Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I booked an appointment for a tattoo last September for Jan. No prices discussed no times just an idea of what I was looking for. Wad told to hold the appointment had to pay $200 deposit that would go towards the work. Jan came up seemed about prices was told he was $300 an hour but for the half sleeve fill in I was looking for was going ti be 2500. Which is way beyond what I expected. So I asked for a cancellation and refund. The receptionist just offered me a new date and time to retjI nm what i wanted s i said okay. My appointment is coming up in a few weeks. But I got denied for the time off for work so I asked if my husband could sit in my slot instead. I was told no. I asked for my deposit back I was told they aren't refundable. However that wad never mentioned in any of the correspondence when I qas asked for the deposit. So I can't let my husband have my appointment time to and your keeping my money. Claiming I've rescheduled and rescheduled and he only does big tattoos and is so inconvenient by my confusion. That deposit is my money if I'm not getting work done that us theft. Nowhere anywhere did someone tell me it was non refundable.

  Business response

  05/17/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/04/28) */ This client first contacted us in September of 2021 for tattoo/piercing services. She came in for a nose piercing and also consulted with myself for a full sleeve to cover-up her husband's name that was in multiple spots on her arm and to also cover-up undesirable work that she got while in her active addiction. She was very adamant about getting the work done asap. She stated that she has been following my work and social media platforms and insisted on that she didn't care what the price was she wanted me to do it. I also explained to her in person that I have a very booked schedule and there would be a few months that she would have to wait, just like any of my clients that do business with me. We also talked about some ideas that she would like but that mainly she just trusted me to have artistic freedom, as long as the names were gone along with the "trash" work she had. I then proceeded to tell her it would be lots of saturation and we could do a really cool space themed sleeve and showed her some pictures of that particular theme I had done on other clients. She also was very excited about the free hand realism that I specialize in and couldn't wait to have a custom tattoo personalized to her. I remember her saying she doesn't care what was put on there as long as her husband's name was off of her. She also continued to say how money was not an issue and how does she book her appt. I told her that all day sessions run anywhere from $1,500-$2,500 depending on how many hours she could sit. Once again she assured me she did not care how much it was she just wanted the names gone. I had my partner then explain the booking process very thouroghly to her. One of the steps to get on my books is that a deposit must be placed before scheduling. She was told in person that the deposit was non-refundable and that it secures her spot on the calendar. The price of the deposit would be deducted from the final pricing the day of the tattoo. if this sounds like something she wanted to do, we could get her all set-up. She received her invoice of $200 to the email that she provided, along with a copy of our terms and conditions. Her original appt. was scheduled for January 12th, 2022 for a full 8hour session for a space themed sleeve. The week before her appt. she reached out to my partner and said that her husband was doing lots of drugs and causing lots of problems. *** was involved with her and her kids and that she just was not going to be able to afford that tattoo, and she needed her deposit back because she couldn't feed her kids. We very politely let her know that we understand and sympathize with her situation, but unfortunately the deposits are non-refundable but we could offer her the option of rescheduling her appt. to a later date to giver her some time to get her finances together. She accepted and we rescheduled her for April 20,2022. She then contacted me through my personal ******** ********* on 3/25/22 and said, "Hey hate to ask but do you do refunds? I paid the down-payment rescheduled my appt. but life happens and I'm just not gonna be able to afford it." I did not reply because all of these things had been discussed at the initial consult. On 4/2/21 her husband contacted my partner on her personal ******** at 12:44 A.M. asking about the deposit refund and what all she will be getting done. My partner and the clients husband corresponded back and forth before my partner ended it by saying it was very late and to just have the client reach out with any other questions. The next morning the client contacted my partner on her personal ******** and said, " Hey my husband says I need to message you. He wants to get a good estimate of how much this tattoo is gonna cost me." The client and my partner corresponded back and forth about pricing again, just trying to continue to work with the client as much as possible. The conversation ended with my partner quoting her a price of $1800-$2200 again depending on what all gets done. The client said, "ok." On 4/4/22 the client contacted my partner again on her personal ******** asking what my hourly rate was. My partner again corresponded back and forth with her trying to work with her and her budget to figure out a solution. The client then decided that all of this was going to be too much for her and asked if I could just do a small name (the husband's name) for the $200 deposit. My partner agreeded and told her that we typically do not make these kind of exceptions but was willing to offer something so that both parties could be in agreement. She said ok and we adjusted her 8hr. appt. down to 15min appt. for same date of 4/20/22. On 4/7/22 she contacted my partner on her personal email inquiring about her baby getting her ears pierced. My partner told her we do not pierce babies. The client then asked do we know anybody that does. My partner said no. On 4/15/22 the client's husband contacted my partner on her personal ******** informing us that the client was not going to be able to take off work and could he take her place and get $200 worth of work so that they aren't getting screwed out of the money. My partner informed him that is not something we are willing to do at this point. The husband then proceeded to tell my partner more of their personal problems and excuses of why he needed to come instead of the client. Also telling my partner what $200 is "worth" and what he would want for it. Stating how the client didn't put real thought into this, and that we would be in breech of our policies by not fulfilling his request. Making insults and being disrespectful. My partner told him that she was done talking to him and that if the client wanted to reach out and discuss this that is the only person she would be speaking with moving forward. My partner then blocked the client's husband. On 4/15/22, the client reached out to my partner on her personal ******** and also asked if her husband could take her place. My partner said no and that we have been more than flexible and reasonable with trying to work with the client to resolve this matter. The client then started demanding the deposit back and stating more excuses and personal reasons. Also insulting us as a business and being disrespectful. My partner blocked her as well. The client then contacted me on my personal ******** demanding the deposit, making threats of pressing charges, reporting me to the BBB, and making bad reviews on all platforms that she can. I responded, " You show up to your appt. or do whatever you need to. I don't take well to threats or demands." The client then proceeded to belittle my business and tell me how I should operate it. ending with "I just want my money back so I can buy my baby formula." On 4/20/22 the client did come to the shop where my partner met her in the front. The client had her underage son with her and acted as if nothing had happened.She then asked my partner if her underage son could get tattooed in her place. My partner said no ma'am we are not willing to do that. The client once again started yelling and demanding her deposit back. My partner informed her that was not happening either, deposits are non-refundable. The client stormed out cussing and yelling threats and ultimately left. The client and her husband are both banned from our property. On 4/22/22, she text my partner on her personal cell phone and stated, "she tried to kill herself because of all this, but thank God her husband saved her." Also that she holds no hard feelings and, "I received my payment back and all is good."

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