like if it's just an excuse, don't pull this backhanded catty run-around. also it shouldn't exactly be a shocker if you show off something cool you bought for cheap, your audience might go "oh wow! where'd you get it?"

however if this person's already posted the info on patreon... then there's no need for a catty run-around! that's a potential customer! for god's sake! sell them shit! sell them the shit you have already made! the content you have produced! INSTEAD OF INSULTING THEM!

like i know capitalism isn't very popular around here and for good reason, but sometimes i just get rather FOR GOD'S SAKE IF YOU'RE DOING THIS, DO IT WITH AT LEAST THE BARE MINIMUM OF TRYING TO DO IT RIGHT

also there is no need to be rude to people asking a question you should expect (and in fact did expect, thus your policy)

either that or this person on twitter is actually the Dick's Last Resort of kawaii tat, who knows

@wigglytuffitout this thread has left me with a burning question

what is taobao

@InspectorCaracal taobao is a big online storefront in china!

it's sort of like the ebay marketplace, or aliexpress shops, in that there are many different little storefronts and taobao is the bazaar they all are located in, so to speak.

it is... AMAZING for getting specialty items cheap, ESPECIALLY if you are looking at fashions or interests outside of normal western ones (like lolita fashion, ball jointed doll clothes, etc).

the main catch is that taobao sellers are largely China-only >

@InspectorCaracal and so if you're not in mainland china, you'll have to use a shopping service. these range in experience and price from the full white glove treatment of "personally email one of our staff a list of what you'd like, and we will converse with you and do all the rest of the work" to "we've automated shit and you don't have to speak to a real person if you don't wanna". see https://www.sweetdisabled.com/sweetdisabled/guide-shopping-on-taobao-with-yoybuy to plug my own writing lmfao

it looks intimidating but is actually not so much

@wigglytuffitout oh, interesting!

@InspectorCaracal mainly the struggle is overcoming the language barrier to find what you want to buy. hence why it's so important in lolita fashion circles to just... share. share stores that are good, share the right search terms to look up, stuff like that.

it also sounds like it's going to be incredibly expensive, but honestly... even if you just say "shipping this to me is going to take 50% of my total", you can still get absolute fucking steals because you are your own middleman lol

@InspectorCaracal example: i have a lot of necklaces i love and have worn a lot. cheap costume jewelry, yeah. but i mean, sometimes the heart wants what it wants and what the heart wants is a t-rex skeleton necklace.

most of them were one yuan specials.

using the current conversion rate, which i think is not as favorable to me as it once was since the dollar has been weakened, that is: fourteen cents.

even saying i spent another fourteen cents in shipping, that's way under other prices LOL

@InspectorCaracal also it's petty but i actually kinda find it an enjoyable puzzle LOL, teasing out the autotranslate follies (for some reason "item" is "baby" and please, chrome, never change. never change that i love it. SEE ALL BABY.), chasing down leads on what you want, then finally returning victorious...

idk i think it scratches some deep primal hunter-gatherer itch, except instead of mammoth it's a cute purse l m a o

@wigglytuffitout holy shit

@InspectorCaracal also since i mentioned it, it's a pretty baller necklace that i feel may be on brand for you somehow

here's the same thing on aliexpress https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32690374860.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.42c629b0hvJO8S&algo_pvid=66ca9a4d-bffe-4136-b9aa-ceee2fc14903&algo_expid=66ca9a4d-bffe-4136-b9aa-ceee2fc14903-0&btsid=46302a03-aca2-4b71-ab88-1bfe814b1828&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4,searchweb201603_52 (which honestly i've been using more of lately bc i'm ok with paying a bit more for not using spoons to go hunt down stuff in a different language then use a shopping service etc)

@wigglytuffitout believe it or not I've never been into dinosaurs lol

i'm actually... a sucker for neon rainbow animals..........

@InspectorCaracal @wigglytuffitout
Neon
Dinosaurs.

(I used to draw my dinos in neon polkadots.)
(My logic was "you can't tell me they WEREN'T)

@aldersprig @wigglytuffitout there's a kids show called Dinosaur Train which you might enjoy the dinosaur designs on, Lyn

@InspectorCaracal eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

@InspectorCaracal ....neon rainbow animals ARE pretty good though, so i can't fault that logic in the least

i will let you know in my travels if i find some neon animal vomit collar pins, since those are getting more popular and with a lot of cute variety in designs lately (like pictured) and also seem like a thing that is potentially Your Brand, As My Brain Has Arbitrarily Decreed

@wigglytuffitout rainbow animal collar pins sound like EX-FUCKING-ACTLY my brand lmfao

@wigglytuffitout i'm mostly in awe over the complete self-promotion fail involved

like, have a form reply being like I'm glad you like my channel! I share all my finds on Patreon, you can get all of that for only $X/month, here is the link, sign off with a bunch of flower emoji and sparkles and shit or whatever

@InspectorCaracal HONESTLY! like omg, it's BEGGING for a self-promo. "it's so cute isn't it? i have the link up on my patreon - for just a buck, you can get access to it and all my posts, where i scope out some choice cute shit for you to buy and even have tips on how to shop on taobao!" IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH EASIER! AND BETTER!

like are you doing a capitalism or ain'tcha here, omg