Thanks to the enormous success of danmei in the West, it’s become easier than ever to have merch of your favorite series delivered right to your doorstep. Still, it’s not always easy to tell where you should begin, and advice from well-meaning fans might just leave you more confused—what’s all this about proxies and GOs, and how do they factor into you getting that super sexy Yiling Patriarch Wei Wuxian figure?
Read on for a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the process.
His Highness welcomes you with open arms.Finding and Buying Danmei Novels: How to Track Down Copies of Your Favorite Series
It can be deceptively complicated to find copies of a danmei novel you’re yearning to read, especially when it’s something on the more obscure side. Most books go out of print eventually, and that limits the number of copies available for sale. Smaller publishers usually do smaller print runs to save on costs, and may not have the resources to do more runs even if the demand is there. Even larger publishers will eventually see their existing licensing contracts expire, which in turn means they can’t print more copies.
Our own Book Catalogue is a comprehensive resource on all danmei licenses that have been announced or released in English. When searching by volume, you can find links to all online retailers that have listings for the volume in question. We may not be able to help when something’s out of print, but sometimes, knowing that the thing exists is half the battle. (And the other half is eBay.)
Pictured: you, waiting to be fed danmei novels like a baby bird.
Buying from Online Retailers: 42Shops, Amiami, Amazon
Danmei is only becoming more popular across the world, and capitalism has finally taken notice. Some of the biggest domestic online retailers now have danmei merch on offer and can have it on your doorstep within days, which will save you significantly on shipping costs. They’re the best option if you’re looking for a last-minute Christmas or birthday gift, or just can’t wait weeks for international shipping.
Here are some of our recs for retailers with danmei merch on offer.
42shops
42shops is a newer retailer, but has come out the gate with a heavy focus on danmei titles like Heaven Official’s Blessing and Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. Unlike other retailers, they offer rarer finds like artbooks and Chinese-language manhua, as well as merch from non-MXTX series like The Husky and His White Cat Shizun. They even offer danmei cosplay outfits and wigs.
If you’re looking for a set of Xie Lian and Hua Cheng MiniDolls, the Mainland China-exclusive revised edition of the Heaven Official’s Blessing novels, or a Little Apple plushie to hurl at your enemies, you can find it here.
Amiami
Amiami is a well-established retailer with a focus on Japanese series, but they’ve branched out into danmei in light of the international popularity of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s work. Thanks to their access to Japanese sources, you’ll find danmei merch here that isn’t easily available through other means; like CDs of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation‘s audio drama (recently dubbed into Japanese) or promotional items for the Japanese release of the Heaven Official’s Blessing donghua. They have a vast selection of buttons and keychains for decking out your itabag, preorders for big-ticket items like figures and ball-joint dolls, and enough standees to crowd out your desk.
Note, however, that some of Amiami’s offerings are presale only, and it’s not guaranteed that they’ll ever restock.
Amazon
Amazon has all manner of things for sale, and that now includes danmei merch. Many fans source their novels and Bluray/DVD sets from Amazon’s services, and a Prime membership will get it to your door within a day or two.
However, when ordering any merch, make sure you check the seller’s reputation and other buyers’ reviews to confirm the listing is legit. Bootleg/counterfeit danmei merchandise is out there, especially when it comes to popular items like Nendoroids and MiniDolls.
Unleash this entity upon your home at your own risk.
Buying from Taobao, Bilibili Mall, and Other Chinese Retailers: What Are Proxy and Shopping Services?
When on the lookout for danmei merch, you may want to try the source. Websites like Taobao and Bilibili Mall offer a vast selection of products, including books, manhua, art prints, and other collectibles. However, these websites are in Chinese and often have restrictions that prevent sellers from shipping to addresses outside of Mainland China or Hong Kong—which, of course, presents a barrier to many danmei fans outside the country. That’s where proxy and shopping services come in!
The Benefits of Proxy and Shopping Services
Proxy and shopping services are a valuable resource when ordering from Chinese websites, as they mediate shipping complications and any language barriers. Companies such as Superbuy, Bhiner, and 42agent (formerly known as TaobaoRing) purchase items from Chinese websites by acting as intermediaries: they place the order on your behalf, communicate with the seller on your behalf, and handle international shipping concerns and complications. For example, they will identify restricted items (such as something with a built-in battery) and ship through a courier that is licensed for transporting these types of items. This reduces the chance of your package being held up and searched at customs. Some services may also offer additional features, such as quality checks, consolidation of multiple purchases, and package forwarding.
How to Order Through a Proxy Service
To order through these services, you need to sign up for an account through the proxy service’s site. Then, navigate to the shopping search page and enter the URL of the item you’re interested in purchasing from Taobao or other Chinese sellers. Follow the service’s instructions on how to place, pay for, and ship your order, and that’s it! Due to the popularity of series like Heaven Official’s Blessing and Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, these proxy platforms often have special search filters or categories that allow you to look for danmei-related items. This allows you to more easily browse without needing to know specific item URLs or keywords, and may lead you to finding some hidden gems.
When purchasing danmei merchandise through international sellers, be mindful of shipping options and costs, and make sure to consider the delivery time if your purchase needs to be in your hands for a specific special day. Large or expensive orders may also be subject to customs regulations or import duties, depending on your country. Although proxy and shopping services can’t control shipping costs, most will run occasional promotions that offer credits or coupons for discounts. If you’re willing to wait for your purchases, it’s usually best to hold off on shipping until you have multiple purchases in your warehouse so you can send them out as a single package.
A proxy service might not ship perishables like real mooncakes, but could get you this wangxian mooncake figurine set.What Are Group Orders (GOs), and How Do I Use Them?
Group orders, or GOs, refers to a method of purchasing items in bulk. These services are often run by fellow fans, and their level of organization varies: some are run as hobbies, and some are larger enterprises. When they are about to place an order for a given item, the GO’s managers announce through the organization’s channels (usually a Twitter account or a Discord channel) and accept orders from interested buyers until the cutoff date is reached. They place a bulk order for the item, and have the whole order shipped to the GO’s headquarters. The GO’s managers will then separate the orders and ship them individually to the buyers. This almost always saves on shipping costs and streamlines complications with the seller.
GOs sometimes have a very short window to order a given item, and there’s no guarantee that it’ll ever be on offer again. Since many GOs are small organizations that are run by other fans, some have prerequisites for buyers to be allowed to join: for example, being recommended by another member. GOs are more complex and require more planning than some of the other options suggested above, but are a great tool for dedicated danmei collectors. They’re often the only way to get the rarest of the rare merch, like items that are only available for sale on-site at localized limited-time events—such as the Japan-only host/hostess café for Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. Additionally, some GOs will even take orders for fan-created merchandise like zines, doujinshi, custom plushies, and calendars.
When ordering from a GO, be cautious and manage your expectations. Because they tend to be run by fellow fans as a passion project, the level of organization and efficiency varies from group to group, and even by time of year. You could wind up waiting months for your order to be sorted and shipped if there’s only one person packing boxes in their free time for hundreds of orders. There’s also a non-zero risk of scams when going through GOs, but the chance can be minimized by doing your research on the group beforehand through their social media channels.
Hualian wish you luck in your GO endeavors.Happy Shopping!
As danmei becomes more and more popular worldwide, getting your hands on merchandise for your favorite series is becoming easier and easier. By exploring online retailers, utilizing proxy and shopping services, and engaging with your fandom community, you can find a host of treasures to decorate your space and showcase your love to the world!
Happy shopping!
May your merch dreams come true!
