#secondhand goods platform

[forestshipping]

Mercari to Reinstate Seller Fees and Adjust Charges in 2025

On December 10, international media reported that Mercari, a secondhand goods trading platform, announced its plan to reinstate seller fees and adjust buyer charges starting in January 2025. These measures aim to address the decline in transaction volume on the platform.

According to the new policy, effective January 6, 2025, Mercari will charge sellers a commission fee of 10% on the total of the item price and shipping cost. For buyers, a fee of 3.6% on the total item price and shipping cost will apply, with no additional payment processing fees. This marks a significant shift from the current fee structure, under which sellers are exempt from platform commissions and buyers are not subject to separate charges.

Earlier this year, in late March, Mercari eliminated platform commissions and certain fees in an effort to attract more sellers. However, the strategy failed to achieve its intended results and instead led to a decline in transaction volume. In its statement, Mercari acknowledged that while the changes were intended to make selling easier for sellers, the actual impact was detrimental to both the platform and its seller community. The newly revised fee structure aims to optimize the platform’s ecosystem and revive healthy transaction growth.

This fee adjustment is not an isolated case. Other secondhand trading platforms have recently implemented similar strategies. For instance, Poshmark, a U.S.-based secondhand clothing platform, reduced seller fees and introduced buyer charges in October. However, dissatisfaction among sellers due to falling sales forced Poshmark to revert to its original fee structure. Similarly, eBay announced in October that it plans to introduce buyer fees in the UK next year.

Conclusion

As the secondhand trading industry continues to evolve, platforms like Mercari, Poshmark, and eBay are experimenting with fee adjustments to balance their ecosystems and sustain transaction growth. For sellers, especially those engaged in international markets, understanding platform fees and optimizing logistics strategies is essential for maintaining profitability. If you're navigating the challenges of cross-border e-commerce, choosing a reliable freight forwarding partner is crucial. Forest Shipping, a professional cross-border e-commerce freight forwarder, offers tailored solutions to streamline your international shipping needs, ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness for your business.

[acorviart]

pros of having been active on most major social media sites for years: no adjustment period if one collapses, I’ve had lurking accounts for ages and am already up to date with reddit/twitter/tumblr/etc functionality and lore

cons of having been active on most major social media sites for years: i am being poisoned from every single well. there were like 5 wells within the same 3 mile radius all drawing from the same contaminated water table and I was like I think I will drink from all of them at the same time

[chococoronet]

Listing

Check out this super adorable Tsukasa keychain!! I've never seen this variant outfit before, the listing makes it sound like a 20th anniversary Item, perhaps this is Tsukasa a bit older and in her own personal style! So cute!

[lunarblossomyuehua]

Actually mad that Australia STILL doesnt have any platforms with streaming rights to the rest of Lego Monkie Kid like???

hasn't it been years now???? why do we only have up till like episode 2 of season 2?

[copperbadge]

Howdy! I am considering submitting manuscripts I've written to a publisher or possibly self publishing. The publisher states on their website that authors must maintain an active social media presence. I'm not normally a social media type, Tumblr is my only one. What would you reccommend for such? Is it worth it to pay someone to make a website for me? Thanks and many virtual kisses for Dot and Deebs!

Honestly, I haven't submitted to a publisher since before a lot of modern social media existed. :D

It is my understanding, but this is secondhand information, that publishers want you to have either a twitter or a tiktok, preferably both, where you're frequently active and have a high follower count, because they want you to be able to publicize your book on it. One of many reasons I don't even consider trad publishing anymore is that I don't want to spend a significant chunk of my time filming videos for the sole purpose of hawking my books.

Now, as I said, that's an inference I've drawn; you may want to speak to someone who has been trad published recently to get the inside scoop (readers if you work in publishing or have been published recently, feel free to add commentary; remember to comment or reblogs, as I don't repost asks sent in response to other asks). I do have an author website but I built my own; I don't know what the going rate is for paying someone to build one these days but most website platforms are pretty intuitive to use -- I built mine on Wordpress and I'm building a new one on Wix currently, and at this point both are very drag-and-drop oriented. I do think a website is a good thing for an author to have, but I wouldn't pay someone to build one for you until you've taken a swing at DIY and decided it's not where you want to spend your time and energy.

