PSA: Snoberry and her Piers

Posted 5 years, 11 months ago (Edited 5 years, 11 months ago) by yourMeowjesty

All evidence is in this folder.

her media: 

Sno-berry 

https://snoberrysartstudio.wixsite.com/snoberry

https://sno-berry.deviantart.com

Sno-berry#1997

qeachii

Luuria

On April 24, 2018, I purchased two adoptables from Snoberry- one for me and one as a voucher for someone else. (I was to receive art as the exchange) 

The same day, I was collaborating with another member of the Snoberry Amino Community to 'co-own' a character. Before I made the 3rd purchase, I wanted to make sure that the person I'd co-own with liked the design that I'd picked out>(because why would I buy a design that we'd share, that they didn't like) I also asked if we'd be splitting the price, but that question was obviously avoided. (and I made the mistake of not pursuing the answer)

The same day, I lost possession of my phone and was unable to send or receive messages.

The next day, when I was able to check my messages, I was presented with 6, 5 and 4 in the evidence folder (read it in that order because it didn't save in chronological order oops)


I was confused because, from my understanding, I hadn't claimed to have bought anything. The image I had sent to see if Pillow, the person I would co-own with, had been watermarked quite obviously. On top of that, they said I was [supposed] to buy it, which implies that I'd be paying for it alone and they'd be getting a free character (which isn't co-owning, it's me gifting it to them.)


Though that wasn't the bulk of the issue. I also received a discord message from the person I'd be buying the design from threatening to have me ban from the amino and discord group for theft and told to apologize to both Pillow and them. This is Image 1.


So this would imply that Pillow took the little window of time that I wasn't there to run off and tell as many people as she could that I had stolen something- which not only sets an awful image for her, but for the community since they're already seen as snobs, but now manipulators and 'tattle-tails' (for lack of a better word)


So at this point, I've been back for about 20 minutes and already have seen 2 people's messages about saying I stole something. Next is one of the admins, who I think was a curator, but I'm not sure. They say that (from what they've seen) that I claimed a sno-berry that wasn't mine. This doesn't bother me too much because that's a curator's job to see what's going on.  The evidence for this is 3 and 2, in that order.


They say that Pillow provided proof that I'd claimed and stolen it. As you see from one of the screenshots, a message was deleted. I can't remember what it said, but that's fishy. What enraged me most about this conversation was that they said "Either way, It happened." 

Here's what I take from that:
They automatically believed the first person's story, not even considering mine.
They had no intent to look into the situation and figure out what really happened.


Then said: "Make sure it doesn't happen again."
At this point, I think: make sure I don't get framed/lied on?


Not only is that unprofessional but it proved to me that all of sno-berry's 'people' were all within the same selfish mindset and that they picked favorites.
(which is my own opinion after going into the community with the intent on proving to people that they were in fact not snobs and actually nice, kind people)

After this, I leave the community as I want no part in these people anymore. Which brings me to the statement. I bought 2 sno-berry designs. One for me, and one for someone else, whose name I can't remember- though I think it was Jayla.


The exchange would be that I buy them the adopt, and they draw one of my characters. Cool, but now I had no way to claim my piece of the art and was now stuck with an adopt that I didn't want. 


My first thought was to message sno-berry and see what I could do, but from the previous notes that I sent her via dA, she doesn't actively check/answer. So I had no way to contact sno-berry as I was no longer in the group to direct message her, and I didn't have her email. Which only left one option for me, which was to submit a refund through PayPal. 


I sent the refund with a note that said this:  
I purchased an item then was basically scammed. I can't keep my character because supposedly it was in a trade- that was never completed. I was accused of theft when I quite clearly was showing the character to the person I was planning on CO OWNING with. The image was watermarked and it was clear that I had no yet purchased the item. Nor was I claiming that the item was already mine. Because of this, I want all of my characters and money back from this community. If you wont give me a refund, then I want full rights to the character.
Which wasn't the nicest way I could've approached her, but I was very upset (which was still no excuse to have been hostile)


I got a reply 15 minutes later saying this:
You have forced a charge back, and will be banned from purchasing anything from me ever again. This is wrong, the way you are charging back is not right in any way. you bought a product and paid for it, the drama part of this situation is not my problem.I will refund you for this character, and will be putting it back up for sale. You could of messaged me on amino/ or through my email first, but instead you decided to go straight to charging me back, which makes you look very guilty, and because of that I do not want you part of my designs/community.Goodbye.


If she had actually been on the community, seeing what had happened, I wouldn't have had to charge back and there would have been no issue. My word for a better future is to have her actually talk with her admin team before they launch at someone in an unprofessional way. I care nothing about being ban or put of her 'ban-list' because I know that it's only a petty gesture to 'irk' me and keep me from commissioning other artists. Her ban-list is here. My email is peanutbuttercchips and my real name is presented though I don't really want my actual name there- but I won't cause another issue. It isn't that serious.


