Nearly 6 years ago, who would have ever thought that Satanic Jewelry would literally be something you can buy and NOT CREATE. Before, and perhaps for decades, people would shop at metaphysical stores, mom and pop shops, or 'pagan' supply stores. You know the type. The kind where they sell a lot of occult books, candles, incense, all basically catering to the "Wiccan" or Pagan communities.
Yeah, those were some interesting times. Books on the occult were still rare since these pagan shops tried to portray themselves like a 'white light' religion of sorts, leaning heavily on the right hand path yet claiming to be a witch. This still resonates even today! You will be LUCKY to find a Satanic Bible by Anton LaVey in any of these shops, let alone the Necronomicon. You just will not find something that caters to the Left Hand Path and specifically SATANISM.
Part of my motivation to produce Satanic Jewelry stemmed from the fact that I was one of many people who would frequent these shops and buy something remotely close to what I WISHED existed. I would alter it to make it my own unique pendant necklace. This was a common tale that I knew alot of Satanists could relate to. Then in the 90's, the Church of Satan created a website and eventually led to having a page within the site. The Consortium was the name of this online shop and it was about time that someone had created a Sigil of Baphomet necklace. Unfortunately, I had a few personal issues with what I saw back then.
The Consortium page from the Church of Satan website at the time, based on sole memory as I type this, was a simple site. It was linked to the CoS site which would function like its own separate site in itself. Keep in mind, back in the 90's early 2000's, America Online was still all the rave and we were using 56k Modems, remember those? The consortium page/site came to light after 2000-01 but perhaps sooner. It is hard to recall but websites were not sophisticated like they are today either. The site only lasted a very short time.
I remember that the price tag was $40 for a pendant necklace. Pictures were subpar. The designs, well sadly, I was turned off by it due to the way they were created and I always felt that if they got better, I would finally purchase one. Problem is, they never improved and they faded away with time. From that point on it took years for me to figure out how to be the next person to finally fill that void for something Satanists have been wanting for so long.
Fast forward to 6 years ago. The name, 'Sigil of Baphomet' ; I didn't know what to call it at the time. All I knew was that I wanted to create jewelry first and then everything related to literally, the sigil of Baphomet symbol. When it came time to develop a website, I needed a domain name for this website and I was not yet sure what to call it. I figured, let's call it for what it is, Sigil of Baphomet. In the beginning, I thought that the name will be changed once I figured it out. I simply wanted to create a website PRIOR to the facebook page and it needed a title right from the start.
Nowadays, the name is a mainstay and everyone knows what you are talking about when discussing jewelry or related products. Its also quite easy to remember and will pop up as the 2nd or 3rd listing in the first page of a Google search. It has gained so much popularity that even those weak competitors trying shady business practices have tried to steal the name. YES STEAL THE NAME. Using SIGIL OF BAPHOMET with a dot NET and having it connect to a competitor website, yeah, that's just ONE example. This was done almost from the beginning. Since then, other people have tried jumping in the space to try to compete with a brand that holds a high regard for quality, craftsmanship, and of course, CUSTOMER SERVICE. Perhaps one of the main reasons I have garnered so much support. Something in which many other sellers LACK.
This year started out by making huge, sweeping changes to how I will operate going forward. I have stated that with all the support that each and every buyer I get, I will push this brand to be a mainstay for the ages. I do not want this brand to go away like others. Satanists have not had products come to the surface in the marketplace like they have today. These days you are seeing Seal of Lucifer symbols and Brimstone symbols EVERYWHERE! The shit is printed on EVERYTHING! And why!!?? I ask. WHY IS IT THAT THERE IS A SUDDEN RISE IN POPULARITY OVER THESE SYMBOLS?
SIGIL OF FUCKING BAPHOMET, THAT IS WHY!
Sigil of Baphomet is currently TRADEMARK pending. This is the SECOND OFFICIAL SATANIC TRADEMARK since CHURCH OF SATAN was the FIRST. So what does this mean? Well, let me take you guys a little back for educational purposes. The Church of Satan is a TRADEMARK. It is a corporation. You may ask how is this so and/or why is this important. It's simple, they sell literature. Lots of books and other items (maybe). I say maybe because I do not know how they may or may not be connected to other "endorsed' products. This is mainly for branding purposes. A trademark is basically used for branding. A way for me to legally protect the products I offer by specifying this via packaging. If its not X brand, then its not US...make sense? Doing THIS officially kills any chance of these knock off competitors from creating packaging like mine and slapping SIGIL OF BAPHOMET on the packaging to throw off buyers. Without this protection, you might end up buying what you THINK is one of MY PRODUCTS and when it falls apart prematurely or you cannot get the customer service you deserve to have, that's because I didn't sell it to you. Its got the name but not the quality and service behind the name. SO Trademarking is essentially used for this purpose.
