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'That's... ballsy': Tattoo artist leaves client high and dry, but still says they're entitled to keep the $54 security deposit

Being organized with your schedule is key to running your own business. You can't double-book yourself and, if you want to be successful, you shouldn't under-book yourself. You must find that scheduling balance… Which is easier said than done. 

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Posted by Elna McHilderson
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  • When you book an appointment with a tattoo artist, you most likely (I hope) did thorough research on both your tattoo and the artist. Usually, you do a deep dive to make sure your tattoo doesn't mean anything you don't align with that you didn't know about. And you research your artist to make sure they are reputable and that their style aligns with yours. As someone who has both well-researched and thoroughly thought-out expensive tattoos combined with one too many free stick-and-pokes from late nights in some friend's kitchen, I can confidently tell you that the ones you plan, schedule, and save up for are the tattoos worth getting. 

    When you find that perfect tattoo artist that aligns with your exact style, it feels like the sun is appearing through the crowds. So when you finally get scheduled to get work done by them, it is very important to you. Professional tattoo artists usually book months in advance and will share sketches with you until it is exactly what you want. If they have to cancel, they will tell you a week or two in advance. 

    Now imagine you finally get that appointment you've been hoping for and then at midnight the day before you're scheduled (which you took off a day of work for!), the artist cancels on you AND says they're keeping your deposit. LOL I think not. See what Redditor @GalaxyStar757 did when that exact nightmare situation happened to them. 

    Want more spicy drama? Check this post out! 

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  • 1
    "I BOOKED THE APPOINTMENT 2 WEEKS AGO!!" TENTAR
    Via Matheus Ferrero via Picryl
  • 2
    Tattoo artist left me high and dry Booked a tattoo with some who said she had no space open after the 22nd because she was going on holiday after. She asks for the deposit on Friday. My appointment is booked for today (tuesday).
    Via GalaxyStar757
  • 3
    She texts me at 12.30am telling me that her train to the airport leaves just before my appointment and is now asking to keep the deposit (50€). Apparently she only just realised it was the same day. I had to take a day off for this tattoo like? Maybe look at ur schedule like u said u would when I BOOKED THE APPOINTMENT 2 WEEKS AGO????
    Via GalaxyStar757
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  • 4
    AlpineLad1965 · 7 hr. ago Why exactly does she think she gets the deposit? I'll bet if you let her keep it, you will never get an appointment when she comes back. 3.9k Reply Share 7 hr. ago GalaxyStar757 OP That's what I think too. I've gone to her twice before and this has never happened but I'm not going back. Got my eye set on a new artist now anyway Reply Share 1.9k
    Via AlpineLad1965
  • 5
    AlpineLad1965 - 6 hr. ago Have you requested the deposit back and been ghosted yet? Reply Share 726 GalaxyStar757 OP 6 hr. ago . No I surprisingly got it back Reply Share 1.3k ●●●
    Via AlpineLead1965
  • 6
    BoopBoop20 5 hr. ago That's... ballsy. "Hey, yeah, I know you took time to get this tat done but my life is more important than yours, so yeah, you'll just have to deal with it. Oh, and can I keep your deposit? I PROMISE I'll be back soon @xx" 485 Reply Share
    Via BoopBoop20
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  • 7
    Frolics Forever 2 hr. ago Especially over €50! . How much is an extra €50 going to improve your holiday? I mean, not that she'd be right to ask for it, but say it was a €500 deposit, then yeah, that's enough to make a difference. Flaking on the appointment and asking to keep the deposit would just make me wonder what else she forgets/justifies on a daily basis in regards to her business..."Eh, that last tattoo was quick. No real need to sanitize anything" Reply Share 53
    Via FrolicsForever
  • 8
    KingKaidos 4 hr. ago You tell her "Absolutely not. I'm sorry, but this is unacceptable. I will need you to give me back my deposit before you leave. I will not be rescheduling." 81 Reply Share
    Via KingKaidos
  • 9
    Superb_Application83 · 8 hr. ago Annoying, but could it be you can rebook and not have to put another deposit down as she kept your last one? Since she was the one to cancel. Either that or small claims court. 218 Reply Share ●●●
    Via Superb_Application83
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  • 10
    GalaxyStar757 OP . 8 hr. ago I don't think I'm going to get it from her anyway. I'm just going to get the deposit back and go somewhere else because I think I'm justified to be able to do that. It's her fault for not being organised enough. 361 Reply Share
    Via GalaxyStar757
  • 11
    wenn 3 hr. ago ● Make sure to leave a review about that too on their page. Just so people are aware with this artist that they may pay half for a tattoo they aren't gonna get lol Reply Share 29
    Via ho*wenn
  • 12
    TheRealRickDalton8 4 hr. ago That's extremely unprofessional of her. Is she intending on tattooing you once she's back? Did you communicate that you took time off work and that this is an inconvenience to you? The way I see it, her poor scheduling cost you money not just in the form of a deposit but because you took time off work.
    Via TheRealRickDalton8
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  • 13
    You should be compensated for this even though I doubt you will be. If you want to pursue this you can contact the shop she works at and speak with the owner and explain the situation. If that doesn't work, maybe small claims court but I doubt that's worth your time... Reply Share 12
    Via TheRealRickDalton8
  • 14
    g0th-_-m0th 4 hr. ago there's a super talented artist in my area whose work i love but he's garbage at scheduling. i'll message him and he will leave me on read for weeks until i message again. tried to get him to pierce my bfs septum since he does piercings as well and despite me trying to schedule over a month in advance i didn't get a confirmed appointment until a couple days before and then day of he "lost" the jewelry and said he'd get back to me when he got some in.
    Via g0th-_-m0th
  • 15
    that was end of december. he will also make appointments and not tell you until you show up that he's gonna have another artist that works in his shop do the piece. so now looking for a new tattoo artist and piercer 10 Reply Share
    Via g0th-_-m0th
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  • 16
    _GABO_3 hr. ago I feel you. Guy who tattooed our wedding anniversary on our forearms did a terrible job on mine (wildly uneven character heights, different sized repeating characters). He said he needed it to heal for a month before it could touch up, so I made an appointment that same day to come back in a month. Came in for the appointment and he had moved out of state. 7 Reply Share
    Via _GABO_
  • 17
    TKJ 14 min. ago Keep the deposit? Sorry, no. I got fooled in similar fashion, and that's not happening again. The tattoo artist who gave me the four I currently have lost his shop and had to work out of his home. I got my last one in his kitchen while he renovated his basement into a proper tattoo environment. A few months later, he paged out to lots of people that he was giving $1000 of tattoo time for $350 deposits. (Red flag, anyone?)
    Via TKJ
  • 18
    Well, yeah. I was dumb and sent him the $350, setting up a date for a few weeks ahead. Getting close to the date, all of my calls went to voicemail and none of my texts were replied to. Drove out to his house to knock on the door, and lo and behold, there's a SOLD sign on his front lawn.
    Via TKJ
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  • 19
    Dude disappeared for a few years, taking mine and (I'm assuming) other people's money with him. I recently saw his name on a list of tattooers at a local popular shop, but I don't have it in my to pursue it further. Vote Reply Share ●●●
    Via TKJ

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tattoo culture tattoo shops fresh ink fresh tattoo entitled tattoo artists tattoo edict tattoos how to schedule a tattoo tattoo artist entitled r-entitled Reddit tattooing edict entitled people tattoo machine

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