I would NOT recommend EMDKAY

[spoonTRex]

I know I've been mainly a lurker on this site, and that this is only my second post, so I hate to be seen as a complaining guy (my other post wasn't, I swear!), but I want to put this out there for other people who are thinking of going with him.

Now, first thing first, I am aware that people on here are probably friends with him, and I'm also aware that printing marquees and other graphics is not his full time job. I'm fine with that, and I get that.

On the 26th of September, a Sunday, I placed an order with him around 11pm or 12am my time, not exactly business hours, I know. I ordered a custom marquee on film with two sheets of lexan cut to size and two marquee retainers cut to size. I'm not exactly confident in my abilities, so I figured I'd pay to have someone else cut all of that. The total with shipping was over $72. Which is a lot for a graphic, but I was excited and knew I was paying so much because I was too lazy to cut everything myself.

I got a standard email informing me of my purchase. Then nothing. On Thursday I was able to live chat with the guy (I forget his name) and it was then that I was informed that EMDKAY didn't have any marquee retainers and they would be coming in, but he didn't have tracking on them yet so he couldn't give me an estimate. Understandable. He made a note and said if the retainers didn't arrive by Oct. 5th he'd ship the marquee and lexan seperately from the retainers and ship them when they came in. The 7th arrived and I still hadn't heard anything about it shipping. So I sent an email through his contact form. I didn't get a reply (it had only been a few hours, though), but I did happen to see his live chat was on, so I figured he hadn't got to the email yet and I hit him up on the live chat. He acted as if he had forgotten about his note and that that he'd get it taken care of. That was implied but never said. He then informed me that the marquee retainers where actually shipping to another company that orders parts in, as it saves him on shipping. Understandable. I heard those can be $20 or more to ship directly.

Today, having still heard nothing about an order shipping, I email him on his form, and to two other email addresses to get a response directly. I'm now fed up. All I want is communication, as I'm a pretty understanding sort of person but it is difficult to understand a situation if I'm not being told what it is. I inform him that if he can't talk to me, I'm only left with the choice of getting paypal to resolve the issue. I don't want to do that. I'd hate to go through that mess. I just want my marquee.

Less than a minute after I send the email, I get an email from paypal informing me of a refund. Less. Than. A. Minute. Think about that: he's checking his email! He could do the one thing I asked for, communication, and refuses. Refuses!

He then emails me fifteen minutes later and tells me "Order refunded.  I have zero desire to fulfill an order when people try to bully me into rushing hand-made orders.  You'll have to settle for lower quality and higher prices elsewhere." Bullying? I contacted him four days after the order and was polite. I contacted him a week after that initial contact and was polite and understanding. I was upset, but still polite in the email I sent him. And now I'm "bullying". And apparently I tried to rush him. This is the guy who told me he'd ship the marquee and lexan on the 5th of October, and now that it's the 12th of October, I'm rushing him?

He's a hack. I post my experience here to warn others. He may do nice work, but he doesn't seem to actually produce nice work. I don't believe I did anything out of line other than expect the guy I have given money to at least give me some sort of time frame on when I can expect anything out of him. Any communication.

[Malenko]

man thats a lot of text. Can I recap?

You ordered at midnight on a sunday,you got an autoreply email about the order.
3 days later you live chatted on the website and they told you the marquee holders would be an issue.
5 days after that you emailed him then a few hours later you got on his live chat again
then a week later you send 3 more messages

he refunds you and then you ---smurfette--- and moan on BYOAC?

I'd send you a refund too. 2 weeks for a custom order is NOT that long of a wait.

[smalltownguy]

man thats a lot of text. Can I recap?

You ordered at midnight on a sunday,you got an autoreply email about the order.
3 days later you live chatted on the website and they told you the marquee holders would be an issue.
5 days after that you emailed him then a few hours later you got on his live chat again
then a week later you send 3 more messages

he refunds you and then you ---smurfette--- and moan on BYOAC?

I'd send you a refund too. 2 weeks for a custom order is NOT that long of a wait.

Yep, my order took 2 weeks too, but it was worth it. Gotta keep in mind this stuff is all custom.

[Malenko]

not to mention that this post is in the WRONG SECTION

[releasedtruth]

And thus is highlighted the all too common perils of working with anyone that has a day job and supports this industry. It's unfortunate and I feel your pain, waited forever for product as well, but you had to know what you were getting into. A few weeks isn't much for most of these guys and when you're close to completion, delays feel even more agitating.

