Cosplay USA

If you sell on E-bay, you’ve probably noticed a lot of changes lately. Every year or so they make major changes. For the first few years there were lots of improvements made… E-bay stores, buy-it-now, etc… Other than the new seller listing method, I can’t say I like a lot of the changes.

They implemented a new rating system where buyers rate sellers in many areas of the transaction. The seller is unable to leave feedback for buyers and cannot see were the specific ratings come from.

I also read about the last bout of changes and it lacked a lot of specific info. Also, a lot of the changes made “have not yet gone into effect.” For example, beginning in October, sellers were no longer able to accept personal check or money order as a payment method. It claimed that sellers should remove it from their listings as of September to avoid having their listings cancelled. I saw many listings since accepting money order and check. I’ve even had buyers approach me asking if I’ll accept money order for payment. I asked E-bay to be sure. They told me it is against policy as of October, but it’s OK until January. What the hell kind of sense does that make.

They make no sense, but they sure rack up the cents in Paypal charges. Since money order and check are no longer accepted as of October and January, all payments must be made through Paypal or a fancy merchant credit card account. Paypal payments chip away $.30 per transaction plus a fixed percentage on the amount. E-bay and Paypal are related companies so they get: a listing fee, final value fee, more money for bells and whistles like additional photos, transaction fee, and percentage of total including shipping. Talk about quadruple dipping. Then god forbid if you charge a cent over actual shipping so you actually have enough money to ship it after they tag you for fees. Someone can put 1-4/5 stars for shipping cost.

The economy is bad enough. Fewer people are buying and the people who buy are buying for less. There’s also less listings and variety on E-bay lately. Is it because there is less economic function, or is it because the sellers are turned off?

Go figure I just got a pop-up for an email received from E-bay.

I heard that star ratings below 4.5/5 incur the sellers higher final value fees. Since E-bay lowered the listing fees and “put more emphasis on successful listings” charging higher final value fees… I have yet to see in print what the fees are. I don’t think I even want to see. I’ll just consider it financial rape and expect it to happen every time I sell an item. E-bay is no longer simple, easy, or a reasonable way to generate substantial income. It’s become more of a place to just get rid of things and get a few dollars.

I would like to encourage everyone to buy something small for yourself from E-bay. Come on, the economy isn’t that bad that you can’t afford a $3-10 item to brighten your day. Prices are so low right now you can find yourself a treasure or just something sentimental like your favorite book as a kid. Sellers take time and care to list an item just to get a few dollars. It’s a miracle people are still taking the time to list all these thousands of groovy things. I know I haven’t wanted to relist items lately. Sales are so slow.

And also, while you’re at it… Leave 5 stars! That’s right, don’t be a picky bitchy; you’re not an E-bay connoisseur who tests sellers and checks shipping price to the penny and quality of tape used in packaging. Sellers are everyday people like me and you. If you get your item in one piece within a week or two and the shipping wasn’t so high you didn’t want to pay it in the first place, then just leave 5/5 stars. 4/5 stars might seem pretty good to you and it even sounds good in the descriptions, but in actuality, 4/5 is not good enough to E-bay and they will charge higher fees or even cancel the seller’s ability to sell if it is under 4.5/5 stars. Harsh!

Remember, 5/5! Keep E-bay sellers alive!

Howdy folks, it’s been a few days! A few crazy days! But I’ve been thinking of you and mr. blog here…

Yesterday I stopped by Daiso, the japanese dollar store. Actually it’s a dollar-fifty store and the price goes up from there. There are all sorts of things and it was my first time going. I heard many great things of this Daiso… so I had to see for myself.

There are holiday items, traditional items, cleaning supplies, and housewares in the furthest left section. Then the next section over had storage items, shelving, baskets, office supplies. Then in the back beside that there were pet items, pillows, slippers, and gardening items. In front of those items, in the middle of the store, there were bags, luggage, tools, and various other things. Then in the right area of the store, there were staggered aisles containing plush toys, toys, stationary, boxes, crafts, pens/pencils/markers, and porcelyn type collectibles. There were japanese snack foods by the register.

You can find everything there except good service. I bought about 6 things, a few of them being fragile porcelyn. After ringing up my items, the lovely cashier named Gumbu placed my items back into my basket on top of a plastic bag and pointed, “Here’s a bag.” He pushed the basket at me then crossed his arms and just stood there staring at me. Bagging things is not beneath me, I worked retail for a good many years and can bag my own things. Putting the plastic bag under my things is retarded because I had nothing to put my items in while getting the bag underneath so I tried to slide the bag out. My items knocked together but nothing broken. That’s pretty lame; one plastic bag to bag 6-7 things together to knock together and break the whole way home. I was skateboarding also, not just putting the bag in the car. Maybe my skateboard makes people treat me like crap… I don’t know.

So I was bagging my items as quickly as I could and another customer comes up. The cashier says “Can you move this please,” referring to my items I was bagging. So I said “Next time, if you want it to go quicker, help bag. Just set these to the side.” So he moved the stuff one foot aside because he needed it right then and I had no hands. Then he proceeded to bag the next customers’ items. I felt very discriminated against in that moment because the cashiers were both asian and the next customers in line were young asian adults. He would bag theirs but not mine and treated me like garbage that needed to be tossed aside. Racism is happening everywhere and people pay it no thought. The days of segregation are over but it has given way to other poor treatment that is not so easily identified. That made me pretty sad. Overall I really liked my trip to Daiso but I could have done without that. Either bag everyone’s items, or bag no one’s items. Don’t treat me differently because of my color because I don’t even see my own color. I only see outward from myself.

