Guide To Buying Wholesale Crystals
If you are looking to buy wholesale crystals for your new crystal shop, there are quite a few options out there. This is a quick guide on ways to purchase bulk or natural crystals wholesale, and even a few suggestions on actual suppliers. There are a handful of people out there selling ‘supplier lists’, and while I have not purchased any to see them personally, I can tell you one likely thing. They are probably NOT where they are buying them for their own shop.
One thing I AM going to request of you is to resist the urge to ask other crystal shops for their suppliers. PLEASE do not do this, you would not walk into a small business and ask them how to replicate their shop would you? Just by asking where to buy wholesale crystals, you are putting them in the very uncomfortable position where they either have to give up years (no exaggeration) of hard work and relationships, or be a jerk by saying no. That is not fair. A better way to ask is just if they have any advice for someone starting out selling crystals, and if they OFFER the information, score! If they don’t, please don’t go there.
Wholesale Crystals
Wholesale crystals have become increasingly popular over the years as more and more people turn to alternative healing methods and crystal collecting. Many retailers and healers are looking for a reliable source to purchase high-quality crystals in bulk quantities for their business needs. Wholesale crystals offer a cost-effective way to obtain a large number of crystals for various purposes, such as creating crystal grids, selling in a retail store, or using them in healing practices.
When looking for a wholesale crystal supplier, it is important to find a reputable and trustworthy source. A good supplier will have a wide selection of crystals available at competitive prices, as well as knowledgeable staff who can help with any questions or concerns. Many wholesale crystal suppliers also offer discounts for bulk purchases or loyalty programs for repeat customers.
In addition to the cost benefits, purchasing wholesale crystals can also offer a variety of crystal options that may not be available through traditional retail channels. Some wholesalers offer rare or unique crystal specimens that are difficult to find elsewhere, which can be a great addition to a collection or inventory. It’s important to do research and compare different wholesale crystal suppliers to find the best fit for your specific needs and budget.
Before You Buy Bulk Crystals
Some things to keep in mind before you do move forward with buying crystals in bulk or ‘wholesale’. Please know that this takes time and years of hands on experience to get down. Even after years of working in this industry I still have screw up purchases and moments where I feel like I don’t know anything about buying crystals. There are a bagillion crystal options to purchase and there is no way you can know the cost value of every single one. Even my friends who have been in the industry for over 25 years still don’t know everything.
- RESEARCH: Do some research online of what products are worth and what they are selling for in the market. Not all wholesalers are above board and they will try to get the most money possible.
- BUDGET: Know your budget. What are you comfortable spending at the moment, especially if you are just starting out?
- SHIPPING: If you are purchasing wholesale crystals online keep in mind some places will charge shipping. Some will provide free shipping at a certain price point. Shipping does add to your overall cost, so you will want to add that to your product cost later when pricing.
- MINIMUMS: Keep in mind that some wholesalers, especially online, do have a minimum order value. Typically in the $200-500 range. Some are even $1000.
- APPLES TO APPLES: Not all ‘Green Calcite Points’ are created equal. Just because you find something for $10 cheaper a kilo does not mean they are the same quality and justify the difference. This is what I mentioned above will take you hands on experience to get the hang of. The challenge is that since crystals are one of a kind, you can price shop, but there is no guarantee the pieces will be there later that you held off on.
- PERMIT: Most wholesale crystal sellers will REQUIRE you to have a sellers permit. This is something like a ‘sales and use’ permit through your state or local area. These are usually free and you can usually apply online within minutes. Online sellers will require these about 95% of the time, and in-person is about 60-75% of the time. You do not have to have an LLC set up for this usually.
Wholesale Crystals Terminology
There are some terms and info you will want to keep in mind when purchasing crystals for wholesale so you don’t get yourself into trouble. The entire world of wholesale crystals is different than that of buying crystals from a shop in store or on social media. You don’t want to get yourself in too deep without some details.
WEIGHTS: Most suppliers list their prices by the Kilogram (equal to 2.2 pounds), but some will do it by the pound. Keep an eye out for this as it can get confusing when comparing prices. For example, $50/kg is NOT going to be the same price as $25/lb as you will be actually be paying $55/kg if you buy it by the pound. More expensive small items will likely be priced by the Gram (equal to 1000 grams per kilogram). So something that is $35/gram will then be $350/kilogram. Occasionally if you are purchasing semi-precious stones or high end items they will sell by the carat.
KEYSTONE: When a price is marked as ‘keystone’ it means you will receive the item for HALF the listed price. Sometimes these will be clearly noted by the seller, and sometimes you will need to ask. Sometimes sellers will have a mix of ‘keystone’ and ‘by weight’ within the same booth, so keep a look out.
BY FLAT or BY CASE: If something is marked as ‘flat only’ or ‘by the case’ it typically means that you must purchase the ENTIRE box as is, you cannot go through it and you cannot swap out pieces. You are getting a discount because you are taking some not as nice items as what you might choose by the piece. Sometimes it is worth paying the pick prices I’ve found as sometimes you are paying for a lot of ‘reject weight’ that you’re going to have a hard time moving later.
