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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Accidentally ripping off a designer - WWYD?

56 replies

MeganPoppins · 07/10/2020 16:25

I've been saving up for something for quite some time, and today I bought it. It's a handcrafted item. The crafter sells several different ones on her website, and one was "custom design" - she will make whatever you specifically want. I chose this option though was surprised it was no more expensive than the others.

I sent across the description of what I wanted her to make, and she replied saying that I would need to choose from the available selection. I replied back saying that I thought I could choose whatever I wanted, as that's what it says in the description. It turns out that she'd put the wrong price on the "custom" item and it should be a lot more expensive than the other items. She was very nice about it, and once she realised her mistake said that she would honour it. I feel a bit terrible - thinking about it, it was obvious that a custom design should cost more. I haven't replied to her yet. I feel I should either pay more for what I really want (though I'm not exactly sure how much it should have been), or choose one of the others.

YABU - take her up on the offer and get the custom design at a discount
YANBU - offer to pay more / choose a cheaper item

OP posts:
oakleaffy · 07/10/2020 19:20

@user13745865422563

Legally she does not have to honour an incorrect price on her website.

I wouldn't want to exploit someone. Especially if that person was labouring under the misapprehension that they had no choice but to let me rip them off.

Just say, no thank you, please let me know the correct price.

THIS.

Custom work is a lot dearer.

FenellaVelour · 07/10/2020 19:21

@user13745865422563

Legally she does not have to honour an incorrect price on her website.

I wouldn't want to exploit someone. Especially if that person was labouring under the misapprehension that they had no choice but to let me rip them off.

Just say, no thank you, please let me know the correct price.

It depends if it was an obvious mistake, and whether the contract had been formed (I.e. if OP had received a confirmation email). There would be a good argument in law that the error was not so obvious as to void a contract.

Example: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1795624.stm

OP, you clearly have a conscience about this so just ask her what her usual price would be and see if you can split the difference as others have said.

Original poster
MeganPoppins · 07/10/2020 19:28

Thanks all, I think splitting the difference is a good plan. I have been waiting to see what happens with the website but unfortunately she's taken the custom option off completely. I'll ask her what it should have been. I've been arguing with DH about it, as he's very much "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" whereas I am very conscious that my gift horse is somebody else's misfortune. Coming on here has confirmed that I'm probably the one in the right.

OP posts:
SoulofanAggron · 07/10/2020 19:48

YABU- she was the one that cocked up.

If you feel that wrong about it then pay her the intended price, but you really don't have to.

TerribleCustomerCervix · 07/10/2020 19:52

Agree with split the difference, and if you’ve found her through Etsy or similar leave her a fantastic review (without mentioning the discount!)

neveradullmoment99 · 07/10/2020 19:56

@MeganPoppins

Thanks all, I think splitting the difference is a good plan. I have been waiting to see what happens with the website but unfortunately she's taken the custom option off completely. I'll ask her what it should have been. I've been arguing with DH about it, as he's very much "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" whereas I am very conscious that my gift horse is somebody else's misfortune. Coming on here has confirmed that I'm probably the one in the right.
If she is making it herself I really think you should pay the proper price. Its really shit to split the difference. Its her time and effort. Its not just something that is picked and posted.
Updownin · 07/10/2020 20:02

How much are we talking about it makes a difference if the basic model is £50 or £20

XingMing · 07/10/2020 20:02

You've made what I thought was a fair decision, but if her work is lovely then may be you could suggest that she includes an option to quote for individual, unique commissions, based on her style, for which customer would have to deposit say 60% upfront, after a discussion of the colours and style/subject. For the artisan it would be a less risky way to extend the range and open up more one-off commission based work. Most artists and artisans don't really want to repeat the same few designs endlessly, just because they are popular.

Updownin · 07/10/2020 20:02

£200, not £20!

Ffsseriously · 07/10/2020 20:03

God i hate people who try to profit from mistakes its so tacky and unfair. Everyone makes mistakes shes probably worried about bad reviews so feels pressure to do it cheaper. Op dont be that person be a decent person, we should all try to make the world better not meaner.

CircleofWillis · 07/10/2020 20:10

I think splitting the difference is a good compromise. I personally would feel I could not enjoy the piece fully as I would always remember that the creator had lost out on it due to an honest mistake. I imagine she would appreciate you paying more than she has suggested and will feel her work and time is valued by you.

Namechangedforthisoct2 · 07/10/2020 20:11

I could never enjoy the item if I didn’t offer to pay the person making it, the amount they feel it’s worth, it would have bad energy for me, a bit like blood money but not as drastic!

PearlyPear · 07/10/2020 20:16

In this instance I'd personally honour the real (custom) price. That's the price it should have been and it's reflected in the individual work as opposed to a template.

