Buyer Beware, Indeed!
Forewarned is helpful for us.
In the future, I'd ask for:
- charge card or PayPal payment
- allow up to 15 days wait for work to be done and shipping confirmed
- only then should charge be processed
- one week to receive/delivery
- after one week, cancel charge payment
Of course, they have your plate/plates - they have got you by the tender parts.
Good luck, but you might have a vendor competing with Patrick's in terms of honesty.