One more thing before we get to the goods. I’ll go into this more in a detailed post, but keep your selling style in mind when you are purchasing wholesale. Some things that work for physical stores do not work as well for online. With a physical store people can come in and touch and see each piece…. online you have to physically SHOW each and every piece. So buying a kilo of ocean jasper palm stones is going to be a completely different experience in how you go about selling it.
Where to Find Wholesale for Crystals
ONLINE – Yes, there ARE ways to buy crystals from online crystal wholesale shops! I’ll cover more on WHO below. Keep in mind these online wholesalers are far more likely to have minimum order values (this is before shipping), but there are some that don’t.
Typically buying from online will also mean they only show a ‘sample image’ of the item you are purchasing. You will receive a similar one, but know that their ‘similar’ can vary quite a bit and you may end up disappointed if you are super picky. They typically also won’t worry about things like sending you ‘like’ pieces. Say you want 10 ‘small labradorite points’, the size may vary, the flash style and quality will vary, and they may have other things like ‘wobbles’ or sit at an angle. I’ve had a situation where I ordered a citrine bracelet from a photo that CLEARLY showed it was natural Brazilian citrine, and wound up with bright yellow heat treated citrine bracelets…. so it’s definitely not a perfect world. But it is a good option if you can’t get to shows! Often times this will work better if you’re looking for bulk crystals where it doesn’t matter as much what each looks like… especially if you offer them the same way, as ‘intuitively picked’
You will almost always have to provide your sellers permit in order to gain access to these wholesale crystal websites, so be sure to have that ready.
WHOLESALE CRYSTAL SHOWS
A GREAT way to not only purchase wholesale crystals, but also to build relationships with suppliers are the wholesale crystal shows that take place throughout the country and throughout the year. You can read more about wholesale shows here.
You can find these by googling ‘crystal and mineral shows near _____’ for ones near you. I’ve dived deeper into this on the post linked above. XPOPRESS is the main industry website for schedules… but I’ll warn you, the crystal industry is a hot mess express. Show dates and vendor info is rarely super accurate and can often update just before the events even happen. Heck, even being AT the show with the brand new show guide fresh off the presses still can have the wrong information.
You WILL see a lot of crap and a lot of duplicate product. It can be tough and exhausting, but you will get the hang of it the more you go to these. I always suggest trying out one of your small local shows before trying to do the major shows. Get a sense of the small ones, and multiply the feeling by about a million. The first time I went to the Tucson Show I was insanely overwhelmed just walking it, and I already had at least a year of small shows under my belt. You can read more on the Tucson Gem Show specifically here.
WHOLESALE WAREHOUSES
Similar to the shows, your best bet is to google ‘crystal warehouse’ or ‘crystal wholesale’ near your location. You might be pleasantly surprised! I have sellers all over the country, some of which I WISHED I lived near haha. Going to the shows will also help you find these places as you can find out where they are located. Keep in mind a lot of these places do not have time to setup a website, but they DO have a warehouse you can shop at or make an appointment with. Even the small sellers will often let you shop their warehouses or storage units between shows.
Now keep in mind these are not always going to be the most organized warehouses haha. They tend to be chaotic and dusty, so don’t wear your ballgown and prepare to dig for the goods!
If you are interested in bringing in other items such as metaphysical tools, books, etc. you can also find those in similar ways or there are even their own websites for those. I’ve gone into those in more depth in this metaphysical tools wholesale post.
Wholesale Crystal Suppliers
I know, I know, you want what you came for actual places to buy wholesale crystals. So here is a very quick list of some suppliers. It is by no means comprehensive, as a lot of sellers you will need to meet in person and find your own rhythm and build a relationship with. Everyone is drawn to different types of products and people. This list is geared toward people who are just starting out and where you can get the widest variety of items for your crystal shop. These do not include the more specialty sellers that specialize in say ‘Brazilian Crystals’ or ‘Madagascar Minerals’. These are ones that you can truly get a wide variety for your shop.
BUY CRYSTALS WHOLESALE ONLINE
These sellers do have an online wholesale shop you can purchase from easily. Almost like a regular website you just add to your cart.
Crystal River Gems – I put this one first because you don’t have to show any proof of sellers permit and there is no minimum. They also often have coupons available. While the prices are not TRULY wholesale, it can be a helpful source for new crystal shops. They do have some ‘bulk discounts’ on some items if you buy a certain quantity.
Kheops International – In addition to raw and carved crystals, they also have ritual tools, candles, elixirs, salt lamps and more. There is an order minimum, and you will have to provide a sellers permit to get an account to shop.
Pike’s Peak Rock Shop – You don’t get to choose specific items, but you do get a nice wide variety and they have decent prices. There IS a minimum order of $150, and they will require an account and proof of sellers permit. They do offer shipping discounts at a certain price point.
Oceanic Linkways – While they don’t have the best photos, they DO have a nice wide range of items including metaphysical tools if you are interested in stocking those. They do have a minimum order value of $500 and many of their items also have a minimum quantity as well.
