Being on both sides of the consignment/memo equation I have a couple
ideas: Call the owner, since you live in the same town, every single
day requesting that he pay you the money he owes. He will get mad at
you, but so what, he is a sleezer and deserves being called on his
bad behavior.
Send him a notice in the mail every single day, include the postage
in what he owes you. Email him. Fax him.
Explain to him that you will report him to the Better Business
Bureau in your town, even though he is not in business, he probably
won’t want his scummy reputation tarnished.
Charge him .015% interest per month on the unpaid balance since
February, compounded monthly.
Let him know that you are anxious to take him to small claims court,
if you don’t receive a cashiers check in the full amount plus
interest with in three days. Set a time frame.
Write it off as a learning situation. Personally I would do all the
above before I give up on someone. As a friend of mine once said, if
you are going to donate jewelry to someone, in all likelihood, it
wouldn’t be this slime ball.
As far as giving memo again. Most gallery owners are ethical. We
work hard to represent our artists, to tell their story to the
public, understand that it is an honor to carry our artists’ work and
to make it a priority to send a check within a couple weeks of
selling work. I would visit the gallery, talk to the owner, find out
what their philosophy is about doing business and representing you,
see how other work is displayed, call some of the artists they
represent. Unfortunately the person you dealt with gives us all a
bad reputation. It is such a dis-service to gallery owners who are
trying to do a good job.
Marlene Richey
Richey Jewelry Gallery
15 Wharf . Portland . ME . 04101
207.772.5252