I purchased a few fun things. I’ll share a few of them tomorrow. I am currently over-tired and under-slept. I got one item I’m very excited to share with all ya’all so be sure to stop back here soon, ok! :D

So I’ve been putting it off and putting it off, but I don’t have enough fabric to finish this project so it looks like I’m going to the fabric store. Sometimes it’s cheaper to order on E-Bay but this time it’s just about the same price with shipping and I can get it NOW because someone would like it BEFORE Halloween. :)

Anyhoo. I think I’ll try Jo-Ann’s since they’re the closest fabric store. I’m looking for a very simple red velvet with stretch. That should only run $10-12/yard. I got some once at the flea market but I don’t go there often and the selection is scarce.

I also need to find a heart shaped belt loop or something that can serve as one. I’ll try Jo-Ann for that also. Discount Stores might be good too. Where is a cheap plastic heart when you need one! I bet in the 80’s I could just go to any arcade, roll a few skee-balls, and get a big plastic heart shape. I miss the good old arcade days! This 80’s rehash of an era sucks. D: Ok not completely, I’m being dramatic.

Wish me luck! Somehow I never seem to find what I’m looking for in the first try.

Oh crap, I just realized; since it’s Halloween time that means a lot of different things at the fabric store: 1) More people, more lines, less knowing what the hell they want   2) Seasonal fabrics are back   3) Seasonal fabrics are almost already sold out   4) Prices are either up or on super sale. I’m guessing UP!

Double wish me luck. No don’t. They might cancel out eachother. :D

In other world news, I got some red plaid wool in the mail today. It is smaller print than I expected. Semi-sad panda. Panda isn’t really sad because I know I can make badass doll clothes or lingerie with it. Ahuahuahuaauha.

I can’t believe it’s already mid-month. It seems like the Halloween Costume shops opened later this year. Everyone is telling me it’s usual, but I thought they opened in September. I guess it would make more sense to lease for only October right. I know that every year they pack up in a crazy rush and are gone within a few days, taking all the major deals of what’s left with them.

This year Target is using Domokun as its mascot. I thought that was really strange since Target is a huge North American retailer and Domo is a small Japanese character. I sent my rent in a Domo envelope this month and my groovy landlord who’s actually been to Japan a few times thought it was “the burnt bread guy” (Kogepan). Target is carrying a few Domo items. All the cool ones were sold out at the location I visited. I was going to wait until after to find a deal. My boyfriend told me they won’t last and he’s right. I’m going to have to try a few different locations.

Disney Store also has cute costumes as always. They seem to be more and more a kids’ store instead of carrying more items for mature collectors. There was the usual assortment of Disney Princesses and more. The Alice was very cute this year but it didn’t look a whole lot like the original design.

Even the Dollar Tree is getting in the spirit. They have lots of cool pirate stuff lately. I like the big candy bowls too; I use those for so many things.

Don’t forget the Party City type places. I don’t have any convenient locations near me. I used to love that place in Halloween though.

Shopping around can get you lots of cool things this time of year. If you’re looking for an actual costume to wear, don’t take too long though! The closer it gets to Halloween, the costume stores start looking “bare bones.”

I expected to do some shopping today; mostly more craft items and food for the cats and guinea pigs. While waiting for our food, we stopped into Game Stop. After browsing a few minutes, for some reason DOAX Volleyball 2 stood out to me on the shelf and it was brand new of $9.99. Any X-Box 360 game for $9.99 is basically unheard of. Platinum Hits are generally $19.99-29.99. Yes I know this isn’t the greatest game ever made, but it may as well be to me. I LOVED the first one. I didn’t love it because of provocative women; I bought it to play dress up, giftgiving, and casino with provocative women. I’ve been waiting to borrow the game from Robert for many months. I didn’t realize the price had dropped so low, and brand new? That’s even better price than the original for X-Box.

I cracked open the booklet and read it on the way home because I was excited. :} Not that there is a whole lot of good info. I read that Lei Feng is actually a genious. Could have fooled me! She acts like there is nothing in her head on the first one and flops it around chattering cute japanese words and loves any gift you give her, even the tacky ones. It’s funny this is a Volleyball game at all since I enjoy the other parts and play Volleyball is a “break” to the other features like shopping and casino and since it’s a vital part of progression in the game; if you don’t pass the day with Volleyball, night-time gifting doesn’t happen.

I hope this one will be as cool as the first. :} Seems they added other nonsense I don’t care for like butt-bumping contests. Unless it means more money for in-game clothes, I don’t care! I will probably have to look up the girls’ likes and dislikes again as I’m sure they changed since last game. And who the hell is this new girl? Don’t they have enough variety… I wish it were the latina wrestling chick. :D

As much as I like this game and series (been playing since Dreamcast era), I’ve never understood or liked DOA Volleyball cosplay. It’s so hard to portray the exact character without their trademark uniforms that people just look like random girls in swimsuits. Random girls in swimsuits are very awkward for anime cons since the pervert factor is amped up 50x. All in all it seems like an excuse to wear a swimsuit at a convention to me. I think it would be fun to utilize the pool for photoshoots, but I’ve seen rad mermaids and pirates for that.

Time to play. Ahoy Risa-san and Kasumi!