A Review of Girlism No. 13

This review is a bit late, but late is better than never!

Girlism is a Chinese lolita fashion magazine. Today we will be looking at issue 13, which was released in 2021.

A Lolita's Guide to Reservations on Taobao

 As you search for lolita items on Taobao, Google translate may keep spitting out terms like ‘spot’ or ‘tail’ on some of the listings. You may also find ‘deposit’ listings where the item is extremely cheap and suspicious or a weird listing of something you want that has a 99999 price. What does this all mean?

These terms are actually all part of the reservation system for lolita items on Taobao. Today, we will be looking at how it works and go through a few examples to get you familiar with it. ♡

BACKGROUND

Making lolita items is a high risk activity. A lot of these brands operate on thin margins and cannot afford huge losses if something doesn’t sell. As a result, many items are produced via reservations only and may not get extra stock or a re-release once the reservations are done. So if you want to get the best of what Chinese brands have to offer, it is helpful to know about reservations.

Most of the time, it will be a 2 part reservation that requires the buyer to purchase 2 separate listings - one at the start of the reservation period and another when the items are ready. Other times, the shop will use Taobao’s built in reservation system. For small items, the full payment may be required up front, but there will still be a wait for the production period.

PROCESS

First, we will go through the normal process your shopping service follows so it’s easier to understand what’s happening behind the scenes. Then we will go over the process that you will follow when using a shopping service.

NORMAL PROCESS (the one your shopping service follows)

1. The shop puts out a deposit (定金) listing to start the reservation. This is the first payment and not the final price of the item. It is generally a small fraction of the final price. This payment is non-refundable once the deposit (定金) period ends. It is usually open for about a month before they no longer accept orders. In very rare cases, there will be a cap on the number of orders instead of a time limit.
2. Production will begin. The listing may be updated to indicate this such as with a 99999 price or a title change with in production (制作中) in it. The production period highly varies and it is often a few months, depending on the volume of orders or how many orders are in each batch of reservations. The shop will normally list how long it takes on the listing, but it can be delayed due to a number of different factors, such as having more orders than expected.
3. When the items are ready to be shipped, the shop will send out notifications to everyone who purchased the deposit (定金), like a text message. They may also announce it on their other platforms such as Weibo in case text notifications fail. This is when the final payment (尾款) is ready to be paid. This period also generally lasts about a month but it will depend on the specific shop. This type of listing can only be purchased if the deposit (定金) for it was paid earlier.
4. Once the final payment (尾款) period is over, there may be some items where someone bought the deposit (定金) but failed to make up the rest of the payment to get the item. These items are usually put under a listing titled spot (现货) or spot drop (现货掉落). These items are in stock and there is no wait for it to be produced. It is often more expensive than the deposit (定金) and final payment (尾款) payments combined, and if there were any reservation benefits, it won’t be available when buying the spot (现货) listing.

SHOPPING SERVICE PROCESS (what you have to do, depending on your shopping service)

1. Find the listing for the item that is available for reservation. Make sure you are within the reservation period, as some shops are slow to update the listing. Time zones are very important! It should be the listing with deposit (定金) in the title.
2. Make sure you are familiar with the final price of the item, which is the deposit (定金) + final payment (尾款) amounts combined. It will save you the heartache of finding out if you cannot afford the full price of the item.
3. Submit this link to your shopping service. Most shopping services will require you to make a payment for the full price up front. They will keep track and pay when the second payment is ready.
4. Your shopping service handles everything so you just wait.
5. The item is ready and gets shipped out to your shopping service, who then ships it out to you.

You may also see listings titled intention gold (意向金). If the shop is uncertain about how many people are interested in something, they may first put out a intention gold (意向金) listing instead of going straight to putting an item up for reservation. It is usually something small like 10CNY. This amount can generally be refunded at any time. It is a way to judge how many people are interested in buying the item aside from collecting likes on the listing. If reservations end up happening, this payment will go towards the deposit (定金) of that item. Depending on the store, there may also be other benefits such as free gifts or a better discount on the item.

SHOPPING SERVICE SPECIFICS

Shopping services like 42agent, Spreenow, or Chinese Lolita Updates will make you pay in full and handle the rest themselves. If you are new to this whole process, I recommend going with a shopping service like them. Sometimes shops will have discounts if the total number of reservations reaches certain thresholds, but a lot of shopping services will not pass on this discount to you so you will just pay the full price. The reasoning behind this is because it will be easier for them to keep track since they are doing all the work.

