Vendor stopped responding, looking for thoughts...

[YadaYadaYada]

I really hesitated writing this post because I'm afraid of getting blasted but really starting to feel upset so I'm looking for some input.

I have a project in the works currently with a vendor, we have been corresponding pretty regularly for over a month, usually an email a day. There has been lengthy discussion about design of the piece and just last week we started talking about price. I have supplied stones which they have now.

Before the pricing discussion I found and bought my holy grail piece of jewelry (which I was not actively looking for in fact I was looking for comps to price something to sell), which meant that I need to replenish my funds to go forward with this project. As soon as this happened I let the vendor know and apologized because it meant I would have to delay the start a bit, vendor responds with complete understanding, no problem, it's my project and it can be started whenever is good for me, no pressure but since they have already come up with the designs "it would be good to give a deposit to get things started and pay for the work already done so far."

I respond saying that I totally understand and to please create an invoice so I can get that money over to them. This was five days ago, since then not one email and no invoice to be found. They are active on Instagram and have listed things for sale so it seems it's business as usual.

I do understand that I am probably low priority now which is fine however since it was the vendor who suggested the deposit then shouldn't they respond when I emailed asking them to invoice me? I'm starting to feel a little badly about this project, I don't want any bad vibes and I don't want to upset the vendor and damage our working relationship going forward (and did say that in one of my emails to them).

I could send another message but I don't feel I should need to reach out again to ask for another invoice, is it safe to say that I have probably annoyed said vendor and now need to accept how this is progressing, I assumed when the vendor told me no problem, no pressure that was true but it seems like this may have caused some upset.

Thoughts?

 

[Austina]

Maybe as it’s now on the back burner, so to speak, they’re not rushing to issue an invoice?

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Austina, right, which is fine so then do I just forget about it and wait until they send it to me? It kind of doesn't make sense to mention payment and then not follow through.

 

[chrono]

I would email to ask for the invoice.

 

[Arcadian]

As someone who gets close to 100 emails a day (yes seriously its kinda crazy) sometimes they can fall through the cracks. Shoot another email to the vendor. Sometimes you might want to get a return receipt to see when they read it. I can totally understand as to the why of this. Worry some would be if they ignored every single email you sent.

 

[voce]

I have not done transactions through IG partly because I'm not active on IG and social media, but mostly because I do not think of it as a selling platform. If I have an issue with a seller on Etsy or Shopify, I know I can take action through other channels than solely depending upon the seller. With IG or FB I do not feel confident purchasing at all because I think they can ignore you and deny that a transaction ever took place unless your messages are very explicit about what was exchanged. Without setting up a proper shop, a seller may even forego the usual business invoicing to avoid paying taxes.

My reaction was "yikes!", but I hope @Arcadian is right and that your email got overlooked because your project was on the back burner and the vendor prioritized other things at the moment.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@voce, they have an Etsy store, we have been corresponding through convos on Etsy.

 

[Rfisher]

Etsy convo?
I'd call.
Repeat that you both are at an understanding, but you want to be sure you pay them for the work that's been done, and want to make sure you haven't missed the invoice that was discussed 5 days ago.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Okay, I'm going to reach out a second time. Maybe I am overthinking the whole thing, because I feel badly about having to send that message about delaying the project.

Thanks for the thoughtful responses everyone.

 

[missy]

As someone who gets close to 100 emails a day (yes seriously its kinda crazy) sometimes they can fall through the cracks. Shoot another email to the vendor. Sometimes you might want to get a return receipt to see when they read it. I can totally understand as to the why of this. Worry some would be if they ignored every single email you sent.

Yes definitely to everything @Arcadian wrote. I miss emails more often than I like to admit because I get close to (if not over) 100 a day. So definitely send the vendor another email message. Just be yourself and say you don't want to bother them but you'd like to follow through and send a deposit. And don't feel badly Stephanie. You are not being a pain at all and this is a business transaction not personal.

Etsy convo?
I'd call.
Repeat that you both are at an understanding, but you want to be sure you pay them for the work that's been done, and want to make sure you haven't missed the invoice that was discussed 5 days ago.

Yes since it was an Etsy convo would they have missed that? I would contact them via phone then just as @Rfisher suggests. Sometimes a phone call is best. Good luck!

 

[dk168]

If I know a vendor well enough, I would send money via PP without being sent an invoice.
Otherwise I would send an email to ask for an invoice, and to let the vendor know that no money will be sent without one, etc....

DK

 

[voce]

If I know a vendor well enough, I would send money via PP without being sent an invoice.

Regardless of knowing the vendor or not, it didn't sound to me like @StephanieLynn knows what amount the vendor wants for a deposit? If the whole project is something I can pay off within one month, I'd just pay the vendor in full and put it on my credit card.

@StephanieLynn please do update us and let us know whether you've emailed the vendor again and whether you've gotten a response from them.

 

[peacechick]

It doesn’t sound like anything negative happened throughout your correspondence. You and vendor seem to be on the same page about postponing the project but putting a deposit down, I would say they may be just busy fulfilling more urgent orders and forgot to reply.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@voce, I will keep you guys in the loop. I sent another email this afternoon. I can't send a payment until a listing is created and the vendor was the one who told me that so until that happens there is nothing to do, I can't just PayPal money because I have no idea where to send it.

Regardless, I did say in my email that I have full intention of following through. They are probably busy but the lack of communication gets my mind wondering lol. Overthinkers, we are mentally exhausted group!

 

[Rare gem lover]

I know what you mean completely. I saw an amazing stone on insta and messaged asking for price. They replied and I basically said I want to get it. After that, no reply! So funny, I have messaged them so many times. It’s frustrating but it’s probablu always just the case that they are just really busy. We are generally in a hurry because we love gems and our projects so much but for vendors it’s just a daily thing. I do find it strange and the mind wonders but it generally turns out okay !

 

[Shijitake]

I had a similar post where two vendors stopped responding to me. One responded a week later. They were busy with a gem show and said they wanted to give me a detailed response rather than something quick and short. Not sure about the other one. I'm sure they have their reasons and they'll get back to you at some point. No one wants to not get paid.

 

[dk168]

As I said, I would send money via PP if I know the vendor well, meaning, I know their way of doing business well.
I would send X amount with a note to say in the line of please get back to me if this is not enough, etc. etc...
This way, the ball is in their court, and I would not feel bad or guilty for being tardy with payment.

DK

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Just wanted to update you guys and let you know that the vendor reached out to me after I sent the second email, they never got the first one! So no hard feelings and the project is still on

 

[YadaYadaYada]

And thank you all so much!