Bad Guy Fire and Ice Dragons (Terri Sommella)

[joshjtd]

To Kelli, Deborah, and Konstantin,

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I guess in going over this thread, I do not see the "whiny" part of it. Granted I am biased towards my cause, but I believe that I put the best foot forward here.

As far as the pulling up the band wagon for everyone to hop on, if you read through the first page of this thread, you can see that there were folks who where unpleased that I made this post when I did. This whole deal had just as much of a chance of ruining my reputation on this site as it did hers.

It is my word against hers. Everyone can read comments and come to their own conclusion.

 

[aleria]

I do have a couple of questions here. It was stated by Terri that the reason his order constituted a "special request" is because he changed his mind multiple times. My questions regarding this are 1. Is there any proof that can be presented by either side showing that this is the case. And 2. If he did change his mind, did he do so prior to making payment?

The way I see it, if this is the case, but he inquired about multiple animals and then decided on one or the other and not both prior to actually making his payment then I don't see how that makes it a special order.
That'd be like saying it's a special order if someone emailed you asking about 2 different types of dragons you had, got what information you had about them, and then picked one over the other because it was asking you questions about them that would help them decide which one they wanted.

Either way, some further clarification here would be helpful.

 

[joshjtd]

Terri,

A new day brings a new deal. Please understand that this is my final offer to resolve this in a professional manner. Since you are going to have to pay to ship the animal, and I will have to pay to ship it back, I will take my shipping cost of of the refund as well. $250 will end this deal.

My stipulations are that you must accept this offer today, and have the refund done through paypal today.

If this is not done, I will go through other channels to collect the amount in full. Please work with me.

 

[Abby]

Wow, what a sad situation. At first glance I thought the Bad Guy post wasn't warranted (at least not yet), but once Terri began posting things became pretty clear. What horrible business ethics. Her TOS is laughable, and she knows it. Josh, I hope you get your money back. Good luck.

 

[Abby]

One more thing - many of the photos on her site are clearly enhanced in some way. You can see the blanket in some of the pictures that aren't edited and then look at the ones that are, those colors do not exist in fabric (in the altered one). Those dragons surely are beautiful but to try to say those photos are not altered is ridiculous to anyone who knows anything about photos and manipulation.

 

[lillyorchid]

One more thing - many of the photos on her site are clearly enhanced in some way. You can see the blanket in some of the pictures that aren't edited and then look at the ones that are, those colors do not exist in fabric (in the altered one). Those dragons surely are beautiful but to try to say those photos are not altered is ridiculous to anyone who knows anything about photos and manipulation.

I was hoping someone else (or more) would bring this up. Most of those pictures have been "doctored" or enhanced in one way or another.


A big problem in today's reptile classifieds are dirty dealers creating slightly altered deceptive pictures to make an animal look brighter, more colorful, or anything that might make it look more appealing. Depending on cameras, lighting, angles, and a number of other factors, an animal's actual color could be much different than it actually appears on screen. A good question to ask a seller is: "On a scale of one to ten, how close does this picture match the actual animal's true color?" Ask for multiple pictures—at least 3-5 taken in different situations and in different lighting. Remember, if a seller doesn't want to bother taking pictures for you, it's not worth it.

The best you can do, online is to research photo's of the animal/breed/morph that one is looking into buying, before buying an animal because it looks the best out of the other ones you have seen online.


I do hope that either the OP gets his dragon, who is in good health (and if it is not, Terri, what are you going to say/do?) and exactly what he was looking for and keeps it OR that the OP and seller can come to some kind of terms with refunding him, his money. Shipping the dragon just to have him reject the package (which he can do) will cause much unnecessary stress or even death to the poor creature. If I were ever faced with this problem, you bet I would have been more then glad to refund him, the few hundred dollars and save my name along with the baby dragon then to rick ruining my reputation along with an innocent creatures life. Sorry Terri, but I will never be doing business with you and I will be sure to direct any of my friends or fellow dragon lovers, away to save them all this sort of unnecessary headache of a problem.

 

[deborahbroadus]

While you have a good point, this is not always the case; I also enhance..usually trying to get the animals exact colors.

But because of this thread/post, I wouldn't do business with EITHER of them.

I was hoping someone else (or more) would bring this up. Most of those pictures have been "doctored" or enhanced in one way or another.


A big problem in today's reptile classifieds are dirty dealers creating slightly altered deceptive pictures to make an animal look brighter, more colorful, or anything that might make it look more appealing. Depending on cameras, lighting, angles, and a number of other factors, an animal's actual color could be much different than it actually appears on screen. A good question to ask a seller is: "On a scale of one to ten, how close does this picture match the actual animal's true color?" Ask for multiple pictures—at least 3-5 taken in different situations and in different lighting. Remember, if a seller doesn't want to bother taking pictures for you, it's not worth it.

The best you can do, online is to research photo's of the animal/breed/morph that one is looking into buying, before buying an animal because it looks the best out of the other ones you have seen online.


I do hope that either the OP gets his dragon, who is in good health (and if it is not, Terri, what are you going to say/do?) and exactly what he was looking for and keeps it OR that the OP and seller can come to some kind of terms with refunding him, his money. Shipping the dragon just to have him reject the package (which he can do) will cause much unnecessary stress or even death to the poor creature. If I were ever faced with this problem, you bet I would have been more then glad to refund him, the few hundred dollars and save my name along with the baby dragon then to rick ruining my reputation along with an innocent creatures life. Sorry Terri, but I will never be doing business with you and I will be sure to direct any of my friends or fellow dragon lovers, away to save them all this sort of unnecessary headache of a problem.

 

[David Scarboro]

While you have a good point, this is not always the case; I also enhance..usually trying to get the animals exact colors.