In terms of self-publishing, the good news is that none of the rules apply; this is also the bad news. :D Because the thing about selfpub is that you either pay or DIY for...everything. It can be very inexpensive; when I publish a book the only direct monetary cost is what I pay for an ISBN and a proof copy of the book, which I will make back in the first 10 sales or so. However, I am "paying" in man hours in terms of typesetting, cover design, uploading the PDFs to lulu.com, proofing the initial copy, correcting the proof and reuploading (which usually involves further typesetting), and of course all the publicity -- website design and redesign, copywriting, tumblr posting. And while my profit per copy sold is well above what most authors with traditional publishers will make, that's because the publisher is doing a lot of the work for you. And, because I don't have an active twitter or tiktok or a publisher, my books are not very widely publicized. Undoubtedly I sell fewer copies than I would if I had a robust twitter following, but catch me touching that rancid wasteland without inch-thick gloves on.

So -- I think it's probably pretty important to understand that I have deliberately rejected trad publishing for good but not lucrative reasons, and I'm considered at best an iconoclast and more commonly a crank for having done so. If you can go the tradpub route, I would, but I also wouldn't put any money you're not prepared to write off as a loss into that pursuit. Definitely I would see if there's anyone in the industry you can reach out to who can answer these questions with a more thorough understanding of what publishers look for in an author and how to go about achieving that than I possess.

In any case, good luck! It's a journey regardless and I hope you enjoy your time on the path wherever you end up. And I'll give the cryptids a special cuddle for ya.

[genericpuff]

Have you seen the Webtoon "Working with an Editor" Video? I feel like this explains a lot of how the platform's Originals end up in the states that they do. Based on that vid, it seems their editors are less the developmental or copy types, and more acquisitions and managerial focused. Which explains how some series have "an editor" for editorial oversight, while not being what readers would consider "edited".

oh there are... definitely things about the editors I can tell you based on what I've read and even been told directly by some Originals creators (obviously their names are going to remain anonymous here lol) Before I go into it, every editor and every contract is different, I have no way of actually knowing what goes on behind the scenes due to not being an Originals creator myself, so please take what I'm about to say with mountains of salt as much of it was either learned secondhand through creator AMA's and at best, firsthand through anonymous Originals creators who I've communicated directly with. Ultimately you should be getting your facts from the creators who actually speak up on this matter, not me.

1.) WT has a VERY small pool of editors who are currently being stretched incredibly thin. Bre Boswell, as an example, currently oversees 20+ comics, including Lore Olympus (though not anymore haha), Nevermore, The Kiss Bet, Down to Earth, and Castle Swimmer. She is not the only one with this big of a workload. Obviously with one person having to oversee this many series at once, it's virtually impossible for them to do the actual "editing" part of their jobs, even if they genuinely want to.

2.) The role of WT editor isn't the same as a traditional editor - many of them are simply liasons between creators and Webtoons, meaning any questions creators have about their schedules, salaries, etc. are directed to their editors who then contact WT on their behalf and relay the response back to the creators. The bare minimum requirement for their job seems to be just making sure that creators are following terms of services. The traditional role of editing - proofreading, offering advice and storytelling tweaks, etc. - seems to be entirely optional and dependent on how much time the editor can devote to the series (see #1) + how much creative input the creator is willing to accept.

3.) With how low WT's standards are and how overworked a lot of editors have become, many editors actually stop reading their respective comics after the first few episodes once they're confident that the creator can handle the series on their own without needing check-ups that they're following ToS. So in that respect they truly do just become messenger owls between the creators and WT (and IIRC creators send their episodes to their editors to upload, they don't do it manually themselves). This is also why there are webtoons that share the same editor but differ greatly in quality of writing and art - how well a webtoon is written and drawn is often entirely dependent on the creators making it (it's why Nevermore manages to be so consistently good despite having the same editor as Lore Olympus which is consistently awful lmao).

As an added little thing, I will not say who, but there is a specific editor who... often gets a looot of special treatment from WT, from what I've been told and heard. A lot of their series get away with way more than what others do and get a lot more advertising privileges.

(and no, it's actually not Bre LOL from what I've been told Bre is actually a very sweet person who's very chill to work with haha)

[mariacallous]

With another Trump administration incoming, the future of trans-Atlantic cooperation is receiving fresh scrutiny—as is the U.S. security umbrella that has largely, if imperfectly, kept the peace in free Europe since 1945. As uncertainty over the endurance of U.S. security commitments to Europe intensifies, European leaders are grappling with the prospect of an increasingly challenging threat environment without the surety of American backing.

