Item crafting forewarning

[paul_preib]

By and large my experience with this server's crafting community has been very rewarding. Folks have been extremely good about the eight or nine total 27 items I've had made, with people not only being friendly about it but often more then willing to try and help find someone if I've inquired about an item they cannot make.

 

That said, wanted to toss out one experience to give a bit of caution about.

 

A bit back was seeking to have a resolve 27 armoring made. Was referred to the player "Stew" by someone who then after getting in contact agreed to make the item.

 

I sent mats and tip (120K, which I figure is sufficient when no price has been discussed). Also because I had been used to getting hilts and barrels for my characters I sent 8 stabilizers instead of 6. A few days later (given that it was over a weekend I didn't begrudge the length of time, received an armoring in the mail, pulled it out and sent it over to my sage without much thought.

 

It is a bit of a shame that he did not let me know that I had over-paid in terms of materials but that one I put the fault on myself, I should have double checked how much the item costs and sent the proper amount, so while the honesty of "hey this is too much" would have been nice, I get that it was my own goof there.

 

After a day or so I logged onto the sage and proceeded to equip it only to realize it was a 26 armoring not a 27, something that I may have ascribed to him merely overlooking were it not for my already overpaying on mats and subsequent attempts to contact Stew going without answer.

 

Beyond this thread gonna let it drop since much of it was my own fault, being somewhat spoiled by the caliber of the community I'd interacted with to that I had gotten lax about checking and double checking things, however given that there are other crafters that have those same schematics (ended up getting my 27 from Ras'losa) it is something that I thought folks seeking an armoring crafter might want to be aware of as the net result of my interaction with stew was basically ending up paying 8 Molecular stabilizers (and of course the assorted other materials) and a good sized tip for an item worth 4 stabilizers that wasn't what I actually wanted.

 

So with a bit over 800,000 credits worth of materials down the drain I chalk it up to a lesson learned, but wanted to make sure other folks kept an eye that the same does not happen.

Edited January 25, 2013 by paul_preib

[wadecounty]

Thanks for this, I will keep an eye out, I believe he is in Anger Management?

[Satedbuffalo]

As a frequent crafter, I would suggest the following rules of the road:

 

1) confirm with the crafter (or frontman) that she is able to make the piece you want and confirm the price. do this by in-game mail unless your crafter has asked to speak to you by whisper. this should also give you an idea of the turn-around time on crafting.

 

there have been instances where crafters are listed on the forums but unable to make an item.

 

2) when sending mats via in-game mail, ensure two things:

a. you include the name and number of the item you want in the subject or the message

b. have some text in the message itself

 

This is good practice because many high-volume crafters keep a log of who needs what using the in-game mail system. When a crafter removes all the mats from a blank message *pop* goes the name of the person who sent the mats.

 

You might consider sending your mats CoD 1 credit, just so you know they've been received.

 

3) allow a -reasonable- amount of time before inquiring about items that have not yet been sent. most crafters on the server are crafting for entire guilds. this is a huge undertaking. when I was fielding crafting orders, I was getting 20+ a day. keeping all that straight is a monster headache. having someone mail you six hours later asking about an armoring is annoying.

 

4) don't tip until the work is completed. if a crafter requires a fee, ask them to send the item CoD. if he or she doesn't and you'd like to tip, tip them for speedy and efficient service, not in advance.

 

5) say thank you.

 

6) check, check, check: every time you send or receive an item, get in the habit of making sure it's what you want.

[paul_preib]

As a frequent crafter, I would suggest the following rules of the road:

 

1) confirm with the crafter (or frontman) that she is able to make the piece you want and confirm the price. do this by in-game mail unless your crafter has asked to speak to you by whisper. this should also give you an idea of the turn-around time on crafting.

 

there have been instances where crafters are listed on the forums but unable to make an item.

