch, it's just quite a relief. I admit being happy with the commission itself has taken some of the sting out of the experience. But I wouldn't fault anyone for avoiding them given the issues that they have been dealing with for a while, but I do hope they're able to make some changes with there customer service. Because it does suck to be spending a good bit of money on something and just feel like you're being ignored for weeks at a time, It's really not acceptable. And at the end of the day, once things were set in motion everything worked out and i got the piece really quickly, so it just seems like the extra month+ of waiting was just unnecessary for a piece that was ready to go. 

Still probably hard for me to avoid dealing with them just given some of the artists they represent. But with the bar being set sort of low, in regards to the customer service side of things, I guess I can expect a better experience next time..

Arrived safe and sound. Really happy with the commission so all is well that ends well, I suppose.

11 hours ago, eewwnuk said:

These are all mom and pop operations.  Appreciate that you are giving them the benefit of the doubt but dont think you should be buying this notion of multiple employees with a true customer service department that can create a plausible miscommunication. Sometimes bad service is just bad service. 

I know they are mostly small operations, but I know the customer service rep who I emailing was different then the fellow who took my order from the convention, and neither of them are Paolo, who was made aware the issues, and there is also the artist, too. So ya, I guess I am giving them the benefit of the doubt to a degree, but it definitely could be improved. I just don't consider it outright bad service because at the same time, others have had really good service. Almost everyone I have talked to that seemed to have multiple experiences with Cadence had some bad experiences, so I find it hard to completely cast them aside.

12 hours ago, Michael Browning said:

See, this is a bad business practice - lying to your customers.

10 hours ago, vodou said:

Bad human practice too, lying.

To their credit I do think it was a miscommunication between different employees. But I do agree it was sloppy communication and disorganization in general.

9 hours ago, Marxmadness07 said:

Question? Does anyone think Cadence reads this?

If they do read this, they can't be all to happy. Collectors may just start to avoid them all together.

I've had two experiences with them. The first was nerve racking. They were quick to invoice and slow to ship but worst off slow to respond to all emails. The second was on point, no need to even send them an email cause art was shipped quickly.

 

 

I am not sure if they read this. I am sure they occasionally frequent the forums but I am not sure how often they are just searching for their name to check their reputation. I think if they did they'd definitely try to tie up whatever loose ends are making these orders kind of go so badly. Not that the art is bad, but you know. But as you said, its inconsistent, so they can do well, they just have to do that all the time.

And I got tracking and it is live and will be here by Monday. So not super happy overall with the experience, but the piece looks great, it was a good deal, and they did send me a preview and tracking. Which I prefer to having it sooner and no tracking, actually. Realistically they carry a lot of artists work that I like so I dont think I will be able to avoid dealing with them, so I dont think I can avoid them altogether but their customer service definitely leaves something to be desired.

Little update. Took a few days to get back to me. But it was not shipped when I was told. I got a picture of the sketch though and was told it would be shipped tomorrow. So I am happy with that.

5 hours ago, Michael Browning said:

Or maybe they’re just stalling?

I tend to agree, though, I am not sure what stalling would do at this point. Unless its fully packed up and ready there's no reason they wouldn't just send me a picture if they could. and if its shipped theres no reason they cant say that it was definitively. Certainly it is strange that there is no way for customer service to check an active order's status. But you know, Paolo was CC'd in the email that customer service replied with before 11am and I've heard nothing since. And I dont expect to hear anything over the weekend I guess, because as you said, it seems like stalling more than anything.

1 hour ago, grapeape said:

Try a little .....

Right, the famous Michael Golden debacle is an event I would prefer not to replicate. But I dont see that as anywhere near the same situation. In this case theoretically the artwork has been done and finished since the day I paid and confirmed that 2 days later. I am not new to waiting though and I have been waiting over 9 months now on another commission. But the facilitators and art reps have all done what they can do to assure me that I will, hopefully soon, have it completed. This isn't the case here.

Credit where credit is due though; I did receive an email this morning from customer service apologizing for being out of contact. They said they will reach out to Paolo and try to get answers as soon as possible. So, at least that is something.

7 hours ago, eewwnuk said:

Ask for a refund and i bet you get a response...

No reason to believe that, all things considered but I would welcome a refund if its the only way they are going to respond. If they cant provide proof the art exists or the art itself, then a refund would be in order. But if the artist executed the work as I was told it seems like a true disservice to theyre clients. If I am refunded I will reach out to the artist and inform them of the situation and offer them more money to complete another commission. If they cannot accept it I can take the business elsewhere. I dont mind lining the pockets of facilitators but when your not facilitating then im not lining. 

9 hours ago, Rick2you2 said:

I have generally found that mailing things during the Holiday Season sometimes produces unexpectly long wait times.

Was there a tracer number on the package? If the post office branch has done its job (not always the case), you should be able to track its location.

No tracking provided. And yes, It is the holidays, but having shipped out 3 packages on Monday that were all safely delivered Wednesday. So, I believe that would likely be an outlier scenario if the ship date was indeed the 4th. I used to do glass art sales and have shipped thousands of packages year round. I would definitely say its statistically true that more things take longer during the holidays or possibly get misplaced, that this is still pretty rare. It could have fallen off the back of a truck for all i no but with them making the choice not to provide customers with the tracking that comes with the shipping cost I have no way to know or deal with that.

Like i said before too, ive got gorilla-esque mail men, I have to stop my mail and pick it up at the PO when i am waiting on something like this. I stopped it but ive since started it again and just check on my mailbox 8 times a day because I cant really be expected to go to the post office to pick up my mail daily because they cant provide me with the same information that is standard for an internet transaction in 2019.