While this is leading to some shifts in European strategic thinking, even a major policy overhaul tomorrow would not be able to compensate for U.S. military advantages in mass and sophistication; that would take at least a generation of dedicated European defense investment. The bad news is that Europe needs a credible conventional deterrent in the near future. The good news? It has one right under its collective nose: Ukraine. To safeguard Europe, and save Ukraine, European states should move quickly to endorse and implement the Ukrainian Victory Plan and work now to put Kyiv in a strong negotiating position tomorrow. Ukraine can then offer Europe a highly militarily credible conventional deterrent, and key insights for European deterrence, defense, and resilience.

Should Ukraine emerge from the war more or less intact, it will be exhausted, bloodied, and bruised, carrying the scars and traumas of an epochal war of liberation. But it will also be a, if not the, premier land power in Europe, with a large, battle-hardened, and heavily equipped force that has experience taking on and often besting Russian forces. It will be among the few armies on the continent with real, practical experience in large-scale combined arms and maneuver warfare. Ukrainians have experience integrating varied and secondhand weapons systems from across the world and forming them into coherent and lethal operational elements. They also boast a rapidly innovating, specialized suite of advanced, battlefield-iterated domestic weapons—particularly drones and a growing array of long-range, precision-strike platforms—and real-life concepts of operations for their employment.

Ongoing Russian advances in Ukraine should be taken seriously, but they should also not be overemphasized, either. They do not represent strategic breakthroughs and are instead periodic operational gains at best. Yet Russia has paid dearly for these minimal gains, with casualties well above 600,000, and even above 700,000 by Ukrainian estimates. Still, should the United States suspend arms shipments again, as they did earlier this year, Russian momentum could turn into localized breakthroughs and provide Moscow with a commanding negotiating position in potential ceasefire talks. In that case, Ukraine may be forced to carry on the fight without U.S. supplies, perhaps increasingly desperately, or effectively capitulate to Kremlin suzerainty.

In either case, Europe is extremely vulnerable if the United States effectively abrogates its commitments. If Russia were to test NATO’s mutual defense clause, as many analysts fear it will, no time would be better than amid American disengagement, Ukrainian weakness, and alliance uncertainty. On its own, Europe may lack the sufficient conventional deterrence posture to give Moscow too much pause. In many ways, Western strategic forbearance has rewarded Moscow for its boldness through successive colonial adventures in Georgia and Ukraine, as well as further afield, despite its military’s incompetence.

Moscow certainly believes that without Washington’s influence, decision-making and the already cumbersome process of consensus would likely grind to a halt in the North Atlantic Council. Although Europe has some credible military capabilities in aggregate, including specialized areas of excellence, Moscow does not see Europe as being able to cooperate effectively to mount a decisive conventional defense without U.S. leadership or cajoling.

Meanwhile, national governments with varying threat perceptions that are not used to acting decisively in concert may opt to sit out joint action—or offer only token contributions—even if a decision were made.

In the absence of a strategic bulwark, Europe’s relative weakness would likely spiral into further fragmentation, as accommodationist elements gain ground in national politics and coalitions of states move in different directions while some states choose to resist as best they can. The end result is very unlikely to be continental Russian domination, but rather a return to the multipolar status quo before 1945—when Europe was far from a postmodern, pacific garden but rather the world’s laboratory for contagious, industrialized mass conflict.

What makes the United States an effective security partner is that its forces were combat credible, capable, and could be relied on to defend Europe. While there is no replacing U.S. troops and the symbolism of American backing—at least not immediately—Ukraine has the advantage of being battle-tested, evidently capable of inflicting pain on advancing Russian forces, and already in a state of total mobilization.

Earlier this fall, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Western capitals, touting his government’s five-point (eight-point if you include three classified annexes) Victory Plan. The plan’s five pillars included: (1) an invitation to NATO; (2) defense assistance; (3) a conventional deterrence package; (4) strategic economic cooperation; and (5) a Ukrainian bulwark for Europe. By many assessments, the plan was sensible and even realistic when taken as individual elements, but as a whole it was mostly coolly received by Western capitals—particularly those looking for a solution that would swiftly end the war without increased outputs from them. More broadly, the plan quickly disappeared into the news cycle as the U.S. presidential election dominated proceedings.

Yet in the wake of that election, Europe may wish to reconsider the merits of the plan. In some ways, it is already being enacted. Since the U.S. election, Washington has agreed to massively boost and accelerate its defense assistance to Ukraine in advance of the new administration taking office. At the same time, the Biden administration eased its caveats on using longer-range precision strikes against military targets within Russia—a sharp reversal on a longstanding policy to the contrary—which was quickly followed by green lights from the UK and France on using their long-range supplied munitions. Notably, France has also revived rhetoric about potential European troop deployments to support Ukraine, though the idea remain in a conceptual stage.

