"Someday I am going to be your customer"

[spark]

Just a quick WTF from today's e-mails.

I got a message today from a guy. The header was about a "possible commission" so I'm seeing possible dollar signs, but the actual text says that he is 15 and can't buy anything from met yet, but in two or three years he intends to do so, and he just wanted to let me know.

Uh. Thanks? I guess? I really can't formulate a proper response to this. It's not exactly "suck" as such, but it's just really baffling. Who mails somebody and says they're going to give them money in several years?

[Kogarashi]

I've got an almost-sorta-pending commission to do a painted fan for someone, but by the sounds of things, they're a minor. So the reason it's pending is because they need to get parental permission to commission the item in the first place, and will probably need said parent to send me the money as well. Why can't your customer-in-a-few-years get his parents to cover the payment part?

Who mails somebody and says they're going to give them money in several years?

The bank in charge of your savings bonds?

[spark]

Why can't your customer-in-a-few-years get his parents to cover the payment part?

Probably because very few parents will blithely fork over $1,300 for a custom costume for their kid? I have actually had a few cases of parents shelling out for their child's suit, but it doesn't happen too often. More often I get teenagers asking me to try and help them keep their purchase secret from their parents. *eyeroll* As if you can hide a full-body mascot suit for very long!

[PepperElf]

i guess that's why there's a minimum age for purchasing stuff like that. so junior doesn't go and blow his college money on something liek that

[Ironclad Alibi]

The header was about a "possible commission" so I'm seeing possible dollar signs, but the actual text says that he is 15 and can't buy anything from met yet, but in two or three years he intends to do so, and he just wanted to let me know.

Who mails somebody and says they're going to give them money in several years?

Maybe an SC who wants a price quote now so they can demand that price later after prices have gone up a bit?

[cj1991]

We get requests from kids all the time for pricing on stuff.

What sucks is that you can't tell from an e-mail whether they're joking or not, so if we're not 100% sure, we call and ask to speak to the person first. That saves all kinds of time and effort.....

[Kogarashi]

Probably because very few parents will blithely fork over $1,300 for a custom costume for their kid? I have actually had a few cases of parents shelling out for their child's suit, but it doesn't happen too often. More often I get teenagers asking me to try and help them keep their purchase secret from their parents. *eyeroll* As if you can hide a full-body mascot suit for very long!

Ah, yep, that'd do it. What I do (artwork, especially lately painting folding fans) tends to run both cheaper and more manageable in size.

[spark]

Yeah. He didn't ask for a price quote, or I might have understood it. Just said that he'd get back to me in a couple of years.

If he had asked for a quote there's no way I could have given him one anyhow, my prices are not going to be the same in two years, I can pretty much guarantee it.