Quasar Gems – They offer a wide variety of items as well, but are definitely a big wig in Shungite and Himalayan Salt, but good for many essentials too. I have not purchased from their website directly (only in person so far), but they do have one!
Rock Paradise – This one is pretty well known online haha. And while they do have a website, I always found that it was better to shop in person with them. BUT they are located on the West Coast and no longer go to gem shows, so that is why I’m putting under online. I have not shopped their website though, so I don’t know how easy it is. You will have to provide a sellers permit for the wholesale side, but they do have a retail side.
Gem Center USA – I don’t have personal experience with these guys, but they do go to all of the major crystal shows which gives them some good authority and legitimacy… unlike some other ‘wholesale USA’ ones you will find in Google search results.
Etsy – You can on occasion find bulk crystals available on Etsy from various sellers. Type in your desired crystal and ‘bulk’ or ‘wholesale’ and you might find some. Just be sure the triple check that it is for a quantity and not a single piece. Read the descriptions well! Also make sure it is shipping from your own country, there are a lot of sellers from China popping up and stating that they are based in the US, but then actually ‘ship from’ China.
Faire – This is a newer site where small businesses can offer wholesale. I assume larger ones as well. I’ve personally never used it, but I’m sure it is a great option if you need to stock up online rather than shopping in person. You can get WAY more than crystals too.
Amazon – Yes, I know it is weird, but again on occasion you can find some crystals wholesale on Amazon. I know not everyone likes Amazon, but there are a lot of small businesses who sell on there that you can support. Same with Etsy, double check listings and make sure it is not shipping from China. READ REVIEWS and look at customer photos, please please please. Sometimes you need things like crystal chips or tumbles in a time crunch, and no one will beat that Prime shipping other than finding the items locally.
BUY CRYSTALS WHOLESALE IN PERSON
These sellers are typically ones you will need to meet in person either at one of the gem shows or at their warehouse. Not all of them have warehouses though! Some are working on their website ordering abilities, so by the time you look, they may have that option! Many of the ones listed above still do go to shows as well though, and do have locations you can visit so check their sites.
I know a lot of people prefer to shop for crystals in person and pick out each piece. Trust me I’m 100% there with you. But sometimes we need a bit more stock or certain pieces that we cannot find at shows. Sometimes we want to offer bulk crystals at lower price points. It is tricky at shows to track down specific things, so sometimes in person is not always an option.
Nature Designs – They have a nice wide range of things, mostly in the crystal carving categories like animals, pendants, wands, points and more. They also often have crystal tools like face rollers, water bottles, gua sha and more. They do have some raw pieces though depending on the location. No minimums. Their website isn’t great, but they go to crystal shows all over the country.
Village Originals – One of the biggies in the industry as they have TONS of stuff. I would suggest trying to see them at one of their warehouses (mostly the Orlando, FL one) as their booth at shows can be a crazy situation, especially for newbies. They do have a minimum on at least the first days of the shows, and you will have to show a sellers permit for those days.
GemMartUSA – I have not had a chance to shop with them yet, but they are another biggie in the industry. While they do have a website, it seems that you have to e-mail for wholesale pricing which makes it a bit trickier. So I kept them in this section as they do go to the major shows.
International Crystal Wholesalers
Something to keep in mind about International crystal wholesalers…. do NOT order unless you have worked with these people before, OR you are working through a website like Alibaba that offers at least some level of protection. I will personally never ever order sight unseen from overseas ever again. Let’s set aside any questions about ethical or environment sourcing since you will no longer be able to track any of that information if it’s important to you. But I have heard so many horror stories, and one myself.
I purchased twice from a seller on Alibaba. The first time was MAGICAL! Some amazing products and selections. So I placed a second order, specifically specifying that I wanted the same quality they just shipped me. Well guess what, it wasn’t even close! Half of the points were damaged, the amazonite was a fraction of the quality of the last shipment, they sent someone else’s order to my house and then I had to deal with that, and so many more issues. So many things I would not have agreed to pay for. Luckily I was covered on Alibaba and was given some refund.
I’ve had friends place direct orders with PayPal invoices and wire transfers to sellers and have either not received their crystals AT ALL, received completely glued together specimens, had their entire order shipped to ANOTHER SHOP and wouldn’t refund, and many other issues. As it goes with anything else, if the price is too good to be true, be wary. If you haven’t worked with these people before, be super careful… and even if you have worked with them, STILL be careful.
I’m not saying it isn’t possible to have a successful purchase from international crystal wholesalers… just be very very careful and do your due diligence.
So yeah, there is your quick little primer on buying natural crystals wholesale and bulk crystals. You can do some google searching on finding warehouses and crystal shows near your location and you’ll probably have some luck even if the show is a couple hours away it can be worth it. If you want to learn more about gem and mineral shows you’ll want to visit that section of this site for more details!
GOOD LUCK! I hope you find some awesome wholesale crystals options out there!
