But- customers need to respect designers as well. The respect issue here is a little different. I'm not going to refuse to sell to someone because of how they act on a public message board- that's just not right, and I have no control over someone else's behavior. Hey- their money is just as good as the next person's, right?
There are reasons that I will refuse a sale.
- The customer has shared illegally or passed off as their own someone else's work.
- The customer pops into a chat to ask for the password for a crop that took place two weeks ago.
- The customer refuses to treat me with respect when I make a mistake, and instead fires off an email full of swear words.
Number one: this is ILLEGAL. Got that? I.L.L.E.G.A.L. We're talking lawyers and lawsuits, not just slap on the wrist stuff here. Copyright law exists for a reason- and it's people like this, the ones who think that it's perfectly fine to steal someone's hard work or share it with everyone on the planet because they feel that nobody should have to pay for digital scrapbooking supplies. I don't care if it's something that I gave away for free, or if it's something that I'm selling- if you have it, and it has my name on it, and I see you out there trying to pass it off as your own (and I'm not talking about posting a layout made using a kit and forgetting to credit me- I'm talking selling it or giving it away as your own), I will find out and I will press charges, if it comes to that.
Number two: This is just bad manners. I'd be perfectly happy, as co-leader for a design team, to help a customer who downloaded a kit for a crop, but ended up missing it (for whatever reason) get in touch with the person who designed the kit for the crop. The only person who can decide whether or not to give out a password after a crop is over is the person that designed that kit. Email them and ask- don't stick your head into a crop and ask 'Does anyone have the password from Monday's crop? My daughter was sick, and I missed it...' Take it to the designer and keep it private! If the designer say that they can't help you, then either buy the kit or realize that sometimes, we miss out on the good things in life (like it kills me that there isn't a Baskin Robbins within 40 miles of here and I can't enjoy free scoop day- but when I'm near one, I do not walk in and say 'I live 40 miles away, and couldn't make it to free scoop day- can I get one? They'd probably laugh me out of the store!). So- if something comes up and you miss a crop, ask the designer for the password, NOT other scrappers. Especially do not ask them in front of another designer- it just makes you look greedy (and if I see it, I will not give out a password to you because of this).
Number three: We're all adults here. This is completely about respect. Have a problem? Email me politely and I'll do what I can to fix it. Send me hate mail, and I won't even bother to answer. My rule of thumb: if it's something that I can't read to my grandmother, then I don't send it to a customer. Customers should think the same- if you can't repeat it in front of your grandmother, then don't send it to me. By all means, complain. I can't improve if you don't tell me what I'm doing wrong. But keep it polite, please. If I feel that you aren't respecting me, then I don't think that you are worth my time, and I most definitely don't want your money.
We all want the freebies to continue- they are one of the greatest things about digital scrapbooking. But if customers don't respect the designers, then the designers aren't going to want to create freebies- or anything, really- anymore. Most of us don't make enough to make the rudeness, the greedy behavior, the complaints, and the disrespect worth it. I can handle just about anything- but even I have my limits.
So- designers: respect your customers. Customers: respect your designers.
1 comment:
Great post Tracey!!! AMEN!
So, I was surfing around one day on some sites I'm sponsoring to see other people sponsoring, clicked on the link and the ENTIRE site design was my benefit/charity kit!!!! I was like - whoa, but then I thought, okay, email them ask to see their site credits to make sure they are at least giving credit. I don't let people USE my stuff commercially unless they ask, and most of the time I say yes, but for a charity kit I would say no - it exploits the reason I did it in my opinion. I was nice in my email, all I did was say hey, see you're using my design, do you have the credit for it anywhere on the site? It was visible. She emailed me back all nasty saying that I was just on the hunt to find people violating my terms, I didn't even bother to ask questions about any products, etc. on her site. I was SOOOOO shocked! I was like, wait a minute, my terms say XYZ and all I'm doing is asking you for a link to where the credits are. I was so miffed at this point! I even told her that normally I wouldn't let anyone use my charity stuff for commercial use. Now, she sells paper kits, but had the guts to say she wasn't using my kit commercially - meaning she wasn't selling it or selling designs using it. I was like, commercially means any thing commercial - you sell stuff, your site is commercial. I couldn't believe this woman got mad at me! SHOCKING!!!!!
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