Just the other day I saw a post on a social media thread. The photos showed where they were selling gemstones, essential oils, incense, and candles at a national chain hardware store. It caught my attention because the display looked like a hardware store display with products like those I sell at my store. I thought to myself, “This is a great sign! This is fantastic!” The more locations where people can become aware of alternative products for well-being, the better it is for business everywhere. The advent of conscious living, spiritual, metaphysical, and ‘New Age’ products becoming a norm in stores that affect mass consciousness bring awareness to specialty and unique stores. The more people that know about or even have our type of products on their radar increases sales and, well, peaceful vibrations, too!
The magnitude of conscious living products in mainstream stores has grown significantly. It is my perception that merchandise that improves mindfulness in everyday stores vs. specialty stores increases sales for stores like yours and mine. The more that consumers become aware of products that bring balance, peace, and relaxation into their lives, the more that conscious living stores are frequented. Your customer may purchase their first conscious living product in a bigger “box” store but ultimately, they will find their way to your store and mine to seek more gifts and books that will help them with their lives.
After all, stores like ours may go deeper into the unique and – what some might consider – unusual. When I first opened my store in 1988, it was not common to find books or statues of angels. As awareness grew, so did my business and probably yours, too. To this day, angel statues and angel merchandise in general still sell well and comprise a department within my store, but sales of other products are stronger than angels right now.
Let’s look at what’s trending now. In my store, it’s exactly what I mentioned above plus a few others – crystals and gemstones, aromatherapy, incense and sage, and candles – in that order. The better stocked the store, the better the sales. Have the courage to go deep on the products that sell well in your store. Add more variety and quantity of the same category. For example, my store is stocked with at least one hundred different choices of incense and sage, and they all sell well. Look at your numbers and pull reports from your point of sale system to determine if it makes sense for you.
Looking at the numbers at my store, it has become clear that crystals, minerals, and stones in all forms are number one with essential oils and sprays coming in at a close second. In my case, the aromatherapy is higher because I am an aromatherapist and have my own line sold worldwide to both consumers and retail partners.
In 2018, we sold well over a quarter of a million dollars in gemstones alone. This includes tumbled stones as well as specimen gemstones. Aromatherapy – medical grade essential oils and my line of aroma-energetic sprays – sold close to a quarter of a million dollars in 2018.
Gemstones and crystals are terms I use interchangeably along with rocks, stones, and minerals. Whatever your customer calls them, they want them. Crystals, minerals, and stones are selling well and fast in natural form, in tumbled form, in jewelry pendants, rings, and bracelets, in lamps or lighting, and coasters or grid plates. Included in this category are salt lamps and mineral lamps like selenite and rose quartz.
Strong sales in the incense, sage, and candle showroom were evident this past year and continue to increase and trend higher as well as we move through 2019. These are products that keep customers returning to restock their home supplies. It brings people back in with a specific shopping list, then they browse the rest of the store before they leave and pick up a few more items.
I am impressed to see that the number of packs of incense sold in a year are almost a surprise – well over 10,000 packs of incense and the retail value is over $35,000. For sage, 3,300 purchases of sage in its various forms – bag and bundles – totaling over fifteen thousand dollars, went home with customers last year.
Candles are in the same showroom with ‘things that burn’ and are another consumable that keep customers coming in. Have a nice variety of scented candles, most of which have an associated focus or intention like love, health, happiness, prosperity, and safety. Close to 4,000 individual candles sold. That’s just under $20,000 in candles. It’s well worth the merchandising and often restocking this department requires.
Tumbled Crystals, Minerals, and Stones
Tumbled gemstones are the number one best seller in my store for many years now. From agate to amethyst, from calcites to tourmalines, from jaspers to so many more jaspers, these shiny roundish gems fill rows and rows of shelves in clear glass bowls in the Crystal Room showroom. Each bowl has the matching ‘stone sign’ with the name of the stone, description, register code, and price. Our customers place each stone type with the matching stone sign into a little plastic bag provided so they’ll remember the stone name when they leave, and it also gives my staff the code needed to ring up the sale. I typically have anywhere to two to six pounds of each type of tumbled stone for the shelves or in back stock. These sell very fast so having a healthy back stock of tumbled stones is smart business in order to constantly refill the bowls to the brim. Abundant full displays sell products more quickly. Ample and overflowing merchandise also sends the message of prosperity and sales increase.