Now I won't debate that you have a point because I believe communication is key and making good on promises is likewise. I won't even debate your right to post a negative review because satisfaction is subjective. Many will stand against you, just how things go. A few alternatives exist for marquees and I've used them to great success so hopefully the rage has subsided and you're one step closer to that perfect machine. It'll all be worth it and the few disappointments along the way will mean little.

[BobA]

Any of my dealings with EMDKAY have been great.  No complaints from this BYOAC'er.

[Donkey_Kong]

If you would have left him alone to do the work, there is a chance you would have the items in your hand right now. 

We all get impatient sometimes when we give people money, but hand made/special order items, from people that you know have other jobs...just let them do the work. You knew all this stuff going in, but yet you had to be (I'm sorry to say) go and be kinda pest-y about the deal.

I would have refunded you...in like 30-45 seconds, not 1 minute.   

[shateredsoul]

The one thing I don't like about custom work is the delays that aren't updated.  If there's going to be a delay, I think it's just a nice thing to let your customer know. If you promise a certain date, but stuff comes up and you can't make it? Well, just send a quick e-mail, "Sorry I'm going to have to push the date back, I'm busier than expected, the new estimated date is __________". I know plenty of places where they do custom work on various things, they will update you if there's a change, but they won't get mad if you bring it up that you guaranteed this date but you're doing this date now and you didn't even tell me about the delay. Granted, the reason why he called you a bully is probably because you took it to paypal.. not your e-mails.  I imagine those kind of e-mails are expected in this line of work.

Is it laziness or lack of organization?  Those of us who deal with a lot of e-mail know that sometimes we do some of the folloing

read an e-mail and make a mental note and never reply
see the note, decide to read it later.. forget about it
read, decide to reply later, forget to reply

I'm trying to get better at this myself with my work.  I try to reply immediately even if it's a short message. 

[MJ]

He's a hack.

Exactly why I admire people like EMDKAY and the rest of the people that continue to support this hobby.  I'm not sure what exactly you want him to do?  You got a full refund and it sounds like he's stuck with your printed custom marquee and cut lexan.

[jennifer]

     MJ:   Your 100% correct, so the only thing to do would be go to Emdkay buy the art back for SpoonTRex, and put this affair to the
           wayside.

[opt2not]

I would NOT recommend EMDKAY

Interesting first post. So you created an account to slander EMDKAY's rep? 

"Order refunded.  I have zero desire to fulfill an order when people try to bully me into rushing hand-made orders.  You'll have to settle for lower quality and higher prices elsewhere."

Lets see, custom print on film, 2 custom cut pieces of lexan and marquee retainers -- a wait time of over 2 weeks...and for an awesome price may I add (were you expecting Kinko prices?).
Doesn't seem like there's anything wrong here, other than he should have used the word  "nagging" rather than "bully". My reply wouldn't have been so nice.

Any of my dealings with EMDKAY have been great.  No complaints from this BYOAC'er.

Yeah, I think I'm going to go with the established active arcade enthusiast's opinion.

[KuraiDori]

Delays can be frustrating no doubt, especially when you are waiting for an important piece for your machine. Maybe it's because I'm in Canada, but I don't expect to see anything I order for weeks and that's not custom work.

EMDKAY has offered and provided artwork for various people for free.  Not many people I know do this. He willing gives his time and resources so that others can build their dream machine and asked for nothing in return.

I don't think you are giving him a fair shake. One delayed order does not undo all the positive things he has done. Who knows what stuff people deal with in their personal lives that impact their work.

I really think you need to step back, look at what other people are saying in his defense, and re-think this thread.

[KuraiDori]

Anyone I know who does custom work wants money up front. There's usually no refund on it either.

The issue here was not the custom work, but the retainer. You can get a retainer any where, good custom artwork is another thing all together.

I can see spoonTREX's point of view about the perceived lack of communication, but this is also just one side of the story.

In the end, he got his money back and can now go try his luck somewhere else.

I would not hold my breath on getting a refund for custom work from many others though.

[jennifer]

   This sucks!!!!  Emdkay has done nothing wrong, It"s about 2wks. and lack of communication? My printer takes twice the time and
only calls when it"s perfect. 2wks. HA HA HA thats funny. Just give it up!!!

[Malenko]

Or you could, like, not take people's money when you don't have the product in stock.

 

soooo..... you retarded or you expect him to somehow stock custom art work?

[shateredsoul]

Or you could, like, not take people's money when you don't have the product in stock.

 

soooo..... you retarded or you expect him to somehow stock custom art work?

Read the thread, he meant the marquee retainer.

[Malenko]

Iread the thread, he wasnt specific, and being that its PBJ, you have to assume the worst. 

[mcfreak]

Love EMDKAY's stuff.  I retract your negative comment and replace it with my positive one.  That is all.