Online shopping is such a central part of all our lives now. You are no doubt like many of our customers and are looking at where to buy crystals online. As a result, we wanted to put a helpful guide together on our top 7 tips on how you can buy crystals online in Australia and deal with reputable online shops.
Let me ask you a question. Have you ever found a crystal you don't like the look of? I didn't think so. Me neither. Crystals and gemstones are absolutely stunning.
In particular, crystal jewellery is stunning. The different variants of precious mineral crystals are worn for both beautification and the display of opulence and power.
So to a person wearing a necklace or bracelet supposedly made from a precious stone, wearing the real thing IS the real deal.
In today's post, we'll look at our top 7 tips to help you buy crystals online in Australia.
But before we do, let's cover the most simple and obvious question.
If an online company has put a great deal of effort into the design of their website, then there's a pretty good chance they are professional.
For the most part, a professional design doesn't have much to do with gloss and appeal, but instead, its usefulness to the consumer.
As you are no doubt aware, creating content and uploading original and beautiful images takes a lot of time and effort.
If the site you are on has outstanding content that educates, informs and inspires you, then you know they are the real deal.
Then take a look at their imagery. Is it professional? Have they taken the time to capture the image at various angles?
You want to buy off online stores who share your same passion. You will see it in their writing and imagery.
Because websites exist in virtual reality, you don't experience the hands-on process of actually walking into a store and trying on different crystal jewellery pieces. You don't get to hold your crystals, tumble stones or natural clusters.
As a result, an excellent first point is to ask friends if they have heard of or bought from that crystal shop.
Your friends aren't going to lead you into a dark alley and say 'good luck'. If they had a bad experience they will let you know. They want to steer you away from trouble.
As mentioned below, if friends haven't referred you then you can always check their online reviews (point 3).
Usually, an online store that sells a wide range of crystal variations is an excellent place to start. You can always check their Collections section on their website to get an idea of their full range online.
Not only does choice give you the freedom to explore different energy streams, but it also works well for you if you're working with a tight budget and are looking for something simple and convenient.
There is nothing wrong with a crystal shop just starting out. They no doubt have excellent intentions but it does help to go with a trusted leader with a wide range of beautiful crystals.
You also want to know their crystals are ethically sourced and sourced from reputable suppliers. Our crystals are sourced from several trusted suppliers who have been involved in the business for a few decades.
In 2024, online reviews are the most powerful form of social proof available. Every single person who has a Facebook account or Gmail account can have their say about an online business.
You are always best to check out the crystal shops reviews online. Do they have a heap of 5-star reviews? Are the comments positive about the delivery times and products?
Is there a theme to their feedback. For example, if they have negative feedback, is it around postage or damaged products or low quality?
Or do the reviews indicate that price, quality, support and speed of delivery are all ok?
At Earth Inspired Gifts, we are passionate about our service, the quality of our product and fast delivery times. And it has shown in our feedback. We are so grateful for all those who have taken the time to write in.
You can view our Facebook reviews here and our Google+ reviews here. As of 2024, we have more than eighty 5-star reviews on Facebook and more than eighty 5-star reviews on Google+.
Occasionally, things go wrong. That's ok. It can happen to the best of online businesses.
But the real trick is seeing how they handle the issue. Are they quick to help? Can they get on top of the issues quickly?
Another point to check is whether the issue is their fault or that of the delivery company.
A company with great customer support will do everything they can to track down any parcels which have gone missing. Despite it being the issue of the delivery company, a great company will go above and beyond to get the items to you.
You want to check if they have live chat as well. If they do, do they respond in a timely fashion?
As you can see below, we received an online review from Debbie where we went out of our way to take photos of the items for her.
A brand that is highly active on social media is generally dependable as far as reputation goes. Customers want to see a vibrant company that is supporting their customers across multiple channels.
You don't want to go to one of their social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or Instagram and see a virtual 'ghost town'.