If residual U.S. military aid and additional European tranches can restore Ukrainian military momentum, or at least significantly sap Russia’s, then Kyiv could enter ceasefire negotiations from an improved position and deter Russia over the longer term. For Europe, this will require significant resources, particularly if U.S. arms flows peter out, as well as a determination to adopt a more decisive approach to enable Ukrainian battlefield success and longer-term conventional deterrence. While this is a tall political order in Europe’s fractured and multivariate strategic environment, there is a strategic reason it is very much worth doing—it is easier than the prospect of urgent wholesale, multiyear military rearmament in preparation for responding to an Article 5 event.

While Ukrainian troops may lack the symbolism that U.S. forces currently offer, they may more than make up for it with their real-life experience hunting and destroying advancing Russian forces and demonstrating that they can inflict damage on Russia by land, sea, and air.

For this to work, however, European leaders need to move quickly. Committing to Ukraine’s survival, and providing it with the means to ensure it does so, should be the consensus position. That means creating a viable plan for surging arms quickly and sustainably to Ukraine and working closely with Kyiv to hammer out a common security concept that brings Ukraine into the fold in full and in earnest. In this way, if European fears come to pass, with the United States no longer seen as a viable guarantor to trans-Atlantic security, Ukraine and its forces offer a ready-made and highly compelling alternative.

[nikibogwater]

Lately, in wake of how bad the streaming/digital ownership model has become, I've been making an effort to de-digitize my library of movies and shows by getting Blu-rays/DVDs of my favorites. So today I picked up a Blu-ray of The Little Mermaid (1989) at a secondhand media store (it felt more like I was stealing it tbh, they only wanted $7 for it), and as I was sticking it into my player, I was marveling at how I now own a copy of a classic animated film that the Disney corporation can never censor, interrupt with ads, or take away from me entirely. And it even comes packed with behind-the-scenes bonus features! Like, this is so wild!!!

And then it hit me like an anvil falling from a comically tall building: this isn't new or novel. This is literally how movies worked when I was growing up, and nobody ever thought anything of it. This thing that feels so special and almost too-good-to-be-true was industry standard not even 15 years ago. And somehow I'd forgotten just how much better it was.

Anyways, I guess the moral of that story is that progress isn't necessarily linear, big media corporations suck, and if you're gonna go back to physical, holy shoot, do NOT sleep on the goldmine that is secondhand media stores. Some of these places will let you walk out with an entire lifetime's supply of great movies for less than what it costs to get a year's subscription to most streaming platforms.

[timeforbedwolfstar]

I Solemnly Swear that I am Up to No Good - The Friendship

Enjoy this next chapter of my Marauders fic! The brainrot is real, guys …

Finding Home will be updated this week, likely on Wednesday. The first chapter of the DPS x Marauders fic will be released on Friday.

Chapter 2: Boys and Trains

Wednesday, September 1, 1971

“Now remember,” Remus’ mother said, fussing over the clasp of his cloak, “don’t tell anyone about . . . the werewolf problem.” She whispered the last few words, adjusting his hood so it fell just right over his back. He could thank her OCD for that. Or maybe it was just his mother’s anxiety at being separated from her son for the first time in eleven years. 

It was clear from the moment she’d woken up that morning that it would be an emotional day for Hope Lupin. To be fair, most days were emotional for her. But this year, on September first, 1971, she could start a new chapter of her life. One where she didn’t have to worry so much about her werewolf son. One where she could focus on herself. One where she could heal the rift between her and her husband, Remus’ father, Lyall. 

Or so Remus thought. But what did he know about the inner workings of his mother? 

A surprising amount, he reminded himself. Living with only his parents for company for the past six years would do that to a person. 

You’re not a person, he told himself scathingly. You’re a bloody werewolf. They're not the same. 

But oh, how he wished they could be. 

After tuning out his mum, who was telling him every single thing that he must remember to do (“Don’t forget about laundry, make sure you eat at least three times a day, . . .”), Remus stood studying the people around them. There was one boy, with messy black hair and glasses, writhing away from a woman with the same black hair pulled back in a messy bun atop her head. The father, a tall, weedy sort of man, glanced around with a happy smile on his face, and wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. 

“— and  don’t forget about the moon on Sunday —” 

The full moon. The same moon that had given him the werewolf curse six years ago. The one that had left him with a horrible scar on his left shoulder, from the wolf that had nearly killed him. 

And it would have, too, if Lyall hadn’t been so quick. 