On top of it all i agree with the fellow a couple pages back that said that an email response at any time over the course of a month responding to any of my emails would have gone a long way even if it gleaned no information on the state of my order. And that not responding is essentially pretending You're not home when someone is at the door. Simply having Cadence as a company recognize i had placed an order and was waiting would go a long way compared to the communication I've had with an associate of theirs through facebook that offered the commissions. Really its not about the time, its not about the money, because its not the most I've ever paid nor the longest I've waited. it just feels like a scam. I know its not, but in the situations where I have been scammed, usually communication ends after payment is received. Really, I'm gonna blame myself for sending it Friends and Family everyday until i get it, because that was definitely the biggest screw up of the transaction and that is totally on me.

UPDATE: Sent another email out recounting the experience thus far and asking for any solid information on the state of the commission, picture, tracking, time frame, whatever. 4th times the charm? maybe?

So, I guess I am still waiting on my order.

It has been a week since it supposedly was shipped out so barring a rare late night delivery I think it's safe to say that probably didn't happen. I mean, I shipped out 3 packages priority mail on Monday and they have all arrived in different areas of the country. So barring me being the outlier package that is traveling around the country (which I know does happen occasionally) I cant exactly suspect that they shipped it on the date they said they would. And I know one week isn't really long but when you've essentially gone radio silent for over a month since taking payment (F&F) and providing me with nothing but a couple facebook messages stating that:

A) That the commission was thought to be done and that it would have been turned over to Customer Service
and
B) That it WILL ship tomorrow (Dec 4th) as will other outstanding orders

I'm not really sure that can be considered acceptable communication, particularly from an art dealer that has so many popular artists to represent. I really dont have any idea what the commission im receiving even looks like which is sort of frustrating because they did post pictures of 7 of the 9 known commissions they took from the posting. All while they continue to promote their Holiday sales and other folks are getting their orders that have been placed in the time since i placed mine. I am considering "Inquiring" about some art just to get a response so I can grease the wheels of conversation towards some answers, but I honestly hate having to goad adults acting like their age.

I guess some people in this thread have suggested to just buy from them at conventions and not mail order, but i think that is rewarding pretty abysmal customer service. Quality artists deserve quality representation, not aloof middle-men who cant be bothered to send an email or pack a box. And honestly, if I dont really love the commission i will probably send it back and ask for a refund. Not that I would expect one at this point if I cant even get an email returned from them. But I love a lot of the artists Cadence represents and want to support them but at this point i dont think its fair for Cadence to get any of the money from a transaction they put less than zero effort into facilitating.

5 hours ago, awayne83 said:

 They'll be lucky if tracking is provided. 

I dropped nearly all $8k on several pieces months back, explicitly pointing out for tracking to be provided as i work nights and they'd been neglecting to do so in the past.

What happens? I nearly trip over the package on my step on the way out the door to work one day. Been sitting out there for hours. Frustratingly they ship priority so tracking is included, but actually providing it us a whole other matter apparently. 

*I will point out this is when i pay f&f, so tracking isn't provided by PP automatically when postage is purchased (we worked out a deal, so i felt slighty obligated to cut out the fees)

**Also they aren't exclusive to this. There's another well known rep I've purchased several times from who ships priority & doesn't provide tracking. Why??

Ya, no tracking provided. Ive had other packages show up without any communication about it before as well so im not holding them exclusively at fault for that i guess.. But really these all feel like a bunch of small, easily rectifiable problems that could result in pretty big losses, of both customers and possibly artwork. 

I used to be a glassblower and shipped things out 6 days a week if i needed to and tracking was always the easiest part of the whole process. Is it more time consuming when you have more packages to ship? sure but more packages shipping out means more money coming in, so you should take the time. 

If they ship priority like you folks have said then there is a strong chance that it could arrive today, again assuming it shipped out when i was told it would.

New poster, longtime infrequent lurker.

I ordered a commission from Cadence that was to be done at GalaxyCon Nov 8th-10th. Sent the money F&F as requested (which i prefer not to do) I contacted the rep I had the commission through and he said it was completed and given to customer service. Also it was noted that things were backed up and it probably wont ship out immediately. Not a big deal.

I live in an apartment that is frequented by one of 2 postal workers, one who doesn't like to come up the elevator and jams packages into the small mailboxes.

So I emailed them a few days after the con via there online contact form asking if they had any sort of a picture/preview of the piece and if they could email me when it ships to let me know so I can have the mail held at my local post office. I figured they might have a preview since they had posted a lot of other commission pictures from the con but not the one i commissioned. I did not receive a response. A week later after no response I sent the same email to the email attached to the Paypal address as well as another general cadence gmail address that was listed on there website. No reply.

Of course, soon after they started doing promotion for their black Friday and holiday sales, so I was just assuming that my emails had been/were just buried amongst new orders and inquiries that had taken priority.

Yesterday I messaged the original rep who took the commission request and was told it would ship today along with other outstanding orders. I hadn't thought too much to ask him for a status update because he said that he didn't stay til the end of the con and that the commission was passed off to customer service after it was finished. So, that's great news. I am looking forward to hopefully getting it by early next week and going to try to ignore all of the posts in here where people stated things were shipped when they had not been.

Overall, not a long wait by any means and never was worried about not getting my art, so i'm not really upset over it. But when I realized how bad the communication was and googled it and instantly ended up here in this ongoing thread about it, i just felt that I too am in a similar situation. Not saying I wont order anything from Cadence in the future, but they're certainly not my first choice folks to deal with.