But because of this thread/post, I wouldn't do business with EITHER of them.

How can you call it the "exact color" if you have to enhance the photo? I would NEVER do business with a seller that doctors the photo's. With a good enough camera and proper lighting, you get a true image. Doctoring a picture is false advertising. JMHO

 

[deborahbroadus]

How can you call it the "exact color" if you have to enhance the photo? I would NEVER do business with a seller that doctors the photo's. With a good enough camera and proper lighting, you get a true image. Doctoring a picture is false advertising. JMHO

I have a very dark basement, I lighten the area. You are welcome to your opinion.

 

[deborahbroadus]

I have a very dark basement, I lighten the area. You are welcome to your opinion.

ooops, forgot this. I am also available by webcam, my customers are able to see their product before purchasing if they so desire.

 

[deborahbroadus]

Correction, should not have taken this personally...

Normally, I would agree with you. However, I am aware that like me others may not have great picture taking abilities. If the animal matches the picture, then I don't mind the picture being doctored (in the sense that you mean). However, if the background was lightened to give the animal the best lighting because of a poor location, I don't see this as "doctoring" in the truest sense.

 

[aleria]

I do have a couple of questions here. It was stated by Terri that the reason his order constituted a "special request" is because he changed his mind multiple times. My questions regarding this are 1. Is there any proof that can be presented by either side showing that this is the case. And 2. If he did change his mind, did he do so prior to making payment?

The way I see it, if this is the case, but he inquired about multiple animals and then decided on one or the other and not both prior to actually making his payment then I don't see how that makes it a special order.
That'd be like saying it's a special order if someone emailed you asking about 2 different types of dragons you had, got what information you had about them, and then picked one over the other because it was asking you questions about them that would help them decide which one they wanted.

Either way, some further clarification here would be helpful.

Still haven't seen any kind of response to these questions...

 

[David Scarboro]

Thanks You

Correction, should not have taken this personally...

Normally, I would agree with you. However, I am aware that like me others may not have great picture taking abilities. If the animal matches the picture, then I don't mind the picture being doctored (in the sense that you mean). However, if the background was lightened to give the animal the best lighting because of a poor location, I don't see this as "doctoring" in the truest sense.

I did not mean it as a personal attack, and I appreciate your comment.
However, if you lighten the area, are you not altering the actual animal also?
The webcam is a cool idea.

 

[Omnomnami]

If you're talking about altering the whole photo then yes it alters the animal as well as the background. You could also layer it to just make the background lighter but that takes some time...and if you're taking several pictures of animals you are selling that would be imo a waste. I would know these things. I Photoshop my banners to be more eye catching and add "cool" effects.

 

[deborahbroadus]

I did not mean it as a personal attack, and I appreciate your comment.
However, if you lighten the area, are you not altering the actual animal also?
The webcam is a cool idea.

I don't know for others, can only speak for myself. Because my "facility" remains dim to optimize the feeling of security for the animals, pictures come out with the animal darker than normal and the flash just lightens up parts that don't need lightening. When I get pictures like this and am short of time (I have quite a few animals), I am not above clicking the "I'm feeling lucky" button on Picasa3. What this does, I have no clue, but sometimes is just straightens out all the color/light dark in the area.

If the picture is not representative of the animal after I have clicked the "lucky' button, I usually take time to take another picture; but sometimes, I just go ahead and post the dark pictures on the site and let the customers ask for more pictures or offer to show them on the Webcam.

My point is not all doctoring is with conning the customer in mind. Personally, before I leveled that kind of accusation at Terri, I would have to compare the animal with the picture.

 

[deborahbroadus]

So as not to direct the attention on me and to return to the topic:

Quote:
Originally Posted by aleria
I do have a couple of questions here. It was stated by Terri that the reason his order constituted a "special request" is because he changed his mind multiple times. My questions regarding this are 1. Is there any proof that can be presented by either side showing that this is the case. And 2. If he did change his mind, did he do so prior to making payment?

The way I see it, if this is the case, but he inquired about multiple animals and then decided on one or the other and not both prior to actually making his payment then I don't see how that makes it a special order.
That'd be like saying it's a special order if someone emailed you asking about 2 different types of dragons you had, got what information you had about them, and then picked one over the other because it was asking you questions about them that would help them decide which one they wanted.

Either way, some further clarification here would be helpful.

Still haven't seen any kind of response to these questions...

 

[joshjtd]

I do have a couple of questions here. It was stated by Terri that the reason his order constituted a "special request" is because he changed his mind multiple times. My questions regarding this are 1. Is there any proof that can be presented by either side showing that this is the case. And 2. If he did change his mind, did he do so prior to making payment?

The way I see it, if this is the case, but he inquired about multiple animals and then decided on one or the other and not both prior to actually making his payment then I don't see how that makes it a special order.
That'd be like saying it's a special order if someone emailed you asking about 2 different types of dragons you had, got what information you had about them, and then picked one over the other because it was asking you questions about them that would help them decide which one they wanted.

Either way, some further clarification here would be helpful.

I am digging through my emails to post relevant information on this.

Terri has no ceased all communication with me. She won't reply to emails and won't answer her phone. I am hoping that this situation did not take a trun for the worse.

 

[Craigh]

Hell, if you didn't notice they didn't even have an account on here till this got posted.

sms
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2003

Sorry just wanted to point out they been a member of fauna for over 7 years ..

 

[aleria]

sms
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2003

Sorry just wanted to point out they been a member of fauna for over 7 years ..

I believe he was making that statement in reference to the user that came to the defense of Terri, not Terri herself.

 

[Craigh]

I believe he was making that statement in reference to the user that came to the defense of Terri, not Terri herself.

ok I must of read it wrong ..