Remus shook off his thoughts as his mother wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. “I love you, fy mab.” 

“Dw i'n dy garu di hefyd, Mam,” Remus replied. “See you at Christmas.” 

Hope gave him a sad smile, then nodded and stepped back. Remus picked up his battered, secondhand trunk and lugged it to the train as the last whistle blew. 

He waved at his mum from the window, watching as tears rolled down her face. He felt a pang of grief and longed to go back in time, to refuse Dumbledore’s offer, to be homeschooled by his parents like they’d planned all this time. 

But it wasn’t to be. 

On the train, Remus found himself lost and alone. He didn’t know anyone going to Hogwarts this year. His condition had made it impossible to make friends. 

Oh, he wanted to. He wanted to be able to have friends, to talk with others his own age, to be around kids who didn’t care about his affliction. Once upon a time, a normal life might have been possible for him. But his fate had already been decided, many long years ago.

Making up his mind, he started to drag his trunk down the train in a random direction. He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew he was going somewhere. He had to be. 

He was lucky. Towards the back of the train, he found a mostly empty compartment. A girl sat there, with bright red hair. She wore her Hogwarts robes already, and Remus guessed she’d changed just before sitting down. Or she’d been wearing her robes on the platform. Anything was possible, really. 

“Hey,” he said softly, knocking on the wall. “Is it okay if I sit here?” 

Without turning her head, the girl nodded. Remus sat down awkwardly as far from the girl as he could. He didn’t much like girls, but he attributed most of that to his limited contact with them. Other than his mam and the grandma next door (What’ll we say to her, Remus thought, when I don’t come see her for months?), he hadn’t had much contact with the opposite sex. 

He blamed his father for that. 

It wasn’t his fault, Remus told himself firmly. 

But . . . it might as well have been. 

Lyall Lupin had left their small family years ago. Not physically. He still lived with them. But mentally, he was distant, cold, uncaring toward his wife and son. Remus wanted his mother to heal the rift that had grown in six years’ cold time. But, logically, he knew, it wasn’t likely to happen. His father simply didn’t work that way. 

As he sat there, staring off into the distance, the door opened again. A pudgy-looking boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed in Muggle clothing under his robes, knocked on the wooden frame. “Can I sit here? Only, I’ve got a friend who’s coming, too.” 

“I don’t mind,” said Remus. “Come in.” 

It turned out that his friend was the boy Remus had seen on the platform. “I’m James,” he said, by way of introduction. He held out his hand to Remus, who shook it carefully. He had learned that the nice ones always turned on him in the end. 

The pudgy boy, whose name was Peter, was friendly, and Remus found he got on well with him. At first glance, it seemed, Peter and his friend, James Potter, had a complicated relationship. 

Peter and James were neighbours, and very close ones at that. When Peter started to display magical signs, James’ parents took him and Peter’s sister under their wing in place of their neglectful parents. Mr. and Mrs. Potter had played the parental role in Peter’s childhood, and fostered a close friendship between him and James. Mr. and Mrs. Pettigrew had not been around for many years. 

The boys were a great source of entertainment. James was funny, with a new joke every few minutes, and a constant source of laughter. Peter was quiet, but sometimes chipped in and lit up the compartment with his witty retorts. Remus could see why James liked him so much. 

Against his will, he began to like the boy, as well. Maybe we could have been friends, in another life. 

The compartment door opened again, bringing with it another boy. He had short black hair, stormy, lightning-grey eyes, and flashy, brand-new Hogwarts robes that fitted him perfectly. 

“Can I sit here?” he said, in a voice so high-and-mighty it made Remus laugh aloud. 

“You’re one of those posh ones, aren’t you?” 

Translations

fy mab — my son

Dw i'n dy garu di hefyd, Mam — I love you too, Mum

[milfzatannaz]

Goth wardrobe advice

hiiiii baby bats!!!! I just wanted to write a lil post on how to start building a goth wardrobe! I started around 6 months ago and I’ve been very happy with the looks I’ve been able to create, and I thought to just write down how I was able to rlly curate my aesthetic! (though I will tack onto this post that goth is a music based subculture so you can be goth without fancy elaborate looks)

when it comes to shopping for clothes, my personal advice is buy individual pieces, not outfits. meaning you buy clothes with the intention of mixing and matching which will save money and help you from over-buying. plus flexibility in your wardrobe allows for more fun and creativity!

