Recently, I encountered someone who was, for lack of better words, kind of a d**k.
Telling me I'm "low" for asking commissioners to foot the Paypal fee on RLC commissions? Really, some people...
To begin with, like many other artists, I wasn't aware that this was even an issue or violation of Paypal TOS. If you're going to call someone out on something like this, consider that it may be an innocent mistake or misunderstanding--after all, who really reads TOSs in their entirety nowadays? Asking commissioners to pay the transaction fee is something I've been taught to do because others have done the same. In fact, my first commissioner voluntarily paid it and advised me to add the charge to my prices.
It's really quite hypocritical -- the buyer calls the seller "low" for adding in the fee charge because the buyer wants to save those few extra dollars; the seller thinks the buyer is "low" for refusing to pay those few extra dollars because the seller needs that extra payment to receive the actual cost of the commission.
Now a lot of people say to just add the charge into the price of the art. For instance, instead of charging $15, ask for $16 or $17 instead. How is this any different from asking the buyer to pay the fee? Unless the extra fee is added on after the price has been agreed on as a hidden fee of sorts, I don't see how it's unfair to the seller.
If I tell you the price of the commission is $50 and the price of using Paypal is another $1.80, I'm telling you upfront that the total cost will be $50.80.
Those who feel so strongly about artists not asking for the extra fee and instead raising their commission prices:
If I make a $50 commission $51.80, it's fine. But if I make a $50 + $1.80 commission, it isn't fine?
I believe that as a commissioner, it's your job to provide for me, the artist. That means it's your job to give me the money I need. And as an artist, it's my job to make you happy. That means it's my job to do everything I can to make sure you're happy with the art I make for you. I'm sure there are some scammers and unscrupulous artists who don't operate this way, but I firmly believe the majority of amateur artists like me feel this way.
Regarding using Paypal's personal payments service to avoid transaction fees altogether: yes, it is against their TOS. I don't see a problem with it. If an artist is generating enough income, I believe they should be going through goods & services and Paypal should be getting their service cut. But for artists who do one or two $20 commissions every other month?
Please, Paypal is a big boy. They don't need the couple dollars they lose, and both the commissioner and the artist certainly would like to save those couple dollars.
sachi desu · Tue Oct 07, 2014 @ 11:35am · 0 Comments |