In the world of buying crystals online, you want to see vibrant and beautiful images.
Check out their social media and double check they are alive and well in the social media space. But don't spend too long there or else you will end up with an endless stream of cat videos. haha.
Let's be honest. If they can't put in the time and effort to invest in good quality images to display online, then they probably shouldn't be trusted.
Good quality images allow you to see everything you need about the crystal. Crystals are natural. They have natural flaws which make for the beauty of the item. In particular, clear quartz, Aqua Aura Quartz and Smoky Quartz are amazing with the various inclusions you can see.
Other items such as black tourmaline may require different lighting as it is a dark coloured crystal. After all, you are looking for the crystals to help manifest your dreams so you want to make sure you are buying ones you love.
Hopefully, the online crystal shop has taken a few images so you can tell exactly what you are buying.
But the best will show you actual videos of their key products. We have a number of videos of various salt lamps, selenite tower lamps, crystal lamps, geodes and more.
Taking care of your crystals is critical. Most people would not appreciate how much time and effort goes into packing each online crystal order.
Nothing is worse than receiving damaged goods. And yes, it does cost a little more to package every crystal in such a way that they arrive safely and in one piece.
When you receive your goods, are your crystals package nice and neat? Have they used sufficient shred or packing peanuts?
Many online retailers are opting to use plain packaging to reduce wastage. So be mindful that many online crystal shops will do what it takes to pack your items carefully but minimise any wastage.
You should receive your delicate crystal pieces in bubble wrap and packaged as the owner cares for your crystals.
No matter if you are buying a healing crystal or crystals for your crown chakra, heart chakra or third eye chakra, you want them to arrive in perfect condition.
In reality, reputable online crystal shops have their reputation on the line with their customers every single day.
Our job is to surpass your expectations and give you the best possible experience.
The beauty of buying crystals is that not all of them are pricey. We even have a blog post here of 5 gift ideas for kids under $20 and 5 amazing gifts under $30 here.
If you are thinking of placing a large order for crystals online, perhaps put in a smaller order and test the company out.
It is not uncommon for our customers to buy four or five times a year. But the first order may have been a test to see the quality.
Once you have found a trusted place to buy crystals online, you know you can continue buying regularly.
You may also want to develop an email communication with them. As an example, we are very open to sourcing various crystals for our customers as they want.
We will do everything we can to source your favourite crystals, especially if we don't have them right now.
We certainly hope not. But there are people who have lower standards than you'd expect. You may have heard of the fake iPhone store in China that was so good, the Apple reps had a hard time realising they were fake.
The reality is, you can get nearly any electronic or retail item as a fake.
However, when you take time to peruse their testimonials and read the accompanying feedback on various social media, it won't be very long before your gut gives you a 'that doesn't look right' feeling. Instead, crystals are all about positive energy. When you visit an online crystal store you want to see beautiful high-quality crystals that make you feel great.
And besides, sites selling fake crystals or fake crystal jewellery aren't popular with buyers and won't be around for long.
Another one to consider is do they have a physical store as well? If you are able to view your crystals in person and speak to the owners, then you are good to go.
At Earth Inspired Gifts, we are based in Sydney and you are welcome to view our range of crystals by appointment, 7 days a week.
In conclusion, it is incredibly fun buying crystals online in Australia. In particular, if your favourite crystal shop takes fantastic images, you may find you spend a lot of time checking out the beautiful images.
If you have any doubt, start off with a small order and go from there.
Nicky Jessen
Author
Nicky is the proud mum of 3 beautiful girls and Owner of Earth Inspired Gifts. Earth Inspired Gifts is an online retail store specialising in gifts inspired by Nature, such as Himalayan Rock Salt Lamps, Geodes, Crystals, Jewellery and other beautiful items. In addition to running Earth Inspired Gifts, Nicky has been building and managing many websites, including some of the largest online stores in Australia. Feel free to reach out to Nicky via her Facebook page or Twitter.