Kinky microbusiness

As I build up my toy chest, I want to support community artisans when I can.

Yes, there are major sex industry companies starting to pay attention to kink. But compare Doc Johnson's "Japanese bondage rope" (don't get me started . . . ) to actual hand-processed hemp rope and there's really no comparison is there? Same with floggers. Yes, I can by a mass-produced flogger, if I really want to. But that's worlds away from the gorgeous work I can by from an actual artisan, in the community, who is probably the first consumer of their own best work.

Increasingly, most of my toys come from folks I have met. The beautiful floggers I've bought from kinky pagan vendors at Pantheacon, or the rope I buy from Twisted Monk. The amazing canes I've bought from Prysm or the "cane guy" at EROS. (Gods, I miss the cane guy!)

There's something important to me about the quality and energy of hand-made tools. Even if they follow a design rather than being one of a kind - as most of Prysm's work does - these tools have a very different vibe than mass-production. And, I know that my money is staying in the community, which fits with my leftie values.

That said, there's a word to say about how it's done. I think part of it is about the vendor knowing their own limits.

That Monk? He's wicked smart. When I order there, the little automated message says it's going to be two to three weeks before they get around to my order. And then, a couple of days later, I get that automated message that says my order has shipped, the email that always makes me squee a bit. Monk follows the first rule of smart business: underpromise, and overdeliver. I've ordered right before Hallowe'en, Christmas, a huge event when I know the staff are crunched. I always order with the expectation that getting the order will take a while. It never does. Last time I ordered, there was a wee issue with the shopping cart. I mentioned it, and it was fixed literally within minutes. Very professional.

Contrast this with another site that I went to the same day I ordered the rope. It had lovely tools. I loved looking at the work. It had a few custom items not for sale but for inspiration, and others for sale. Some of them I could almost imagine in my hands. The ones for sale has a listed price, but despite this the site said you have to contact the vendor before making a purchase. Okay. But the email link is broken. I reconstruct the email by hand from the link, and send out the note. Since that day, my rope order has been placed, processed, and shipped. I'm still waiting for a return email from my query on the other site. Not very professional.

Same thing at any event. Some booths have not only their wares, but cards and information. They make eye contact. They explain their tools. The vendors shake hands, and are friendly. Prysm even encourages you to try the Thumper, with an evil glint in her eyes.

Or, someone has a booth at an event, and is very clear - what you see is that you get, I just don't have the bandwidth to do custom orders or to do this as my day job. Also professional, in its way. Not everyone has the energy to do this all the time, but they also have the goodwill to offer what they make when they make it. There's nothing wrong there. It's the making promises (even implied ones) that you can't back up that leads to trouble, I think.

So, that's my rant on the state of kinky microbusiness today. All this and a book to say I'm having a hard time finding floggers and a custom-made collar that I like! I'm putting my hopes on Pantheacon . . .