Crystals have become an indispensable component of holistic health practices. They can provide physical, emotional, and spiritual healing benefits.
However, not all crystals are equal and it’s crucial that when purchasing crystals you do so from reputable shops offering transparent and honest pricing as well as intentional sourcing practices and fair wages. A price that seems too good to be true may indicate unethical practices used during production or sourcing processes.
1. Look for a Reputable Rock Shop
Any lover of crystals knows there are numerous fake, altered, or mislabeled crystals on the market today. Many are even altered with chemicals prior to being sold unwittingly to unsuspecting buyers.
When purchasing high-quality crystals, look for rock shops with short supply chains and sustainable mining practices, along with an understanding of each stone’s properties and healing qualities to ensure they provide genuine products.
Find a rock shop that provides a selection of rare crystals, offers testing services and educates customers about their purchases – for instance Soulful Vibes is an online crystal store owned by black people that specializes in offering high-vibration crystals with spiritual guidance to customers. They carry rare varieties like desert jasper – an attractive rust-colored stone with white streaks found only in Madagascar – as part of their commitment to conscious sourcing by working directly with miners and vendors to source ethical and responsible crystals from our planet’s interior.
2. Look for a Reputable Seller
When purchasing crystals online, it is crucial to find a reputable seller. Unfortunately, fraudulent sellers on e-commerce platforms are all too common when it comes to rare or costly crystals.
Reputable sellers provide clear photos and size references of each piece they sell, but be wary of sellers using photos with excessively stylized or filtered effects, which may not accurately portray what will arrive in your shipment.
Find a reputable seller who provides ethically sourced crystals. Not all sourcing practices are created equal, and some companies selling crystals have been linked with environmental degradation or human rights violations.
House of Intuition stands out as an excellent seller who strives to source high-quality crystals responsibly from suppliers around the globe, and provides free educational content on their site!
3. Look for a Reputable Photographer
No matter whether you view crystals scientifically or for their healing properties, doing your homework before purchasing high-quality stones is key to ensure high value purchases. Unfortunately, the mineral world can be littered with counterfeit products–fakes with artificial coloring or mislabelling that would cost thousands of dollars otherwise.
To protect yourself when purchasing crystals online, always buy from sellers with clear and natural photographs of what you’re after – not overly stylized or filtered images that don’t give the full picture. A reliable seller should also be willing to answer questions and provide more natural shots of what interests them.
As well, pay attention to where your crystals were mined. If a seller refuses to disclose this information or seems vague about it, take caution with them. Also be wary of sellers claiming their crystals haven’t been treated or heated (other than color enhancement) which could alter vibrational properties and lead to vibrational harm.
4. Look for a Reputable Seller
Shopping online or in person for crystals requires diligence in terms of both sourcing and transparency. A reputable crystal seller should always offer full size details as well as accurate descriptions for every piece in their shop, including its source and any known treatments that have been undertaken on them.
When sellers appear reticent to answer your queries or give vague responses, this should raise a red flag – especially if they appear newer and do not yet have an established presence within the crystal community.
If you are unfamiliar with an online seller, seek referrals from fellow crystal enthusiasts in your community or social media. Or purchase smaller crystal items from them first in order to assess customer service quality before investing more heavily. As always, read terms and conditions carefully prior to making purchases in order to prevent scams and fraudulent retailers – and good luck!