This is actually a very common question that I often hear from buyers, including myself after having my fair share of buying crystals & stones from metaphysical stores around town as well as online, you begin to wonder:
Why Are Crystals So Expensive?
Bare with me as I attempt to shed some light as to why buying crystals and stones can get expensive.
Also please be aware that these are based on my personal experience of being the buyer and eventually the seller. I am not speaking for everyone else.
A buyer’s point of view:
If you’re viewing this from the buyer’s point of view, well yes of course you’re going to think buying crystals at retail prices tend to get…yup, PRICY! Especially when they’re little stones. I totally get your thinking on this because as much as I love minerals, I have to be careful on not spending too much on them as well.
A seller or small business owner’s point of view:
If you’re viewing this from a small business person’s point of view, you probably understand that the whole point of having a business is to make money. And so crystals have to be marked up to pay for the cost of doing business – like whether you own a brick & mortar or e-commerce store there’s rent, fees, advertising costs, travel expenses like flying or driving to the Gem & Mineral shows in other states to buy those crystals, etc. and so much more.
So you see, those costs are added on to the crystals. But not everyone does this, as it all depends on the person. I mean, some sell just for the love of it. Others live in a state where the cost of living is low so there’s no need to mark up the stones while others (like me) live in a state that has a high cost of living so yes, in order for the effort of doing business to be worth it – crystals have to be marked up.
Other factors to consider:
- The mineral or mineral combination might be rare or hard to find. For example: Larimar, Opal, Moldavite, Libyan Desert Glass and Ajoite just to name a few.
- The people who actually mine minerals risk their lives by hiking up or going into a treacherous location such as a cave or a mountain, or an ancient volcanic area.
- If it’s an Aura coated or Aura treated crystal (for example, Aqua Aura is permanently bonded with gold vapor), the cost of getting the crystal coated can get expensive.
- Some wholesalers will mark up the price of the crystal, therefore in order to make your money back…you’ll also have to mark it up. Or not.
- Each crystal or stone is a one of a kind piece. No two are alike. Also, they last forever. Can you imagine how much money that crystal has accumulated? You could be dead and that crystal or stone will continue to exist long after you and I.
- The bigger the crystal, the more it costs to ship it. So yes I’m adding shipping costs to the list.
Conclusion:
There’s going to be all kinds of reasons as to why buying a crystal or stone can get expensive. As always, do your own research and trust yourself to make the right purchase.
Also think of it this way: if you’re buying something that’s a tad expensive let’s say from your local retail shop – you are actually helping that shop stay in business. Same with an online store. If you love supporting small businesses like mine, then the cost won’t seem so harsh. It’s all a matter of perspective as to what you think is valuable, as everyone is buying or selling at any given time.
I hope this makes some sense. The photo above features my Pyrite with Quartz cluster from my personal collection, which was expensive $$$ but I really wanted it. And I have no regrets.💛🤑💛
Visit my online crystal shop: Metaphysical Vibes