The Fandom CDC: supporting one another through the current crisis
This is an extra-scary time for -- well, just about everyone, but particularly for the folks in our community who are financially precarious. We know that some in our community rely on sales of various types of fan crafts and merchandise as part of their normal income, and some need the extra income now because of hardships related to the COVID-19 crisis.
We also know that there are a lot of people in our community who want to help others out financially and would love a chance to get some new fandom stuff while stuck at home and bored -- or to buy faraway friends a little pick-me-up!
In order to connect the latter folks with the former, we've set up a directory of fan creators who are relying on these sales for income right now. We're calling it the Fandom Central Directory of Creators, or Fandom CDC. It includes people selling handcrafted items as well as those with print-on-demand stores like Redbubble or sites like Patreon -- anyone who is using their fan creations to keep afloat.
You can find the directory here!
If you'd like to sort or filter the spreadsheet by fandom, you can copy it to your own Gdrive, but be sure to check back every few days for an updated copy!
Questions? We’ve got answers below the cut.
Q: Are these sites affiliated with FTH?
A: No. We're setting up a directory, but the listings are not raising money for our usual organizations, they are helping their creators make a living just like they usually do. We are not affiliated with any of them beyond listing them in this directory. We are not evaluating or vetting the sites we list, and we do not endorse or take any responsibility for the items they are selling or their selling practices.
Q: Is it safe to order handcrafted items right now?
A: COVID-19 can stay on smooth surfaces like plastic for up to 72 hours (3 days) and porous surfaces like cardboard for up to 24 hours. We recommend that you do NOT use priority or express shipping, and if your item gets to you in under three days, don't open it for a day or two. As long as it's been 72 or more hours since it was shipped, even if it turns out the crafter was a carrier you should be in no danger. However, the decision is ultimately up to you and your risk tolerance. If you are concerned, you can always ask the crafter about their sanitary procedures, etc before ordering, or stick to digital items.
Q: There are other lists of fanwork shops. Why do we need another one?
A: Many of us (including some of the FTH mods) sell fandom-related crafts or designs as a hobby or side gig for extra money, but don't rely on that money to make ends meet. We wanted to focus specifically on fans who do rely on it, or who are being forced to in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so that those of us with money to spare can support our fellow fans. If you are looking for a larger, more general list of fan stores, try Copperbadge’s!
Q: How do I add my shop to the list?
A: If you rely on your fan creations for income or need the extra source of income during this crisis, you can list your shops using our form here: https://forms.gle/s31F3w5LhyYS593X9 - Be sure to fill it out once for each site you'd like to list.
Wondering if you should sign up for the Fandom CDC?
We know how many of you are out there going “but so many people have it worse than me...”
And that’s true, a lot of people likely do. But we aren’t limiting this to the ten people in fandom in the direst straits! You don’t have to be in the ICU or on the brink of bankruptcy to submit your site to the Fandom CDC. We want to add you to the directory if:
- You normally rely on income from your fandom-adjacent creative pursuits to pay bills and make ends meet,
- OR you or your loved ones are facing income loss and/or increased costs due to the COVID-19 situation that will mean you’ll need to start relying on that income,
- OR if you're facing other financial difficulties right now that happen to coincide with this crisis and mean you’ll need to rely on that income.
Remember, this isn’t a zero sum game. Not submitting your site doesn’t mean that a potential customer will buy from someone else on the list - everyone’s creations are unique, and many customers are looking for a specific item, art style, fandom, ship, character, quote, etc. If you offer what they want but you aren’t on the list, they won’t buy something they’re not interested in from someone else, you’ll just be missing out on a sale.
So if you fall into any of the above categories, let us help people find you!
Another item from the Fandom CDC showed up! I got this notebook from the same artist as I got the t-shirt from, on TeePublic.
This crisis looks like it’s going to be a long-term kind of thing, so the Fandom CDC will be open, both for signups and browsing, for the foreseeable future. Even if you don’t want to sign up now, if your circumstances change at any point and you find yourself relying on the money from your fandom activities, go ahead and sign up!
We’ll keep adding new listings as they come in, so if you’re looking to shop, be sure and check back now and then!
I just got the most adorable squid bookmarks in the mail from @amysnotdeadyet on Etsy, who I found via the Fandom CDC! No, they’re not one of the fandom-themed designs, but they were so cute I couldn’t resist.
