Where to Sell Crystals Online
You’ve been collecting crystals and gems for years—and now you’re just about ready to dip your toes into the world of online retail. Selling crystals online can be a fun and profitable way to make use of your collection without having to dedicate a ton of time or money. Now keep in mind that is if you are trying to de-stash… actually doing this as a business WILL take time and money : )
Selling crystals online can be a profitable business venture for those who have a passion for crystals and gemstones. As more people become interested in holistic healing and spirituality, the demand for crystals is increasing. There are several online marketplaces that allow individuals to sell their crystals, including Etsy, eBay, Amazon, and more. These platforms provide a convenient way for sellers to reach a wider audience and make sales without the need for a physical storefront.
One important consideration when selling crystals online is to ensure that the crystals are properly packaged and shipped. This not only protects the crystals during transit but also enhances the customer experience. Using high-quality packaging materials and providing clear instructions on how to care for the crystals can help prevent damage and ensure customer satisfaction. Keep in mind that selling crystals online means that people can leave public reviews, so you want to ensure there are no issues.
Another benefit of selling crystals online is the ability to reach customers outside of one’s local area. While selling at local markets or fairs may be an option, it limits the potential customer base to those in the immediate vicinity. By selling online, sellers can reach customers across the country and even globally.
When searching for where to sell crystals online, it’s important to consider the fees associated with each platform. Some marketplaces charge a listing fee, transaction fee, and/or commission on sales. Understanding these fees can help sellers determine which platform will provide the best return on investment for their business.
However, nowadays, with so many sites to choose from, it can be difficult to decide where to sell your crystals.
If you’re new to selling crystals and aren’t sure where to begin, here are five great places where to sell crystals online that will help get you started on your journey as a crystal entrepreneur:
1. Selling Crystals on Etsy
Due to the fact that crystals are technically ‘vintage’ there is a loophole that allows them to be sold on Etsy, a typically handmade and vintage site. It is actually where I first started myself. It still has its benefits for sure, but fees are definitely getting out of hand.
With 46+ million regular users, Etsy is the place to go if you want to sell your crystal collection. You are charged $0.20 to list an item and then a 5% transaction charge on the item’s sale price.
You will be charged an extra payment processing fee as well as a 15% advertising fee if you use Etsy Payments to complete your transaction. Overall, each crystal sale will cost you about 20% of your entire sales revenue, which is definitely a high percentage. The benefit is that Etsy, unlike many of the below sites, does in fact have a built in crystal shopping audience. People are aware that Etsy is a marketplace full of crystals, so there is value in that.
It is easy to set up your store, and Etsy provides you with product analytics, a storefront, policies, messaging system, checkout, and built in shipping discounts. You’ll have access to a bigger audience, and it’s especially made for selling handmade and vintage products such as crystals.
The site has many charges, which minimizes your overall profits. At times, the market may be saturated, leading to slow sales. It is therefore important to assess your competition on the site.
2. Selling Crystals on eBay
Perhaps the most well-known and longest running site to sell crystals on is eBay. It has been around since 1995, meaning the site has real brand recognition and has built up a massive audience.
eBay allows you to auction and/or sell your crystals, with a fee structure that is slightly less complicated than that of other similar sites. In most circumstances, you pay eBay 10-15% of the item’s revenue, excluding taxes. After a certain number of listings in a month, eBay will charge you $0.30 per listing.
Selling on eBay is straightforward and the platform gives you access to a large, global market. There is not much need for you to promote your crystals on and offline since the app already directs traffic to them. The setup and functionality is similar to Etsy in that it is all built in.
These days most sites offer a similar payment structure. The templates on eBay can limit product listings, which may restrict how much information you use to market your products.
3. Create a Shopify Store
Another great place to sell a large number of crystals online is by creating an online store on Shopify. This makes it easy and affordable to build your own site and start selling your crystals. This gives you the MOST brand identity in the easiest way on this list.
Shopify is the perfect platform to begin with, and the fee for creating your online store starts at only $29 per month. You also have the option to personalize your store even more using the Shopify App Store, which makes this alternative very enticing!
The free 14 day trial allows you to test the waters before investing money and committing to it. It has several packages to choose from depending on your budget.