If you use a shopping service like Superbuy, it is a bit more complicated. When you submit the deposit, they will warn you that it is a reservation item and you need to make up the payment later. The deposit will be non-refundable. When the final payment is ready to be made, you will need to submit a second order and note down the order number of the first payment. The agents usually say that they will notify you when you need to make up the payment, but I will still recommend keeping track of it yourself.

TERMS

Now that you’ve learned how this all works, here’s a handy dandy reference table to help you in the future! I’ve also added a few extra terms that may be helpful for your overall understanding.

Chinese	Pinyin	Google Translate English	Definition
预约	yùyuē	reservation	Reservation
意向金	yìxiàng jīn	intention gold	A way for the shop to collect interest in the item before any reservation happens. Very cheap, like 10CNY. If there is not enough interest, the item will not be made and it will be refunded.
定金	dìngjīn	deposit	The first payment for the reservation. Non-refundable.
尾款	wěikuǎn	final payment / final paragraph / tail	The final payment for the reservation. Can only purchase if you made the first payment.
现货	xiànhuò	spot / stock / in stock	In stock items, no need to wait for production period.
制作中	zhìzuò zhōng	making / working / in production	Item is currently in production, cannot take any more reservations. Do not purchase.
全款	quán kuǎn	full payment / full price / full amount	The price of 定金 + 尾款 added together, this is the full price of the item through reservations.

If you need practice, here’s a few examples. Can you get all of them right?

1. The first two characters in the title of the listing say 尾款 so this is the final payment. You can only purchase this item if you had already put in the initial deposit (定金). If you just encountered this listing, then your shopping service would not be able to buy it for you because the deposit period has passed. You are better off waiting to see if there is spot (现货) at a later date.
   
   
   
   
   
2. This one is a lot tougher. The 定金 is hidden in the middle of the title. This is the deposit. The final cost of the item will be this price + the final payment (尾款) amount. Check the listing to figure out the final price.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Back to an easy question! It clearly lists 定金 at the beginning of the title so this is the deposit. Again, the final cost of the item will be this price + the final payment (尾款) amount. Check the listing to figure out the final price.
   
   
   
   
   
4. There is a 现货 at the beginning of the title. This item is in stock! If you buy it, it will be shipped right away without needing to wait for production time.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. The 99999 price and 制作中 in the title indicates that this item is currently in production, so no more orders can be accepted. You may have to wait and see if there will be spot (现货) available at a later date. There is also a 尾款 at the end, but if you read the full line, 6月尾款, it just means that the final payment will be ready in June.

Depending on the shop, there may be differences in this process and some of the terms, but I hope this gives you a basic understanding of what is happening.

Good luck on your lolita journey~!

Chrysanthemum

A Comprehensive List Of Lolita Socks & Tights on Taobao

 If you are looking for lolita socks and tights, there are a lot of Chinese brands that make their own original designs these days. We’ll introduce you to some of them today!

Let’s begin with some of the popular options~

Roji Roji

Taobao: https://rojiroji.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/5859333371

Roji Roji is currently one of the most popular shops for sweet socks and tights. They have a large selection of designs that are relatively cheap and always in stock. There are cotton socks, glass socks, lace tights, gold stamped tights, and more. The over the knee socks are said to be tall friendly as they are very very long.

Yukine’s Box

Taobao: https://shop126844055.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/5620516038

Yukine’s Box has emerged as another popular place for sweet lolita socks. They have a small selection of cotton socks in either ankle, calf, and over the knee lengths and also currently have two ankle/wrist cuff designs. Their releases operate on preorders, but they sometimes have ready stock after each preorder period is done. Their most popular design is the striped macaron color socks that come in a variety of colors and go well with many Angelic Pretty prints.

Yidhra

Taobao: https://yidhra.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/yidhra

Yidhra is best known for their glass socks and gold/silver stamped tights but they also have a few printed designs. They have great options for those looking for more subtle or versatile socks in their wardrobe. The designs lean more gothic but they have recently been making more sweet designs. Be warned that glass sock designs in general are not very plus size friendly.

Red Maria

Taobao: https://redmaria.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/2992803700

Red Maria is a brand that is consistently well known for their tights but they also make cotton socks. They have plus size friendly printed tights that are very stretchy and have decent thickness. The tights are printed on white fabric so any dark or black prints will become whiter where it stretches. The newer cotton socks are a bit more narrow and don’t stretch as much as their tights. For printed tights, Red Maria is a very good quality and trusted brand to buy from.

