Terms of Service

INTRODUCTION:

Please read these terms in their entirety. In order to commission me, the maker (“Howlmetal Horrors”), these terms must be agreed upon by you (“client”). The terms are accepted when the client has been confirmed chosen for a commission slot and has agreed to commission. Acceptance of these terms is legally binding. Last updated 09/29/2023.

GENERAL:

Clients must be 18 or older. Howlmetal Horrors will not work with a parent on behalf of a minor. In some cases, proof of age will be requested via a photo of government-issued ID. This information will not be stored or shared.

Every creation is handmade and original. Although there is a standard work is held to, fursuits are individual works of art which may vary in quality and may come with imperfections which include but are not limited to: asymmetry, loose threads, small wrinkles, etc.

Not all colours can be matched exactly to what furs exist. Howlmetal Horrors will work closely with the client in picking fur colours, though it is asked that the client keep their expectations realistic.

Reference sheets must have 1-3 views of the character and be safe-for-work. Reference sheets are followed very closely. Any differences in production due to a marking(s) or colour(s) etc. that was not included due to it missing on the reference sheet is not the fault of Howlmetal Horrors, and any missing parts added after the fact will be subject to a fee.

Quotes are not binding, nor are commission applications as they do not guarantee a slot. Howlmetal Horrors will choose which designs to take on and to work with, which will be explicitly discussed with the chosen client(s). The quoted price is final during its 30 day validity and may not be haggled. After 30 days, a quote will expire.

A WELL-MADE DUCT TAPE DUMMY IS REQUIRED FOR FULLSUITS. PLEASE BE SURE TO SEND IT BY THE PERSONALLY APPOINTED DEADLINE OR THE PROJECT WILL BE DELAYED AND SUBJECT TO A 5% LATE FEE.

The client may send their own fabric materials to be used by Howlmetal Horrors after quality is assessed via a mailed sample and approved. This does not extend to head bases or other building parts. Should a client send their own materials, they are to be sent within two weeks of acceptance. Failure to do so will result in a late fee of 5%. The use of a client’s own materials does NOT earn any kind of discount.

Dog allergy warning: there are often two chihuahuas & a long haired toy Aussie in the studio. The dogs or their fur/dander may come in brief contact with materials. Please commission another maker if this is cause for concern.

Howlmetal Horrors reserves the right to turn away any client/design.

PAYMENT:

Full payment is preferred, but does not guarantee the earliest slots in the queue as the queue is hand-picked to create the best flow over the course of no longer than 6 months. Work will not begin until it is 100% paid.

A 25% NON-REFUNDABLE down payment is required within 24 hours of acceptance in order to cover materials and secure the slot. Slot will be forfeited if the deposit is not sent within 24 hours.

For payment plans, payment installments may be paid at the client’s leisure but must be in by an appointed deadline. If failed to pay by the due date, there will be a 10% late fee. Failure to pay by one week later than the initial due date will result in slot termination and all but the deposit will be refunded.

Payments are to be made via e-transfer or PayPal. An invoice will be sent once both parties have agreed to move forward with the commission. Quotes & invoices are sent in Canadian dollars. Please convert this to your local currency. PayPal allows the client to pay in their local currency.

PRODUCTION:

Once full payment and materials have been received, work will commence once it is the client’s turn based upon queue position. Progress photos and text updates are sent frequently as Howlmetal Horrors is prided upon as much transparency with the client as possible. Contact can be maintained wherever the client is most comfortable (direct message, email).

Work-in-progress photos are posted frequently to social media. If the client does not want this, please alert Howlmetal Horrors ahead of time.

Alterations cannot be made to the base after patterning has begun. Please be upfront with desired changes before patterning, as Howlmetal Horrors will not go back and make changes afterwards. There is no extra fee for small changes, so feel free to be picky (within reason). Please note: this refers to physical/shape changes only. Changes to colours and/or design will incur a fee.

DEADLINES & TURNAROUND TIME:

Howlmetal Horrors does not accept deadlines nor rush jobs. All timeframes, start and due dates are estimated and can be subject to change.

There is one project in progress at a time. All others wait in a queue. Aside from the initial contact during acceptance, those later in the queue will receive little communication until it is time to begin their commission. Do not hesitate to contact Howlmetal Horrors at any time if this is cause for concern.

Projects are generally completed within 1-2 months from the time of beginning. From time of order, turnaround time varies from 1-6 months depending on the size of the project, complexity, and position in the queue. The queue is public and can be found here.

In the case of delays, the client will always be alerted of such occurrences as the maker is prided upon consistent communication and transparency.

