trofeo
True Grumbler
I hate to come back grumbling (after being without an internet connection for months), with a huge dilema asking for advice.. BUT
I have a BIG problem... Maybe some of you who have been in biz longer than me will have a solution or know by experience what action I can take.
Here is the story:
I was put in touch with a client/collector more than a year and a half ago. Very well off, loves to spend it all on stuff to make his house look great, likes to impress people,etc.. (designed his WHOLE house, seriously, based to a "t" on a ralph lauren ad in a magazine..) seriously.. so, for framing this is good. He had 15 things to frame, all gigantic, and I was able to go to his home with samples and he wanted like 10 closed corners. NICE!!! SO, I'm pretty psyched, call him up with a huge quote, and he chokes and says he wants to do them a few at a time to soften the blow. Fine! A steady stream of good orders is fine by me!!
So, we do a few orders over the next 1-1/2 years, he's a good, yet needy, client. On the last trip to his house, he says he wants to go ahead on the frame for this giant double, multi angled painting, and a few others. He had just paid me for the balance on another project, so I didn't insist on a deposit..(mistake #1). The other 5 pieces weren't closed corners, so when they were done first, I delievred them (for free), and gave him the status on the other closed corner frame. He was with an "important client" so he asked if he could call me and give me his credit card over the phone. (mistake #2), but He did, and I breathed again..
BUT he left out his expiration date. i left him a message, tried to run the card, nothing. Since JUNE i have been calling/emailing him, trying to just get the darn expiration date, and to tell him that his GIANT (90x45) closed corner frame had finally arrived. I have tried a number of different guesses at the ex.date, and even tried another credit card I had "on file" for him.. both didn't work)..
SO, fast forward to two days ago.. The friend that put me in touch with him stops by for a chat, and asks me if the client paid me yet.. When he hears he hasn't paid, he proceeds to tell me that I should "do whatever I can to get my money", because the guy has MOVED TO SAN DIEGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Burning a lot of other people in the process.
SO... I know I should've gotten a deposit, and deserve 1000 lashings for that one.. But, we had such a good thing going, and he seemed so happy with the service..etc. One big mistake I made was to not require that I take his art, b/c now I have no collateral, or anything to sell to recoup my money. It was just so big, and the frame was going to take so long, he didn't want his $20,000 painting in my shop for a month, and neither did I really...
So, the questions are:
Are there any recourses I can take that are A) legal, B) professional and C) will get me paid.? He owes me $4500, and I want this giant a$$ crate out of my tiny shop! I have been tripping over it for months now.
My boyfriend says I should make a painting (I'm an artist too..) and put it in the giant frame and sell it to recoup my money.. but I am not about to do that until the last option has been exhausted, so please.. if you have any advice, know any lawyers, etc, or if you have a shop in San Diego and I can give you his name so you can contact me if he comes in to get something framed, that would be really really cool!!!!!!!! i almost could gaurantee that he will learn where all the "high end" decor stores are, and probably start spending tons of loot, so he'll turn up somehow down there..
I have a cell number for him, and two expired/invalid credit cards #'s, an old address and two old company names he worked under. that's about it..
Any help/advice would be great..
many thanks!
sara
I have a BIG problem... Maybe some of you who have been in biz longer than me will have a solution or know by experience what action I can take.
Here is the story:
I was put in touch with a client/collector more than a year and a half ago. Very well off, loves to spend it all on stuff to make his house look great, likes to impress people,etc.. (designed his WHOLE house, seriously, based to a "t" on a ralph lauren ad in a magazine..) seriously.. so, for framing this is good. He had 15 things to frame, all gigantic, and I was able to go to his home with samples and he wanted like 10 closed corners. NICE!!! SO, I'm pretty psyched, call him up with a huge quote, and he chokes and says he wants to do them a few at a time to soften the blow. Fine! A steady stream of good orders is fine by me!!
So, we do a few orders over the next 1-1/2 years, he's a good, yet needy, client. On the last trip to his house, he says he wants to go ahead on the frame for this giant double, multi angled painting, and a few others. He had just paid me for the balance on another project, so I didn't insist on a deposit..(mistake #1). The other 5 pieces weren't closed corners, so when they were done first, I delievred them (for free), and gave him the status on the other closed corner frame. He was with an "important client" so he asked if he could call me and give me his credit card over the phone. (mistake #2), but He did, and I breathed again..
BUT he left out his expiration date. i left him a message, tried to run the card, nothing. Since JUNE i have been calling/emailing him, trying to just get the darn expiration date, and to tell him that his GIANT (90x45) closed corner frame had finally arrived. I have tried a number of different guesses at the ex.date, and even tried another credit card I had "on file" for him.. both didn't work)..
SO, fast forward to two days ago.. The friend that put me in touch with him stops by for a chat, and asks me if the client paid me yet.. When he hears he hasn't paid, he proceeds to tell me that I should "do whatever I can to get my money", because the guy has MOVED TO SAN DIEGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Burning a lot of other people in the process.
SO... I know I should've gotten a deposit, and deserve 1000 lashings for that one.. But, we had such a good thing going, and he seemed so happy with the service..etc. One big mistake I made was to not require that I take his art, b/c now I have no collateral, or anything to sell to recoup my money. It was just so big, and the frame was going to take so long, he didn't want his $20,000 painting in my shop for a month, and neither did I really...
So, the questions are:
Are there any recourses I can take that are A) legal, B) professional and C) will get me paid.? He owes me $4500, and I want this giant a$$ crate out of my tiny shop! I have been tripping over it for months now.
My boyfriend says I should make a painting (I'm an artist too..) and put it in the giant frame and sell it to recoup my money.. but I am not about to do that until the last option has been exhausted, so please.. if you have any advice, know any lawyers, etc, or if you have a shop in San Diego and I can give you his name so you can contact me if he comes in to get something framed, that would be really really cool!!!!!!!! i almost could gaurantee that he will learn where all the "high end" decor stores are, and probably start spending tons of loot, so he'll turn up somehow down there..
I have a cell number for him, and two expired/invalid credit cards #'s, an old address and two old company names he worked under. that's about it..
Any help/advice would be great..
many thanks!
sara