I decided to file a trademark due to the fact that Satanic Jewelry is literally on the rise in popularity. Alof of T-shirt companies and clothing sellers are also taking a whack at placing symbols on items of clothing to churn a quick buck. Grant it, some MAY be pretty good items. I cannot speak for all of them but because of the rising popularity, everyone is taking a chance at jumping into the bandwagon. This also includes the FEW whom will find sources to produce jewelry as I have. SOME in particular are those CHINESE MANUFACTURERS whom are literally stealing my design ideas. Mainly the Seal of Lucifer and Brimstone necklace. Those two were knocked off on Amazon last year around October and it has grown from there. Now there are other sellers whom are buying these products from the same manufacturers in China and listing them on Amazon. The price is unbeatable to be honest. They do not manufacture them the way mine are. Yes, they are stainless steel but the color application is where it is different. However, FIRST and FOREMOST, let me say that the Seal of Lucifer and Brimstone symbols are probably considered "open season". THE WAY by which I DESIGNED a PENDANT out of those symbols was UNIQUE TO MY creativity and brand. That is what they knocked off. They also did something that is really cheap to manufacture, by PLATING the entire piece BLACK. Mine have one side BLACK and the back-side just plain. The color of Stainless Steel and POLISHED TO A MIRROR SHINE on the back. You see, little steps like polishing the metal is a task in itself. It takes labor! Plating it does not. They simply dip it in color. Its a matte-Black finish. Its not even polished, good grief. You'd think they at least do that but no. Anyway, they copied my size of the pendant as well. The length of the chain, and the TYPE of chain I paired it with. Its highly disturbing to see what they have done. It makes my items look less than what its worth because THEIRS IS CHEAPER IN PRICE and somehow, people will think that these steps I took to perfect my product cost nothing. That is not the case. While the trademark is pending, It is yet to determine if anything can be done to stop this from happening. This is nothing new to just ME however, ALL AMAZON sellers come across this problem at some point.
This is a VERY common problem among MANY Amazon sellers. Amazon is a great place to get the kind of exposure one could only dream of to get their products known. I started listing these items there too and as a result, I am seeing that I am another victim of this circumstance too. It would eventually occur since there is a rise in occult jewelry these days, much like apparel is. The only reason I think its become this popular is mainly ONE REASON and ONE REASON ONLY. MY ADVERTISING on social media.
Many of you whom have supported me from the beginning, found me through Facebook ads. Others these days, discovered me by buying a cool looking item on Amazon and discovered that there was a website outside of Amazon and so on. All leading back to Facebook too. Then there is Ebay. International buyers probably found me on eBay because Amazon is not as popular as one would think in other countries. Not only that but Amazon is NOT as cheap as people think it is, SIDE NOTE* It has gotten more expensive to have products listed on Amazon as the years go by. Its the cost sellers pay for exposure, I suppose, but its going to lead into making prices cheaper on the site than it is on Amazon and Ebay because there are seller fees one must cover to list on 3rd party sites.
So what does all this mean for Satanists? The rising popularity of Baphomet, Satanic Jewelry, and other products that are literally becoming trendy, what's a Satanist to do?
FIRST, BUYER BEWARE. Knock-Offs are coming and everyone should ask why should I bother buying from unknown sources on 3rd party sites. The answer was made clear if you read this far by now. Quality, Craftsmanship, Customer Service AND last but not least, perhaps the single most important reason is this, so you can continue to see goods and services that cater to Satanists! You see, if a seller like myself, for example, goes away, you will be left with the bullshit that is trying to turn a quick buck by swaying you to buy from them instead of someone with a reputation. Once the "TREND" dies down, these fake sellers will move on to the next big thing to sell you on. You will be left to wonder by asking the age-old question: What ever happened to...?
That is exactly what will happen. You see, these fake sellers whom enjoy knocking people off to make a quick buck in a country where a U.S. dollar is alot of wealth in THEIR country but hardly feeds the seller HERE IN THE U.S., will eventually force a U.S. seller to go out of business and simply move on to other things too. I can easily move my time and energy into other things. I have been an entrepreneur for over 20 years now. Yes, I am a Satanist. Yes, I can relate to what these items represent for me and others like me. Yes, I KNOW that IF I go away, it will be tough to fill the shoes I leave behind. And YES, I CAN go on to other things besides Satanic Jewelry, but will not.
