Kathleen Duffy, dba Twisted Sisters & Associates, contacted me in spring 2007 to represent my line of cards, art, and books as a sales agent. She had a partner and 7 sub-reps working with her.
In August I sent her 9 copies of my book, 9 8.5x11 collages, 35 card samples for her sub reps, and 2 promotional decks of greeting cards (all of which is valued at $555 wholesale). She said she would show my work at wholesale shows and represent it in several states throughout the country.
Shortly after I sent my samples to her, she wrote saying she was dissolving partnership with her partner, and would be doing business as Twisted Sister Gifts. Shortly after that, I received a letter from former partner, advising me that Ms. Duffy had billed her for some samples that were damaged or lost. I never received any orders from Ms. Duffy, though I myself was taking numerous orders.
I telephoned in February to see what was going on with sales of my work, but she did not return my call. Then I emailed her. She wrote back claiming that she had received no phone message and that she had been unable to sell my work.in March I emailed her and requested that she return all of my product samples. She wrote back that, according to our contract, she had 30 days to do this. I agreed to the 30 days. However, I did not receive anything from her.
In May and again in June I emailed, requesting that she return my samples. To this date, I have heard nothing from her, nor has she returned my samples.in August, I called her former partner to check her address. She informed me that I would probably not reach her because she herself had sent a certified letter and Ms. Duffy simply did not pick it up from the Post Office. She verified the address of 128 Broadway, #5, Loveland OH 45140, adding that the suite number was 5, but Ms. Duffy sometimes used 305.
On August 20, I sent a letter by certified mail to Ms. Duffy. I had enclosed an invoice for the amount of $555.00, the wholesale value of my product samples. I gave her the option of returning all of my product, undamaged. The letter was returned with a USPS sticker, "Return to sender - Not deliverable as addressed." I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, but they do not handle Business To Business disputes.
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