 

2) when sending mats via in-game mail, ensure two things:

a. you include the name and number of the item you want in the subject or the message

b. have some text in the message itself

 

This is good practice because many high-volume crafters keep a log of who needs what using the in-game mail system. When a crafter removes all the mats from a blank message *pop* goes the name of the person who sent the mats.

 

You might consider sending your mats CoD 1 credit, just so you know they've been received.

 

3) allow a -reasonable- amount of time before inquiring about items that have not yet been sent. most crafters on the server are crafting for entire guilds. this is a huge undertaking. when I was fielding crafting orders, I was getting 20+ a day. keeping all that straight is a monster headache. having someone mail you six hours later asking about an armoring is annoying.

 

4) don't tip until the work is completed. if a crafter requires a fee, ask them to send the item CoD. if he or she doesn't and you'd like to tip, tip them for speedy and efficient service, not in advance.

 

5) say thank you.

 

6) check, check, check: every time you send or receive an item, get in the habit of making sure it's what you want.

 

A good posting, though I will add that I have a format I always use to maximize clarity (other crafters that I've used would be able to attest to it)

 

After the first "I was told you can make X, mind if we do this through the mail, can send mats + tip) I always send it in the following format:

 

Name: Cylerian

 

Item: Resolve Armoring 27

 

Materials: Molecular Stabilizer X 6, Synthetic Energy Matrix X2, Mandalorian Iron X8, Durasteel X12, Zal Alloy X12

 

Tip: 120,000 Credits. Please request if more is necessary

 

Thank you for your time and consideration

 

It makes it very clear cut (course I goofed and listed/sent 8 in the aforementioned situation)

[Jenzali]

Also screenshot your mail message before sending it.

[Satedbuffalo]

Also screenshot your mail message before sending it.

 

WTB a 'sent mail' folder.

[haksilence]

Stew is the most reliable crafter on the Ebon Hawk hands down. he is a great person and a personal friend to me and i can tell you with the utmost confidence that he would never intentionally rip someone off. that being said people need to understand that he receives over 50 crafting requests on a good day. so he usually just takes the matts and crafts the items. im sorry to hear about your dealings with him and can tell you he has been very busy in the real life with work and such and has been pretty busy this last week, so again i understand your frustration but im asking for some understanding from you in return, he crafts so many items for somany people every day i can see it becoming increasingly easy for him to mix one order up. so please dont go around slandering someone for one bad dealing when literally hundreds of people will most likely claim the exact opposite about him. so im asking from everyone... cut him a bit of slack hes usually working nonstop to fill all these orders like a madman.

[CavalierDutchess]

I've worked with Stew numerous times over the last month and have always had a positive experience. He was forward with my questions and always quick in making my armorings. Additionally, I've recommended him to a number of friends all of whom have had equally pleasant experiences. It sounds like your experience was the rare exception.

[Bombbuster]

So with a bit over 800,000 credits worth of materials down the drain I chalk it up to a lesson learned, but wanted to make sure other folks kept an eye that the same does not happen.

Did you contact Stew about the overpayment and receiving the wrong mod to give him a chance to make it right?

[Headpunch]

and subsequent attempts to contact Stew going without answer.

 

Reading this, I'd say the OP contacted Stew and didn't receive a reply as of the time the OP posted this thread.

 

What others said about sending a preliminary mail confirming your order before mats are sent, and then including your order in the title and body of the mail is definitely the best way to go about crafting requests.

[thoughtz]

Stew

 

This poster did not contact me to let me know that I made any kind of mistake. I have refunded his mats and tip even though I don't have a copy of his mail anymore. I personal feel this is to slander my name and reputation.

Edited January 28, 2013 by thoughtz

[paul_preib]

Situation has been resolved with materials for the 26 item and partial tip back to the Crafter, the overage items retained.

[ML_DoubleTap]

Glad it was resolved. Thought I'd pop in quick and give my full endorsement of Stew's crafting services. I've gone through him for a fair bit of items and have never had a problem. I recommend him to anyone that asks.