the look

The first step to creating your style is to envision what kind of look you want to go for. goth style pulls from so many different sources! Trad goths from the 80s evolved from punk, and subsequent iterations of the style have Victorian, glam, etc sentiments. you can lean more romantic or more edgy, it’s up to you! the first step is to create a vision board. I love Pinterest personally. from there I typed “trad goth” “casual goth” “90s goth” and streamlined what I want to emulate. Don’t forget to watch goth rock music videos for style inspo- siouxsie is my personal icon and wore such interesting things, as well as Patricia Morrison! there’s also a level of gender nonconformity in goth that you can lean into. for instance, I’m femme but with a shaved head that really compliments my style and makes me feel really confident. It’s all so variable and individual. one of the original tenets of goth was the DIY aspect, which I think is super important. don’t be afraid to rip, cut, add safety pins, or paint on clothes you buy.

shopping

shopping for goth clothes has a lot of misconceptions. you really don’t need to ever buy from a fast fashion site like killstar or dollskill to get the looks you want. In fact most goths would prefer that you look elsewhere at first, bc a lot of us aren’t comfortable with the way our subculture has been commodified and commercialized. thrift stores have given me tons of luck. I typically prefer red white and blue, but goodwill can have good stuff too! (now, thrifting is more environmentally friendly, but that doesn’t mean that the company is ethical, like Salvation Army and goodwill. it’s a matter of choosing what’s right for your personal values.)

you can buy black clothes at pretty much any store which makes creating outfits somewhat easy. shop where you can afford it and what has good options for your body type and comfort level. I buy most of my stuff secondhand but I own a few things from H&M and Pacsun. pacsun has amazing corset tops that are affordable during their sales, and H&M has foundational pieces for okay quality. Try Depop too because I LOVE vintage clothes and you can find amazing things on the app, like dresses from the 90s and 70s blouses!

General wardrobe items

here’s what I bought when building my wardrobe:

- black trousers

- black skirts (midi AND mini. I prefer long skirts but I like to have choices)

- band tees for my fav goth bands

- a white button down blouse

- bustiers/corsets. I have incredible luck thrifting them but some I’ve gotten new. They’re sexy and fun on their own but even cooler layered over something!

- tights! fishnets are a must as well as solid sheer black and other fun patterns

- dresses in plaid or solid colors. you don’t have to JUST wear black, in fact siouxsie wore tons of color back in the day. black is just what we’re known for but maroon, purple and white are great too.

- long sleeve sheer tops. I have one black mesh and one black lace top. These can be worn over bras for an edgier look or under band tees to add texture and complexity.

- SHOES! I don’t buy secondhand shoes only bc I have wonky feet. My two main pairs are my doc martens Jadon platforms and Mary janes. Shoes are an entirely personal decision so do your research! A lot of ppl like Demonias but I haven’t swung for those yet.

- accessories, accessories, accessories. Perhaps what makes someone recognizably goth is our funky accessories. I have multiple belts, ranging from the standard black with grommets to a triple belt and a corset waist cincher. I buy my jewelry off Etsy or I buy them from flea markets, and I lean towards ankhs bc I’m a sandman nerd lmfao. (I own 3 ankh necklaces, a bracelet, and two pairs of earrings oops). I also have a few silver crucifixes and a spiked collar.

- outerwear. I’m a leather jacket aficionado and I hand painted a trad goth jacket, but other options are black long coats and blazers. vests are pretty great too.

final notes

I’m a baby bat myself so I, too am learning the ropes and exploring my style. remember that it’s about self expression and making yourself stand out, not uniformity. there are so many unique alternative subcultures and no one is stopping you from pulling from all sorts of inspo! Remember to have fun when shopping or getting dressed above all else!!!!

other great resources can be found on r/gothfashion and from goth YouTubers!

[mays-corner]

(This post is a bit random so if you get it you get it if you don't get it it's fine)

It's 2024. I should be going to the disco, which I dislike.

Instead, I decided to hyperfixate on a Welshman.

One thing that baffles me to this day, and trust me it has happened more than once, is has anyone ever tried to protest at least a bit to still have Matt as John? Did no one try hard enough? Or have the attempts failed?

I mean-

I'm a newer fan (even with content crumbs I am a fan) still, so I can't be sure, but I'm amazed that in all these years that have passed, no one ever did anything, and now he can't even play Constantine (I think).

And now, the only role I've seen is him dubbing John 💀

Ignoring this discourse about John, I've decided to search for other roles, movies, and series, and what I've found was interesting, to say the least.