Hymn Originals

Taobao: https://shop209914248.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/Hymnoriginals

Hymn Originals is one of the newer brands on this list that focuses on socks. They don’t have many available designs at the moment but do have future releases planned. Their current sock designs are calf length cotton socks available through preorder, although ready stock is sometimes available after the preorder period ends. Their newest release at this time is a pair of waffle printed socks. How cute is that?

Ruby Rabbit

Taobao: https://shop126104842.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/5137262583

Ruby Rabbit is another brand that has been around for a long time and has been well loved. They offer a decent collection of printed and gold stamped tights. The sheer tights with a white stamped print on them are delicate and should be handled with care as they are easy to ruin.

Stellar Winds of the Universe (星风宇宙)

Taobao: https://shop33343052.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/7084432213

Stellar Winds of the Universe isn’t as well known as some of the other brands on this list but they have a variety of printed cotton socks in ankle or calf length, glass socks and tights, and a few printed tights or over the knee socks. The cotton socks are mostly available in sweet prints but the tights may be suitable for other styles.

Reina

Taobao: https://shop108333718.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/5888353847

Reina specializes in gold or silver stamped tights and over the knee socks in several designs mostly on black or white. The store also sells other general socks and some underwear for some reason.

Sweet Migo

Taobao: https://shop220123994.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/2671812965

Sweet Migo has a few original sock designs but also resells other socks from time to time. Although they don’t have as many designs as other stores, the socks are nice quality. The gold stamped socks are glittery and thicker than many other shops that have gold stamped socks.

Sheep Puff

Taobao: https://mianyangpaofu.tmall.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/7409419002

Sheep Puff is originally popular for their bags and shoes, but they have started to branch out into offering socks as well. Their socks are generally ankle or calf length cotton socks. Some designs are meant for JK (nanchatte) but can work with lolita as well.

Mu Fish

Taobao: https://mu-fish.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://weibo.com/mufish2012

Mu Fish has been around for a long time. When the English speaking world first found out we could order lolita from Taobao, Mu Fish was always one of the shops recommended for lolita socks and tights. The selection has dwindled over the years but they still offer great options for printed tights. Since Mu Fish is the same company as Lovely Lota (a popular shop for cute bags), you may see some of the same socks and tights on both Lovely Lota and Mu Fish storefronts on Taobao.

Waguir (袜贵人)

Taobao: https://shop112468007.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/5287205816

Waguir is a good source for generic lace socks and solid tights. The socks and tights you will find here will be a bit on the plainer side but they are more versatile. This is also the place to get lace topped ankle or knee socks. Some of the designs may not be great for lolita but they are always releasing new designs. Since the newer stock photos tend to be taken with a filter, checking their Weibo account is a good way to see customer or model photos in different lighting.

Arancia Lolita

Taobao: https://shop108541433.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/ljsdcz

Arancia Lolita has glass and gold stamped tights. Not much differentiates it from other shops that sell similar tights. However, it is worth a look for some different designs if you are searching for these types of tights.

Tomato Shop

Taobao: https://shop236734026.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/7457132186

Tomato Shop is a relatively new brand that has popped up. They currently have two designs of printed cotton socks in calf and ankle lengths but have more releases for socks planned in the future.

Loli Loqi

Taobao: https://shop71130893.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/6253091673

Loli Loqi is yet another new brand that has popped up selling original socks and tights. They have a few simple designs currently in stock on Taobao.

Mao Mao (呜啦啦喵)

Taobao: https://mao233.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/3199113852

Mao Mao (呜啦啦喵) sells a lot of other things including underwear and non-lolita socks, but they have a small selection of printed tights and socks.

XHL Lolita (溪浣霖)

Taobao: https://shop108641797.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/3942386002

XHL Lolita appears to have made a few different designs in the past, with some being collabs with other brands to match specific dress releases. There isn’t much in stock right now, but what they do have is quite cute and may work for sweet or classic.

小小的开心

Taobao: https://shop143947009.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/7124748389

小小的开心 roughly translates to little happy. They seem to have one original design at this time and resell a lot of other cute cotton socks suitable for sweet lolita. Please be aware that the socks they resell are mainly in children’s sizes.

Lily酥 (Lily’s Lolita)

Taobao: https://lilysu.taobao.com/

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/u/6319334235

Lily酥, or Lily’s Lolita has a very small selection of tights and resells some generic socks, but their most popular item are these patterned lace ankle socks available in white or black.

This is the end of the list now and yes, it is quite long! Are you surprised by how many options are available now? I hope you’re able to find something you like among all these brands.

May you always have the perfect socks for every coord~! ♡

Chrysanthemum Tea