In past BLOGS, NEWSLETTERS, and FACEBOOK posts, I OFTEN SPOKE OF VOTING WITH YOUR MONEY. It matters! When you support the brands you like, they tend to stick around. New stuff will come out and will be available for future generations to come. Have you not seen what happened to Toys R Us? A 100 year company, GONE! Why? Because you can buy toys online, like Amazon. Everyone just stopped giving a fuck about the experience you got when you visited a Toys R Us store as a kid. The same applies to just about ANY TYPE OF BRAND or BUSINESS OUT THERE.
My brand is highly affordable for what it used to cost when Consortium page on the Church of Satan site was around. A necklace back then was MINIMUM $40. Today, it would probably have been about $100 by inflation standards, sheesh! See my point now?
I wanted to discuss this topic because there is wave of new jewelry items coming from manufacturers whom are literally just putting things together to see which little Satanic fish will bite the bait. I am solely a one-man-army. I have alot of support but when it comes to designing these things, its not easy. I hire people to assist in certain aspects of my creativity that I cannot do. Meanwhile, a giant in China can crank out a few dozen designs in a week and put them on the market ready for sale in a week, while it can take me months to produce the perfect piece. That is what is at stake here. I ask that you take into consideration what it took to build the site's popularity and notoriety for what I am able to produce. I have also supported other sellers that helping them in their business and even sell some of THEIR products too. Support those I highly recommend. Everyone starts somewhere and I hope that my words of wisdom and experience serve you better in making buying choices. There is a battle brewing behind closed business curtains that many will never see or fully understand. Amazon is vastly becoming what Wal-Mart was to the little guys but in the ONLINE SPACE. Mark my words, you heard it here first!
As of recently, I am working on sending the Goat of Mendes V2.0 to the Amazon warehouses. It is likely going to be my last item I will list on Amazon for a time being. As things get complicated in the way I conduct business, I am likely to either limit the speed by which it gets listed on Amazon after I first launch the item OR perhaps never make it to Amazon at all. All due to the possible knock-offs that are on the rise. Alot of Amazon sellers including those from China have software that can access data information to collect and decide what to sell next. This information is directly PULLED from the Amazon website. Its inexpensive software that you can download as an extension to your browser so you can study what sells, how fast, and how much it generates. In my case, the popularity of the symbols I mentioned earlier was a direct result of those data searches and it lead to them copying my design to the degree that they felt comfortable to get away with it. By end of 2019, legal action is likely to occur to have them removed. This is yet to be determined, however. As for others whom have used my NAME to sway buyers into THEIR site, this is your ONLY warning now...WATCH OUT. I am coming.
Other things I am going to be doing are making some UNBELIEVABLE offers exclusive to the site and some for Ebay too. Such listings on Ebay will have a combined listing offer. Like a 2 for 1 deal or two items at a price point that is better than buying them separately. Recently, I listed T-shirts on the site.
I have been giving them away since December and just recently for purchases of $65 or more. I am supporting a friend whom is in the business of making shirts and I was one of her customers. These shirts listed are very good quality. SPECIFICALLY FOR LADIES T-SHIRTS. I specifically asked that she get the best blend available! While you are at it, Use Coupon Code: SigilPins. When you buy 2 lapel pins, get one Free. Any color. Code expires March 11th.
Since the shirts were meant to be given away for some purchases of $65 and over, I thought I would also do a sweet offer for those whom purchase a Sigil of Baphomet Signet ring. Well, here's the deal. Buy any Sterling Silver Sigil of Baphomet Pendant, Custom Made Ring, or Stainless Steel Ring, at regular price and GET A FREE T-Shirt. Buying the ring is, of course, less than $65 and that is not a bad offer! Right?
If you read this entire blog so far, I cannot end it without thanking everyone once again for the growing support this past 6 years (in March). I hope to continue to grown and add more items.
Are you interested in reading what I got coming up next? Become a MEMBER of the site, FREE TO DO SO.
SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER and I will do another shorter blog. It is more of a personal blog and I will include a COUPON CODE for 25% OFF Everything. Terms and Conditions will apply.
See you guys there soon.
HAIL SATAN!
Xerxes