I am becoming passionate about him for various reasons. Other than wanting to revive pre-pandemic activities, I have noticed a pattern: I enjoy searching for things that I only watch. These are some thoughts I had about some things I could not find in Italy:

Hard to find (for example, I'm still searching for "The Halcyon," and the funniest thing about this is that in Italy, it was shown on TV (on an RAI channel, RAI is an Italian broadcaster) during 2017 and it's not available on their platform.

Region-locked content (the DCAU being region-locked is such a crime; we only have House of Mystery, and that's it) or even trying to watch a simple cameo when the entire series is region-locked (the Harley Quinn one). However (and this is good news), while searching for Away (one of his movies to watch), I found Tubi and used a free VPN. It was slow, but it worked, and I watched it.

Expensive (I paid Assassin's Creed Black Flag in installments, so that wasn't expensive, but still...)

It was a play, so they haven't recorded it, but to see and better understand the role he played (in this case, read), I read Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola, and it was still effective.

Not even available on Chili (an Italian streaming platform on which you can rent or buy movies), the title only appears but is not available for streaming (lol).

Using Vinted or secondhand shops in general (it’s not the best time for me to go fully secondhand, but I suppose I could find some things there).

At the moment, I've watched just what I could easily find without resorting to piracy (which is ironic, since in Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Matt voices Edward Kenway, a pirate.).

In this list of things I could easily find, we have:

Constantine (thanks to another fan)

Criminal Minds/Criminal Minds Suspect Behavior (I had Disney Plus for a month, so I've watched it from there)

Flypaper, Adverse (Prime Video)

Arrow (Prime video)

Legends of Tomorrow (Netflix and Mediaset infinity)

House Of Mystery (Amazon prime, you have to rent it but still)

While writing this I found that "Layer cake" is on Sky, which I have and Now TV too.

Pocket Money (While watching it I just understood two words out of an entire short and I'm a c2 in English 💀)

Away, Wild Decembers, Armistice, Blood Monkey

So, you might have been asking yourself... Have I gone mad? To search and find for stuff not even available in my own country? In my own continent, too?

But I thought this is what comes with being a fan of someone, even if the career is what it is.

Considering me being unlucky, I was never able to see Matt when he acted and then had premieres at the same time.

Asssassin’s Creed Black Flag? I was 10, a child, lol.

Legends Of Tomorrow? I liked anime, manga and everything japanese.

And the list goes on...

It's nice to see what was like and what I couldn't live, gosh, I'm praying hard that we get to see him act again, I want and I wish to be present, live or not.

I wanted to make a really nice speech but nothing comes to mind, when I get it maybe I'll post it 💀

[chooey]

really wanna own a pair of boots but. good quality boots? in this economy?????

[clac3english]

Think Before You Buy: Making Better Choices

In today’s world, easy access to products, promotions, and online shopping platforms has encouraged impulsive and excessive consumption. This behavior, tied to a throw-away culture, significantly contributes to resource waste and environmental pollution. This text will show why buying less and choosing better is important for the planet and for people. Fast-fashion and online shopping make people buy more than they need. Many clothes and products are thrown away every year. Studies say more than 85% of fabrics go to landfills or pollute the oceans. This habit of throwing things away quickly hurts the environment. Buying cheap and poor-quality products not only causes pollution but also supports bad working conditions. Conscious consumption means buying things that are better for the planet and made under fair conditions. However, eco-friendly products can be expensive, so not everyone can afford them. Small actions can help the environment. For example, people can buy reusable products, shop at secondhand stores, and use less plastic. World Recycling Day, on May 17, is a good time to think about how we can reduce waste and recycle more. Although conscious consumption requires behavioral changes and, in some cases, higher upfront costs, it is a vital step in combating the throw-away culture. Even small changes in how we buy and use things can make a big difference. Let’s all try to help by consuming better and reducing waste.

[spacebeyonce]

tired. that person that posted about nativenews also reblogs from prominent liberal zionists. and I just saw another post on my dash about antisemitism and checked out the blog, and theyre a liberal zionist concerned about giving aid to palestine because of hamas. exhausted from side eyeing every post about antisemitism now.

and yes call out when people are targeting jews , but these same blogs never follow and reblog from actual palestines on this site? instead pretending all the efforts for palestine comes from only secondhand accounts and grifters, so they can condemn the movement as a whole. like we are not the ones paying them attention.

everyone on this site could avoid platforming so much antisemitism in the movement by just.... boosting palestinian voices instead, yknow the ones who have been wishing their followers a good hanukkah, the ones who are the most experienced in avoiding antisemitism, because its the reason used to justify their genocide all the time?

that is so.....disappointing?? like oh they're gonna do all this talk but not follow through huh. that's so shitty. it should be SO clear to many now that the liberation of palestine and the continuing existence of israel and zionism cannot coexist. it cannot.