I wouldn't always take this path as it really depends on lots of things, but in this instance it's clear she will be doing more work and it will cost her more. I'd feel just too bad taking it off her for the lesser price because she mis-priced it by accident, and especially as she is the actual crafter/creator herself (rather than importing something which she has made a profit on through the work of others - nothing wrong with that, it's trade) - but it does feel different that she actually does the making with her own hands.

Ffsseriously · 07/10/2020 20:22

@PearlyPear that is a very good point.

Mrsmadevans · 07/10/2020 20:27

I couldn't do it either OP, it would ruin my enjoyment of it. l know that sems daft but l just couldn't .

Scweltish · 07/10/2020 20:31

I can’t believe so many people on here would be willing to not pay the actual price. The poor lady made a mistake. I know a few people selling things on Etsy, every one of them is doing it as they’re trying to boost a poor income and trying to scrape a few extra quid in for their families. You’ve got her over a barrel now as a single bad review for sellers on Etsy can literally ruin their whole business. I couldn’t justify having someone had make a customised piece of art for me for a big discount over a mistake, you knew when you saw the price that it wasn’t right

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 07/10/2020 20:53

She actually doesn't have to honour it. Legally if you price something wrong, you can cancel the sale. She doeant need to honour it but independents have such a hard time that she has probably offered to because she is worried about a bad review or online slagging if she cancels your order.

I'm an independent jeweller so I share her fear but I would be gutted because the extra work means no profit, she will be making it at a loss and it will eat into time she could spend creating new designs etc.

If I were you, I would either choose one of the template designs or ask for a refund. I would not hold her to the low price on a custom piece. You just need to decide where your morals lie on this one.

ForestbytheSea · 07/10/2020 21:11

What other people have said, I wouldn’t feel happy getting a bargain at someone else’s cost. If you want a custom design, then ask her how much it will be, or choose from the designs available. You are acting like you don’t know how much a custom design would be because she’s taken the option of the listing, when you can quite simply ask her the price! Just because she’s said she will do it at the price of the ready made designs, she doesn’t have to do it. I once won a custom designed item in a competition and I never received it. I guess the designer got the original publicity, I ended up getting a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates from the website who’d organised the competition.

FlouncingBabooshka · 07/10/2020 21:29

OP I honestly think if you were the sort of person who was going to be able to enjoy owning this item knowing you had paid less than the fair price for it you wouldn’t have considered starting a thread about it in the first place.

Embroidery is extremely time consuming and she is likely to be out of pocket as a result of a simple mistake. I think you should ask her to let you know what it should have been priced at and then make your decision about whether to hold her to her offer, offer to split the difference or pay full price.

I worry that if you don’t at least find out the cost I you’ll always feel guilty. I would.

FlouncingBabooshka · 07/10/2020 21:34

And having read that back it sounded a little more fence-sitty than I’d intended. To be completely frank I’m think you should pay the correct price or choose a non-custom item and, if I’ve interpreted your posts correctly, I suspect you do too.

FenellaVelour · 07/10/2020 22:46

@WhereverIGoddamnLike

She actually doesn't have to honour it. Legally if you price something wrong, you can cancel the sale. She doeant need to honour it but independents have such a hard time that she has probably offered to because she is worried about a bad review or online slagging if she cancels your order.

I'm an independent jeweller so I share her fear but I would be gutted because the extra work means no profit, she will be making it at a loss and it will eat into time she could spend creating new designs etc.

If I were you, I would either choose one of the template designs or ask for a refund. I would not hold her to the low price on a custom piece. You just need to decide where your morals lie on this one.

As I’ve said before, she does legally have to honour it if she’s sent a confirmation email and a contract has been formed.

Doesn’t mean it’s morally the right thing to do, but legally it would be binding.

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 08/10/2020 07:30

@FenellaVelour

You're wrong. Any good independent (or any retailer) will have terms and conditions which allow them to cancel an order before dispatch for any reason. The confirmation email doeant change that.

Most independents will use boiler plate terms and conditions, and that's almost always in there.

Online retailers cancel orders, after confirmation, a lot for this reason. Remember when Next sold those sofas at £90 instead of the massive price they should have been by mistake; their confirmation emails are automatic. They cancelled all those orders.

She doesnt need to honour it.

wombat1a · 08/10/2020 07:39

I'd offer to split the difference, provided I could still afford it at the split price. If I could not I would order a standard item go with that instead if I liked one.

Florencex · 08/10/2020 07:47

I think it would be taking advantage of somebody to let her honour the price. It was an obvious mistake and she has been very generous to agree to that.

The decent thing to do is ask what the price should be. This is somebody trying to make a living through crafting.

Tadpolesandfroglets · 08/10/2020 07:55

Pay the proper price. Trying to make a living from arts/crafts is pretty soul destroying and hard work. They routinely under value their work and don’t pay themselves a decent wage as it is.