I know that the sno-berry community already had a bad image (at least what I heard) and me joining was to honestly prove people that popular artists like Sno-Berry aren't snobbish and rude. But this was ridiculous. 


What I'm trying to say is, be careful with sno-berry, her community, and her service as it isn't professional or something anyone should be around.


Also, the case was ruled in my favor and I did receive a refund for the character that I didn't want. I still have one, that I don't plan on refunding because I have no need to. I like sno-berry's art so unless she personally wants the character back (and will provide refund), the character is mine. 


Thank you for reading.

(i tried to be as un-biased as possible)


UPDATE: 5-5-18

I have retrieved the screenshots between my messenger and Jayla (the person who was going to claim the sno-berry that I refunded)

Evidence is here 

(it's in a zip file i think, so you'll need to unzip it to see the contents)


UPDATE: 5-8-18 

This is a rant video on Sno-Berry using some of the info I provided in this post.
video credits to teapup

yourMeowjesty

kavaro her reply was

I’m sorry who are you? And you purchased from me in the first place, and accepted my terms so reporting me is ridiculous. Maybe you should of thought of that when you charged me back, you can change your emails but you can’t change your name and no one deserves to be chargebacked for no reason.

On Fri, May 4, 2018 at 7:00 PM <[email protected]> wrote:

  • You have a new message:
  • Via: https://snoberrysartstudio.wixsite.com/snoberry
  • Message Details:

    • Name me
    • Email [email protected]
    • Subject Fix this
    • Message take my real name off your little ban list. it's a violation of privacy. all that's needed is my email.if you don't you'll just be reported over and over again. 
  • Sent on: 4 May, 2018
yourMeowjesty

kavaro she's upset because i charged her back. not 'her' per sau. but she 'fears' for other people who could be put in jeopardy because of it. yeah, i get that, but where was she when her group refused to let me re claim that character. my frustration isn't with her. it's with her absence and her piers.

AsylumPatient

A TOS doesn't get around law, either. You didn't agree for your real name to be attached to anything or 'exposed'. Add to a blacklist that's fine and dandy but she can't put your name out to the public without your consent to it. It was a private contract. *ETA* Unless it's already public knowledge IE you have it on your DA profile or elsewhere

Though I do have to say, editing to add hers doesn't come across well. I know this situation upset you but it can get you in trouble.

yourMeowjesty

AsylumPatient yeah, you're very right. i shouldn't let my emotions get the best of me.

SquidsInTheAttic

I'm confused how you couldn't get your art? If you mean because you were no longer in the discord server that's not really grounds for a chargeback because someone else won't/ can't draw for you.  I don't see how that was the fault of the person you purchased from.

I do agree them putting your name down is SUPER wrong, but I also don't see why you forced a chargeback for something they had no control over?  Just because you no longer wanting it because of someone else not doing their half is not a good reason.  If you could make that more clear I think it would help, otherwise it might make others wary to do buisness with you.

yourMeowjesty

SquidsInTheAttic , My charging back was because not only did I have no means of contacting Sno-berry to figure out what to do, but me not wanting anything to do with her members. I can provide extra screenshots saying that the staff wouldn't let me re-claim that character because the transaction had already been started (which would warrant more favorite picking) Me charging back was being, I had no reason to pay for a character that I wasn't allowed to keep or receive trade for. 

SquidsInTheAttic

OH! You had paid for a character they weren't allowing you to claim ownership of?

yourMeowjesty

Correct. I guess I didn't add that. I'll provide the evidence for that as soon as I can. But the situation was that since I was supposed to give the character to someone else, who hadn't paid for anything (neither money or art) and it would just be there's. I had no way on receive my payment AND I wanted to reclaim it because I wanted nothing to do with the group. The staff refused to let me keep ownership so I charged back (as I couldn't have reached out to Sno-Berry. And the person who was communication between me, the staff, and the person who was to receive the character, were told to cease contact with me by the staff)

Ariicchi

"THOSE WHO CHARGEBACK ARE SHOWN HERE. IF YOU DONT WANT YOUR E-MAIL HERE, DONT CHARGE ME BACK EASY AS THAT
chargebacks are not okay and can destroy digital artist's financially -w- they are also never filed by accident! please keep that in mind."

If you paid for the design, and they weren't going to let you keep it, you are more than entitled to get your money back,  and if they don't / won't refund you, then perhaps a charge back is necessary. Yeah, they can destroy the financials of the person who is being charged back, but maybe be a better business owner, and maybe take this as a lesson to mature and better yourself and your business.

So this all stemmed because you showed the design to the person you were buying it for, to make sure they liked it, before you bought it right? And they claimed you "stole" because you showed them a watermarked version of the design? 

I think bottom line, if you paid for the design / character, it's yours. If they want to take it away from you, they need to refund your money. This group is ridiculous, thank you for bringing this to our attention. This is so ridiculous and I am so sorry you are dealing with them and this.