I wonder.....if anyone's made a list of palestinian bloggers to follow I'd love to know so I can follow them and not keep running into blogs that speak about palestine but always circle back to zionism.

[apple-salad]

hey i love your and fanny's fashion! i'm new to this part of fashion and i believe most of your guys' clothes are from japan or japan branded, is there a brand or platform that sells similar outfit that based in europe or northen america? thank you and have a good day!

Thanks for your ask, and thank you 🙂

Honestly, I wish I knew and could tell you! Because I mostly search for clothes within Japanese shops or secondhand platforms, I don't know much outside of that. However, if you are looking for lolita fashion, perhaps the Lolita Fashion Collective (which stocks brands from around the world, and ships from USA) would be a start?

For vintage inspired girly fashion that is not lolita, I've talked to quite a few lolitas who enjoy Miss Patina (based in UK) if you like that aesthetic.

For secondhand lolita (in English), the best platform for you to peruse is Lace Market. Fanny and I wear a lot of classic lolita; so assuming that is the style you are looking for, you can filter using the "classic lolita" tag and further filter by seller location in EU/N.A.: example search. Note that since these tags are user defined, pricing, selection and results vary and you will have to filter through items yourself. But fashion is all about finding a hidden gem you love, right?

Also, Lace Market has a specific purchasing flow, so make sure to read the FAQ to avoid confusion.

I hope that helps! Perhaps others can respond and give additional advice and shop suggestions.

[ratfuck]

I like the energy and pushback against tumblr's emporium merch peddling and the soulless commercialization of the platform but idk I think folks outside of marketing/media/advertising need to realize that when brands do this sort of sympathy baiting shit, with marketing, especially social media branding.. you're not really getting anywhere by trying to rationalize with or persuade brand accounts, if anything you're contributing to their marketing operation

Media/marketing teams that design these campaigns and strategies, run these accounts, create content, NEVER read your feedback. Not that we don't want to, and not because we'll be upset by criticism, it's just not part of our job. We're not paid to care what anyone who's not a corporate director thinks. Numerous people and positions are involved in this process, and usually they never speak to each other unless communicating tasks or actions from the top. The people that manage and post to brand accounts are not the same people that design media content such as photos, videos, graphics, text. The people that design are not the same people that manage them and tell them what to create. Those who monitor consumer reactions to advertising campaigns are algorithms. The people that manage everyone and plot marketing strategies never see what you post about their crap. They're given analytics and statistics by the monitors on consumer demographics and engagement and attention and sales, and then use that data to make further marketing strategies.

On top of that, what goes over a lot of people's heads is that, sometimes, getting a negative reaction from a consumer base is what we want. The main goal of branding and marketing isn't always to increase profit, its to make you think about the brand. A bad campaign isn't one that looks displeasing or annoys a lot of people, its one that people forget. Anger, frustration, displeasure, fear, annoyance are all strong emotions that leave a significant impact on your memory and attention span, and are therefore very easy and desirable targets to be played with by businesses and governments alike. The goal is to get your attention turned towards something, generating drama and controversey is easy, cheap and very good at that.

You may never buy a product from a particular brand because their ads annoy the everloving shit out of you, but that never was the point. They already knew you wouldn't purchase their product, but they got your awareness and attention, got you thinking about it, and sharing/posting about it. Remember when the Sunny D twitter account posted that weird suicidally depressive tweet that confused and upset a lot of people? If you remember that, then it worked.

Someone else will buy, and some of these consumers will start white-knighting brands and their marketing content and practices because they either enjoy said product and feel secondhand targeted or perceive the marketing account as a single person or small group of people intimately aware of the negative feedback, criticism and trolling against them, being bullied. Arguments generate even further buzz and discourse and get even more people involved and acknowledging that brand. Companies would've stopped marketing this way years ago if very few people cared or paid any attention to dumb dog shit like Mr. Peanut dying during the superbowl.

The best way to combat horse shit marketing and brands, and government psyops as well, is to ignore it. Your attention and awareness is a very valuable, contested resource. If people don't interact with you, don't remember your product or brand or whatever dumb shit you thought up to sell something, then your marketing strategy has failed and you are forced to come up with something else that'll get people's attention. If you don't pay attention to or interact, at all, with a brand, then you are successfully depriving them of a vital commodity and will force them to waste their strategy and invest further time, money and manpower into other avenues.