Natural or Rough Rocks
Rough and natural chunks of rocks are becoming more popular. I added a considerable amount of raw material to see what would happen. Natural untreated stones were added to my shelves in 2018. The unpolished natural stones are next to the bowl of the same type of gem in its tumbled variety. The numbers proved they sell almost as quickly as their tumbled cousins. Specifically, I stock natural amazonite, blue calcite, blue chalcedony (natural blue lace agate), hematite, tiger’s eye in gold and red, and so many more. The stones receive a quick bath before they go into bowls or baskets for sale on the shelves. When purchasing this this type for your store, you will find it is most often sold by the flat, bag, and by weight.
Wellness Lighting Gemstone Lamps
Salt lamps are available everywhere these days. And, we constantly sell out of them. Even when big box stores may sell it for a bit less, people still go out of their way to buy it at a store like mine.
Salt lamps have gained significant popularity just as salt suites pop up in many neighborhoods. Like you will find in a salt suite, these salt lamps are made from a chunk of salt crystal rock that was taken from the salt mines found in underground caves in the foothills of mountains. Often these are from the foothills of the Himalayas. The salt lamp makes use of the minerals that have been preserved for millions of years and releases their special properties through the introduction of heat from the nightlight bulb inserted into a hole in the bottom of the lamp. These special properties that emanate are responsible for promoting health and wellness through ionization of the air and the removal of pollution. They emit negatively charged ions that neutralize contaminants so they can no longer circulate. When this occurs, individuals can breathe more easily and many ailments, like allergies, start to disappear. Salt lamps comes in different shapes, sizes, and weights. Be mindful is you place them in a humid atmosphere – being salt, the lamp will slowly melt.
Lamps created from selenite logs or towers and large amethyst or rose quartz chunk and points create beautiful ambient lighting and good vibrations in any location in a home or office. Selenite brings mental clarity and helps you maintain focus. Selenite has protective qualities and the ability to align you with only the highest good for all concerned. This stone placed at the entrance to your home (inside and out) helps maintain loving vibrations.
Since amethyst derives its name from the Greek word “amethystos” meaning “not drunk” or “not intoxicated,” carry or wear this stone to remind you to avoid harmful distractions and to change old habits through conscious intent. Amethyst is any form is beneficial in treatment centers and anywhere when mindfulness for health and transformation are key.
An amethyst lamp is a great stone for the bedroom as a nightlight to promote sound sleep and pleasant dreams. Rose quartz lamps invite feelings of kindness, thoughtfulness, and love. It is one of my favorites for children’s play areas and bedrooms.
Let yourself become more familiar with various types of gemstones and crystals and consider adding them to your product mix. Give your customers what they are looking for. Add a gemstone section so they purchase their gems from you. They are trending and crystals, minerals, and stones are sought after at this time. Add the crystals and it will add good vibes, sparkle, and joy to your store’s atmosphere.
Now it’s time to look at what’s trending in your store and in your community. Run reports and sit down with the numbers to analyze which products have the highest margins and sell quickly.
Look closely at the number one type of merchandise that provides your store with a nice margin to increase net profits. Knowledge is power. Take note of the inventory turnover for specific products with the higher number of items sold. Inventory turnover is a ratio indicating how many times products were sold and replaced during a given period. Look at the numbers to help you make better decisions for your business regarding pricing, marketing, and purchasing new inventory. Reduce cost of goods and increase profits. Happy Selling!
Author: Margaret Ann Lembo
Margaret Ann Lembo is the author of Chakra Awakening; The Essential Guide to Crystals, Minerals and Stones; Crystal Intentions Oracle; The Essential Guide to Aromatherapy and Vibrational Healing; and Animal Totems and the Gemstone Kingdom. Find out more at thecrystalgarden.com and her website.
Website: https://www.margaretannlembo.com