Clients are encouraged to contact Howlmetal Horrors if they are concerned about their wait time.

REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS:

Commissioning a fursuit is a large financial commitment and should receive the same seriousness as any large purchase. It is asked that all clients be sure of their financial situation before moving forth with a commission. However, in the case that a cancellation is absolutely necessary due to an emergency, Howlmetal Horrors does have a refund & cancellation policy set in place.

If the client requests a cancellation after work has begun, Howlmetal Horrors will only be able to send back an amount that accounts for the rest of the unfinished work, non-refundable deposit not included. The unfinished suit will then be altered and sold as the client will not be sent the unfinished work. The exception to this is if parts have already been completed; completed parts can be shipped out and an amount that accounts for the unfinished work will be refunded.

Please refer to the chart below to understand the refund system. After a commission is 75% completed, no refund can be issued. It is the responsibility of Howlmetal Horrors to make the decision regarding a project’s progress.

0% complete, materials not purchased - 100% refund

0% complete, materials purchased - 75% refund

Once work begins, the refund can only be within the remaining 75%.

25% complete - 75% refund

50% complete - 50% refund

75% complete - 25% refund

100% complete - no refund

It is asked that a client contact Howlmetal Horrors first if they have concerns about a cancellation or refund instead of choosing to do a chargeback first without communicating. Howlmetal Horrors will do everything possible to come up with a solution that works for both parties.

Howlmetal Horrors reserves the right to keep all materials purchased, even in the case of a refund. If a client sends their own materials, unused portions may be sent back if requested.

Work-in-progress photos are sent to the client frequently, so if the client has been saying they love the suit consistently and suddenly decide they don’t when it is completed, no compensation will be issued.

No refunds can be issued once the suit has been completed and Howlmetal Horrors has sent proof of completion (photos, video), nor can a refund be issued once the suit has been shipped out.

Should a client be unruly, rude, or extremely difficult to work with the right to cancel the commission at any time is reserved. Client will be blacklisted and the refund will follow the chart above.

Returns are not accepted under any circumstances.

If, while the product is still in possession of the maker - finished or unfinished - and shipment has not been discussed, there has been no communication from the client for 6 months, the project is considered abandoned and a refund will not be possible. The slot is forfeited and the suit will be sold. If the client resumes contact after a project has been considered abandoned, they do not gain back their slot, project, or payment.

If the suit is not completed in six months from date of final payment, the client is entitled to a full refund if they choose - only if the delays are caused by Howlmetal Horrors and not the client or other uncontrollable factors, for example an untimely sent duct tape dummy, material delay, etc.

A full refund, including deposit, will be issued if the order is cancelled on the behalf of Howlmetal Horrors.

SHIPPING:

Shipping is available worldwide via Canada Post, insured by default. Shipping, insurance, customs and other fees must be paid by the client. A tracking number will be shared with the client upon shipment. Shipment price is paid by the client ahead of time along with the rest of the payment and the product will be shipped within a week of completion.

Howlmetal Horrors is not responsible if the product is lost or damaged in travel; it is out of the maker’s control once it had been shipped. Please contact the carrier itself if there is concern about delivery.

WARRANTY & REPAIRS:

Should there be errors made on behalf of the maker, it is required that Howlmetal Horrors is alerted within the first month of receiving the suit. Errors will be fixed for free, and shipping will be covered both ways by Howlmetal Horrors. If the sizing issue is not at the fault of Howlmetal Horrors (i.e client sent an improperly made duct tape dummy or sent the wrong measurements), the client will be required to pay shipping and pay for the tailoring fee which is determined based on workload.

Should parts be unwearable due to size issues (handpaws or feetpaws too small, too large) they are to be sent back within the first week of owning the suit. Howlmetal Horrors will make a new, properly-fitted pair for free and sell the old, unusable pair. Shipping must be paid by the client.

Typical wear & tear fixes can be conducted with a fee that will be discussed based upon what is required to be done.

LIABILITY:

Howlmetal Horrors is not responsible for any harm or injury that may occur while wearing the product. Wearability, comfort, and ventilation is always a priority when creating a costume, however there will always be mild discomfort while wearing a suit such as: no peripheral vision, heat, ventilation (in resin-based heads). It is recommended that wearers take breaks and know their limits. If a client fails to know their limits and falls ill or is hurt it is not the responsibility of Howlmetal Horrors.

If there are any questions or concerns please email howlmetalhorrors@gmail.com.

The form below is to be filled out only by accepted clients when personally requested by Howlmetal Horrors.