The app is user-friendly; all you need to open your store is a mobile phone, and Shopify has an in-built SEO (Search Engine Optimization) that will help your shop or merchandise rank higher in search results.
Shopify does not come with built in traffic, so you will want to make sure you have an audience before you jump over to this one in a big way. Shopify now offers their own shopping platform called the ‘Shop App’ that features stores from across their customer base which will give more exposure.
Shopify subscriptions are expensive, especially with access to premium features, and customizing themes is difficult for inexperienced users. Also, the payment process and transaction fees are a bit high, but no worse than others. There is no ‘per listing fee’, so you can list TONS of items, you will simply pay a ‘per checkout’ fee for the whole order, not per item.
4. Sell on Social Media
Keep in mind that even if you do sell crystals through social media, you will have to have a way to take payments. For a long time, I sold on Instagram and then created custom ‘items’ on my Etsy shop for people to checkout on. Some people use PayPal invoices, and others use Zelle or Venmo. Just please know that it is wrong to take payments through the two later ones without setting up a ‘business profile’.
Instagram, Facebook or TikTok
This is honestly how MANY of us in the industry got started, and likely how many of you started crystal shopping online. These platforms used to be GREAT ways to do sales like Live Sales, Story Sales, or on Posts. While the market is now VERY saturated and the apps (particularly IG & FB) are dying traffic-wise, there is still opportunity. I’ll go into this in more details on another post. But in the meantime, keep in mind you will need a way to take payments
Facebook Marketplace
You can make use of the Facebook Marketplace to identify local groups in your area and advertise your crystals. Buyers who are interested will contact you, and you can proceed to set up a meeting. I have no personally tried this option, so I don’t really recommend it, but if you are familiar with this manner, and comfortable selling this way, give it a shot.
However, it is your responsibility to plan the logistics of meeting the buyer and concluding the transaction. As a result, you will not receive third-party protection from Facebook. To perform transactions, you can meet your potential customers in a safe and public location.
The marketplace on Facebook makes buying and selling very easy and convenient. Anyone with a Facebook account can have access to a free online market. It allows you to reach interested buyers in your area, and it is very easy for any layman to use.
Best of all, there are no charges involving Facebook as a third party, leading to full profits on your sales. Shipping charges are up to you, or alternatively, you can make deliveries on your own.
Since everything is done independently, meet-ups can be unpredictable or unsafe, especially for inexperienced users who may get scammed.
WhatNot
There is a newer app that has recently popped up called WhatNot. I haven’t gotten in to it much but have a couple friends who have tried it. It is basically a live sale format but you apparently sell items one at a time and the app creates and ‘invoice’ for the person through the app. I’m told the fees are fairly high, and people have had hit or miss success with it. I’m sure it depends on what kind of items you are selling.
5. Create Your Own Website
There are many other website platforms and ways to create your very own website. WooCommerce is an e-commerce platform in affiliation with Bluehost, where you can market and sell your crystals. You can open your own store for an affordable monthly fee.
The cost of starting your own business using WooCommerce is $15.95. A personalized store, your own domain name, and a secure payment system are all included in the service. It’s a cost-effective strategy to expand your market and sell your crystals.
On the upside, WooCommerce is a marketplace for any type of product or service, and it allows you to truly customize your store to fit your brand. The downside is that it will require a full setup (like this site), which CAN get overwhelming.
Some of the major drawbacks of WooCommerce are that it is a plug-in, meaning it won’t work on sites that WordPress can’t host. There are several costs that go into using the site, including monthly subscriptions.
Last Thoughts on Selling Crystals Online
Whether you’re looking for a side hustle or just want to supplement your income, selling crystals can be a good way to make money. There are so many places to sell them online, no matter what kind you have. If your budget is limited then there’s free options and if you want a legitimate online store you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. We hope this list will assist you in getting your crystal business off the ground!
In conclusion, selling crystals online provides a convenient and potentially lucrative way to share one’s passion for crystals with a wider audience, just make sure you know what you are getting in to completely. By properly packaging and shipping the crystals, sellers can enhance the customer experience and build a positive reputation. Understanding the fees associated with each platform is crucial in making an informed decision about where to sell crystals online.
