How much does it cost to open a crystal store?

When I started my Etsy crystal shop, I had no idea how much it would cost to open an online crystal store. I had a certain budget in mind, which I quickly exceeded. More on that in a little bit… 

In your first month, expect to invest $300 at minimum on crystals, and $200-300 on supplies, for a minimum total of $500-600 USD. 

You’ll be able to stock more unique pieces and your shop will take off faster if you can purchase $1,000+ in crystal inventory, for a recommended total of $1,200-1,500 USD.

Maybe you can invest even more than $1,000 on inventory. But hold on! If you don’t already have trusted crystal suppliers, and you don’t know yet what sells well in your shop – think long and hard before hitting that buy button. What you don’t want is to end up with a ton of inventory that doesn’t sell.

Of course, higher investments generally lead to higher profits. Just remember that if you’re still learning the basics, it’s not necessary to go all in right at the beginning.

Table of Contents

• Starting a crystal business is a big decision
• Planning to sell crystals on Instagram Live?
• Tips for opening a crystal store on a tight budget
• How much it cost to open my crystal store

Starting a crystal business is a big decision

Those are some big numbers right? $500-$1,500 is a significant chunk of change!

Every business requires an initial investment of both time and money. Selling crystals online is a retail business, meaning most of your startup cash will go to inventory and supplies. 

If everything goes to plan, you’ll make back all of that investment, and more! Creating profit is what businesses are designed to do.

If you’re not ready to make this investment, that’s ok. Everyone’s finances are different. If this amount is a big stretch for you, consider saving until you have enough cash to start your shop.

Planning to sell crystals on Instagram Live?

Instagram Live is a popular way for independent crystal shops to sell. And for good reason – established sellers can bring in thousands of dollars in just a few hours of live sales.

(Wanna know more? Check out my blog, 5 ways to sell crystals on Instagram.)

If you’re planning to sell on IG Live, your startup costs will be higher than I mentioned above. This is because:

• You have to purchase additional supplies like table props and lighting.
• Many new live sellers pay for Instagram to “boost” their posts, to reach a bigger audience of potential buyers. 
• You’ll order lots of different types of material so there are a variety of items at your live sale.

A live sale table typically starts with a large and diverse collection of crystals:

Tips for opening a crystal store on a tight budget

Don’t expect to make a quick buck.

It takes time to build your store to a point where it’s consistently profitable. Plan accordingly.

Buy as many different types of crystals as you can.

Stock a variety of materials, instead of just a few larger pieces. The more types of items you carry, the more potential buyers you’ll attract.

Create your crystal shop on Etsy.

Etsy has some of the lowest fees of any sales platform. And, it has a lower cost of entry than Instagram, for the reasons mentioned above.

Your only initial cost will be 20 cents per listing. Click here to get 40 free listings and start your shop for free!

It’s easier to sell smaller, more common pieces on Etsy than on Instagram. The best part about Etsy is that it brings buyers to you with no outside marketing required.

Make sure you’re charging enough to make a profit.

When you price your crystals, factor in all fees, taxes, shipping costs, and advertising. For more about pricing crystals, see my blog, How to price crystals for resale.

How much it cost to open my crystal store

I’m sharing this number with you as a real life example of a startup budget for a crystal shop. This is just my personal experience; other successful crystal shops may have started with much bigger, or much smaller budgets.

I originally budgeted $1,000 to start a crystal shop on Etsy. I blew past that in the first month – but it was totally worth it!

First month’s investment in Interstellar Crystals:

Business expenses: $88
This included items like my LLC registration fee, virtual mailbox so I don’t have to give out my home address, and subscriptions to Canva Pro for graphic design and Marmalead for keyword research.

Supplies: $310
This included items like mailing boxes and labels, packing tape, business cards, storage bins, a photo backdrop, a caliper, and sphere stands.

Crystals: $1,048
I placed several orders with different suppliers to get a decent amount and variety of crystals in my inventory.

Grand total: $1,446

Again – this was just my personal budget! Don’t feel down if you’re not prepared to spend that much. You can absolutely be successful, as long as you’re dedicated to learning and growing, and not afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

I hope this is valuable info for anyone wondering how much it costs to open a crystal store. If you still have questions leave a comment below, and I’ll get back to you!