Is an etiquette poll allowed?

[Firebyrd]

I had this happen when I paid someone in advance for a pony and it wasn't what I was expecting... I talked with them and they said they would refund my money... although months later I've only gotten half of it back :/ If it's something you've paid for I don't think it's wrong to say if it's not what you asked for.

But that's not what this thread is about.  This is about custom swaps. As many have said, you should expect that a swap can be a gamble.  When an unknown person gets a list of xyz from you, the results can vary.  When you pay someone for something specific, it's an entirely different situation.

[Sarahlacewing]

I appreciate all who have voted. Thank you for your comments and thank you also for being respectful and helpful to all involved. I hope that this thread has allowed people to vent their frustrations, examine their viewpoints, and taught us all something about how the community at large handles delicate situations.

[LuvMyBoy]

I had this happen when I paid someone in advance for a pony and it wasn't what I was expecting... I talked with them and they said they would refund my money... although months later I've only gotten half of it back :/ If it's something you've paid for I don't think it's wrong to say if it's not what you asked for.

But that's not what this thread is about.  This is about custom swaps. As many have said, you should expect that a swap can be a gamble.  When an unknown person gets a list of xyz from you, the results can vary.  When you pay someone for something specific, it's an entirely different situation.

I know, but I kind of thought it might be worth looking at another point of view as well.

[StrawberryFair]

I would contact the creator. Having a never participated in a swap, I can't really add my thoughts to that angle in particular, but if someone purchased one of my customs and wasn't happy with it, I would (a) want to know what needed to be improved so I wouldn't make the same mistake again (b) want to make my customer happy in any way possible. 

That said, I think tact comes into play. Rather than saying, "Your custom sucks and you have no talent. Why did you waste my time with this garbage?" it would be nicer to say something along the lines of, "I really like the concept and the color your chose. However, I did notice that the paint seemed very streaky and the eyelashes are very thick. You have potential but those are two things I would practice to make your customs even better."

[Roogna]

I've never had any issue with personal one-on-one swaps (which has included swapping with people of many skill levels)

however, I've had some issues with organized swaps that included being placed in a lower skill bracket (so I received a custom at a lower skill level than what I made - and only found out from talking with the swap organizer afterward that she placed me in that lower bracket...this made me very cautious about entering *any* swaps for a while b/c despite it being a very nice custom for that level and obviously made with love, I felt a bit jipped after putting in *massive* amounts of details and sculpting in mine) and having a partner not follow or not understand my preferences (receiving a high quality custom that really bothered me and was something I did not want in my herd, so I quietly gifted it to another collector after talking with the swap organizer, which left me without a custom from that swap but I was happier to have it rehomed).

So, from my experience, with an organized swap, I first turn to the swap organizer with any issue. Even then, there's not always a totally happy ending, but at least there can be some closure or answers. This might also mean either me or the swap organizer talking with the customizer, but that wasn't necessary in either of my own situations.

if you have any concerns, you can also talk to the swap organizer before signing up or before assignments are made. I did this for the swaps that happened after the skill level issue.

[Sarahlacewing]

I'm a little surprised to hear that Roogna.  I consider you to be an very advanced artist.  In theory, swap mods approve pairings to prevent this kind of issue.

[pop-girl]

I'm a little surprised to hear that Roogna.  I consider you to be an very advanced artist.  In theory, swap mods approve pairings to prevent this kind of issue.

False...The only reason we ask for swap organizers to send us a copy of the pairing list is because we've had situations in the past where the organizer stops posting/disappears from the Arena leaving everyone in a bit of a bind. It's easier for a mod to take over a swap if we have access to rules and pairing lists.

Keep in mind that not all swaps are skill based. I usually advise against hosting skill based swaps because the organizer is responsible if participants are not paired correctly. When hosting the official Arena swap I never promise to pair by skill. I do my best to pair appropriately but it is impossible to promise every participant they will be paired with someone of equal skill.